Archbishop Rowan Williams Primary School

‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me’

Crick Road, Portskewett, Caldicot

Monmouthshire    NP26 5UL

':   01291 420526

www.arwprimaryschool.co.uk

 

11.11.2020

 

Dear All,

It is a timely moment now that we are emerging from our ‘firebreak’ to revisit our actions and behaviours regarding Covid 19.

As a head teacher, I am in various communication groups with colleagues and the Local Authority, and without being alarming, it is very clear from this communication that Covid 19 incidents and infections are very much within our community of Caldicot and the surrounding areas.

Therefore, we must remain vigilant and cannot afford to feel like things are less serious just because the firebreak has ended. Quite the opposite. We need to build on the gains that we have made and ensure that our R rate remains as low as possible.

As a school, we have refreshed our risk assessment and given staff the opportunity to note the updates as well as reinforcing the basics. However, as a staff, we cannot do this alone and as always, we achieve more when we work together. On this note, I will share some of our key messages so that you can join us in our mission!

• The first and most important message is for me to thank you for your continued support and wise suggestions. You undoubtedly have shared ideas that have really made a positive difference to how we work and organise our systems.

 

• All meetings are virtual, whether they are between staff, parents and staff, staff and wider agencies etc. This will minimise unnecessary contact between individuals.

 

 

• There are several important things to feedback from the head teachers meeting with Will McLean, Chief Officer, Children & Young People.

 

• • The Local Authority will shortly be bringing out guidance on face coverings within primary schools. STAFF are being advised to wear face coverings when we are in shared spaces within the school e.g. when in the corridors. This is purely out of respect for others and minimising risk. Please help your children to be prepared for this, and let them know that it is just a new rule for adults, and nothing for them to be alarmed about!

 

• • The Environmental Health Team reinforced the message that Social Distancing, especially between adults, still remains the most effective form of protection, along with hand hygiene and the ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ message.

Therefore, we need to respect others as much as we can and maintain

 a 2m distance between all adults.

Please be mindful of this when you are at the school, and please, for the time being, do not gather in groups to chat, even though it is understandably tempting.

 

• • Timings: to ensure that we minimise how many people are on site at any one time, please try to stick to the timings allocated to your child’s year group. We appreciate that this is not always possible, and we would rather you be a little late by going around the block if the car park is congested. Please can you ensure that you do not park on the driveway as this is dangerous.

 

• • One way system- please can you only use the car park double gate to walk into school, and ONLY leave through the pedestrian gate on the path. Please can you refrain from going out of the large double gate as a gesture of respect to those who are coming in through it.

 

• • And finally from this meeting, MCC are going to provide schools with guidance about Christmas and their expectations of what should be taking place within our schools. This will ensure that we have a safe and healthy Christmas, and, as a school, we will be creative around meeting the guidelines once they are shared.

 

 

Kind regards,

Caroline Swann