Dear Parents/Carers                                                                                                                     Friday 4^th September

Welcome back. It has been great to see all of you back, if not in quite the same way as you are used to!

I would like to start with an even bigger thank you than usual for the way you have followed the new systems for dropping off and collecting the children. They are not perfect and we will be reviewing and tweaking as we go. You can imagine that working out how to get 410 children into school has been a mammoth task and will for the first few days take some getting used to.

I would like to remind all parents/carers to keep a social distance at all times, both on school premises and directly outside school. Please do not stand in groups and block paths as that makes this more difficult. This is so important.

It is fantastic to have the children back in school and have the school full of their chat and laughter again. We have missed that.

Please be assured that everything has been done in order to keep your children as safe as possible.

You can be so proud of your children too for the way they have come back into school and adapted to the very different routines. They are following all new rules and systems without any fuss, settling into their “bubbles”

The transition time before the Summer certainly helped. I am so very proud of each and every one of them.

Thank you also to all parents/carers for following the new systems so well.  I have added the key points as reminders:

• One adult only please with each child where at all possible. Please ensure the children stay with you as they wait to come in and do not run around and please follow the social distance signs in place.
• Please do not arrive too early either at drop off or pick up times. Please arrive as close to your times as possible to avoid large groups of parents/carers gathering.
• Remember the same rules apply for parking and dropping off. Please do not drop off on zig zag lines or at the entrances to school. This did happen today!
• Parents/carers must not come into school unless by prior appointment. Please ring or email with all questions or enquiries.
• Children must have everything they need for the day. If they have forgotten anything you must ring the office to be given a time to come. Please do not just arrive at the office to drop off forgotten items.
• Teachers will not be able to speak to parents/carers at the school gates, either morning or afternoon. Please use planners for all communication, request a phone call or email school.
• Please inform school if your child is going to be absent for any reason. Attendance is once again reportable so please ensure this happens.
• If you are going to be late you must ring the office to arrange a time to bring your child. Please do not just bring them to the office. It is vital that the drop off times are adhered to as all entrances are being used at various times.
• If you feel your child has any COVID symptoms at all, they must be tested and school informed immediately.

Government Guidance

If your child becomes unwell while at a setting, the provider should call you immediately to come and collect them. While your child is awaiting collection, they will be kept separately from others by a distance of at least 2 metres, ideally in a well-ventilated room with appropriate adult supervision.

When you collect your child, you should take them straight home, do not:

• use public transport
• visit the GP
• visit a pharmacy
• visit the urgent care centre
• visit a hospital - (unless unless the child is seriously unwell)

In an emergency, call 999 if they are seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk.

If your child has symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), a high temperature, new and persistent cough or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), however mild, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days from when the symptoms started. Or if they are not experiencing symptoms but have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) they should self-isolate for at least 10 days starting from the day the test was taken.

If they have tested positive whilst not experiencing symptoms but develop symptoms during the isolation period, they should restart the 10-day isolation period from the day they develop symptoms.

You should arrange a test for them as soon as possible to see if they have coronavirus (COVID-19). You can do this by visiting NHS.UK or contact NHS 119 via telephone if you do not have internet access. You and other fellow household members should self-isolate for 14 days.

If your child tests negative, they can usually return to the setting and the fellow household members can end their self-isolation subject to confirmation from local health protection professionals.

If your child tests negative but is unwell, they should not return to the setting until they are recovered.

If your child tests positive, NHS Test and Trace will speak directly to those that have been in contact with your child to offer advice. This advice may be that the rest of their class or group within the setting should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days. Household members should also self-isolate at home.

Please do not hesitate to email school at sugarhill@durhamlearning.net if you have any questions at all.  All systems will be under constant review and while there maybe teething problems, please bear with us. This is our new normal.

Thank you again for your continued support            Mrs Paula O’Rourke