News

Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Remote Learning Plan

  Mon 12 Oct 2020

   

  The Dassett Church of England Primary School Fenny Compton Southam Warwickshire CV47 2XU   Tel. 01295 770267   Headteacher: Miss S Corry

   

   

   

  12^th October 2020

   

  Dear Parent/carer,

  As you may be aware, schools are required to have a remote learning plan in place so that any child who cannot attend school because of COVID-19 does not miss out on their learning.

  This letter explains our plans for remote learning for children who have to self-isolate, or where local or national restrictions mean that children need to stay at home.

  Our remote learning plan:-

  Our remote learning plan has been made with our pupils and their families in mind. We believe that this strategy will work best for the children at our school.

  • Children will have 3 lessons per day, 1 English, 1 maths and 1 other. Over the 2 week period there will be lessons for Science, Art, Maths and Geography. Your teacher may include a PE activity for your child to do.
  • We will be using SEESAW as our platform at present because both you are familiar with it, having used it in the Spring and Summer.
  • We will not be live streaming lessons but teachers will include videos with explanations about how to complete tasks.
  • We will provide downloadable sheets, relevant links and presentations where they are needed.
  • If only some of the children are at home (while others in the same class are in school) the teacher will continue to teach in class and provide home learning that closely links to the teaching in class. The timetable may not follow the school timetable but your teacher will let you know.
  • If the teacher is unwell, the responsibility for setting work for home will fall to a replacement teacher.
  • Teachers will provide feedback (assuming they are well) via seesaw. This may be whole group feedback rather than individual feedback.
  • If you have questions about the learning you may contact teachers via SEESAW.

   

   

   

   

   

  What you’ll need at home

  We understand that you may not have access to the technology needed to access the work that we set. We have based our plan on a model that worked for the Spring/Summer terms. We had an excellent response from parents and pupils. However, if your circumstances have changed and you can no longer access the learning in this way, please contact us and we will do everything we can to make sure that you get the work and resources needed. In the event that we revert to this kind of teaching and learning, please let us know as soon as possible if you need anything at all. That could be hard copies of worksheets, printed texts, photocopies, workbooks, pencils etc.

  We also understand that there are often multiple children at home and maybe 1 device suitable for home learning. This is why we have not timetabled real-time lessons. Please let us know what your needs are and we will do everything we can to make a transition to home learning, should it happen, as smooth as possible.

  What we expect from your child

  It’s important that your child engages with home learning. If pupils don’t engage with the learning, the teachers will be in touch with you – as they did in the Spring/Summer terms.

  What you can do to help

  We appreciate that if this situation arises, it may present some challenges for you. We kindly ask for your support so that we can continue to provide high-quality education for your child during this time. We ask that you help them as much as you can but, at the same time, we wouldn’t expect parents/carers to get involved in remote lessons in place of our teachers. However, it will be really helpful if you can take an active role in your child’s learning.

  Our top tips:

  • Try to encourage your child to be ready and dressed for the start of the school day, and to keep to your timetable.
  • Distinguish between weekdays and weekends, and make it clear when the school day is over, to separate home and school life.
  • Plan breaks and exercise into the day to help keep your child active.

  Please keep in touch with us and do let us know if you’re having any difficulties with remote learning should we have to revert to this model.

  Thank you for your continued support.

  Yours faithfully,

   

   

  Miss Suzanne Corry

   

• Wearing a face mask on school premises

  Fri 25 Sep 2020

  25^th September 2020

   

  Warwickshire County Council - Covid messages for the school gates.

  Dear Parents and Carers of The Dassett,

  As you know, schools are working closely with Public Health England to promote COVID preventative measures across the county. At The Dassett we are doing all we can to reduce the spread of the virus and it is essential that everyone in the school community works together to be Covid secure.

  Warwickshire County Council have now asked all parents and carers to wear a face mask during morning pick up and afternoon drop off. Please do not enter the site without a mask.

  Beginning Monday 28th September, we would be grateful if you would all please follow this advice and support us in doing our best to stay safe.

  If any parents or visitors to the school need to enter the building please be aware that you will be expected to also wear a face mask. Teachers who need to be closer to parents, e.g. on doors and gates, will also be wearing face masks or shields.

