..
|
Dear Parents/Carers, The easing of restrictions starts tomorrow and I am sure we are all greatly relieved and looking forward to seeing friends and family again. I have attached the changes from tomorrow. Our expectations around school have not changed in any way and will be reviewed after the Easter holidays. Please maintain the same distancing, masks and 'flow and go' as before. Our aim is to gradually ease things after the Easter holidays. School staff will still be testing over the holidays and we would advise families to do the same. Nut free school - please remember we have children with severe allergies and our school is a completely nut free school (including Nutella). Kind regards Mr Batstone Attachments |
Dear Parents/Carers,
The end of a very busy and diverse term approaches. There have been many changes this term, please be mindful that you, your family and your children have all experienced new and challenging times (as we all have) and they will have an impact on mood, behaviours and approaches to everyday life. It does mean they are long term or they will have adverse effects on your child, it may just be changes of routine, expectations and anxiety (not all anxiety is bad as there is anxiety everyday and humans have it naturally). As time progresses things may settle or you may still have concerns or worries, all of this is perfectly normal and ok.
1. Attendance last week - This will be in the Monday update but attendance levels are good.
2. Last week of term - we have made it to the end of another term which combined both home learning and being in school. A big 'thank you' to all of the school staff for their hard work, dedication and relentless effort this term, they deserve a break. Thank you to all parents/carers for your support during these challenging times. Thank you to the children for the way they have slotted back into school and coped well with everything.
3. All Star Cricket - attached is a flier from Luctonians regarding their All Star Cricket programme. There are other clubs locally that also run All Star Cricket.
4. Parking and cars - this is generally ok around school though we still need some awareness of opening doors into the road (as someone did as a lorry came the other day, close shave !) and where it is safe to turn. There have been accidents in the past when people turn using the Bridge Sollars junction, if you continue down the road 200m there is a turning on your left where the buses turn which is a bit safer.
Parking in the village - there is plenty of space as very short, safe walk from school. The park or roads in the village (safe routes from the park with no crossing of roads).
5. Pick up reminders - please remain in your car or away from school until a minute before your pick up time, it saves queues. Your children are safe and they are perfectly fine to wait. The 'flow' at the beginning and end of the day is working well, thank you.
6. Breakfast Club (run by pre school but in our school hall) and MASC will re-start after the Easter holidays. Please contact pre school for breakfast club and the school office for MASC. Both are charged services. When we start after Easter the children will still be in their class groups but in the hall in different spaces. Drop off and pick up will be the same as before Christmas via the front door and radio.
7. Class bubbles - the children do not mix or cross over with children from other classes in the interests of safety (we even have separate toilets for each year group). Therefore we would ask you not to bring other people's children from different year groups to school or have playdates until the rules ease. Hopefully we can begin to relax the rules in the near future.
8. Chromebooks - all Chromebooks should now have been returned to school.
Thank you for your continued support, co-operation and understanding, it is appreciated.
regards
Mr Batstone
Dear Parents/Carers,
Welcome to the middle of the week ! 'Everyday is an adventure' is our thinking at the moment as we work our way forward.
1. End of term date clarification - term ends on Thursday April 1st and we return on Monday April 19th (with new haircuts !).
Summer term ends for the children on Friday July 16th July.
Summer holiday club news will come out soon but we plan to run something from Wednesday 21st July (probably for the first four weeks of the holidays).
2. Chrome book return - The Chrome books will be used in the near future to enhance our ICT offer to the children (The Parish Hall next door now has wi-fi so it gives us scope for extra use and ICT). I have just ordered our 7 laptops from the DFE scheme, a bit late but they are free and will be added to our laptops in school.
3. Uniform after Easter - if the review on April 12th proceeds with the opening of shops then we will expect children in the correct uniform and shoes for the summer term. There is still a third of the school year to go and we are flexible towards the end of the year (last 2 or 3 weeks) if children grow out of their shoes.
