16th March

 

Dear Parent/Carer

 

I did feel it important to give you an update on our planning in to address the challenges presented by the spread of Coronavirus. We receive daily updates from the Department for Education (DfE) and Public Health England and receive updates from the Health and Safety Officers at Leeds City Council to ensure that we have available to us the most up to date and accurate information.

 

It is this information that we are using to ensure that we have in place appropriate contingency plans for a range of situations. The current advice is that we continue to operate the school as normal.

 

We are, however, reaffirming the government advice about hand washing and making sure that toilet areas are stocked with appropriate anti-bacterial hand wash, and children are encouraged to wash their hands more frequently. Cleaning staff have been briefed to increase the cleaning of all touch-surfaces such as door handles.

 

The school leadership team are also planning for a range of different potential scenarios. These include partial closure of the school to limit the number of students in the building or to accommodate high levels of staff absence.

Potentially, the closure of the whole school for a limited period is a possibility. In planning we will ensure that we prioritise the needs of students in Year 6 who are about to sit their SATS. At the present time it is not possible to attach a probability to any of these potential scenarios.

 

In the event of a closure of the school we are completing plans to send work packs home with children, and will be able to put resources on an area on the school website, which we will share with you.

 

As we will communicate via email, the School App and text message, it is important that all parents/carers ensure that we hold your current email address and telephone number.

 

During this time, we ask that you continue to follow the school procedures for absence – please contact school on 0113 2456136 option 1 and leave a message advising of your child’s full name class and a reason for their absence.

 

If your child displays any symptoms such as high temperature, cough and flu like symptoms you should follow the guidance to stay at home with your child for 14 days, and seek advice from the 111 NHS online coronavirus advice service.

 

If you do have any concern about suspected Coronavirus please follow the NHS advice and contact 111. Do NOT attend your GP surgery without contacting 111 for advice first.

 

If you are planning to travel with your children, you must contact school in advance of your travel date and upon your return and you will be given advice according to the information available at the time about the prevention of spreading Coronavirus.

 

I share the basics of our plans with a view to prevent any mis-information and cause any undue panic and hope that you understand that this is an unprecedented situation and I am sure that things will change and we will need to respond accordingly.

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

Miss S Millard

Headteacher