Dear Parent/Carer,
As promised, this is an update on the most recent Covid situation following the written statements yesterday by the Welsh Government Education Secretary Jeremy Miles and First Minister Mark Drakeford.
The measures introduced are in response to concern at the rapidly rising rates of Omicron virus within the UK.
All schools in Wales are required to take the first two days of the term as planning days to implement changes as a result of new school operational guidance and also to ensure that schools have robust plans in place to move to remote (online) learning at some point during the next few weeks. Schools also have to review their current risk assessments and revise them in light of the national ‘very high’ risk level.
Our aim is to take measures to mitigate against an increased transmission rate, whilst at the same time ensuring that school is as normal and safe for children and families as possible.
What this means for our school:
- School will reopen on Thursday 6th January.
- The start and finish times will stay the same. There will be no staggered start and finish times.
- Parents and carers will be expected to socially distance, to drop their children off quickly in the morning and not wait around by school.
- They will also be expected to wear a face covering, unless exempt.
- Breakfast Club will not run for the first two and a half weeks and I will review the situation on Friday 27th January. This is because we will be unable to separate all the classes safely in the Cadog Hall (annexe) or the Middle Hall.
- Free School Meal Vouchers will be provided for Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th January. School meals will be available for all pupils who want one, on Thursday 6th January.
I will write to you again on Tuesday 4th January with further information which will reflect the current Welsh Government and Public Health guidance.
In that letter I will also be able to provide you with more information about possible short-term emergency childcare on Wednesday 5th January for vulnerable pupils and those whose parents are critical workers.
As before, we will work with you to ensure that the measures that we put in place are proportionate to the current situation and help to make everything work equally as well for you as parents as it will for us as a school.
Only if I receive essential information will I communicate with you before that date of Tuesday 4th of January. Otherwise, I won’t disturb you during the Christmas and new year break.
Other News
Today we said goodbye and thank you to Mr Beckett who has been covering Miss Spearey’s class while she has been away with a leg injury. Thank you to him for his hard work, help and total commitment while he has been with us this term.
He will be starting work at Alway Primary School in January and we wish him lots of luck!
Miss Spearey hopes to return in the middle of January, so before she does, Class 3/4S will be taught by Miss Wall, who has left Class 3/4W in readiness for Miss Bowden, our new deputy headteacher, who will be starting in January.
Miss Wall has been such a help teaching Class 3/4W and, although she’s not leaving us totally, I’d like to thank her for her commitment and hard work also.
We will be welcoming Miss Bowden in January but I also want to say a huge thank you to Mrs Davies, who has been Acting Deputy Headteacher this term and who has done such a great job and has been such a help!
Finally
Thank you very much for your support for your children this term.
Children and staff have been great this term and have worked so hard so I’d like to say thank you and well done to all of them! 😊
Have a happy, peaceful and safe Christmas and New Year #St Woolos Family!
We’ll see you in 2022!
Yours sincerely,
H Vaughan
Headteacher