Please see below for an important 'COVID-19 Update' from Mr Spracklen 👇

 #InspiredToLearn COVID-19 Update - Tuesday 12th May 2020 -

Dear Parents and Carers,

Last night, the Department for Education published this guidance detailing the actions for education and childcare settings to prepare for the wider opening of schools from Monday 1st June 2020. At this stage, the Government expects children to be able to return to Early Years Settings (Pre-School in our case), Reception, Year One and Year Six. The Government’s ambition is for all primary school children to return to school before the summer for a month if feasible, although they state this will be kept under review.

I, my Senior Leadership Team and members of our Full Governing Body have read the guidance and have written the attached summary of our initial thoughts for your consideration. 

We would now like your views as parents and carers about the approach being proposed. Understanding your views and your intentions should the wider opening of schools take place as described from Monday 1st June 2020, will help us to best prepare for this challenge. You can share your views by emailing me at - headteacher@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk. 

We fully recognise that there will be a full spectrum of thoughts and views about this matter. As a school, please be assured that we respect the challenges that COVID-19 has presented to you as parents and carers. For this reason, we will be adopting a YOUR CHILD, YOUR CHOICE ethos and will continue to fully support children and families who choose to stay at home. Our Virtual School Programme and associated support activities including phone calls, food parcels, physical resource deliveries, loan of school equipment (including desks, chairs and Chromebooks) and virtual ELSA sessions (as required) will continue for all age groups alongside any new in-school learning.

We continue to stand with you at this time.

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Gary Spracklen - Headteacher

SUMMARY DOCUMENT - INITIAL THOUGHTS ON ‘ACTIONS FOR ACTIONS FOR EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE SETTINGS TO PREPARE FOR WIDER OPENING FROM 1 JUNE 2020’ - DFE - 11/05/2020

