Read the latest update on education provision in school during the Covid 19 virus period: Also sent out on Parentmail emails.

Following our emergency planning meeting this morning, please read the following information:

See government guidelines attached that detail who is able to take up the offer of child education and care during this unprecedented time.

This is an extract from the Government’s latest document:

The government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.

We are allowed to provide a limited service that runs through the Easter break as well, only to those whose parents fall under these following categories:

Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.

We have also attached this latest Government document link for your clarity, below:

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

Google Response Form:

This is the Google Response form for Instow School and pre-school parents (3/4 year olds from pre-school to Year 6) to complete only if you come under these categories:

https://forms.gle/U36DpKr9g8FfxMov6

If one parent is a critical worker and one parent is not, then children should remain at home. These are the categories:

Health and Social Care:

• doctors,
• nurses,
• midwives,
• paramedics,
• social workers,
• care workers,
• other front line health and
• social care staff, including volunteers.
• Support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector.
• Those working as part of health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributors of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

Education and Child-care:

• Includes nursery and teaching staff
• Social workers and those specialist educational professionals who must remain active during the Covid 19 response.

Key Public Services:

• Essential to the running of the justice system
• Religious staff
• Charities and workers delivering key front line services
• Those responsible for the management of the deceased
• Journalists and broadcasters providing public service broadcasting

Local and National Government:

• Only includes administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid 19 response
• Delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits.

Food and other necessary goods:

• Food production and processing, distribution, sale and delivery.
• Essential to the provision to other key goods e.g. hygienic and veterinary medicines.

Public safety and national security

• Police and support staff
• MOD civilians contractors
• Armed forces personnel (critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs)
• Fire and rescue service employees
• National crime agency staff
• Prison and probation staff

Transport

• Air, water, rail and road passenger services
• Freight transport
• Those keeping these operating during the Covid 19 response.

Utilities / Financial / communication:

• Staff needed for essential financial service provision
• oil, gas, electricity and water sector workers
• I.T. and data infrastructure workers
• Key staff in the civil, nuclear and telecommunication sector.
• Postal services, payment providers, waste disposal sectors.

If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan then they are eligible for education provision only if they do not have an underlying medical condition. Any EHCP child with an underlying medical condition must remain at home according to Government safety guidelines.

Later today, we will also send out a further pack if you fall under these categories, so that you know what we can and cannot provide during this period. Anyone responding for education provision using the Google Form must also provide contact details of their employer.

• So that we maintain a level of continuity for the children, they will attend school in their uniform along with a change of play clothes, a PE kit, waterproofs and wellingtons as the school day will vary.
• We are able to offer catering and your child will have a healthy snack, along with two choices of a hot meal, so packed lunches are not necessary.
• The core school day is 9.00 to 3.30, however we will start at 7.50 for those requiring breakfast club.
• Children can be collected up until 4.30. This may change and you need to indicate this on the Google form.
• These details of pick-ups and drop-offs can be arranged each day with our staff team.
• Each day there will be a safeguarding officer, a first-aider and qualified teachers on site, as well as someone in the office to answer calls.

You are all in our prayers and I thank everyone for their patience,

Kind regards, elbow hugs

Mrs Knight and team x