Dear Parents and Carers,

 

We are all really looking forward to seeing the children on Monday.  Just a few notes, reminders about the return to school.

 

Returning from abroad

If your family is returning from abroad, you all need to follow the national guide lines ten days isolation rule:

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-quarantine-when-you-arrive-in-england

 

Please do let the office know so that the teachers can provide online learning support.  Please use the absence@marshgate.richmond.sch.uk email address for any absence related messages putting your child’s full name and class in the message.

 

Shielding

If your child needs to shield, please let the office know so that the teachers can provide online learning support.

In both the above cases online learning will be via Google classroom (Years 2 to 6) and Seesaw (Reception and Year 1).  However, this work will not replicate that which took place during full lockdown (live lessons etc.) as the teachers will be in class full time teaching face to face. It will be work provided for you to do with your child.

 

Covid Positive reporting

As before Christmas, if your child is in any way sick, they should be kept at home. Should they show any signs of Covid you must inform the school immediately and get them a test.  Should any child develop symptoms in school they will be brought to the isolation room and you will be asked to collect them immediately.

If any child or staff member develops Covid, the year group bubble will return to home learning. We can all help avoid this by strictly adhering to the national social distancing rules outside school, at home, as well as in school.

 

Masks

All staff will wear masks outside the classroom bubble.  All parents and carers should wear masks when dropping off and picking up the children.  Please maintain social distancing from staff and each other at all times.

 

Staff testing

All staff are undertaking twice weekly Lateral Flow Covid Tests.

Asymptomatic testing information for parents and adults in households with children at school or college

Undertaking regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing helps reduce transmission of the virus. Parents and other adults in households with children at school or college, who do not have symptoms, can now access regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing.  This includes childcare and support bubbles.

Tests are fast, easy and completely free. There are different ways for a household, childcare or support bubble to collect their test to take at home, twice-weekly:

If you have any queries about the tests, and you live in England, please call 119 (free from mobiles and landlines). Lines are open every day from 7am to 11pm.

Children of primary school age (and below) without symptoms are not being asked to take a test.

Testing is voluntary, but strongly recommended to all who are eligible.  Alongside the vaccine, washing hands, wearing face coverings, and maintaining social distancing, rapid testing plays a vital role in reducing transmission rates. Getting into the habit of regular testing as part of our everyday lives will help us all to play our part and do what we can to protect each other.

 

The school is not a provider for tests kits for parent/carers.

 

Travelling to school safely

Further information can be found in our guidance on transport to school and other places of education. The Department for Transport has also created resources that can be downloaded and used by education settings to promote safe travel to school.

 

Let’s all make the return to school a successful one. Please reassure your child all the staff are very excited to see them back and it will be so much fun for them to be back in.

 

See you soon!

Best wishes.

 

E T Jackson

Ms Jackson

Head Teacher

 

 

 

 

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

We will be delighted to welcome back all children and families on Monday, 8^th March.  I expect the children will be very excited to get back as, I’m sure, will the parents!

 

Just a few reminders for a safe return.  We will be returning with all Covid safe measures in place, just as we had before Christmas. These will include:

• Staggered entry and exits - as these worked so well before Christmas, the times have been changed slightly to allow for quicker entry and exits and more class learning time. Please see grid attached. The faster entry / exit times will make it easier to drop off/pick up one child and then go around the school, via the gates and pavements (not interior playgrounds/ paths) for the other children. Should any siblings have the same times, the staff will keep the children at the drop off point until you arrive. If any gap of thirty minutes + happens between siblings, please as before, contact your class teacher to make arrangements for holding these children. 
• Do make sure you continue to maintain social distances, wear masks, enter and exit quickly. For these systems to work, it is essential that all drop offs / pick -ups are on time.  Please do not wait, chat outside the school gates or surrounding pavements.
• Year Group Bubbles - all children will be in year group Covid Safe bubbles, as before, with their own staff and playground space.
• Classrooms will be set up with desks facing front and children spaced as much as possible. Classrooms will be well ventilated, windows open etc.
• Children will continue to need their own pencil case, hand gel, small pack of tissues, and hygiene wipes and of course their own filled water bottle. Some of these items will already be in school from before Christmas but do check after the first day if they need replenished.
• Afterschool care with Mrs Brooks will start for Year 2 to – Year 6 on Monday, 8^th March. Please contact her on helentbrooks@hotmail.com to book.
• Bright Horizons Pre and After Care, please contact them on 0208 332 2085.
• Pre and after school extra curriculum clubs if possible will restart after Easter, information to follow.
• Lessons - all lessons will be taught including PE.  Teachers will be in touch with days. We will continue with permitting all children to come into school in PE Kit on PE days. Please see PE uniform requirements on the website.
• School Uniform - full school uniform should be worn at all times.  Please see website for school uniform policy.
• School dinners and packed lunches - KS2 will eat their packed lunches provided from home or by Harrisons in their own classroom bubble.  Reception and KS1 can have a school dinner or home provided packed lunch in the school hall.  A sign up survey for Reception and KS1 hot school dinners and KS2 Harrisons packed lunches will be sent out shortly. 
• Attendance - Attendance is compulsory.
• Covid infections - should a Covid case be notified in any bubble, staff or children, the whole year group bubble will have to return to remote learning and isolate for ten days.  Let’s hope this doesn’t happen.
• Covid Testing - all staff will self-administer Lateral Flow Covid tests twice a week. Primary school children are not required to do this.

