๐ซ School Reopening News
Mr J Sharp
Click here to read the BBC report on the announcement
The Prime Minister has confirmed that all primary schools will reopen to all children on Monday 8th March 2021. Before and after school clubs can also reopen from the 8th March.
As was the case in September 2020, I know there will be different opinions on this date, and I think it is important that we all respect these different views.
Background Information
The government position on reopening primary schools is:
The number of primary age children who become seriously ill with COVID-19 is extremely small.
They state that the scientific analysis shows that primary schools are not โdriversโ of infection.
The vaccine rollout is going as well as hoped, and there is some evidence that it is cutting infection rates.
Infection rates nationally have dropped substantially from the beginning of January.
The variants from South Africa and Brazil, are not widespread, and the vaccine appears to work against the variants that have appeared in this country.
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 has declined faster than it did in the 2020 lockdown, and at the present time, the numbers are around those seen in December.
The number of people passing away is also dropping more rapidly than in the 2020 lockdown, and has returned to the rates seen in December.
Primary school staff are able to test themselves twice a week using lateral flow tests.
Keeping children off school is damaging to their emotional wellbeing, mental health and academic progress.
The local picture in Newton Heath is:
Infection rates are above the national average at the present ~272 per 100,000 compared with ~125 for England.
There is community testing taking place in Moston and Harpurhey to find cases of a mutation of the Kent variant of the virus.
The number of people in local hospitals with COVID-19 has dropped since early January to around the numbers seen in late November.
The number of deaths in the local area have been falling slowly since mid-January and around the numbers seen since September 2020.
Taking all the data together, it would appear that the โriskโ of infection locally is around the same as it was in early October and late November, but much less than it was in the October half term and after the Christmas holidays. However, what is different this time, is the number of people now vaccinated balanced against the new variants of the virus.
School Precautions
We believe we have a robust risk assessment in place, and that we have yet to see any evidence that COVID-19 has been transmitted within school. All identified cases appear to have been brought into school.
We are part of the School Infection Survey, which gives us more testing for the virus and antibodies.
We have a very high take up of the lateral flow testing amongst the staff. This has shown that 98% of tests have been negative, and that two asymptomatic cases have been identified.
Returning to School
We are really looking forward to seeing the children returning to school. They were so happy to be back with their friends in September, and we are all excited to see this reunion again.
I am sure there will be some nerves and uncertainty (for the children and families), and the teachers will be soon sharing what the children are coming back to. With the use of Google Classroom, virtual assemblies/meetings, catch up calls and staff delivering packs, I would hope that the majority of the children will be more confident returning this time.
If you or your child are worried, please donโt hesitate to get in touch with the class teachers.
The risk assessment is still in place, so staggered starts/finishes, school meals, uniform etc all remain the same as they were in the Autumn term.
Moving Forward
As I mentioned in a recent newsletter, I want the next period in school to be one of โmoving forwardโ rather than โcatch upโ. I donโt want the children, staff or families feeling like we are โbehindโ and failing. This is an extraordinary period, and it is inevitable that there is a cost to it in schools, not forgetting the huge loss of life and suffering as the real cost.
In the remote learning plan I outlined the basic principles of teaching and learning in our school:
Find out what the children know within a well constructed curriculum (assessment).
Instruct the children on how to make the next step of learning through worked examples (direct instruction).
The children practise/apply the concept and the teaching staff provide clear and productive support (feedback).
Ensure the children remember and retain learning.
I would like to outline what our plans are for all these principles.
Find out what the children know within a well constructed curriculum (assessment).
We have streamlined our curriculum to focus on the aspects that are the most important. You can see new curriculum maps for each year group on the class pages of the website.
Our new digital assessment system has been refined to reflect the more focused curriculum maps.
Early Years classes are using a new child learning evidence tool called Tapestry. This allows them to capture milestones of learning and track progress. This system will also be shared with families so they can see progress more often, practise targets at home and share outside learning experiences with school.
We have online assessment tools ready to be used before Easter, which will help us understand what the children should focus on. Information about these STAR assessments is available to all families through the website, as well as being shared at Parentsโ Meetings.
Instruct the children on how to make the next step of learning through worked examples (direct instruction).
After assessing the children when everyone is back, the teachers will have a good picture of the aspects of the curriculum that need to be prioritised.
Within their teaching, they will demonstrate to the children the best strategies to meet their targets.
There will also be more personalised instruction through the use of the Teaching Assistants, Mrs Minton our Reading Recovery teacher, the support we pay for with SpeechWise and the team in the Hub.
We still have access to the new online resources, such as Oak National Academy, that will allow teachers to set tasks for different children using the large number of devices we have in school.
The children practise/apply the concept and the teaching staff provide clear and productive support (feedback).
With the children back in the classrooms with their teachers and teaching assistants, the feedback they need will be much more immediate than is possible when learning from home.
We will be prioritising staffing levels in the years in which we feel the children need the most support after lockdowns. At the present time, this is the younger children.
The online tools we have invested in will allow children to practise their own targets, both in school and crucially at home.
Families will therefore have more access to their childโs learning and progress.
Google Classroom will be used for some homework tasks, which will allow more flexibility, automatic feedback etc without giving too much extra work for the teachers who need to focus more on the assessment and instruction aspects.
Ensure the children remember and retain learning.
What is sometimes missed in education is practise. Which is a little strange given what everyone knows about โpractise making perfectโ. This is a temptation to cram too much into the curriculum and always move on to new concepts quickly without giving the time to practise previous learning.
That is why we have streamlined our curriculum, so that we have the time to revisit and practise the things that are the most important.
The online tools for home study provide more opportunity for the children to practise previous learning. It also gives families a better understanding of the curriculum.
It is quite common for families to suggest to teachers that what is being sent home for homework โis too easyโ. However, revisiting and practising is absolutely vital for moving learning into โlong termโ memory. It is much more efficient for teachers to assess and provide the technical instruction in school, and for families to then support the children with practise.
We are looking at extending the device loan scheme with families who are struggling to provide the children with their own device.
Over the next few months we will discover what the government intend to do with regards for supporting children and schools with โcatch upโ.
There is still the likelihood that we will have bubble closures for a while to come, but I desperately want this to be the last school closure. We have really missed the children and the buzz around school that comes with ~240 excited, positive, caring and enthusiastic children that we have at All Saints.
On behalf of the staff and governors, thank you so much for all your support and patience. I know how stressful and inconvenient it has been for you all, and we are full of admiration and gratitude for the way you have supported the children and the staff during this terribly challenging period. On behalf of Mrs Flatman and myself, I would also like to say a personal thank you to the children, governors, staff and families for giving us so much support in our first year together as the Senior Leadership Team.
Only two weeks left of blended learning, so letโs finish it with a flourish and be ready to be back together on Monday 8th March.
Mr J Sharp
Head Teacher