Ref	Summary of Department for Education Guidance	The Prince of Wales School View
001	All vulnerable/EHCP/Key workers’ children should be urged to attend school immediately – “it is no longer necessary for parents of eligible children to keep them at home if they can.”	We will only urge children to attend school immediately where we deem them to be at risk staying home.  We will be adopting a YOUR CHILD, YOUR CHOICE ethos and will continue to fully support children and families who choose to stay at home. We will continue to do this through our Virtual School Programme and associated support activities including phone calls, food parcels, physical resource deliveries, loan of school equipment (including desks, chairs and Chromebooks) and virtual ELSA sessions (as required).
002	Ambition is to bring back ALL primary-age children by the end of June, so all children have a month in school before summer holidays.	Naturally, we all want to be back together, however, we insist safety must come first.
003	No need for PPE – No need for face masks or face covering EXCEPT for those staff that work closely with the children (i.e. intimate care needs). Face masks should also be used by staff that are supervising children that are ill/showing symptoms in school while we wait for parents to collect.	We will follow the Department for Education’s guidance and will also respect staff personal wishes to wear a face covering if requested.
004	Shielding children should NOT attend school.	We will continue to fully support these children/adults and their families.  We will continue to do this through our Virtual School Programme and associated support activities including phone calls, food parcels, physical resource deliveries and virtual ELSA sessions (as required). Where needed, we will continue to link with external services to offer support.
005	Shielding (clinically extremely vulnerable – those with a GOV. letter) adults should NOT attend school.
006	Clinically Vulnerable staff (risk-assessed staff, with underlying health conditions) are advised to NOT attend site and should be encouraged to work from home. If they are vulnerable and their role means they cannot work from home, then they should be given tasks to do in a safe part of the school and minimise contact. It is down to the employee if they wish to work closely with others, but conversations must be had with them and they must understand/accept the risks to them first.
007	If a child or member of staff lives with someone who is shielding (clinically extremely vulnerable – those with a GOV. letter) then they should NOT be in school.	We will continue to fully support these children/adults and their families. We will continue to do this through our Virtual School Programme and associated support activities including phone calls, food parcels, physical resource deliveries and virtual ELSA sessions (as required). Where needed, we will continue to link with external services to offer support.
008	Class sizes – no more than 15 children in any room at any time. They should be with one teacher (and one TA, if needed). Groups of children must NOT mix together or come into contact, and children within a group should remain 2metres apart, if they can. This is harder to enforce for EYFS.	Class sizes will depend upon demand. We will re-organise the school to create classrooms for small groups of children. A timetable will ensure children from different groups (and the adults associated with each group) will not mix together. This will inevitably mean some children will not be with or see their usual class teacher. Children will not have break time, lunch time or assemblies together. These activities will take part but in isolation to the other groups. We will do everything we can to encourage children within a group to remain two metres apart, however, from our experience in our Key Worker School this is impossible with the age of children we are working with.  At this stage, we cannot see how it is possible to run before school and after-school provision with these restrictions. We will be working to explore this further in the coming days.
009	If there is a shortage of teachers, a teaching assistant can lead a group.	We have every confidence in our teaching assistants and will use some to lead a group when required.
010	If there are not enough classrooms/staffing available, then children might be offered other local schools. If necessary, settings have the flexibility to focus first on continuing to provide places for priority groups and then, to support children’s early learning, settings should prioritise groups of children as follows: - Early Years Settings - three and four year olds followed by younger age groups. - Infant Schools - Nursery (where applicable) and Reception. - Primary schools - nursery (where applicable), Reception and Year One.	This depends upon demand.
011	Updated risk assessments need to be done.	We are continuously reviewing and updating our risk assessments in light of the changing situation.
012	Desks and seats need to be separated (2m distance) between them, if possible.	We will do everything we can to encourage children within a group to remain two metres apart, including separating desks and seats where possible. However, from our experience in our Key Worker School social distancing is impossible with the age of children we are working with.
013	Timetable – Choose which lessons/activities will be delivered. Plan outdoor lessons, where possible. Not the normal curriculum.	A timetable will ensure children from different groups (and the adults associated with each group) will not mix together. This will inevitably mean some children will not be with or see their usual teacher. It will not be possible to deliver Read, Write Inc. lessons in the usual format. Children will not have break time, lunch time or assemblies together. These activities will take part but in isolation to the other groups. Outdoor lessons will be encouraged.
014	Reduce movement around the school - groups are to stick to one room during the day.
015	Stagger break & lunchtimes so they groups are not mixing together/moving around the school at the same time.
016	Stagger drop-off and collection times – children to arrive/collected at different times.	We will work with parents and carers to devise systems that best protect them, their children and our staff.
017	Drop-off and collection times – protocols for adult to adult contact needs to be minimal. A plan needs to be in place for meeting/collection points and timings for each group.
018	Toys and equipment should not be used by other groups and should be cleaned between groups.	Equipment will be divided between groups and all unnecessary items in classrooms will be removed and stored elsewhere in the school.  Soft furnishings, toys and soft toys that cannot easily be cleaned every day will be removed.
019	Unnecessary items in classrooms should be removed and stored elsewhere in the school.
020	Remove all soft furnishings, toys and soft toys that cannot easily be cleaned every day.
021	No visitors/staff/children/families/contractors can enter the building if they have symptoms.	In line with current practice.
022	Only one parent/carer can escort a child to school, if they cannot walk to school on their own.	We will work with parents and carers to devise systems that best protect them, their children and our staff.
023	Parents/carers cannot enter the site and/or gather at school gates and doors.
024	Contact all contractors (food, cleaning, maintenance etc) to ensure they are aware of protocols.	In line with current practice.
025	Discuss additional cleaning requirements.	In line with current practice, changes made as required.
026	Hand sanitiser in all classrooms.	In line with current practice.
027	Bins emptied throughout the day.	In line with current practice.
028	Doors propped-open, and rooms need to be well ventilated. Windows open.	In line with current practice.
028	Same staff to work with their groups as much as possible. They are, in effect, being reassigned new teachers for the remainder of the year, if possible.	Class sizes will depend upon demand. We will re-organise the school to create classrooms for small groups of children. A timetable will ensure children from different groups (and the adults associated with each group) will not mix together. This will inevitably mean some children will not be with or see their usual class teacher.
029	Where possible, let the groups remain in the same classroom for the duration of the term that they are in school.
030	Divider down the middle of the corridor to ensure people only walk on one side of it – a barrier for groups as they walk down the corridor, if possible.	We will work with pupils and staff to devise systems that best protect them.
031	Limited toilet breaks so that children don’t gather at the toilets.	We will not limit children’s access to toilet provision. We will increase cleaning of these shared spaces. Children will not be sent in groups to wash hands before eating. This will increase the length of lunchtimes as hand washing will need to be staggered.
032	Outdoor equipment/apparatus/play equipment/climbing frames should not be used unless school can guarantee it will be cleaned between each group and each evening too.	Outdoor equipment/apparatus/play equipment/climbing frames will not be used unless it has been cleaned between each group and each evening too. This will likely result in reduced usage as we prioritise the cleaning of other more critical shared spaces including toilets and specialist changing facilities.
033	Dining hall can be used as long as groups are kept apart and do not mix. Otherwise, food to be brought to the children in their classrooms.	Food will be brought to the children in their classrooms.
034	Stagger the use of the staff room and the office for staff/children.	In line with current practice.
035	Limit children/staff taking things home and then back to school.	In line with current practice.
036	Don’t share stationery or resources. Shared areas and surfaces need cleaning daily, and disinfected/bleached frequently.	We will work with pupils and staff to devise systems that best protect them.
037	Encourage children to cycle or walk to school.	In line with current practice.
038	If anyone has a cough/temperature/feels unwell at school, they must be sent home. They will need to self-isolate for 14 days, or until tested negative.	In line with current practice.
038	If a child is waiting to be collected, they should be kept in a room on their own (or supervised depending on their age) with the door closed and a window open. If this child/adult needs to go to the toilet before being collected, they should use a separate toilet and it must be thoroughly cleaned/disinfected afterwards before anyone else can use it.	In line with current practice.
039	PPE should be worn by staff working with children displaying symptoms.	PPE will be worn.
040	If a child or adult shows symptoms and tests positive for CoVid-19, then the whole group that the children was in must be sent home and they must self-isolate for 14 days.	As described.
041	If other cases are then also confirmed at the school, then Public Health England will advise the school on next steps/possible closure.	As described.

As a school we recognise that the measures described above will be very unsettling for the children who will be returning to school. Please be assured that should you decide that school is the best place for your child(ren) we will support you by providing clear and age-appropriate information about the new rules and routines. 

A REMINDER -  We would now like your views as parents and carers about the approach being proposed. Understanding your views and your intentions should the wider opening of schools take place as described from Monday 1st June 2020, will help us to best prepare for this challenge. You can share your views by emailing me at - headteacher@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk and j.nineham@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk