Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Important Letter from Ms Ahmed about LCC Guidance

  Thu 28 May 2020

   

  Dear Parents,

  I hope that you are enjoying the half term break.  You will probably be aware that Lancashire County Council issued a statement late afternoon yesterday. The advice is as follows.

   

  Lancashire County Council is advising schools in the county not to open to more pupils from 1 June, but instead to continue with the current arrangements. This is because, in our assessment, we do not currently meet all five of the government's tests in Lancashire which would allow this decision to be taken safely.

  We will regularly review the situation and provide further advice so that we can advise schools to open to more pupils as soon as we judge it safe to do so.

  We are actively encouraging schools to follow this advice.

  Government advice for schools and parents

  The government has released the following direction under scientific guidance regarding the re-opening of schools on 1 June:

  • Nurseries and other early year providers, including childminders, are to begin welcoming back all children.
  • Primary schools are to welcome back children in nursery (where they have them), reception, year 1 and year 6.
  • Secondary schools, sixth form, and further education colleges are to begin some face to face support with year 10 and 12 pupils. We do not expect these pupils to return on a full-time basis at this stage.

  Local assessment

  The government's five tests are outlined below:

  • Protect the NHS’s ability to cope. We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK.
  • See a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rates from Covid-19 so we are confident that we have moved beyond the peak
  • See that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the board, although we don’t see the results of all tests in a timely manner. In addition, we are starting to see social distancing not being followed everywhere across the county which poses the risk of new cases to rise.
  • Be confident that the range of operational challenges, including testing capacity and PPE, are in hand, with supply able to meet future demand.
  • Be confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelms the NHS.

  Locally, we are currently able to meet the requirements of the first three tests; however, we do not meet the requirements for the final two tests. The test and trace programme is not at a state of readiness to respond to Covid-19 community setting outbreaks in a timely manner, which poses a risk to school environments.

  Furthermore, we are not confident that adjustments to the current measures of the lockdown policy will not risk a second peak of infections locally.

  Consequently, our advice to schools is to not re-open to more pupils on June 1st, but to continue with their current support systems that are in place. The safety and wellbeing of children, their families, and school staff outweigh the benefits of opening schools of 1st June.

  The key information supporting this advice is that:

  • The current support system in schools for children of key workers and valuable children, which is how we describe our vulnerable children, is sufficient at this time. Additionally, safeguards are in place in Lancashire to support those children who are at risk in the community, and this support will continue.
  • There has been no evidence of education outcomes worsening due to the effects of government lockdown policy.
  • It is not going to be possible to implement social distancing in early years school settings.
  • There is currently no evidence of widespread immunity in community settings.
  • There is a significant risk that should outbreaks occur in school settings, the current system will not allow for tests to be conducted in a timely manner and therefore, the virus will continue to spread.

  Schools will be kept well informed on a regular basis from the Director for Public Health in Lancashire and Lancashire County Council. We will regularly review the situation and provide further advice so that schools can re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.

  In this challenging time, we recommend that everyone continue to follow the government advice of staying alert by:

  • Staying at home as much as possible.
  • Working from home if you can.
  • Limit contact with other people.
  • Keep a 2m distance from other people.
  • Wash your hands regularly.

  Dr Sakthi Karunanithi
  Director of Public Health and Wellbeing
  Lancashire County Council

   

   

  Just before half term Mr Khaliq-Chair of Governors wrote to you to confirm that we would not be opening on the 1st June for all the year groups which have been suggested by the government. This advice  supports the decision which had already been made by our Governors regarding the 1st June. 

   

  The provision for the critical worker and children who are considered vulnerable will continue. We will continue to use Class Dojo for the home learning. 

  The Governors will be meeting again on the 1st June to reassess the situation and we will let you know what they have decided. We will keep you updated if any of the advice changes from the government or Lancashire County Council.

   

  Thankyou to all of you for being so supportive and working with us through this to keep our school community safe.

   

  Take care

  Humma Ahmed 

   

  Humma Ahmed

   

  Headteacher

  Walverden Primary School

  Bracewell Street

  Nelson

  BB9 0TL

   

  Tel: 01282 614834

  Email: head@walverden.lancs.sch.uk

• Picture News Reflection Activity

  Wed 27 May 2020
  Since the 23rd March 2020, people in the UK have been living a life very different from normal, under lockdown measures from the government. The measurements have seen schools close to many of their pupils, most parks and offices shut, and people being limited to the times and reasons for leaving their homes. This time has proved to be a time of reflection for many, comparing the busyness of our lives before and considering changes we might make when normality resumes. 
  Visit the Class Pages section of the website to find a series of activities linked to reflecting upon current events that are taking place.