4. Behaviour and manners
Behaviour = we don't have any major issues but we have reached week 2 with some children who are tired, out of routine and still aware of everything else that is happening. Children need good routines, sleep and to eat/drink correctly to thrive. We all know home is different to school (as you have found out first hand during lockdown) but we are back to a more 'normal' routine now.
Manners = we have very high expectations of manners from all of the children, we expect them to be polite and take responsibility for the way they speak to adults and other children. Generally it is something we see all the time but we are having to reinforce some aspects more than before.
We are also noticing some table manners that have got weaker, using a knife and fork correctly, sitting properly etc. Please could you practise and reinforce these aspects at home please.
5. Expectations of you !
- to communicate effectively if your child is ill or displays any symptoms (keep them off and get tested asap then inform us of the result). DO NOT GIVE CALPOL OR ANYTHING ELSE and if you do please communicate with us.
- be prepared for a case (which in a primary school will result in the whole bubble isolating).
- to keep the school community as safe as possible. Home testing is your own choice and not something the school needs to know (although when children say 'I had a test yesterday.....' we have to remember the context now !). Home testing is free and a link was sent on an old Parentmail.
Attached are a few fliers for various things and also a photo of our private forest school site, how lucky are we to have such an amazing site with a view of the mountains, lucky children !
Thank you for your support, care and understanding so far, it is appreciated.
Kind regards
Mr Batstone
Welcome to Monday ! I hope you had an enjoyable and safe weekend.
We are currently checking when this term actually finishes as we set the dates a while ago but our website says one thing and another set of dates say another, we will clarify it on the next update this week. It has been a long time since we set them and a lot has happened since then !
All seems to be working well around school. Could we please ask that everyone remembers it is still 'lockdown' and the 'rules' haven't changed yet and, if you are mixing at weekends or mixing with lots of people, the virus cases are still fairly high nationally. If school staff are testing and careful and other families are testing and careful then it is completely unfair for others to be 'doing their own thing' then sending their children to school and putting everyone at risk. We will have more freedoms soon enough if we all work together. More staff are now being vaccinated as our age allows !!
Within school we are still keeping 'bubbles' separate with their own toilets and no mixing. Staff are wearing masks in shared areas and we are being really mindful. We are all doing 'our bit' to keep you safe.
Current 'rules' (from March 8th)
- one person can meet one other outdoors.
- Child care bubbles' can be formed with one other family (not a different family everyday).
- Children return to school full time.
The next review is March 29th when we hope that the meeting of two families or 'rule of 6' will apply if the review thinks it is safe. Outdoor sports can resume.
April 12th - the next review will decide if shops, hairdressers etc can re-open. This is the first 'big step' towards more normality.
1. Chromebook return days by class (please make sure they are 'power washed' in settings before a return)
R/1 = Monday 22nd March
2/3 = Tuesday 23rd March
3/4 = Wednesday 24th March
5/6 = Thursday 25th March
Not sure why Year 3 got two days but never mind, lucky them !
If you used the Chromebook as a 'guest' then it doesn't need 'power washing' as nothing should be saved on it and it won't let you do it ! Don't worry !
2. Rugby flier attached - this is for younger children and tag rugby at Hereford Rugby Club.
3. Red Nose Day - great effort everyone and we will count up the donations this week and let you know what was raised.
4. Offers of help - 'thank you' for the house plants, scaffolding boards so far. Much appreciated.
More updates later in the week.
regards
Mr Batstone
Happy Friday !
This time last year we were preparing for the Forest Of Dean Gymnastics competition involving a third of our children ! How the last year has 'flown' and 'dragged' in equal measure !
Please remember 'lockdown' is not over and the next stage for outside mixing of two households or the 'rule of 6' is March 29th. School staff are very conscious of keeping your families safe so please return the favour !
Thank you to everyone for the smooth entry and exit to and from school.
1. Attendance for week 8/3/21 - 12/3/21 -
Overall = 99.2 % (amazing effort everyone)
Three classes had 100% and three classes were 99 + %.
