Please see here for updated arrangements for our September return.

Thank you

CPS

ARRANGEMENTS FOR NURSERY, RECEPTION, YEAR 1

AND YEAR 6 PUPILS FROM JUNE 1^ST

As you will be aware, schools have been asked to prepare to plan to open for these year groups from Monday 1^st June. Schools will only be asked to open if the government is convinced that the 5 key tests they set justify the changes at the time. In this letter to parents I will try to detail as much information as I can to enable you to make an informed decision about whether you wish your child to return. If there is more information you require please do not hesitate to contact the school at secretary@callingtonprimary.co.uk. We are open during half term so emails can be answered promptly.

Many schools have already contacted their parents to find out whether or not children will be attending. We have not done this for a number of reasons. There are still ten days or so before you need to take the decision about your child returning and, in current circumstances, that is a long time. We also believe that, should every child return, we would be able to manage that situation. I feel it is important for you to make this decision when you are ready and not be rushed. It is also important for you to be able to change your mind, even on a daily basis, should you wish to.

Before going in to the details of how the plan will work, I think it is also important to state that the government have acknowledged that social distancing is not possible in primary schools; from the DfE: ‘We know that, unlike older children and adults, early years and primary age children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff.’ Schools are therefore asked to plan using the measures below:

• avoiding contact with anyone with symptoms
• frequent hand cleaning and good respiratory hygiene practices
• regular cleaning of settings
• minimising contact and mixing

It is also worth commenting that the government ambition is for all primary year groups to return for a month if possible before the end of this term, which would mean that this way of working would continue for approximately three weeks.

If your child is clinically extremely vulnerable, or living with someone who is in this group, they should not come back to school. If your child is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable), you should follow medical advice to decide if they should come back to school. Please refer to government guidance. The government has also made it clear that, whatever the circumstances, parents will NOT be penalised if their child does not attend.

The work the children will complete at school will be the work prepared by the year group class teachers for home learning. So if your child does remain at home, we’ll continue to support their learning and similarly, meal support for those eligible.

THE PLAN FOR REOPENING

We have thought very carefully about how to ensure the utmost safety for all children and staff. The following is the current plan. Should government advice change or there be a change in staffing circumstances, for example, we would need to further modify it.

RECEPTION, YEAR 1, YEAR 6

Each year group will be split into 3 pods. Each pod will contain a maximum of 15 children. The same staff and children will remain in the same pod throughout. Classes will be mixed in the pods eg children from Blue 1 and Blue 2, though year group teachers have tried to keep friends together. Staffing in pods will be as follows:

Pods will not mix at all during the school day. Each pod will have its own timetable. Year 1 and Year 6 will have timetabled time out of the classroom: a morning playtime, a daily mile session and a wellbeing session on the grass by the forest school area. For each of these activities the pod will be on its own and not mix with any other pods. Each pod will also have its own entry point and exit.

Once in their pods Year One and Year Six activities will be desk based to limit movement around the classroom space and sharing of resources. Children will work at the same table space each day. Each child will have their own key items like pens and pencils kept on their tables. Soft furnishings and fabric items have been removed from classrooms. No reading books will be sent home or returned, however, each pod will have a ‘reading time’ during the day where children have the opportunity to read their books. There will also be a set time where a book is read by an adult to children. Each pod will also have its own playground equipment.

Across all year groups, staff will spend lots of time on supporting children’s mental health. They will share texts which will help to explain why the measures have been put in place and dedicate time to talking about the children’s feelings. Staff will use their proactive and positive approaches to support children to follow the new way of working in every way that is possible.

The EYFS Approach to Returning to School

Whilst the approaches to how the foundation stage will be run are going to be different for a while, we are working hard to ensure that the children who attend will receive the same range of engaging opportunities, as they would ordinarily. In both settings, each group of children will be provided with table-based activities which cover the 7 areas of the EYFS curriculum. The table set up will be well-spaced out so that small groups of children can work around each table. Minimal chairs will be set up at each activity to indicate where there is space at the table.  Role Play Areas will be included but will be adapted to ensure resources are minimal and numbers of children who play there are limited at any given time. In line with DFE guidance, all resources provided will be easy to clean and wipeable. When paper is used, it will be easy to dispose of after use. Soft furnishings will be temporarily removed from the setting as these are not wipeable. The classroom furniture will look a little different too as it will be rearranged; this is to ensure that the areas are easy to clean and more space is created.

Time spent in the outdoor area is vital and current guidance suggests that transmission rates are substantially lower outdoors. To ensure that children are able to access the area as much as possible, each class will have a designated outdoor area. The areas will be clearly divided with barriers and each area will always be used by the same group of children. As with inside, resources provided outdoors will be wipeable and cleaned at the end of each day.

We intend to keep the children’s school routines as normal as possible and will include our usual daily activities. For example, in Upper Foundation Stage we will take part in phonics, maths inputs, break time and story times; sitting at well-spaced tables instead of sitting on the carpet. In Lower Foundation Stage, we will enjoy snack, adult led activities and story times with increased spaced between ourselves and others.  For the meantime, we will not be sending home reading books or homework, to reduce transmission rates.

Start and End of the Day Routines

For obvious reasons no parents/carers will be allowed on site. The school office will be closed to personal callers during this time, although there will be someone there throughout the school day to answer any phone queries.

We will use all three gates to enter and exit the school. In the morning, Year 6 and key worker children need to come in to the school through the top gate on Saltash Road. Reception children need to come through the Cricket Club gate where they will be directed to their pods by a member of staff. Year 1 and nursery children will come in to school through the bottom gate. If you have a child in more than one year group, please could you enter through the gate of your youngest child. The gates will be opened at 8.40am but please do not queue at them as there is plenty of time for children to come in and no child will be marked late. Gates will close at around 9.10am. Children will wash their hands on arrival at school.

The Cricket Club have kindly allowed us pedestrian access through their gates at the beginning and end of the day, but if you are driving please park in the B&M car park and not at the Cricket Club.

Children will be led out at the end of the day from 2.50pm to the same gates, one pod at a time. As in the morning, if you have more than one child coming to school, your family group will be led to the gate used by your youngest child. Year 6 children will be led out of the top gates. Please could parents wait outside the external gates along the pavement. Reception children will be led out to the Cricket Club gates. Please could parents stand apart on the edge of the cricket field. Year 1 and nursery children will be led out through the bottom gate and along in front of the Scout Hut and can be collected from there.

As we are using three gates we do not feel we need to stagger entry or departure times.

Lunchtime Arrangements

Children may bring packed lunches. Children having school lunch will be asked for their lunch order on arrival at school. For the few weeks this is in operation, the same meals will be on offer each week. These have been planned so they can easily be collected from the canteen by an adult, brought to the pods and eaten at children’s desks. The menu will be either a baguette with cheese, tuna, egg or ham or: Monday- Hotdog, Tuesday – Pizza, Wednesday- Chicken Fajita, Thursday- Burger in a bun, Friday- Fish Fingers and chips. Children will also have a yogurt, biscuit and piece of fruit. The school will be operating cashless, so payments will need to be through School Comms; if you are not set up on this, we can help you.

Breakfast Club

It is important that the school continues to run a Breakfast Club as it enables key workers to continue to work. If you wish to book your child into Breakfast Club please contact the school office or Mrs Harrison on 07867 129838. Please do not just turn up at Breakfast Club as we need to plan ahead for each day. Access to breakfast club will open at 7:45am and close at 8:15am to allow the site to clear before children arrive after 8.40am. Parents will need to drop children off at the canteen door accessed through the bottom gate. Children will be seated at a distance and will stay at their table throughout. The cost of Breakfast Club is £2.50 a session or £10 for 5 sessions. Children from breakfast club will need to wash their hands again when entering their pod. There will be no After School Club at this time.

Other Key Points

Children will not be expected to wear school uniform in order to allow time for washing of clothes between days.

Home Learning Activities will continue to be provided for all year groups.

Nursery children will be able to attend the same sessions as before lockdown.

Where the school is providing lunch to those eligible on a weekly basis, this will continue.

Children should bring their home learning exercise books with them when they come in. They will complete their work in these books. They will then leave these in school.

Staff will not be wearing face masks as the Department of Education has informed us: ‘Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended.’

There will be a fire drill early in the first week back. Teachers and children will be informed when this will be to ensure an orderly exit, but we felt it was important children understand where they would line up on the event of a real fire.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN YEARS’ 2, 3, 4 AND 5 WILL REMAIN THE SAME FROM MONDAY 1^ST JUNE.

Finally, thank you for reading through this so carefully. I am sorry that it is so long. I am sure that you will understand that the safety of children who return to school is vitally important and that is why we have had to plan in such detail. As stated above, if you have any queries over the next ten days please send these to secretary@callingtonprimary.co.uk.

Best wishes

Matthew Shirley

Headteacher

I am hugely appreciative of all parents/carers of our Callington children. We have had a small number of children at school each day but overwhelmingly the majority of parents/carers have been able to follow the government advice to keep children at home if you possibly can. This has meant a safer environment for the staff who have come in each day. Thank you!

Teachers are doing their very best to ensure that children have work to do every day. The aim is also for you and your child’s class teacher to remain in touch while the school is not open. Teachers

I have spoken to so far have appreciated the contact that they have had with you and have enjoyed seeing and hearing about work that children in their classes have been doing. Please try to stay in touch with your child’s class teacher by email.

Home Learning Update

We are working really hard to add as many ideas to the ‘Home Learning’ page as we can for you to access at home with your children. A new addition this week can be found at the bottom of the ‘Home Learning Page’ https://www.callington-ji.cornwall.sch.uk/home-learning/

These pages are aimed at all children across the school. They're packed full to the brim with great ideas of things to learn, do and try at home. Why not take a look and see if there's anything that takes your fancy? Keep your eyes peeled as teachers will be continuing to add even more new links and ideas in the coming weeks! These are all optional but we thought they might give you a few more ideas and inspiration to fill your child’s day at home.

Finally, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the amazing staff here. Many have been able to volunteer to come in to school, others are still working hard for your children at home. They have done everything asked of them and more!

There will be a weekly newsletter, however brief, every week until we are back.

Best wishes

Matthew Shirley

Government have published a list of key workers this morning. The main advice is to keep children at home, however, if you feel your job is on the key workers list and need school, please contact us asap to let us know. See the list here -> https://bit.ly/Keyworkers1

The school will be contacting all parents/carers whose children are eligable to attend from Monday. Please do not bring your child to school if you have not been contacted. Thank you, CPS

After School Activity selection forms are going home with children today.

Please ensure that forms are returned to the school office by 9am on Wednesday 15th September.

We will let the children know if they have an activity by Friday 15th September.

You can download a copy of the form here.

If you have any questions - please get in touch

CPS

Parking permit application letters have been sent home with every child today.

Please return these to the school office by 4pm on the 7th of September.

Many thanks CPS

Good afternoon 

We have today been informed that Ofsted will visit our school for our next inspection tomorrow (Wednesday 8th February).

Your views are important to ourselves and Ofsted, please could we ask that you take a few moments to complete an online questionnaire at questionnaire.ofsted.gov.uk/home/pupil140577  - Please note this facility will close at noon on Wednesday.

Please also find below a copy of the letter which will be sent home with your child(ren) today.

Many thanks in advance, The CPS team. 

   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

07 February 2017

Dear parent or carer

Inspection of Callington Primary School by Ofsted

We have just told your child's school that we will inspect it on 08 February 2017. The lead inspector will be Tracy Hannon, HMI. We are writing to you because we would like to know what you think about the school. Please take a few minutes to read the leaflet which came with this letter. It explains why we inspect schools, and what happens during an inspection.

Your views about the school are important to us

If you are a registered parent or carer of a pupil at the school (including pupils on sick leave or who are temporarily excluded), you can tell us your views about the school by completing Ofsted's online survey, Parent View, at: www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk.

Parent View asks for your opinion on 12 aspects of your child's school, including the progress made by your child, the quality of teaching, how the school deals with bullying and poor behaviour. It also provides a free-text box for you to make additional comments, if you wish. The inspectors will use the online survey responses when inspecting your child's school. Written comments can also be sent to the school in a sealed envelope, marked confidential and addressed to the inspection team.

To register your views, you will need to provide your email address, which will be held securely. It will not be used for any purpose other than providing access to the online survey. Neither schools nor Ofsted will have access to any email addresses.

Please complete the online survey by noon on 08 February 2017 as this will give the inspection team more time to consider your views. However, we will consider all online responses that are completed during the inspection, although the free-text box facility will not be available after noon on 08 February 2017.

Speaking to an inspector

If you are unable to complete the online survey, it may be possible to speak to an inspector during the inspection, for instance at the start of the school day, or to pass on messages to the inspectors if you are unable to speak to them in person. Inspection administrators will be happy to make the necessary arrangements. If concerns are raised about child protection, we may have to pass the information we receive to social services or the police. You can contact the administrators on 03000131035. Inspectors will be pleased to receive your comments, but cannot deal with complaints about individual pupils or settle disputes between you and the school.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the online survey.

Yours faithfully

Nick Cross

Today, 6 children from Ks2 became ' Reading Ambassadors' for the school. We set off on the school minibus and travelled to Liskeard to visit Liskeard Bookshop. Excited and intrigued, the children sat and listened as Kath explained their new roles as ambassadors and discussed plans for the project. As part of the project, the children all had time to explore the beautiful book shop and were very fortunate to each choose a book to take home. Bill, Jack, Alex, Anne-Marie, Gareth and Leah are your new school reading ambassadors and over the next few weeks will be reading their books and creating a project. These projects will then be displayed in the shop window for the public to see. The children will also be presenting their projects in a special assembly so look out for that. Here are some pictures of our lovely morning.