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• School Reopening Update

  Tue 26 May 2020

   

  Dear Parents

   

  This morning we have been sent the email below from the LA:

   

  ‘You may have seen the documentation provided by Sage published on Friday.  As a result, we are advising schools to delay the return for pupils in those year groups identified by the DfE until 15^th June, 2020, maintaining provision for vulnerable children and children of key workers during this time.’

   

  I appreciate that this may cause you confusion, disappointment or inconvenience, but we all want the best for our children, so will be following the guidance from the LA.

   

  We still intend to admit the children in a staggered way over a number of days, but will obviously now need to delay doing this until the 15^th June. When we are in a position to do this we will be in touch to give you further, more detailed information.

   

  Thank you for your continued support.

   

  Yours sincerely

  Mrs Pridgeon

  Headteacher

   

• Important update regarding school closure / re-opening

  Thu 21 May 2020

  Thank you to the parents in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and 6 who have been in touch about their intentions around sending their children back to school in June. When we are in a position to confirm start dates we will be in touch. As it stands, I do not expect this to be the first week in June at the moment. Provision for key worker children will continue. Please can you confirm with the office the days you will need after half term.

   

   

   

• Eid Mubarak!

  Thu 21 May 2020

  The staff at Marland Hill would like to wish you all Eid Mubarak! We hope you enjoy the celebrations as much as you can at this difficult time.  

   

  

• Year 6 Kingswood Residential Trip

  Thu 21 May 2020

  Unfortunately Kingswood have now been in touch with school to confirm that the Year 6 residential next month will not be able to go ahead.  We are awaiting a refund to school for our booking and will then get in touch with parents as quickly as possible to arrange refunds for all payments made to date. Please bear with us for now.  Thank you.

   

• Year 6 Leavers Hoodies

  Thu 21 May 2020

  A text has been sent to Year 6 parents today asking them to contact the school office if they would like their child to have a leavers hoodie.  If you haven’t already done so please contact the office by 4pm on Friday 22^nd May so the order can be made.

   

• Letter from the Local Authority

  Fri 15 May 2020

  Please find below letter from the Local Authority, that we have been asked to share with parents.

   

  Dear Parent / Carer / Guardian,
  We are writing to you about the recent government announcement about the re-opening of primary schools. We are aware that the last 8 weeks have been very difficult for many families.  Along with the loss of routine, families had to get used to home schooling, with many working from home, whilst others have been furloughed or have lost their only form of income. Many of us have experienced the loss of direct contact with friends and relatives. This has had an impact on us, along with the uncertainty about what the future brings. Many people hoped that the Prime Minister’s speech on 10th May would provide some clarity and certainty, but it appears to have created more questions and concerns. This is the reason we are writing to you.
  We have been in touch with the Department of Education and have emphasised that in Rochdale we are determined to do the right thing for our children, families and schools. This may not fit with the expectations or timescale of government. We want the borough’s children to return to school, but only when it is safe for them and for the staff in schools. We are asking our schools to work with us to establish what safe numbers will be and this will differ in each school, because the buildings are all different. We do not want parents to rely on a date suggested by government, that schools may be unable to meet. That is why we are sharing our approach, that is based on doing the right thing in the right way at the right time. We will ask schools to keep you all informed about developments and hope this will also make you as parents feel more confident.
  We won’t be able to answer some of your questions, because we are all in a place none of us have been in before. However, we hope that the work we are undertaking with all schools in
  Rochdale might help you understand and support the approach we are taking. We have been in regular contact with Head Teachers and are planning together for the future. We have working groups of primary and secondary heads that are addressing those issues that will help us plan for a safe return of more children to our schools, within an achievable time frame.
  Our schools have worked incredibly hard over the last 8 weeks, doing their best to support children at home as well as over 1100 children of key workers and those deemed to be vulnerable, who have continued to attend school each week. Any plans to increase the numbers of children in our schools for the rest of this term will also have to take these continuing numbers
  into account.
  Finally, we know that many people will have their own views about what will and won’t work. This is a challenge that we will manage, with safety as our first priority. We know that we won’t be able to satisfy everyone. We will however, work together and do our best to meet the needs of as many children as possible.
  We would ask you not to direct any of the inevitable frustrations you may experience in the coming weeks, at your child’s school or its staff. None of them are responsible for the position in which we all find ourselves. By working together we are confident we can make progress.
  Thank you for taking the trouble to read this letter.
  Yours faithfully
  Gail Hopper

  Director of Children's Services

• School Covid Update

  Thu 14 May 2020

  Dear Parents

  I hope you are all well and have managed to adapt somewhat to the new circumstances under which we are living.

  As you will be aware, over the last few weeks, school has only been open to the children of key workers and those who are vulnerable. On Sunday, Boris Johnson announced that primary schools may start to re-open from 1^st June, and this would be for children in Nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6, as well as those of key workers and who are vulnerable.

  In advance of this announcement, and since further documentation has been released to support schools, we have been planning on how we will begin to re-open school. These are some of the arrangements we will need to put in place, and are still considering how we can implement:

  • Smaller class sizes. This will mean your child may not be taught by their class teacher, in their usual classroom or with their friends.
  • Staggered start and finish times across a school day
  • Possible part time days for some year groups initially
  • Possible staggered start date for year groups
  • Staggered playtimes and dinnertimes
  • Restricted movement around school
  • Restricted access to resources. For children in EYFS this will mean no soft furnishings/ soft toys
  • The need for some staff to wear PPE on occasions, for example, first aid. This would involve face masks, aprons and gloves.
  • Packed lunches/ grab bags at lunchtimes
  • Supporting children to implement social distancing at playtimes and dinnertimes
  • Additional hand washing/ hand sanitising

  We are obviously still at the planning stage, and will be able to let you know more detail about how school will operate when we are able to, and if we are definitely to reopen.

  Texts are being sent home to parents in the relevant year groups. When you have received your text, please could you reply to school to let us know your intentions, to help inform our planning.

  We will obviously keep you informed, and let you know what the arrangements would be for your child.

   

  Yours sincerely

  Mrs Pridgeon

  Headteacher

• Government Covid Update

  Mon 11 May 2020

  Dear Parents/Carers,

   

  You may have heard some of Boris Johnson's briefing yesterday and it may leave you with some questions.  Like you, we have only just heard the announcement, so at this stage we are not in a position to answer any questions. As keen as we are to have more children back with us, we need to ensure that as far as possible it is safe for the children and staff to do so. 

   

  We are told to expect more guidance and information from the government about what the announcement may mean for our school. I await this, with interest.

   

  In the short term, nothing has changed.  We remain open for children of key workers, those with an EHCP who can socially distance safely, and those with social worker involvement. Staff continue working hard to support home learning via our website and Education City, and in school our caretaking team is working hard to ensure it is safe for us to be here.

   

  I will of course provide further information in the coming days and weeks when I am able to do so. Once again,

   

  I thank you for your continued support and understanding.

   

  Mrs Alex Pridgeon

  Headteacher

   

   

• Government Announcement

  Sun 10 May 2020
  Following on from tonight’s Government announcement on returning to school, I just want to reassure you that we are continuing to plan for your child’s return to school. We will be in touch with the parents of children in the relevant year groups once we are in a stronger position to confirm arrangements. Thank you for your continued support and understanding with this.

• Deaf Awareness Week

  Fri 08 May 2020

  This week is Deaf Awareness Week and despite the current lockdown our staff have put together a video to celebrate this.  Please check it out on the Hearing Impaired Resource Base section of our website.