2. Learning across the school
It has been a busy few weeks with lots of opportunities for the children in music, art, drama, forest school as well as the academic. Children have socialised again with their classmates and re-established connections. Attached are a few sample photographs capturing different learning at school. We also use some of the opportunities to create smaller groups for teachers to work with the children to see where we are with their learning.
3. Madley After School Club (MASC)
This is our paid for after school club which runs from 3:30pm - 5:30pm from Monday to Friday. Mrs Richards will ring families over the next few weeks as we plan to have MASC running again after the Easter holidays in the same, safe, way we did before.
As some people's work patterns, furlough and everything else may be a little 'out of routine' at the moment Mrs Richards will discuss individual requirements when she phones.
If there are any parents who need MASC, and were not previously on our list, then please phone the school office or e-mail admin@madley.hereford.sch.uk
4. Adult language for children
'Bullying' is a very very powerful word and something we talk to the children about a lot. Bullying can be a 'one off' serious incident but is often over time and directed towards the same person (physical, emotional or online). A few of our children use the word for 'everything and anything' when it is 'normal' falling out or relationships. Please could we ask parents/carers to use the right language in the correct context.
Bullying can happen anywhere and we are acutely aware as a school and all staff are very astute. We always have the mantra 'it could happen here' and never dismiss anything but children need to be taught the correct context and parents/carers have a very powerful voice in this.
Your children go to school in a different era and context. They go to a school where 'bullying' is not tolerated but we do expect children to fall out, have cross words and to experiment with their friendships (so they become adults with good social skills). As a values based school we teach the children awareness, respect, positivity and responsibility for their actions and language.
We will always deal with any concerns in a sensitive manner.
5. Any old egg cups
The Hereford Community Recycling Group have asked us to get involved with a project to collect old egg cups with a small Creme Egg or similar, these will then be gift wrapped for the NHS.
If you have any please send them in and they will make their way to the quarantine box in Year 4 !
6. Red Nose Day (TODAY !)
Where something red, or all red, paint your face red (but not your nose), wear a red hat, red socks, red shoes, silly red make up........ it has to be something silly and not just a 'non uniform' day. Go for it and come to school with a smile on your face and at least a £1 in your pocket for a good cause. Money will be collected in each class, kept separately over the weekend then counted and sent off.
Don't panic this is just for fun and to support a good cause.
Regards
Mr Batstone
Welcome to Wednesday !
All is working smoothly and safely in and around school. Could we ask that Year 5 and 6 children DO NOT congregate at the gate before 8:50am, WHEN THE GATES OPEN (there has been a significant increase in the last week and it is not safe although they are very sensible and stay in their year groups).
All other entrances/exits and behaviours are excellent, thank you.
1. Chrome book return (next week) days -
R/1 = Monday 22nd March
2/3 = Tuesday 23rd March
3/4 = Wednesday 24th March
5/6 = Thursday 25th March
Please make sure they are re-set using 'Power wash' in settings.
2. 'Catch up is an adult perception ! We want a 'balance' of learning that is academic, social as well as drama, music, art and any other opportunity we can offer. The saying 'filling buckets or lighting fires.....' springs to mind !
3. 'Freedom with responsibility'
- Walking out of school (at the end of the day !) - lots of Year 5 and 6 children are walking out and meeting parents or walking home, this is fine but please make sure they are safe and not walking in a large group. Once they leave the school grounds they are the responsibility of parents/carers but it is a good thing for them to have a bit more responsibility and makes life a little less congested around school.
- Forest school
At forest school we encourage the children to take calculated risks within their capabilities ('Freedom with responsibility'). They need to be climbing (safely) and using tools (appropriate to their age) and it may result in falling off/over and cuts, bruises and splinters. They may also get muddy (that's why we ask for old clothes) as we don't always put waterproofs on if the weather is fine.
