19^th March, 2020

PLANS FOR SCHOOL CLOSURE on FRIDAY: PLEASE READ FULLY

Dear Parents/Carers,

The time has come, following Government advice, for the school to partially close in order to attempt to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. This has obviously been a decision of much controversy with everyone having different views on the matter however, as a school, we have to follow the Government’s requests on this.

We fully realise this is a difficult and stressful time for all; both in regards to concerns for people’s health and around the impact school closures will have on your individual circumstances, in particular for those parents who are expected to continue to be working outside of your homes. Attached to this letter is a sheet detailing more information for our children that maybe classed as vulnerable and for parents who are ‘key workers’; please complete and return this sheet tomorrow (Friday) if this applies to you.

Home Learning

As a school, we have been preparing for this eventuality and have prepared some resources to support your children with their ‘home learning’ which will need to take place as a result of these closures. All children have been issued with an exercise book, pencil and reading books today to help with this process. Alongside this letter, you will also have received some additional guidance from your class teachers today about ‘home learning’.

The main form of communication around this is through our school website: https://www.northbeckton.newham.sch.uk/ Please follow the link to ‘Our Learning’ and ‘Learning at Home’. Within this area, you will find Year Group specific resources which the pupils can use to support their home learning, along with some links within the ‘General Learning Area’. This has been shared with all pupils today so they are aware of where to find their home learning resources. The resources in there will be enough to see the pupils up until the Easter holiday and if the school was to remain closed for longer than this, these resources will be updated after the holidays.

Alongside this, we have some paper copies of resources and worksheets available if access online is limited or if you have a number of children in school in different year groups.

Additional Support for Families

We fully realise that alongside providing learning resources, the school does offer a wider network of support for many of our families. It is essential that we continue to offer this to all during this closure and that you are still able to contact us in order for us to assist with any difficulties you may be facing.

As such, the following procedures will be in place whist the school is closed:

• Please feel free to email any concerns through to our info@northbeckton.newham.sch.uk email address. This will be being monitored regularly and a senior member of staff will respond in a timely fashion. If you do not want to specify your concerns in an email, and would prefer a call-back, please explain this and myself, Mrs Ojo or Mrs Kettory will telephone you.
• A Senior Leader will continue to be in school between 9am – 4pm and will be answering the telephone. As such, if you would like to speak to us, please call on 0207 4733344
• We will continue to update our website and send messages out to parents via the StudyBugs App. This is so you are being kept up-to-date with information, as and when it comes through to schools from the Department of Education and Public Health England. If you haven’t yet downloaded the Studybugs App please do so as a matter of urgency.

It is ESSENTIAL that we have up-to-date telephone numbers for you if this means of communication is to work.

• As a Senior Leadership Team, it might be the case that we telephone you or call around to your house to check that everything is ok with yourselves and your children. Please do not be alarmed by this measure as it is simply safeguarding guidance which we are being asked to follow to ensure the safety of all of our children.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this document and please be assured that we are doing everything we can to minimise any disruptions to your pupils’ learning at this difficult time.

School closures are not a decision we have taken lightly and have been taken in line with the Government guidance.

Regards

Ms Helm

Head Teacher: North Beckton