29.05.2020,
Dear Parents/Carers,
Co-Vid 19
Firstly I would like to thank a small number of families who returned the questionnaire that was emailed out to all parents/carers, asking if they required the need of our services and if they met the categories that was given by the government, regarding the preparation to go back to work. This was when the children could return to school which was on the 1st of June. (now the 15th June).
As you are aware via the Media and contact with your primary school, Sefton Council has communicated with the schools last week they will be returning on 15th June.
As the Department of Education (DofE) sets out advice for schools to prepare for the opening of schools to a wider group of children, we as a childcare provider are to follow the same instructions where applicable.
We take the safety of our children, staff, and families very seriously. The opening of both our settings is a huge task and requires risk assessments, including the layout of entering and exiting the settings, planning the procedures, and systems to be put in place.
This would mean preparing the settings, emptying, and removing furniture, resources, and equipment from each room. Staff training on risk assessments and procedures.
When we closed St Nicholas and Ursuline site from the 20th March 2020, we then escorted the children to JETs Centre up until the 31st March for parents who needed it. As time went on it was not viable for us to continue. (Please see explanation from previous letters sent).
As with the government guidelines for schools and childcare providers, regarding Reception, Year 1, and Year 6 the children must be in groups(bubbles) and cannot be mix, which would mean staggered breaks, lunches, playing outside.
As you can understand this is sensitive in all areas, as we collect children from 4 different schools and this would be very difficult in either settings as each school has to be separated from each other, the years groups have to be separated too. E.g. St Johns, (R, YR1, YR6) in separate rooms, the same for St Edmunds, St Nicholas, and Ursuline, they cannot be mixed in year groups or schools.
Sadly, we also need to consider how to put in safe social distancing for all parents/ children, and staff. We have made decision that we have not taken lightly, we will not be opening our Breakfast and Afterschool clubs, Nursery or Holiday Clubs, until we have had further information from the government that they will lift the restrictions. This is out of our control whilst the “bubble groups” are in force, as we have been told we can not break the “bubble groups”.
We have continued to compile our September intake and I ask you as parents to complete the following attached document and return to us before the 30th June (in 5 weeks’ time). When hopefully things may have started to ease more.
We know it is uncertain times and appreciate that the document may be difficult to complete at this time, due to possible uncertainty of employment, reduced hours etc.
But it would enable us to confirm your days, and any siblings in readiness for a possible September opening and we will be offering places to our new families from the beginning of July 2020. Please find the form on our Newsletter page
We do apologise for any convenience caused to all our families, but we hope you do understand.
Your sincerely
Louise Willan
Chief Executive Officer.