Latest News

29th May 2020

Friday 29th May Critical Worker.

Dear Parents/Carers,

As you may be aware, the criteria for what constitutes a critical worker is being changed by the government. This is an attempt to try and give the economy of the country a boost.

As a result of this, some families may now be eligible for critical worker school places who were not previously. That being said, at this current time, the criteria has still not been updated. The government have said they will review this by 01/06/20.

Please find the link to this document below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

Therefore, we have decided to send the registration survey for ALL critical worker places out today and then extend the deadline for completion of this survey until midday 02/06/20. This will allow families who are eligible under the current criteria, plus those who become eligible under the new criteria, to register for places.

Please be aware that there are a limited number of places and only children registered using this survey will be offered a place if there is space available. If you miss the completion deadline, your child will not gain a place at school.

We are sure you can appreciate that this is a very difficult situation to manage at the moment as there have been numerous changes to these criteria.

Therefore, even if you have previously registered for a critical worker place, you will need to fill in this survey (although if your child currently attends school we will provisionally reserve a place for them).

After registering you will need to provide the school with evidence of your critical worker role otherwise your place may be given to someone who can supply this evidence. If you have previously supplied this evidence of your status to the school, you will not be required to do this again.

Please register for a place using the link below:

https://forms.gle/61U82Mqrh1cqUKkN9

From 01/06/20 critical worker provision will be housed in the Y4 classrooms and drop-off and collection will be from these classrooms via the main playground. The timings of the school day will be 08:45 - 14:45 (Mon - Thurs) and 08:45 - 12:30 (Fri).

Please also be aware that if your child is classed as a critical worker child, but is also from Reception, Y1 or Y6, they may be placed into a bubble within their year group. This will be dependent on the number of children who return to school.

This is a hugely complicated and changeable situation in terms of COVID-19 and schools and we truly appreciate your patience and support. If you have any questions, please refer to the frequently asked questions document sent to you yesterday (28/05/20).

Please remember, even if you have previously registered for a critical worker place, you need to fill in the survey above and register again.

Stay safe.

Andy Powell - Deputy Headteacher

28th May 2020

Thank you

Thank you to Sophie & Katie for this lovely message .

Today is thank you teacher day.

Thank you to all the amazing teachers, support staff and everyone who is part of Tweeddale primary school.

Love Sophie & Katie Bartholomew

Toucan & wolf classes

♥

22nd May 2020

Online Assemblies and Star of the Week

Please take a look at our message to you and online assemblies, will you hear your name being called out for the great work you have been doing from home???

20th May 2020

Information from the Department for Education 20th May 2020

Please click on the following links for more information from the department for Education.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020

www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

19th May 2020

Opening of Schools.

Dear Parents/Carers,

I am writing to outline some of the facts and what school will be like, when school reopens to children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, from June 1st, at the earliest. It is important to stress that the phased return applies ONLY to these year groups in the first instance. Here are the arrangements we are provisionally putting in place ahead of the return of those year groups. You will not be fined if your child does not come to school.

Classes

Government advice requires us to split children up into small teaching groups (referred to as a ‘bubble’). This means that many of the children will be with a member of staff who is not their usual teacher, and may be taught in a different classroom. We would decide on the bubbles - children would be with other children in their year group and they have to try to remain at least 2 metres from others at all times, including their teacher. There will be no mixing between the bubbles at all. This is necessary so that any outbreak of the virus can be tracked and traced. Furthermore, if any member of the bubble, staff included, were to display symptoms of the virus, the entire group would be required to self-isolate for the next two weeks.

Social Distancing

As I am sure you can appreciate, social distancing - maintaining a space of at least 2 metres between people - is extremely difficult in a school. We will try our best, which is why the bubble groups will be so small, but it cannot be guaranteed. The bubbles will also apply at playtimes. Different year groups will be allocated different parts of the playground and playtimes will be staggered.

School Hours

Opening will require staggered starts to the day and staggered finish times to avoid congestion at the school gates and one adult only dropping off and collecting. School will close at lunchtimes on Fridays to allow for a deep clean of the premises on Friday afternoons. Lunch will be slightly earlier than usual on Fridays.

Lunch times

Lunch times will also be staggered so different year groups and different bubbles eat at different times. Where possible, lunches will be eaten outside. Otherwise, lunches will be eaten in class. School dinners will be packed lunch. Children who are usually entitled to free school meals will of course maintain this entitlement, however you will lose your right to their daily food voucher for any children in school, as provided by the government (though not for children in other year groups who will still be at home).

Other practicalities

Lots of furniture will have to be removed from classes, a one way system installed and systems for use of toilets and cleaning all worked out. Children will be seated 2 metres apart and a walkway will be included children will have to remain at their desks and keep to their own equipment.

The youngest children will find this all very difficult. They won’t have access to all the practical resources they would normally have because they all have to be kept clean to avoid infection - in fact, all soft play items such as cuddly toys will have to be removed. Only plastic toys, which can be easily wiped clean, will remain in Reception classes. Children in Reception will find the day very different as well - rather than the freeflow environment they are used to, they will be required to stay within their bubble at all times, whether in class or outside. Also, any child who soils him or herself during the day will have to be collected and taken home for the remainder of that day.

The office will be closed to in-person meetings - any queries will have to be dealt with over the phone. We will insist that staff wear PPE to administer First Aid.

Children will still be expected to wear uniform - just as staff will adhere to the staff dress code.

Children of Key Workers in other years

Children of key workers in Years 2-5 will still be allowed to attend school. They will form a separate bubble group in the hut classrooms at the top of the playground (currently year 4)

I thank you for your time in reading this letter. Now that you have as much information as we are able to provide at this stage, I would kindly ask you to fill in the survey (please use the link below), to indicate whether your child will return to school on June 1st.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfX7oRKuLwrSBHwApmIdDpzwtjJpLEgTXy8tNt-Sdpy-e-8WA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Thank you and best wishes.

Terrie Jerrom