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School Return FAQs September 2020

As we come closer to the start of the Autumn Term, we Understand that some Parents and families may be feeling anxious about their child returning to school on Wednesday 2nd September.
We hope this document helps to ease some concerns and answer questions in relation to the wider opening of school. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact the school office or Speak to a member of staff.

Please note, this document should be used in conjunction with School Return documentation which can be found on the school website and on Twitter @MilefieldP.

Will my child be in contact with other children?

Following Government guidelines, we have safely planned bubbles throughout school. This means your child will only come into contact with children in the same bubble at all points of the school day. Our staggered start and finish times, lunch and breaks will support the effective and safe use of bubbles consistently through school.

Will breakfast club provision be in place from 2nd September?

We recognise that some of our parents/carers require breakfast club provision to support their daily routines. We have therefore planned to reintroduce breakfast club from 7th September, places can be booked by contacting the school office. Children accessing this provision will be in their own bubbles with designated adults to each group.

Will after school club provision/extra curricular activities be in place from the 2nd September?

Unfortunately, at this time, we will be unable to offer after school clubs. However, as of Monday 14th September, we will be offering a bubble booster club every Monday from 3.15-4.15pm for all pupils from Y1-Y6. Further information will be sent out in September.

Will my child be able to play with other children at play times and lunchtimes?

We know that, unlike older children and adults, early years and primary age children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. In deciding to bring more children back to early years and primary schools, the Government have taken this into account. It is still important to reduce contact as much as possible and we can achieve this and reduce transmission risk by ensuring children, young people and staff where possible, only mix in a small, consistent group and that small group stays away from other people and groups.

Will children be spoken to, in detail, about social distancing and bubbles?

We appreciate that children will have a more challenging time understanding the recommendation of social distancing and we will talk to children in age appropriate ways to try and help them to understand.

What if I have children in different bubbles with different drop off times?

Start and finish times have been communicated to parents/carers during the Summer Term. If you do have issues with overlaps which you cannot easily be resolved, please contact school office and we can discuss them with you.

How will lunchtimes work?

School will provide meals for all children and meals will be available free of charge where pupils meet the free school meal (FSM) eligibility criteria. We will be managing this by having staggered lunchtimes for children and also looking at options for where meals can be served through school to minimise contact.

Can my child wear their own PPE?

Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended.

Will school test my child?

When a child, young person or staff member develops symptoms compatible with coronavirus, they should be sent home and advised to self-isolate. Their fellow household members should self-isolate. All staff and pupils who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus and are encouraged to get tested in this scenario.

Why are some schools using thermometers to see if a child can come in?

Some schools may use a thermometer to ensure the children are under a certain temperature before entering school. This is due to the fact that a high temperature is a common symptom of coronavirus.

Will there be sanitising gel in all classrooms?

We will be implementing the cleaning of hands more often than usual - washing hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with running water and soap and we will be providing hand sanitisers within classrooms.

Will the staff stay 2m away from my child?

We know that, unlike older children and adults, early years and primary age children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. We will only mix in a small, consistent group and that small group will stay away from other people and groups.

What will children be taught?

As we return to school in September 2020 your child will be exposed to all aspects of the curriculum with a particular focus on social and emotional needs. We recognise the impact lockdown may have had on the core skills of reading, writing and maths so these will also be prioritiese throughout each day. For further information please see our Recovery Curriculum.

Credits:

Created with images by Zoltan Tasi - "Rainbow at the beach" • Drew Beamer - "untitled image" • Brooke Lark - "Put together all of my favorite eats on one plate. Because, as much as I adore the kids homemade pancakes, a bowl of fresh fruit is what I really want for Mother’s Day." • Tevarak Phanduang - "Soccer ball on grass green field with copy space" • Jon Tyson - "untitled image" • Aaron Burden - "Crayons beside child coloring" • Markus Winkler - "untitled image" • Jonathan Ybema - "untitled image" • Mika Baumeister - "Protective masks, normally used for surgery, are now in use to fight the Corona Virus SARS-nCov-19. " • Kelly Sikkema - "Ear thermometer in a woman's hand" • United Nations COVID-19 Response - "This illustration is designed to aid and teach children the importance of personal hygiene, especially through the COVID-19 pandemic. Through vibrant illustration and text, the viewer will be taken along a magical and playful journey to discover how to wash your hands correctly. The use of bold colours captures the attention of the viewer and takes some joy into a very difficult and confusing time for children. Image created by Sophie Cane. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives - help stop the spread of COVID-19." • Nick Fewings - "A painted sign on the pavement to remind people to stay 2 metres apart." • Agence Olloweb - "Il s’agit d’une photographie réalisée pour illustrer notre page des offres de création graphique de l’agence web Olloweb Solution"