Headteacher Update 25/06/2020

Birkrig, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 9BN. Telephone: 01695 724730.

www.bishopmartin.lancs.sch.uk Headteacher: Mr IJ McDonald

Update on this Week Dear Parents and Carers, It has been lovely to see so many of the eligible pupils return to school this week (Key Worker pupils, Nursery/Ladybirds, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6)! We have had over 70% attendance each day and hearing the school full of happy, laughing children again has been so wonderful.

It is still the case that we are not enforcing attendance and I continue to fully respect the decision you take as parents whether or not to send your child in at this time in the run up to the Summer break.

Plans for Other Year Groups to Access School I have looked carefully at the numbers of pupils we have had returning to school this week and the capacity we have to safely open additional Pods while still offering provision for the children already in school.

The only options available are: 

 

To bring just one Year Group out of Year 2, 3, 4 and 5 back for the remaining school weeks (this would mean the other 3 year groups get no time in school before the summer, which I don’t feel is particularly fair) To not bring ANY of Years 2, 3, 4 and 5 back at all before the summer and continue as we have been doing this week (many schools are doing this) To offer at least SOME school contact for ALL children in those other year groups with their teacher and some of their friends before we break for the summer

I have decided that the third option above is the most fair out of the three; so I have been planning how we can do this safely whilst not taking away from the current provision in school. I have assessed that, as a school, we can safely open ONE additional Pod from next week. This will allow each child in Year 2, 3, 4 and 5 to come into school for one day out of the remaining fourteen school days before we finish on Thursday 16th July for the summer break.

Each Year Group has been divided into two Pods and have had a day assigned to them over the next two weeks when they will be able to come to school. The table below shows how this has been planned out: Date 29/06/20 30/06/20 01/07/20 02/07/20 06/07/20 07/07/20 08/07/20 09/07/20

Year Group Year 4 (Pod 1) Year 4 (Pod 2) Year 5 (Pod 1) Year 5 (Pod 2) Year 2 (Pod 1) Year 2 (Pod 2) Year 3 (Pod 1) Year 3 (Pod 2)

Teacher Miss Johnson Miss Johnson Miss Casey Miss Casey Mr Dawe Mr Dawe Miss Rankin Miss Rankin

The Junior Hall has been allocated as the location for these Pods (it is the largest indoor space in the entire school) and will be deep cleaned at the end of each day in preparation for the new Pod. Equipment will NOT be shared between the Pods and will be newly issued each day.

Social Distancing will be exercised within the Pods by the teachers at all times.

Once again, I have to stress that this is an option I am making available for you as parents.

There is no obligation for you to send your child in on their allocated day and I fully respect any decision you make. The Pod lists for your children will be e-mailed out to you on Friday 26th June.

Lots of parents have been asking about school uniform. The vast majority of children this week have returned in school uniform and I would encourage this as much as possible. However, I also fully understand (as a parent myself) that uniforms and shoes often don’t fit at this time of year!

I am encouraging pupils to wear uniform or school PE kit but understand this isn’t always possible.

If you have had Free School Meal Vouchers issued for that week and you are sending your child in on their allocated day you will need to send them in with a Packed Lunch.

Please Note: The capacity to offer this for Years 2, 3, 4 and 5 is wholly dependent on no other Pods needing to close for whatever reason (testing etc.). It will be reviewed constantly over the coming weeks and I’ll inform parents immediately if there is any change.

Home Learning The teachers continue to plan and post learning online for the pupils who are still at home/unable to come to school. Summer 2 content is updated weekly on the Class Pages of the school website in the ‘What We Are Learning’ section so please keep checking there!

We also continue to post links to exciting learning opportunities from other organisations on the school Twitter Feed.

School Meals The Government announced last week that the Free School Meal Voucher scheme will be extended over the summer break. I will write to you all with more information about how we will be managing this over the summer in the coming weeks Summer Holiday Opening I am so proud that Bishop Martin has been open EVERY weekday since the 23rd March (including Bank Holidays, Easter Holidays and the May half-term) for Key Worker/Vulnerable families. At this time I have no plans to open school over the summer period. This is a position advised by Lancashire and I have posted a letter onto the school website, alongside this one, from the County explaining more.

Many thanks for your ongoing support Mr McDonald

Headteacher