Hello Families.

We are now on our fourth week back in school in 2021 and I thought it was time for an update.

 I have unfortunately been unwell with Covid and absent from school since before Christmas.  I am now back working and it made me really sad to miss the last week before Christmas and our return to school in the New Year. Mrs Bolton has done an amazing job of supporting our families along with the admin team who have always been on hand to answer any of your queries or concerns.  The staff continue to work very hard and should be commended on their efforts in support of all of our school community.  Many of them have young families themselves and children at home who need ‘home schooling’. Some have vulnerable family members within their families. It is an anxious time for everyone across our borough and we are all working very hard to get through these times in the best way we can.

Parents and families please do not put too much pressure on yourselves to ‘home school’ your child.  I have said before that relationships and play and getting through each day is just as important for our children.  Try the school work when you can and remember there are lots of activities you can do with your children to encourage learning at home. Speak to the class teacher when they call you and they will be able to support your own personal situation at home. Even if your child is not attending school at the moment please speak with the DSLs and class teachers who will be calling you regularly.                                                                                                                                                                     

School continues to remain open for as many children as we can safely accommodate following all the guidance from the Government, the NHS and the Local Authority.  We continue to work hard in school to keep the children and the staff as safe as we can whilst we continue to support education and relationships. The staff clean as they go, additional cleaning happens twice in the daytime and the Cleaning Team ensure that school is cleaned thoroughly every evening.                                              

Lateral flow testing.

You will probably have heard on the news that as of this week Primary School Staff will undertake a Lateral Flow Device Test twice a week in school.  This will tell us if any of the staff are carrying the Covid virus but do not have any of the symptoms.  The NHS believe it will help to reduce some of the risk for everyone in the school setting if these staff are identified and then prompt action is taken to isolate the contacts of these staff.  For Willow Grove the testing will happen on a Sunday and a Wednesday evening. The first round of testing will happen tonight. If your child is ever identified as a contact from this testing, someone from school will be in touch with you and will give you information about isolating your child.   The staff who test positive with a Lateral Flow Device will then be asked to have a full PCR test as soon as possible.  The children and staff who are contacts for that member of staff will be asked to isolate at home until the results of the PCR test are known. If the PCR test is negative your child can return to school the next day.  If the PCR test is positive then your child will remain in self-isolation for a total of 10 days before returning to school.

 As of yet it is unknown how significantly this will affect school but I’m sure you understand that this is being done with everyone’s safety and health in mind.  If you would like any further information about this then please contact us at school and we will try our best to answer your questions.

As ever thank you for your support and please keep yourself and your family safe.

Mrs Murphy