Bedwas Newsletter 5.7.21

September 2021

I was intending to share our broad plans for September with you today but following the unexpected announcement from the First Minister last Monday and further information we have received today about ‘national level’ meetings about the new term taking place on Tuesday 6th, I am not able to do this. If I shared any of my plans with you today it is almost certain, that I would have to change them all by Wednesday, and possibly all again by the end of term.

Once again, decisions at a high level are being taken very late in the term and communicated in such a way that it makes any meaningful early planning for September impossible. I feel that some of these decisions could be left until our return in September so at least we could have communicated something to you that would have stayed the same barring a significant change in the national situation (i.e. a new lockdown). The changes apparently being dictated and/or considered will potentially have a significant impact on how the school is run. In fact, hardly any aspect of school organisation can be stated as definite for the new term; this could affect start times, Breakfast Club re-opening and bubble groups remaining in place to name just three. This is deeply frustrating for me and understandably so, for you as well. Obviously, we are at the mercy of the situation nationally as we have been for the past 18 months or so but with only 10 working days left in the term we are running out of time in terms of making and then sharing plans. We need the guidance or instruction from WG as soon as possible, even if it just allows us to maintain our practices for the beginning of the new term at the very least.

As soon as we hear anything concrete we will communicate this with you – although, it is a fact that many of the biggest announcements have been shared publically first before we hear about them in school.

There was also some confusion over the additional Bank Holiday that schools are being directed to take for the Queen’s Jubilee as the official day falls in a school holiday. Some Local Authorities are directing all schools to take the same day across their region, others are leaving it to the schools to choose their own day and some are ‘suggesting’ a shared day; Caerphilly are in the latter group. Further to the newsletter posted on the website on Friday I can now confirm that we are following Caerphilly’s suggestion / request that we take the Thursday 2nd September as our ‘Jubilee’ day which will then be followed by an INSET day on Friday 3rd September. School for pupils should – barring significant changes to the national situation – start on Monday 6th September.

Parent Teacher Consultations

These will be offered through allocated phone appointments during the last week of term (w/c 12th July). Please phone the school office to check which days your child’s teacher is scheduling appointments and book your call.

Reminder - Notifying School of Covid Test Results

There is currently no change to the process in place. You will need to contact the school by e-mail or phone as soon as possible if a child’s test result comes back positive. If this is outside normal school hours please e-mail your message to the school address – bwaja@caerphilly.gov.uk

Any notifications of class closures will be sent out via Text2Parents and posted on the Federation’s website. If you change your mobile number please let Mrs Dee in the school office know so that she can update your contact details. CCBC are still in the process of arranging an alternative system which should be ready for the new term whereby parents can inform a central hub who will then contact schools. Once this has been implemented we will pass on the details to you and post the information on the Federation’s website.

Stay safe!