Important - Bedwas - Newsletter 16.12.21
Important Update for the Start of Term
Following today’s announcement from the Welsh Government I am confirming that at the moment the first day in school for our children is expected to be Thursday 6th January.
Schools have been told to take two planning days at the start of term to review and plan based on the situation in which we find ourselves in January. No remote learning will be provided on those two days. Our planned INSET day for Tuesday 4th January will now be rescheduled to a later point in the year.
The Welsh Government has once more directed schools to consider the use of staggered start times, although with the operation of breakfast club and the normal 10 minute drop-off window, the mornings in Rhydri appear to work quite well. If everyone coming on to the school site is able to return to the level of care and distancing that was in place when we first returned to school, then the end of the school day should also be manageable. When you are on the school site you need to socially distance, wear a mask and leave the site as soon as you have collected your child and the way out is clear.
There will also be the need for schools to review the provision of breakfast club in the new year. Any new guidance received from WG would mean that we need to carry out a new risk assessment to see if we can continue to offer breakfast club safely. If we are unable to offer this provision on the first days (6 th & 7 th January) we will communicate this as soon as we know.
We have been informed that there might be further announcements of bigger changes made during the Christmas holidays which would alter the picture again. If the situation changes we will inform you of any updates as soon as we are able. The first port of call for updates should be the website – www.bedwasrhydri.school, and teachers will use their class platforms to pass on any important information. The text messaging service will also be used. It is therefore important that you are able to access all of these communication channels and that we have your most up-to-date contact details.
Omicron Guidance
The most recent advice we have received is that should any of the cases in school be identified as the Omicron variant we would be expected to action the processes we followed during the first return to school. This means that the whole class would be immediately sent home as contacts and the group would move to remote learning. The isolation period for the class and staff would be ten days if the current guidance remains in place.
Potential Class Closures
The current need for all household contacts of Omicron cases to also isolate for 10 days will obviously have an even greater impact on the already challenging staffing levels in schools. This means that the information below that I shared on the last newsletter regarding potential class closures is even more relevant for the next term.
Where the staffing levels available in school become unviable there will be the need to temporarily close one or more classes and move to remote learning as a short term solution for those particular groups. This route would only be taken where no other safe option was available.
Should this be necessary you will be notified via the school blog, class communication platform (e.g. SeeSaw) and the school texting service. Learning will continue online during the period of class closure.
Finally
It seems that we have come full circle since the end of last year when I was sharing similar messages with you. Whatever happens we will continue to do everything we can to support the children during this very challenging period. Thank you for the way in which you continue to support us and your children; I hope you all have a good Christmas.
R Cook
Head Teacher
The Federation of Bedwas Junior and Rhydri Primary Schools
