SAIL Academy Trust’s Position on Reopening

 

 

Dear Parents /Carers

 

 

I’m sure that you will have heard on the television and in the newspapers that the government announced on 10th May that lockdown restrictions could be eased and schools can start to reopen from 1^st June for children in Nursery 2, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

 

As many of you have expressed to us, either via our texting service, via Twitter or in person as you picked up packs of work, this was a cause of anxiety for many parents. It was also a cause for some concern in Liverpool and the North West in general, as confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19 were still particularly high and showed little signs of improvement.

 

Following the communication from Steve Reddy, Director of Children’s Services about Liverpool City Council’s position on school reopening on Friday 15th May, which we shared with you on our website and via Twitter, I would now like to update you with specific information about our schools.

 

Decisions made regarding our reopening have followed the councils’ lead, have been considerate of your views and are fully supported by all Trustees, whose views we took into account at a virtual meeting last week. We agree that -

 

 

Key Principles for SAIL Academy - Covid-19

 

1. The physical wellbeing of staff and children is our utmost priority -

This will be achieved by social distancing of 2m, regular hand hygiene, minimal staffing numbers, careful attention will be paid to start and end times of the day as well as movement around school and there will be no sharing of toys or other equipment.    

 

2.  The emotional wellbeing of staff and children is high priority - We will achieve this by lots of talk time and utilising activities from Care Corner on our school website.

 

3.  Active learning will be available to all children -This will be ensured through all children (those in school, in hubs and at home) being provided with work packs, for those children who attend school, the focus will be on emotional well being and activities that will help us to adhere to the 2m distance rule.  

 

4.  Welfare of families is a high priority - Those families who choose not to send their children to school will still be in receipt of FSM vouchers, in addition, children in receipt of FSM vouchers will also receive a food parcel. There will be weekly communication with all families with social work involvement and school will continue to reassure parents that there will be no consequences to non-attendance.

 

In addition, we sent out text messages asking those parents with children in years N2, R, Y1 and Y6 as to whether they would be sending their child back to school if it opens this term. An overwhelming number of parents responded that they would be keeping their child home until they felt it was safe to do so. As a parent this is my view too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also wish you to know that myself, my staff, the Trustees and Governors, care very much for each child at our school and we would love nothing more than to be at our schools planning all the lovely actives that take place in the summer time. We miss all of the children very much and feel so sad that their school development has been paused in such a way. 

 

It has though, been such a difficult and stressful time for us all, we have tried so hard to provide as much support as we could in these extraordinary and scary times. I am grateful to Liverpool City Council’s Mayor Anderson and Steve Reddy the Director of Children's Services for taking such a strong stance and to help us to protect our children, as based on the current evidence I do not believe it is safe enough to reopen schools more widely than the current provision. I say this because I, as head teacher care so much about your children and each member of my amazing staff.

 

I would like to thank you, our families for the unwavering support that you have shown us and for all the photos on Twitter showing what you are all up to, these really keep the staff morale up.

 

I would as always like to thank the SAIL Academy staff for helping to run our Hub since lock down began in March, including school holidays and bank holidays. This has been a huge success and has only served in cementing the two school communities together even further. I am immensely proud to lead such a team of dedicated people who have been working so hard to provide each child with fun and engaging activities as well as taking part in our videos and messages each week.

 

I am ever thankful that the vast majority of our communities remain safe throughout these dreadful times. However, my heartfelt sympathies do go out to those families and staff members who have lost loved ones.

 

        

 

Next Steps- The Liverpool Approach

 

1. On 28th May, the Government is scheduled to announce whether the 5 measures to indicate a national improvement in the pandemic have been met. It is only then that any schools will be able to reopen to large numbers of children.

2.  On 1st June, our school will reopen to provide childcare to vulnerable children and children of key workers only. This is only available where there is no safe alternative option for childcare. Those children who do qualify for a place should attend between the hours of 9am and 4pm. Children may wear their own clothes and should bring a packed lunch.

3. This will be reviewed once school has reopened on the 1^st June and we will prepare to introduce Year 6 on 15^th June under the guidance and recommendations of LCC and DFE and if it is safe to do so.

4. There will be further reviews throughout this term to see as and when it is safe for other year groups (Y1, R and N2) to return to school.

 

I will be in touch with further details on the safe day to day running of our schools in the next week or so as we prepare for further numbers of children.

 

If you have any worries what so ever please don’t hesitate to call school during the hours of 9am and 4pm or email myself directly at k.hutchings@sail-academy.co.uk.

 

Stay safe.

 

 

Warmest regards

 

 

Karen Hutchings  

Head Teacher