• School Reopening Letter from Ms Ahmed 19/5/20

  Tue 19 May 2020

  19/5/20

  Dear Parents/Carer,

  I am sure if you have been following the news that you will have heard that the Government wants

  Primary Schools to start admitting pupils once more as from June 1st. Initially, this is for Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 only.

  Here at Walverden , we care greatly about our children and at some point we will hopefully see all

  children back in school; however, I do feel I need to tell you that school will be operating differently from what you are used to. 

  • We can only take a maximum of 10 children per class

  • The children will stay with their group at all times

  • An adult will also be with that group at all times

  • We are not able to promise that your child will be with their teacher- they could   be with a member of staff from a different year group.

  • Social distancing measures will be in place at all times- we know that the children like to play together and hug and sit next to each other but this will not be possible.

  • The children will not be in every day as the risk is too high, it maybe for two days..

  • We will not be able to use any soft toys or furnishings  

  • We will not be able to use any resources with small parts as they are too difficult to clean

  • Staff may have to wear PPE

  • Parents will have to adhere to social distancing measures put in place too- you will have to

  collect your children from specially appointed places and only one parent can drop off.

  • There are no fines for not sending the children in.

  We will do our utmost to ensure the virus does not come into school but we cannot guarantee this;

  The introduction of up to 120 children plus all the parents and more staff in school makes it

  impossible to say we will stay virus free.

  If we do have an incidence of Covid 19, then that cohort will be sent home and will have to self-isolate. It may be that school would close completely.

  Finally, the decision whether to send your child into school is yours- they do not have to come to

  school if you do not want them to. School will not try and force you to send them in.

  My office staff will have called you if you have a child in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 or Year 6. Please tell them if you want your child to come to school after half term and remember it is your choice.

  Please confirm with the school by Wednesday at 12’o’clock.  If you have not confirmed with the school by 12 ‘o’clock tomorrow  then I will take that as you are not wanting to send your child in.

   If you have already told the school then thank-you.  

  I will be contacting you later on in the week to give you further details of what the school will be doing. 

  Like you, we want to keep everyone safe.

  Take care

  Humma Ahmed

  Headteacher

  .

   

• Covid 19 Parent Survey

  Tue 12 May 2020
  Morning please use the QR code below to answer a short survey about the proposed opening of schools. This is to allow us to plan our school provision in order to do the best for our school community. It is anonymous and should only take 2 minutes to complete. Thank you for your continued support.

  

• School Values Voting Link

  Mon 11 May 2020

  Values week is coming up, this is where all children usually vote on the 6 (half-termly) values they want for the next academic year.
  
  This normally takes place via voting using the iPads in school, however it can also be done at home.
  
  Attached to this message is a QRcode. This can be used to access an online form. On the form there will be 10 new values and their definitions. Children need to select the 6 values which they feel are the most relevant/appropriate and would like to see taught/celebrated next year.
  
  Please complete the form if you can! As a school we feel strongly that children should be involved in this process and the values covered should be lead by what they feel is important. It will take less than 5 minutes :)

  

• Message from Ms Ahmed

  Mon 11 May 2020

  Dear Parents/Carers,

  I am sure after the Prime Ministers statement tonight there are lots of questions you may have. We have lots of questions that need clarification too.

  For the moment for us in school there is no change to the guidance. We will provide care for those parents whose work is critical to the COVIC 19 response and only those that cannot be safely cared for at home. The message is still  that it is safer to stay at home. 

  We have not received  any information to support us with this new plan to start the phase reopening of some year groups. We expect that we will receive further information from the DFE shortly with hopefully some clarification.

  We will need clear guidance to plan how it is possible to social distance in schools and keep our children, staff and families safe; how we might start to phase groups of children returning and what this looks like.

  Please be reassured that we will keep you informed but for now please try not to worry. Our plan for now is to continue to provide activities for home learning, keep in contact with you our families and continue to support each other in these very difficult and uncertain times. 

  Thankyou to all of you for being so supportive and working with us through this to keep our school community safe.

   

  Take care

  Humma Ahmed 

• Mrs Munroe Returning

  Fri 08 May 2020

  We just wanted to update parents with children in Year4. Miss Coupe has now left Walverden as she was covering for Mrs Munroe whilst she was on maternity leave. We would like to thank Miss Coupe for all of her hard work and wish her good luck for the future. We welcome back Mrs Munroe who will be the classteacher for 4C from Monday and will be responding to your children via Class Dojo.

• Picture News Home Learning

  Fri 08 May 2020
  Please find a copy of this weeks Picture News resource for you to work on at home.