   

  Thank you to everyone for all your continued understanding and support.

  Miss Corry

   

• Please find the latest GOVT Guidance for parents re returning to school

  Thu 03 Sep 2020

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak?utm_source=2%20September%202020%20C19&utm_medium=Daily%20Email%20C19&utm_campaign=DfE%20C19

   

• Please see latest guidance for Parents and Carers

  Wed 10 Jun 2020

  Guidance for parents and carers as schools and other education settings in England open to more children and young people can be found here:

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

• New Lunch Menu

  Tue 02 Jun 2020
  The new lunch menu can now be found in the Parents Section of the site.

• A lovely video to help children to understand the lack of 'HUGS' right now

  Fri 22 May 2020

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PnnFrPaRgY

   

• Key highlighted points from GOV.uk latest below

  Mon 11 May 2020

  Key points from guidance for parents/carers 11/05/2020

  We anticipate with further progress that we may be able, from the week commencing 1 June, to welcome back more children to early years, school and further education settings. We will only do this provided that the 5 key tests set by government justify the changes at the time, including that the rate of infection is decreasing and the enabling programmes set out in the recovery strategy are operating effectively. As a result, we are asking schools, colleges and childcare providers to plan on this basis, ahead of confirmation that these tests are met.

  We have been guided by scientific advice at every stage. The latest scientific advice to government is that:

  • there is high scientific confidence that children of all ages have less severe symptoms than adults if they contract coronavirus and there is moderately high scientific confidence that younger children are less likely to become unwell if infected with coronavirus
  • limiting the numbers of children going back to school and college initially then gradually increasing numbers, guided by scientific advice, reduces risk of increasing the rate of transmission
  • schools and other settings can make changes to how they are organised and put measures in place to reduce risks

  We have provided advice to schools and other settings on the steps they should consider taking, this includes:

  • limiting the amount of contact between different groups of children (such as smaller class sizes with children and staff spread out more)
  • additional protective measures, such as increased cleaning and encouraging good hand and respiratory hygiene

  Primary schools to welcome back children in nursery (where they have them), reception, year 1 and year 6.

  This does not include siblings in different year groups unless those siblings are in a priority group, for example, the children of critical workers.

  We hope that all primary school children can come back to school before the summer holidays, for a month if feasible, although this will be kept under review. Reducing the risks for children and staff is our utmost priority.

  To prevent the spread of coronavirus, schools and other settings will use a range of protective measures to create safer environments in which the risk of spreading the virus is substantially reduced. Whilst such changes are likely to look different in each setting, as they will depend upon individual circumstances, they are all designed to minimise risks to children, staff and their families.

  Schools and other settings should communicate their plans to parents once they have had a chance to work through them in detail.

   

  Approaches we are asking schools and other settings to take include:

   

  carrying out a risk assessment before opening to more children and young people - the assessment should directly address risks associated with coronavirus so that sensible measures can be put in place to minimise those risks for children, young people and staff

  • making sure that children and young people do not attend if they or a member of their household has symptoms of coronavirus
  • promoting regular hand washing for 20 seconds with running water and soap or use of sanitiser and ensuring good respiratory hygiene by promoting the catch it, bin it, kill it approach
  • cleaning more frequently to get rid of the virus on frequently touched surfaces, such as door handles, handrails, tabletops, play equipment and toys
  • minimising contact through smaller classes or group sizes and altering the environment as much as possible, such as changing the layout of classrooms
  • reducing mixing between groups through timetable changes, such as staggered break times or by introducing staggered drop-off and collection times

   

  If my child is eligible, is it compulsory for them to attend school?

  We strongly encourage children and young people in the eligible year groups and priority groups (such as children of critical workers) to attend, as requested by their school or college, unless they are self-isolating or there are other reasons for absence (such as shielding due to health conditions).

  You should notify your child’s school or college as normal if your child is unable to attend so that staff are aware and can discuss with you.

  Parents will not be fined for non-attendance at this time.