We often post photographs on Twitter (@MadleyPrimarySc) of our forest school adventures. We don't just walk in the woods there is a wealth of science, geography, art, history, maths etc that we learn at our sessions. As a school we never do anything 'twee' or for effect, it must always have meaning and be connected.
We are very lucky to have such an amazing, private site and the 'freedom' to use a very large woodland for our adventures. One day we will host some family sessions at the site ..........
4. Rugby update
Attached is a poster from Hereford RFC regarding a new section for secondary age girls (older siblings).
There is also a news article regarding one of our ex pupils who has made it through to the final trials for England Under 18s (a year ahead of his time). Good luck Joe ! We have had England internationals in the past and we also have ex pupils on the books of Worcester Warriors, both boys and girls. All of them had a great approach to all sports and displayed values on and off the field in abundance.
5. Current Covid rules (until March 29th when restrictions are reviewed and then April 12th)
One person can meet one other outside.
Children are back at school (but this does not mean children from different households should be going for 'sleepovers' or play days yet).
You may have seen in the Hereford Times that two schools in Herefordshire have closed on mass due to cases, please do not assume it won't happen here, it could. We are not being over cautious but we do need people to be sensible, safe and abide by the rules around school but also at home.
Have a good day
Regards
Mr Batstone
Welcome to week 2 of everyone being back. Last week was successful in the entry and exit to school so please keep up the good work. We hope that you are still being completely aware of the current guidance and keeping everyone safe, 'lockdown' is not over yet.
Please -
Covid aware
- If your child or any member of your family displays symptoms please get tested and do not come to school until you have a negative result (it is quite quick now). In the event of a positive test please inform us as soon as possible.
- If you are using lateral flow tests and it is positive you should book a 'proper' test and then inform us of the result.
- Be prepared for a class bubble to isolate in the case of a positive case in school. Hopefully it wouldn't be the whole school as we are keeping classes separate and adults are very mindful of safety. If 'bubbles' isolate it will return to Seesaw and home learning unless the class teacher is ill.
1. Clothes donations
- can anyone donate any 'joggers' as spare clothing for our younger children (ages 4 - 6) in the event of accidents. Please e-mail or phone then we can arrange for you to drop them at the front door.
- Could we also ask that people check they have brought spare clothing back as our supplies are very low and some 'borrowed' clothing has not been returned. We always buy new knickers/pants but need them returned please.
2. Clothing bank at the front of school
This is till open and has operated all the way through since March. The PTA receives payments for donated clothing.
3. Chrome book return next week (days will be published on Wednesday)
Please make sure they are 'power washed' before hand in the settings to reset them.
In the event of isolation of class bubbles we can get them to people again (lets hope it doesn't happen).
4. 'Everything but your nose red day !' - we are having our own 'take' on the day
On Friday children can wear red anywhere and everywhere except their nose ! Hair, face paint, clothing, one sock etc. IT IS NOT A 'NORMAL' NON UNIFORM DAY and we would expect children to make the effort to wear something red and be aware of the purpose of the day.
If children have a red nose and want to bring it for breaks and lunchtime they can.
Please don't feel pressure to head online for anything, just use what you might have !
5. Has anyone got ...........
Any indoor plants for school to have in classrooms to make our environment a bit greener.
Any scaffolding boards for the children to make some bench seats for forest school.
Scaffolding poles and connectors for the children to build seating in our outdoor 'shed' that was built a few years ago and is our on-site forest school mini classroom.
Please e-mail admin@madley.hereford.sch.uk if you can help with any of the above.
Have a good start to the week.
Regards
Mr Batstone
|
Hello everyone ! The end of the first week with everyone back (we were never closed before) and I am sure everyone is tired with new routines, expectations, eating times, awareness of safety and everything else !). Everyone has done really well and it is all working well, we take each day at a time at the moment.
