**LATEST UPDATES - SCHOOL RE-OPENING MARCH 8th**

Thank you all for the superb support you have shown your children and the school during the closure period – in every year group, between 90% and 100% of children have been completing their online learning each week, and this is going to be an enormous help when we are back in school, as there will be less to catch up on.

From Monday 8^th March, many things will be the same as the arrangements we had in September last year, and a few things will be different – please see below:

What will be the same?

Children will be dropped off and collected from the same places as last term:

• Y5&Y6 – use the Ann Street gate and line up on the 3G pitch

• Y3&Y4 – use the car park gate and line up on the playground

• Y1&Y2 – use the church gate and go through the Nursery gate

• Nursery and Reception – use the church gate and go to the new EYFS entrance

Please remember if you are using the church gate you must always walk on the pedestrian path and never walk across the church car park

Children will be in year group ‘bubbles’ and will not mix with children from other ‘bubbles’ in school.

All children will be seated facing forward in class, where possible.

The playground will be zoned for different year group ‘bubbles’.

Enhanced cleaning routines including hand-washing will continue – children will wash/sanitise their hands before entering and leaving a classroom, surfaces that are frequently touched (door handles, desks, etc) will be cleaned frequently throughout the day, and classes will be regularly deep-cleaned throughout the week.

All staff will continue to observe the 2m distancing rule wherever possible and will wear clinical grade facemasks where distancing is not possible.

We are still encouraging everyone to have a school dinner rather than bringing in a packed lunch – remember, every child in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 can have a school dinner for free.

If you do wish to make lunches and send them in to school, these must be in a disposable bag, with no Tupperware, metal cutlery or any packaging that requires adult assistance e.g. screw top yoghurts, yoghurt tubes etc. No lunchboxes are to be brought into school as this will cut down on the chance of infections passing from home to school or from school to home.

All equipment for lessons will be provided in school, and no items of school equipment should be brought in from home. Reading books should be taken to and from school in a school reading book bag - no other bags must be brought into school, and no other items should be carried in the school reading book bag, apart from the iPads we have provided for Y5 and Y6. Children will keep their reading book bag on their desk and will place their coats on the back of their chairs.

On PE days, children should come into school in PE clothes - eg jogging bottoms, t-shirt and sweatshirt or hoodie along with suitable PE footwear. PE kits should not be brought into school until further notice.

We will not be providing after school club until further notice.

Due to staffing issues, Breakfast Club will not be available until later in the term – we will let you know as soon as this changes.

If you need to speak to a member of staff in the school office, please use the telephone. No-one will be allowed into the school building without first making an appointment by phone.

What will be different?

Attendance at school is mandatory – you are not allowed to keep your child away from school. Any absences without good reason will be classed as unauthorised. Holidays, visiting relatives or going abroad during term time is not a good reason for absence, and international travel is not allowed unless you have a legally permitted reason. Penalty notices (‘fines’) will be resuming for unauthorised absences and any extended unauthorised absence runs the risk of your child losing their place in St John’s.

We are also asking everyone to ensure they keep up with social distancing, especially at dropping-off and picking-up times when there are lots of people in the same area. Please keep at least 2 metres between you and anyone else, and unless you are exempt we are asking you to wear a face covering when on the school grounds.