   

  Educational settings should continue to offer places to priority groups. In particular, as per the existing guidance on supporting vulnerable children and young people during the coronavirus outbreak, vulnerable children of all year groups continue to be expected and encouraged to attend educational provision where it is appropriate for them to do so. For children who have a social worker, attendance is expected unless their social worker decides that they are at less risk at home or in their placement. For children who have an education health and care (EHC) plan, attendance is expected where it is determined, following a risk assessment, that their needs can be as safely or more safely met in the educational environment.

   

  When a child, young person or staff member develops symptoms compatible with coronavirus, they should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 7 days. Their fellow household members should self-isolate for 14 days. All staff and students who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus.

  Where the child, young person or staff member tests positive, the rest of their class/group within their childcare or education setting should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days.

   

  Will education be provided as normal to children and young people who are attending?

  Education provision

  Education settings still have the flexibility to provide support and education to children and young people attending school in the way they see fit during this time.

  The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that schools and childcare settings must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. Early years settings should use their best endeavours to deliver the learning and development requirements as far as possible in the current circumstances.

  Schools and colleges continue to be best placed to make decisions about how to support and educate their pupils during this period. This will include:

  • consideration of pupils’ mental health and wellbeing
  • assessment of where pupils are in their learning in order to make any necessary adjustments to their curriculum over the coming weeks
  • prioritisation of high needs groups and support for those in transition years

  Schools and colleges should use their best endeavours to support pupils attending as well as those remaining at home, making use of the available remote education support.

   

  How should my child travel to and from their childcare, school or college?

  Children, young people and parents are encouraged to walk or cycle where possible and avoid public transport at peak times. The government will shortly publish guidance on how to travel safely, which schools, parents and young people can refer to when planning their travel, particularly if public transport is required.

   

  Will school meals be available for children and young people who are in school?

  Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the free school meal eligibility criteria. To ensure food is available for pupils who attend, educational settings are expected to reopen their kitchens if they have closed and ensure staff are able to work safely.

   

  Will childcare, schools and colleges keep their usual opening hours?

  It is possible that some settings will make changes to their start and finish times or introduce processes for drop-off and collection times to keep children and families safe.

  Start and finish times will be clearly communicated to parents and carers alongside any other new arrangements.

• Latest re possible opening

  Mon 11 May 2020

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/reopening-schools-and-other-educational-settings-from-1-june

   

  This is the latest guidance for parents and carers about what a return to school might look like. 

• Latest News

  Mon 11 May 2020

  Dear Parents and Carers,

  Like me, you may have seen the Prime Minister’s announcement last night, regarding the easing of the Government’s Lockdown strategy and the reference made to some school children possibly returning to school.

  “In step two – at the earliest by June 1 – after half term – we believe we may be in a position to begin the phased reopening of shops and to get primary pupils back into schools, in stages, beginning with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.”

  During the Prime Minister’s speech he talked about the possibility of reopening primary schools, in the first instance, to Reception, year 1 and year 6. We anticipate that further guidance will be issued today, which will give us more detail regarding how schools should approach this phased re-opening. Once we have gathered all the information, we will plan carefully and share those plans with you. We will be guided by the local authority and of course central government.

  At the moment, it is not clear how the reintroduction of more significant numbers of pupils in school can be safely managed, particularly considering that Reception and Year 1 are very young children with whom social distancing is more difficult. However, we will keep you informed as we gather further information ourselves. We are also not clear about how opening school to more pupils, with social distancing and high ratios of teachers to pupils will affect the ability of those same teachers to provide for homeschooling. Again, we will let you know nearer the time - or as we know.

  As you may have heard, construction workers and those who work in manufacturing have been cleared to return to work, if they cannot work from home. This does not mean that they are regarded as ‘Key Workers’ and the definition of this category remains unchanged. We will contact you if this situation changes. However, we will continue to support the children of Key Workers and vulnerable pupils as we do now.

  I realise that the PM’s announcement may have brought with it more questions than answers for parents and school staff alike. Please be assured tha,t in our planning, for any model of return to school, we will do our upmost to mitigate for possible transition of COVID-19 within the realms of the guidance given.  

  The safety of all pupils, staff and parents is of paramount importance.

  Keep Safe and well

  Kind Regards

   

  Miss Suzanne Corry

• Parents help pages at WCC

  Thu 07 May 2020

  https://schools.warwickshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/coronavirus-advice-parents/1