Now lets keep it going, Easter will be our first chance to make things a bit more relaxed hopefully. Don't worry if you arrive a little late at the end of the day as it is fine (and often you are actually on time but it has cleared quickly). Could we also ask that we do not have queues of people 10 minutes before the children come out, they won't come out any earlier just because you are there ! Stay in your car or away from school until a minute or two before the allocated time. Then it all flows beautifully ! 1. School Nurse Service We recently received the following information. Please feel free to pass on our details below to any parents who might need our support at the moment.
2. Shoes - lots of children are growing out of shoes, not a problem and 'thank you' for the e-mails so we know.
Have a lovely weekend. Regards Mr Batstone |
Dear Parents/Carers,
The children have settled back in well and all is running smoothly within school, it has been a very positive return. They are also very open about people they have been mixing with and where they have been ! Most families have been following the rules to the letter and some have not, we are then the ones exposed to that risk ! No school staff complain or make a fuss but they are worried and everyone has chosen to wear masks within school (but not when teaching). We are also trying to be outside as much as possible.
1. Smooth entry and exit to school - thank you to everyone for the awareness, speed and understanding shown when dropping off and, especially when picking up. Tuesday after school was excellent with people waiting until the correct time. Pease could we ask that you do not queue as the gates won't open any earlier and there is more than enough time. If we get this right then parents leaving will create space for others to park and then it will all go even more smoothly.
2. Parking on pavements and close shaves !
Do we have to wait for a serious injury or worse before everyone takes notice and is more aware ? It is getting close as a young child was almost hit by another parent's car as they pulled away earlier this week. Every school has issues with parking and every school has a proportion of parents/carers who 'do their own thing.' Please, please can we ask everyone to be 'aware and care' before we have an accident. Our advice is to report any dangerous parking or driving to the Police.
Local residents should not have to be blocked in or have people parked selfishly across their drives. As we have said before there is plenty of safe parking a very short walk from school in the village.
3. Testing - this is completely voluntary and tests can be ordered via the link sent last week. School staff do it twice a week to protect you, their families and the wider community. It is not a very pleasant experience and there is a lot in the system about accuracy of the Lateral Flow Tests but it gives an indicator.
As before if your child has any symptoms of Covid then you should book a 'proper' test, stay away from school and inform us of the results.
Please keep up the good work with the entry and exit to school and be prepared for very tired children at the end of the week.
Kind regards
Mr Batstone
|
Dear Parents/Carers, Updates won't be daily now but revert to three times a week. It was lovely to see all the children today and a bit bizarre to hear so many voices again across all of the rooms. A lovely return and everyone settled quickly and calmly. The children will be very tired with new routines, expectations and eating at different times but they will get get used to it again. Entry and exit to school - entry to school was really smooth and thank you everyone for being sensible. Could we please ask that you clear the area quickly and don't congregate in groups at any point either at the Parish Hall or outside of school. The rules have not changed yet except for meeting one person outside for a walk or drink. The end of the day was fairly smooth but parents do not need to arrive too early or queue. Reception exit is 3:15pm and there is a big enough gap before Year 1 exit at 3:25pm (Year 1 parents do not need to be at the exit until just before 3:25pm and all Reception parents will have gone). There is no need to arrive too early. You do not need to be queueing or congregating at any gate as there is enough time to park and pick up on time, your children won't escape ! Thank you to those parents with multiple children at different gates, your patience and care is appreciated (older children can walk to a given place to meet parents). Confirmation of exit times - Year R - 3:15pm Year 1 - 3:25 pm Year 2 - 3:20 pm Year 3 - 3:30 pm Year 4 - 3:30 pm Year 5 - 3:20 pm Year 6 - 3:30 pm As a school we do more time in the school day than we are required to and the exit times are not about age but gaps between year groups who use the same exit due to their location. This arrangement will remain in place until Easter when it will be reviewed. Wellies - all children need wellies in school please. Please continue to be safe, aware and not to congregate around school. Thank you all for your co-operation and understanding. Kind regards Mr Batstone
|
