With an end to the COVID-19 pandemic finally in sight, Ruddington parents will be hoping this Monday’s return to classes for their children will be a permanent and irreversible one.
It’s certainly been an unprecedented last twelve months. All but vulnerable youngsters and those of key workers were first sent home almost a year ago – on March 20th 2020 – when the Coronavirus originally took hold in Britain. They were not able to go back into school until June, with strict COVIDsafe measures first being put in place. Even though the summer holidays, half term and Christmas then provided further breaks from classes, the Government decided this was no longer enough to stem a steep rise in infections at the start of 2021. Therefore most kids were sent home again on Tuesday January 5th – when this third national ‘lockdown’ started – and have had to be home-schooled ever since.
James Peacock Infants School head teacher Richard Waldron is proud of the efforts made by both parents and staff during this difficult time: “We have adjusted and adapted to the situation quickly. We have provided keyworker families and remote learners with the same curriculum content” he says. “Teaching staff have been released from 9.15-11.45 each day to provide a live phonics session, pre-recorded video welcome at 8.30am daily, feedback/story time at 11.15 to remote learners. Additional staff have also been deployed to provide support in classes during these times so all children have had the chance to see and work with their teacher and see some of their classmates. Staff have made welfare phone calls home and provided printed teaching materials if required to support remote learning”.
Similar home schooling schedules have been in place for St Peter’s Junior School, too, helped by the donation of laptops early this year for those pupils who needed them.
Monday 8th March sees the reopening of both our Ruddington schools in line with national Government instructions. Their head teachers have sent out out letters to parents and guardians detailing how it will work – which is mostly just a continuation of safety precautions first put in place last summer, but with some additional measures.
“We’ll be re-orientating pupils back into school, ensuring social and emotional needs are met” reassures Mr Waldron. “We have well established support network in school of staff who are sensitive to the needs of individual pupils to ensure that children can enjoy being back at school. Our health and safety measures are in line with our School Risk Assessment (which we have been following since June 2020) with adjustments made along the way, for example LFD testing of staff, has helped to keep everyone safe. Parents have been fantastic at following our guidelines too ensuring that risks have been minimised. We are very much looking forward to seeing all children back in school.”
St Peter’s Junior School head teacher, Michael Bradley, says: “We are delighted that St Peter’s will once again be filled with the vibrancy of our young people. Without all of our children in attendance, our school is simply a building. When we have all of our 370 children in attendance, it transforms into a place where everyone can flourish.”
However, in a letter sent to parents, he adds: “As we did pre-lockdown, it is essential that we continue to work together to help minimise the spread of COVID-19 during the months ahead. Although the same arrangements before Christmas remain in place, please can I ask that all parents/carers take the time to read this information carefully and make sure that all relevant information is passed on to grandparents, childminders and other carers involved in dropping off or collecting children from school.” This includes the one-way system, illustrated below.
Ruddington kids who attend Rushcliffe School are seeing a more gradual return this week. Only Sixth Form and Year 11 pupils will be back in class on Monday, to be joined by Year 10 on Tuesday, Year 9 on Wednesday and then Years 7 and 8 on Thursday. For those who attend South Wolds Academy, Years 11, 12 and 13 all recommence on Monday, followed by Year 10 on Tuesday, Year 7 on Wednesday, Year 8 on Thursday and Year 9 on Friday. This is because the re-opening of secondary schools will be ‘phased’ to allow for mass COVID testing of pupils.
However, all head teachers are stressing that pupils, staff and other adults must not go into school if they have one or more COVID-19 symptoms, or if a member of their household (including someone in their support bubble or childcare bubble) has symptoms or tests positive for the virus. Eligible staff at all schools have now had the opportunity to be vaccinated, too.
Ruddington parents are being reminded that COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests are now available for anyone who is over the age of 18 who lives in the same home as a primary school, secondary school or college age student. As pupils return to the classroom, the Government has asked that all adults who live in households with primary school, secondary school and college age children, including childcare and support bubbles, test themselves twice a week.
Jonathan Gribbin, Director of Public Health for Nottinghamshire says: “As we know, around one-third of people with COVID-19 don’t have any symptoms but can still pass it on. Testing people without symptoms can help identify cases quickly and help break the chain of transmission. Rapid testing is an important measure put in place to enable us to live safely in the year ahead. Each positive case identified can help prevent many additional people from becoming infected over time. Many parents will have received a letter from their school asking them to access regular testing and I encourage people to come forward for regular testing and to make it a part of daily life.”
You can order home testing kits online at https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests or by calling 119.
