Rufford Park Primary School

Good afternoon Rufford Park families.

I hope you are safe and well.

The government has asked us to plan for a partial re-opening of school from 1st June, focussing on Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.  They have vague intentions to get all children in primary school (inc. Y2-5) by the end of June if feasible.  We are keen to get children back in school and parents back to work if we can do so safely.  Whichever year group your child is in, we will also continue to offer key worker and 'vulnerable children' schooling next half term as we have for the past two months.

The government's new guidance for parents is here.  This guidance includes information about medically-vulnerable pupils and family members.  If you wish to see the guidance that the school is working from, it is here.  Before June 1st, I will publish a detailed risk assessment and planning document on the school website for parents' information.  Year groups that are not in school in June will, typically, continue to get the home learning support that we have provided thus far. 

My initial thoughts are that we probably can staff and accommodate smaller groups up to 15 of these initial four year groups and provide full time provision for all those children for the first three weeks after half term (beginning June 1st).  If the government insists on us providing 'classes' of 15 for all the year groups later in June, I don't see that this will be possible without part time attendance: I can't suddenly double the number of classrooms and teachers that we have.

For this initial partial opening, some groups may be led by an experienced member of support staff rather than a teacher (although the work will be set by teachers).  The groups will remain with consistent staffing and be as socially distant from others as it is possible and reasonable to be.  Playtimes and lunch will be zoned and staggered.  We will try to increase the time that we spend outdoors, separate groups will use separate toilets where possible and we will facilitate the frequent washing of hands.  Parents will be expected to be socially distant whilst dropping off and collecting children - please do not congregate closely together.  Parents of the youngest pupils will not enter the classrooms with their children.  Guidance has stated that parents will not be allowed on the site but I don't see how this is possible.

To assist with planning, I need a sense of the demand for places from June 1st - planning might be very different, for example, if only two thirds of the eligible pupils are going to be coming to school.  Parents/carers of children in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 ONLY, please complete this survey before the end of the week:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RPPSJune1

This feedback is indicative: you will be allowed to change your mind!

I will survey families of children in Y2-5 at a later date.

Very best wishes at this difficult time,

David Cooke