Little Heath Primary School
Frequently asked questions
Which year groups are returning to school?
The Government has asked primary schools to welcome back all children in Nursery, Reception and Years 1 to Year 6.
Does my child have to attend?
All children in Nursery, Reception and Year 1 to Year 6 are expected to attend school in line with our existing Attendance Policy, which can be found under Policies in the menu a the top of the page. You must not attend school if you have any symptoms and should follow local COVID-19 guidance.
How big will the classes be?
Class sizes will be back to 30. To help support social distancing all the desks in the classrooms will be arranged facing forwards with the children sat side by side (except in the foundation stage and in Year 1 in the first instance).
How will you guarantee that social distancing takes place e.g. keeping children 2m apart?
In welcoming all children back this autumn, schools have been asked to minimise the number of contacts that a pupil has during the school day and so we will be keeping the children in their class bubbles for the majority of the time but we cannot guarantee that there will not be some additional mixing during the day e.g. for wraparound care. As well as staggered start and finish times we will also be having staggered break and lunchtimes to help keep contact between the classes down to a minimum. Some teachers and staff will be operating across different classes in order to facilitate the delivery of the full school timetable.
How do I explain social distancing to my child?
Be open and honest, using language they will understand.
How to Explain Social Distancing to Kids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HTA3ql6uWY&feature=emb_logo
For very young children or those who may not understand the concept of viruses and germs, there is video from Sesame Street's Grover, that shows them the “good” and “bad” way to practise social distancing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrt8WMwVEo&feature=emb_logo
What hygiene measures will be in place to keep my child safe?
We will be following the COVID-19 cleaning of non-healthcare settings guidance. We will also ensure that sufficient hand washing facilities are available in every classroom and washroom. Hand sanitiser (low alcohol %) is available in classrooms for the children to use as an additional method and whilst stocks are available. All of our classroom surfaces where children will be working and touching, will be cleaned and sanitised more regularly than normal. Both adults and children will be encouraged to wash their hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds and dry thoroughly. In particular on arrival at to school, before and after eating, and after sneezing or coughing. New pedal bins have been purchased for tissue waste and children will be encouraged to ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’. These bins will be emptied regularly throughout the day. Classrooms will be well ventilated using natural ventilation e.g. opening windows and doors (bearing in mind fire safety and safeguarding).
Will children be confined to the same classroom environment most of the day?
Children will remain in the same classroom for the day. With warmer weather we will use an outdoor learning approach, where possible.
How will Break times and lunch times work to ensure children are safe?
The children will go out in their individual year groups and will be split across the playgrounds so that the children do not mix with the other year groups. Each individual class will be provided with a small selection of items that they will be able to play with during break times, but unfortunately they will not be able to use the climbing equipment.
The school kitchen will be serving packed lunch options only for the time being.
How will you make school safe for my child?
In addition to social distancing and hygiene measures mentioned above, children will have a designated classroom (which we are going to refer to as their bubble) for lessons and play, to minimise the opportunity for mixing. The setting and resources will undergo regular cleaning. We will organise staggered lunchtimes and playtimes to minimise the opportunity to mix. We will carry out a one way system and use corridor protocol to allow maximum distancing for walking. We will be vigilant in identifying children with symptoms and isolate them and ask parents to collect them. We have removed all unnecessary items from classrooms, such as soft furnishings, soft toys and toys that are hard to clean.
Will my child be expected to share resources, such as pens and pencils?
The children will be provided with individual resources to support their learning, including pencils and pens. Resources that are shared between classes or bubbles, such as sports, art and science equipment will be cleaned frequently and meticulously and always between bubbles.
The children should only bring in essentials with them such as lunch boxes, hats, PE kits and coats. Bags are allowed.
Will everyone arrive at school at the same time causing an increase in risk?
Following guidance from the government we are going to be having staggered start and finish times and we request that only one parent drops off and picks up their child. Parents will not be allowed on the site so the children will need to be dropped off and collected outside of the school gate (except children in Nursery and Reception in the first instance). We ask that you do not congregate at the school gate when this happens and that you maintain social distancing while you wait. When you see your child you may come forward to collect them and then leave immediately.
My child is feeling anxious about coming back to school, how can I prepare him/her?
We ask that you help support your child by talking about what school was like before lockdown and what it will be like now. It will be different. We will be working with the children to overcome anxieties. It will be important to encourage your child to talk about their experiences in ‘lockdown’ and that this period is now ending.
Will children go straight back into normal lessons following the national curriculum?
When the children do return to school the priorities for their education at first will be resocialisation into new school routines and helping them regain their momentum. During this time we will also be using formative assessment to assess where the children are with their learning and any areas that need to be addressed. We have also made modifications to our curriculum taking into consideration where we think the children will be with their learning but teachers will make modifications to this if they think it is necessary after assessing the children.
Will staff and children wear masks or PPE?
Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended in the guidance so neither the staff or the children will wear them.
There will be a small number of occasions when staff have to wear PPE and I have listed those below:
- When they are dealing with children whose care routinely already involves the use of PPE due to their intimate care needs
- If a child, young person or other learner becomes unwell with symptoms of coronavirus while in their setting and needs direct personal care until they can return home
- If a child requires first aid that does not allow the adult to stay at a distance of 1 - 2m.
Will my child need to wear a school uniform?
Yes. Full school uniform should now be worn daily.
Will extra-curricular clubs run (football club, dance club etc)?
No. There will be no extra-curricular clubs running at the moment. However Kids n Clubs will be running their wrap around care before and after school. Please contact the school office for more information.
Will the school office be open?
Yes. The school office will be open for telephone calls and emails only. This is a very busy time of year, please bear with us. We will not be accepting late arrivals to school via the main front office and do not want parents to come into the school reception unless this has previously been agreed. Where possible I would ask that parents ring/email the school as opposed to presenting in person
What will happen if a child in the class shows symptoms?
We will follow the Government guidelines if anyone becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature in an education or childcare setting. They will be sent home and advised to follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection guidance.
What happens if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus in school?
We will again follow the Government guidance. The child or staff member will be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 10 days. Their fellow household members should self-isolate for 14 days.
How can I speak to the class teacher if we are socially distancing?
You can contact your child’s class teacher by emailing them directly. All email addresses can be found on the school website.