 

Please can parents return all borrowed computers on the first day back, 8^th March? These can be left at the school office. We will need these for teaching.

 

To note, on Friday, 5^th March, teachers will deliver the morning live introductory lesson and set independent work for the rest of the day.  They will then be in school preparing for the full return of the children on Monday, 8^th March.

 

I would ask all families to continue to observe the national social distancing rules outside of school, at home.  In this way and with all of the above measures it would be wonderful to avoid any Year Group Bubble having to return to isolation and home learning.

 

As ever, I am optimistic that the summer term will be a return to a more normal situation. All of the staff are so looking forward to seeing the children in school.

 

Best wishes.

 

E T Jackson

 

Ms Jackson

Head Teacher

Please see the link below to the Home Learning Policy which is held with the school policies on this website:

 

https://www.marshgate.richmond.sch.uk/policies/

 

Please see the information about Remote Home Learning on our Curriculum pages.  Please follow the link here https://www.marshgate.richmond.sch.uk/home-learning/

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

The government announced on the 30.12.2020 its contingency framework for education. This puts restrictions on some primary schools in areas where there are high rates of infection. All Primary schools in Richmond upon Thames are on the list of schools that will not reopen to all pupils from 4 January 2021.

 

Only the children of critical workers and those children defined as vulnerable may attend school for face to face learning. This is a return to the position during the first lockdown in March 2020. All other pupils will be required to take part in Home Learning.  This situation will be regularly reviewed; the first review is expected by 18 January 2021.  

 

Marshgate Home Learning

Home Learning will start on Tuesday, 5th January 2021. Your class teachers will be in touch to outline the timetable and pupil work requirements. The children are required to complete all work set through our online platforms:

Reception & Year 1 - Seesaw

Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 – Google classroom

 

All children have been taught to use these platforms and are very familiar with them.

Please contact the class teacher via their personal work email (they will provide this) with any questions about learning.

 

Critical Worker’s Children Provision

As the high level of infection in Richmond has necessitated the government requirement to close primary schools please remember the safest place for your child/family is at home. However we will be providing care for those children of critical workers who absolutely need it.

This provision will be run as a mixed year provision supervised by non-class based teaching and/or support staff. These will not be your child’s usual teachers as all class teachers will be providing remote home learning.  Please be aware that every effort will be made for the children receiving face to face provision to access learning set by the class teacher but  the mixed age make up of this group may not permit this.

 

A survey will be sent out on the 4 January 2021 and needs to be completed by 2.00pm so we know the numbers for setting up this provision. Once we have confirmed pupil numbers you will receive an email with organisational details. This provision will start on 5 January 2021.

 

Vulnerable Children

Parents/Carers of vulnerable children do not need to fill in the survey. Our Senco Mrs Jerwood will contact you personally by phone on Monday.

As ever we all look forward to having all children back in school as soon as possible. In the meantime please take care.

Yours faithfully,

 

Ms E Jackson

Head Teacher

 

The Christmas Greetings videos from all the classes have now been posted to each Year Group page.  We do hope you enjoy watching them.

Dear Parents / Carers,

 

As we enter another national lock down, I wished to write to say we are delighted that the school is remaining open.  All staff, without exception, agree the best place for children is in school.  Our main target this half term is to remain open for all year groups.  Of course I continue to review the requirements for keeping all safe, children and adults.  As the spread of the virus in the community increases, I would ask all parents to fully comply with the government rules at home and socially. In this way we can all mitigate the chance of the virus entering the school.

 

Please do wear a mask at drop off and pick up and stay socially distanced from each other and the staff.  Please move quickly through the playgrounds and exit quickly so others behind you can also collect and drop off quickly. Please do not gather outside the school gates after drop off or pick up.

