The Government have released this information:

The most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home.

Schools are being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children - children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.

The key principle to follow is that if children can be at home then they should be, even if only on a part-time basis. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision. You will need to complete the form attached and return by email by no later than 4pm on 20/03/20. All applications will be reviewed and prioritised by the head teacher and you will receive a phone call as soon as possible to confirm arrangements for Monday. Failure to complete application forms correctly may delay your access to provision at the school. 

Can I please remind you that school staff are now being asked to educate your children on site, off site and to support the delivery of meals. Many staff will be unable to attend school due to their own health or personal circumstances and many may become ill themselves. Many are providing childcare for their own children at the same time. We will absolutely try our best to ensure services are maintained at home and at school but please can I ask that you support the staff, be kind and polite and understanding of the demands that are now in place.

List of critical workers:

Health and social care

This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

 

Education and childcare

This includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach.

Key public services

This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.

Local and national government

This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arms length bodies.

Food and other necessary goods

This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).

Public safety and national security

This includes police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.

Transport

This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.

Utilities, communication and financial services

This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

If workers think they fall within the critical categories above they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.

Vulnerable children who will be allowed to attend school will be contacted by the Head Teacher by 12 noon tomorrow (20/03/20).

May I remind you to follow the Government advice that if children attending school or any family member presents with a new, persistent cough or high temperature, then they will need to self-isolate. Children who are in school and present symptoms will need to be picked up immediately. Without these measures, the support of key workers will be pointless. 

I appreciate this is short notice and does not leave a long amount of time to complete and return the form. However, we need to ensure that Staffing levels are correct and timelines have short due to the nature of these exceptional circumstances.

Please can I state again, if you can keep your children at home then you should do so. The provision at school will be limited.

Again, I will keep you updated as much as I can when we receive any further information.

Please be kind and look out for each other. As ever, you are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Kindest regards,

Sarah Barratt

Head Teacher