Friday, 4th September 2020

Dear Parents and Carers

We hope that you have all had a lovely summer break and are looking forward to the new school year ahead! 

Further to our newsletter on Friday, 17^th July, and the text sent to parents earlier this week, I write with our final arrangements for the return to school for children in Years 1 – 6 on Monday, 7^th September (Reception and Nursery children have already been informed of their start dates).  Below are the plans we have put in place to ensure that we comply with the Government’s latest guidance.  Please read this letter thoroughly as it contains a lot of important information.

We encourage children to walk or cycle to school if at all possible.  To support social distancing, children must arrive at school on time and enter the school premises through the gate stated below:

• 8.45 a.m. LSU children come in via the pond gate on Cortis Terrace and are to be collected from the top playground vehicle gate on the corner of Cortis Terrace and Cortis Road at 3.20 p.m. (For the first week back, these children will go to their original classes, not the LSU.  They will attend the LSU from Monday, 14^th September). 
• 8.45 a.m. Years 5 and 6 come in via the ASC gate on Cortis Terrace and are to go home from the top playground vehicle gate on the corner of Cortis Terrace and Cortis Road at 3.20 p.m.  We encourage children in Years 5 and 6 to come to and from school on their own.
• 8.45 a.m. Years 3 and 4 come in via the pond gate on Cortis Terrace and are to be collected from the top playground vehicle gate on the corner of Cortis Terrace and Cortis Road at 3.20 p.m.
• 8.50 a.m. Years 1 and 2 come in via the Putney Park Lane gate and are to be collected from this gate at 3.15 p.m.  We ask that parents drop their children off at the gate in the mornings please.

From their individual start dates/times:

• 9 a.m. Reception come in via the Putney Park Lane gate and are to be collected from this gate at 3.10 p.m.
• 9 a.m. Nursery come in via the Nursery gate and are to be collected from this gate at either 12 p.m. (part time children) or 3 p.m. (full time children).

Uniform and Equipment required

• Children are expected to wear full school uniform with school shoes, no trainers.  They should wear their PE kit to school on their PE day. 
• As we are unable to use our water fountains, each child must bring a NAMED water bottle to school on Monday.  These will remain in school and will be refilled with fresh water each day.
• Children can bring in lunch boxes, bags, pencil cases and, for Year 6, their mobile phones.
• There is no expectation that staff or children in primary schools should wear masks in school.  If children need to wear masks on their way to school, they should keep them in a sealable plastic bag during the school day.

Hygiene and Cleaning

Children will be told to wash their hands regularly throughout the day.  Extra cleaning measures have been put in place at school and doors and windows will be open for better ventilation.

‘Bubbles’

Each class will be in their own ‘bubble’, except Nursery and Reception, as there is no expectation for children of this age to socially distance.  Children will stay in their class bubble and not mix with other bubbles.  This is so that, should we have a case of COVID within a bubble, we will only need to close one bubble and fewer children’s education will be impacted.

Lunchtimes and break times will be staggered so there is only one class in the playground at any one time or, where this is not feasible, the playground will be split into two. 

After School Care, Breakfast Club and Extra-curricular Clubs

After School Care, Breakfast Club and other extra-curricular clubs will not take place initially, due to us not mixing bubbles, but this will be reviewed at a later date.

Packed lunches

• All children will eat packed lunches in their classrooms. 
• Children in Reception and Years 1 and 2 are all entitled to a ‘Universal’ free school packed lunch, however, they may bring in their own, if they prefer.
• Other children, in Nursery and Years 3 - 6, can bring in their own packed lunch or, if they choose to have a school packed lunch, this will be charged at £2.30 per day, unless you are entitled to FSM.

Curriculum

There will be no music lessons or swimming but we will review this later this term.  We will be focusing on reading, writing, phonics and maths across the school for the first term to ensure that the children catch up on their learning as much as possible.  Year 2 children will have their phonics screening, which was due to take place in June, during November.  SATS will go ahead for Years 2 and 6 children as usual and Year 4 children will have the times tables check at the end of the academic year.

School Office

The school office will only be open for parents and visitors with pre-arranged appointments.  If you have any questions or concerns or wish to speak to a member of staff during the school day, please telephone 020 8788 3606 or email admin@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk as there will be no opportunity for face-to-face communication with staff and parents will not be able to come in to school.  The school year group emails set up last term will also continue to be monitored. 

• nursery@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• reception@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• year1@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• year2@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• year3@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• year4@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• year5@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• year6@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk
• LSU@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk

Suspected cases of COVID

If your child displays any symptoms of COVID:

• a high temperature

• a new, continuous cough
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

they MUST NOT attend school and you must arrange for them to have a test.  They will only be allowed to return to school if they have had a negative test.
 
If a member of your household test positive for COVID, or you are contacted by the ‘Track and Trace’ team, your family MUST

self-isolate for 14 days.
 
If your child shows symptoms of COVID during the school day, we will isolate them in school and contact you to collect your child immediately and take them to be tested.  Therefore, it is essential that we have your up-to-date contact details and an emergency contact of another member of your household.  If the test is negative, your child will be able to return to school.  If the test is positive, we will have to close their bubble and will need to inform Public Health England.
 
Closure of ‘bubbles’
If, due to a case of COVID being diagnosed within a bubble, that bubble will be closed.  This means that the children and staff associated with that bubble will need to stay at home and self-isolate for 14 days.  In this case, home learning through Google classroom will resume.
 
Returning from abroad
If you recently have travelled abroad, you MUST quarantine for 14 days, unless the country is on the Government’s ‘exempt from quarantine list’ https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors#countries-and-territories-with-no-self-isolation-requirement-on-arrival-in-england. 
 
It is essential that our school community adheres to the Government’s quarantine and self-isolation guidance to prevent further school closure.
 
We very much look forward to welcoming your children back to school on Monday and expect that the return to school will be a very positive and rewarding experience for all!
 
Yours faithfully
  
Mrs Cheryl Grigg
Headteacher