Dear Parent/Carer,

I am writing to let you know that the Governing Body of St. Luke’s has approved the decision to open school to more children on 22^nd June 2020.

In line with previous communication, school has been ringing the parents and carers of all the children in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. These phone calls have taken place over the last week. School is able to open to one hundred and four children, that a place has been requested for, on Monday 22^nd June 2020. Priority has been given to the children in these specific year groups only. Similarly priority has been given to the children of key workers, and those children who have been allocated a social worker. In order to fulfil the duties and obligations of the school’s risk assessment, which was approved by the Governing Body on Friday 12^th June, school will now not be in a position to admit anymore pupils in these year groups. This means that school will not have the capacity, on health and safety grounds, to re-open to Year 2, Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 until the start of the new academic year, starting September 2020.

I will be writing to you again on Friday 19^th June to confirm that school is definitely going to re-open on Monday 22^nd June 2020 to those pupils already identified. School is waiting for confirmation from the local authority/public health that the R rate in the North West is below 1. R refers to the number of people who become infected with COVID-19 via one person.

For children returning to school, they will be placed in groups (bubbles) of no more than ten children in a group. Each group will be allocated between two or three staff members based on individual pupil requirements. Whilst the Government have suggested up to 15 children in each group, unfortunately our classrooms are not large enough for us to fulfil this guidance. If your child is one those returning to St. Luke’s next week, please be aware that the majority of children will not be returning to their original classroom. Similarly staff have been allocated across year groups and so I wanted to prepare you for the fact that your child may not be working with the same teacher and/or teaching assistant as they did before school closed.

Although in an ideal world I would have wished to keep continuity of staff within each year group, this is simply not viable from a health and safety point of view. Please can I extend my apologies to you in advance if your child is disappointed that they are not with their original class teacher. The groups of children have been carefully allocated by the Senior Leadership Team who have done their best to ensure that your child will settle in their new group. I do need to inform you that much work is going into the planning of these groups and when you receive the information about the group your child is in please be reassured that school has taken these decisions in the best interest of your child.

To facilitate the continuous deep cleaning of the school in line with our risk assessment school will only be open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. School will be closed on a Friday to all children with the exception of the children accessing the key worker childcare provision.

To enable us to help us adhere to social distancing around school we have implemented a staggered start and end time. It is vital that your child arrives at school and is collected from school at the time you are allocated. If you arrive late with your child you will be asked to wait until every other bubble of children has entered school.

Each bubble will also have a designated gate and entry point to ensure social distancing can be followed. We ask that all families follow any markings and directional signs that are in place around school.

The school office will be emailing the families of all children that have been allocated a place with further details tomorrow, this will include the bubble they are in, the entrance gate to be used and the entrance into school to be used.

All children that return to school will have their temperature taken by a member of staff at the start of the school day and should your child’s temperature be above 37.8 you will be contacted to come and collect your child and arrange for them to be tested for COVID-19. You are asked to give permission for this later in this letter.

We have put a significant number of plans in place to ensure that we can all return to school as safely as possible.

• One way routes when dropping off and collecting children.
• 2m signs around the premises.
• Extra Hand Sanitiser Units around school.
• Enhanced cleaning schedule including on site cleaning staff all day.
• Re-arranged classrooms to accommodate 2m apart desks.
• Removed all non-essential furniture and resources

When children return they will expected to:

• Stay in their bubble at all times and maintain a 2m distance from their bubble mates.
• Follow the School Rules including the new rule that children must not openly cough and spit around other children or staff.
• Wash their hands as and when instructed by staff.
• Not bring in anything from home except a packed lunch where needed.

Children in Nursery (that are staying all day), Reception children, Year 1 and Year 2 key worker children will all be provided with a packed lunch so we ask that they do not bring one in with them.

All children in Year 6 and children in Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 in the key worker childcare provision are to bring in a packed lunch from home. This must be in a bag that can be wiped clean every day.

Free School Meal vouchers will continue for children not attending school and for those bringing their own packed lunches where applicable.

In line with our risk assessment fresh clothes must be worn every day, as such children can wear non-uniform to school.

The school office will remain closed to parents and carers other than for children arriving late or being collected late. You will still be able to contact the office via telephone on 0161 764 4988 or via email stlukes@bury.gov.uk.

To try and show families what school now looks like we are planning to create a video this week to share with you all via the school website.  We will let you know when this has been uploaded.

School continues to use Parenthub as its main form of communication, if you have been unable to download this please contact the school office who will be able to help you.

We know that the return to school for many children will be daunting and that as parents and carers you will be worried but please be reassured that we the staff and governors of St. Luke’s have done everything we can to keep us all safe.

To support in school with your child’s return we are asking that the attached form is completed for any child due to come to school on 22^nd June, this includes any children that have already been accessing the key worker childcare provision. Please note you must agree to all items on the agreement to enable your child to return to school. (Form available via request - please email stlukes@bury.gov.uk).

We look forward to welcoming the children back into school on 22^nd June. In the meantime, I wish you all well and hope that you are all staying safe.

Kind Regards

Miss Michael

Headteacher