We are still attempting to get your letter to you via the group email system, but with all the correspondence this week it is having a few headaches! Here is the text from the letter explaining everything you need to know about our Opt-in offer and arrangements for next week.
Dear Parents
As you are all well aware our school is closed to most pupils from Monday 23rd March 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. You have indicated to us that you require an educational setting to help with child care as you are a family with one or more parent(s) on the Government list of Key Workers, or your child falls into one of our Vulnerable Groups. Below are the plans for next week, as you can appreciate key messages from the Government and Walsall Council are changing rapidly and we will endeavour to keep you as up to date as possible as quickly as possible. In order to do this effectively rather than blocking the phone lines all important messages and updates will be sent to the email you have provided to the office and that you have agreed can be included as part of a group email message. Updates will also appear on www.invention-i.walsall.sch.uk in News and Events the green jigsaw piece and then click on Latest News.
Flexibility of Opting in
Our office staff have already contacted you to find out if you are likely to need support every day or just some days – this is to help us to provide appropriate numbers of staff. The Government advice is very clear
children should stay at home wherever possible
This means that if you have childcare on a particular day, or you are not working then we expect your child to stay at home with you. We understand that some parents work in various shift patterns and therefore you may finish work in the middle of a day or during the afternoon, in these circumstances you should collect your child when you are able to (even if this is 11.30am or 2.00pm).
Safeguarding
Children on the Opt-in list will be expected to be in school on the days you have indicated, if you have been able to indicate them in advance. No child who has Opted in will ever be turned away if your shifts change or if your circumstances change. If we are expecting your child on a specific day and you do not turn up one of the office staff will call your contact numbers to check that your child, you and your family are ok.
If any member of your family becomes ill with symptoms then you must call the school office on 01922 710871 to tell us and immediately self-isolate for 14 days –
this is essential to protect us all
Dawn till Dusk
We totally understand the pressures on you all in the jobs you are doing and our Breakfast Club and After School Club may well have places if you should need to attend work early or stay until later. Breakfast Club is from 7.45am and After School Club runs until 6.00pm. As this has to be staffed from a different budget it is a chargeable service if you need more information please email:-
dawntilldusk@invention-i.walsall.sch.uk
What will we actually do next week?
Provision
School are required to provide an educational setting but provision may look quite different to what you are used to. There will not be any ‘lessons’ for your child/ren, however our committed staff have had some wonderful ideas about how to make our provision engaging.
Timings and entry/exit arrangements
Our school are here next week working normal school hours as indicated by both Walsall Council and the Government.
Children will enter school as normal via the playground (for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 from 8.45am) or via the Nursery door (for Nursery 8.40am/12.40pm). Whilst queuing please remember social distancing is crucial at this time so keep a little way apart from other parents please.
At the end of the day (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 3.25pm/ Nursery 11.40 or 3.40) we will have the following NEW PROCEDURES
Nursery and Reception children will be brought to Nursery door and released to parents there
Year 1 and Year 2 children will be released to parents via Stingray and Seahorse classrooms (the mobiles on the playground)
We hope this will keep school as safe as possible and distance parents from one another
Uniform and belongings
Children can wear their own clothes.
Please bring a water bottle as usual.
They do not need a book bag.
If your child is prone to ‘little accidents’ please bring spare clothes – they will not need a PE bag as normal subjects will not be taught.
Children can bring theor own snack for mid-morning if they wish (as we will not be having a fruit delivery)
Lunch
For all our Opt-in children who are in school at lunchtime next week our catering company are going to honour a hot meal on Monday (of some kind, not normal menu) the rest of next week they will provide a meal although this may or may not be a hot meal. Arrangements for after this time will be made next week and you will be informed.
If any more information is required please email school on:-
postbox@invention-i.walsall.sch.uk and a member of the office team or Senior Leadership team will get back to you as quickly as we can.
We hope these measures keep all our children, families, staff and community safe.
Best wishes
Mrs Naffati - Headteacher