Corona Virus arrangements

Corona Virus: Guidelines for parents (17 March 2020)

In light of the recent Government guidelines in relation to the Corona Virus, we find it necessary to review arrangements for our school day.  Please note the following points:

• School will remain OPEN to pupils for the time being. However, the school building will be closed to all parents and visitors at all times and  the front door of the building will remain locked.
• Pupils should not arrive on school grounds before 9 am.
• The back doors (Garden Room) of the building will be the access and exit points for children: Mrs Cassells’ class should use the back playground gate at the left hand side of the building and Mrs Malcolm’s class should use the back playground gate at the right hand side of the building
• Children should be handed over to staff at the Garden Room doors and collected in the same manner
• We strongly encourage parents to socially distance themselves from other families whilst on school grounds i.e. to stand 2 or more metres away from each other
• We encourage a staggered start time each morning; children may arrive between 9 and 9.30 am, and be collected from 1.15 – 1.30 pm from the Garden Room doors
• Please ensure that children are not sent to school if they, or any other family member, are experiencing cold or flu like symptoms: sore throat, cough, temperature, headache etc. ALL family members should self-isolate for 14 days.
• If children become unwell whilst they are at school, they will be isolated and sent home immediately
• Children will be sent to wash their hands immediately upon arrival in school
• Children will not be permitted to use the toilet facilities in school before the doors open at 9 am, so please ensure that they all go at home before leaving
• “Going home” trays will be left outside at the Garden Room entrance doors: please empty these on a daily basis. We will send home children’s work boxes, art work and any other items that it is not necessary to keep in school.  Welly boots will be sent home as soon as we get the directive to close.
• It is likely that when the school does close, that it will be for at least 12 weeks. Further updates will be posted on the school’s website as they become available barbournurseryschool.co.uk
• Please do not phone the school for medical advice. There is now a wealth of information on the Public Health Authority website. Absence reasons can be communicated to us via SeeSaw private message or the link on the school website.
• At any stage if we do not have sufficient staff to operate the school within the legal ratio limit, we may find it necessary to close before the official Government guidelines advise
• If you have other vulnerable children or adults at home, it may be wise to keep all other children off school
• Please make sure that all childminders and carers are made aware of our current arrangements
• Dinner money must be sent in with each child in a sealed envelope (correct change only of £7.50 for this week). Mrs Brady will not be available to give change or collect cash any morning.  Staff will not accept cash unless it is in a named envelope.

Thank you for very much for your understanding and co-operation during these very difficult and worrying times.  Please rest assured that we will do everything in our power to keep our precious children safe whilst they are in our care.  We must try not to panic, and instead be mindful of advice about social distancing and avoid unnecessary contact out of school hours.