Letter from Kate Byrne
Dear parents and carers,
Firstly and MOST importantly, please tell ALL of your children that I’m thinking about them, that I am missing them and that I’ve said a great big hello to them all!
I just thought that as we are arriving at VE day and this special holiday weekend, that I would send you all a quick note. Who would have thought that all those weeks ago, when I made the very difficult decision to send our children home, that we would be where we all are now. We all know that these times will pass. That we will all see each other again and that we will all be ok. It is very important that we all remember that.
It looks like this weekend we may all be able to enjoy some sunshine and some time with our families. I know our school staff are definitely ready for it, as I am sure you all are. So many of our staff are in school providing our daily childcare for key workers, at the same time we are continuing to provide daily learning and interaction for all of our children. We are closely monitoring which children we are seeing less of than others. Whilst we know that there are many reasons why this may be the case, this is something which we will follow up proactively, but also supportively, should schools not reopen imminently.
What will happen next?
You may not be aware, but we have no prior information about what is going to happen next for schools. The first that we will know about when schools may open for face-to-face learning and also for who, is when you as families hear it from the Prime Minister.
As I’m sure you can imagine, the challenges that we will then face in finding a way to begin to open will be vast. Whilst we have thought already about how to manage some of those challenges across school, it is impossible for us to begin to work through any of those challenges, until we get any information from the Government. But I think it is increasingly clear to me, that it is unlikely to be an easy journey ahead. It also feels increasingly unlikely that anything other than small groups of children will be able to begin to attend schools in the near future; or in fact who those first children may be who are able to return. Not only will that create a wealth of challenges, we will also have to continue the remote learning and rightly so! So over this holiday weekend, like many of you, we will watch and see what is in the ‘road map’ that we have been told is going to be shared.
Childcare arrangements
At the current time we are providing childcare only to those who have no other option. As things stand, the guidance has been clear, only those who have no other option, should send their child to school. I am not expecting that to change with whatever is announced on Sunday. Our key worker families are able to book a precious place in our childcare in advance for the following week. We are not planning on changing this weekly advance booking system, as it is essential that we can plan for each week ahead, based on the numbers of places requested and those that we feel we can offer. Our places for next week have been booked and allocated and the staffing rota organised. So should any announcements be made on Sunday resulting in you seeking a place in our childcare, please be aware that there are NO childcare places available to anyone else next week, as bookings for next week have already closed.
At the current time, childcare places are booked in advance and only after evidence that you are a key worker and have absolutely no other option. Whilst we will of course review that if anything changes on Sunday, please be aware that we would need time to reflect on any changes we may need to make.
The weekend
On a final note, tomorrow is VE day!!! What a timely celebration for us. I hope that you all manage to take the time to celebrate the historic event with our children.
After the ‘roadmap’ is announced on Sunday, then if there are any changes to the current arrangements for schools or our childcare, then I will of course write to you later next week in response. Please allow me the time to plan and respond, should there be anything we need to review and update you on.
Take care, stay safe and enjoy the sunshine this weekend!
Kate Byrne and all the staff
PS
Watch out over the weekend for something special that I’m going to send you all …….to make you and your children smile!!!!