 

In school the staff are now wearing masks in all communal areas, corridors, staff room, hall but not in the class bubbles as this interrupts teaching.

As required we are keeping all areas in the school very well ventilated and ensuring all children get out to have fresh air, PE and play, as much as possible. Therefore, I would recommend that when the weather turns colder you dress your children appropriately (warm vests etc.).

 

Please do have a look at the website calendar for dates of events planned this term.

 

School Events

Curriculum dress up and PSA Mufti days will take place. (No changing in school)

All the major religious festivals, (we usually have school celebrations) will now be celebrated with classroom based assemblies.

For Christmas we will have:

• Christmas lunch will be provided by Harrisons for Reception, KS1 and KS2 Harrison packed lunch children.  Parents will need to provide a special lunch (no rules except no nuts) for those who bring lunch from home – 10 December 2020.
• Christmas parties in class bubbles (children to bring own individual party food / lunch) - 16 December 2020.
• Father Christmas / KS1 and Reception (may be virtual), on Party Day.
• Class Christmas presents - these are funded by the PSA.
• Class Christmas Greeting Assemblies for parents and carers (recorded). To be sent out by all classes on 14 December 2020 to watch in your own time.
• Please note on the last day of term the children will finish at the same time they have been finishing this term (not at 2.00pm which is what normally happens on the last day of term).

 

I am sure, like me, you are already looking forward to spring and hopefully a return to some normality.  During this very difficult time the staff and children are all concentrating on our “Kindness” initiative. Random acts of kindness are being actively encouraged. In this way we hope to keep all in our community as happy as possible and feeling supported.

 

Thank you for all your continuing good wishes and support. It is much appreciated.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Ms Jackson

Head Teacher

Dear Parents / Carers,

 

Welcome back to all families and also a very warm welcome to our new families and pupils.

 

Unfortunately, we still find ourselves in far from normal times. I wish to reassure all parents and carers that Marshgate staff have been planning, preparing and organising for the full return of all pupils. This will, of course, necessitate arrangements for keeping all our pupils, families and staff as safe as possible.

 

Dropping and picking children up:

Please see below regarding times and arrangements for delivering and picking up your children. I do fully understand that the different times for each year group may present difficulties for parent/ carers with more than one child but these arrangements are to protect the children so do keep exactly to these times.  Should there be 30 minutes or more (not 15 minutes) between individual children please get in touch with your class teachers who may be able to help.

 

 

Classroom organisation:

Children will be in year group Pods with their own class rooms, year group play space and equipment.

All children will be seated facing the front, on tables for two. Handwashing/hand gel will be required six times a day. Children will all use their own equipment. Computers and tablets will be sanitised before and after use. Reading and library books can go home but will be retired (72 hours out of use) upon return before going back on shelves. Movement around the school will be minimal but there will also be a one-way system in place. KS2 children may bring back packs but only with essential items in them. KS1 children may bring their red book bags.

 

Uniform:

We will be returning to the required full uniform - see the website. However, to minimise risk, all year groups will be permitted to wear their PE uniform to school on their PE days (only on these days please). Your teacher will inform you of these days. Therefore, no child will be changing clothes at school.

 

School dinners / Lunches

Reception, Y1 and Y2 pupils will have a hot school dinner in the hall. This is provided free under the Universal Free School Meals Programme. They will be served in year group pods supervised by their year group staff.

Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 will eat a packed lunch in their classrooms or outside (weather permitting) supervised by their year group staff.  You may purchase a school packed lunch from our caterers, Harrisons. Menus for the hot school dinner and packed lunches will be sent out as soon as possible. 

 

A suspected or confirmed case of Covid -19

If a child presents with symptoms at school, they will be taken to the isolation room by a Pod staff member. The parent/carer will be telephoned and asked to come and pick up the child immediately. The parent / carer should arrange a test as soon as possible and report the result to the school immediately it is received. If the test is positive the child should isolate for 10 days and immediate family members for 14 days. All other children and adults in the year group Pod, who will also have had direct contact with the child with confirmed Covid, will also need to isolate for 14 days. Therefore, the year group Pod will close and teachers will provide home learning for the isolation period.

 

The School Office

The school office continues to be accessible by phone and email only.  They are happy to help with any queries you have.   Please see below:

 

How you can help

• Do not send your child to school if they are at all ill with any kind of Covid symptoms. Children will be sent home immediately if presenting as sick.
• Attendance at school has returned to being compulsory.  If your child is absent for any reason you must (for safeguarding reasons) email or telephone the school on each day of absence.  Please send an email with your child’s full name and class to absence@marshgate.richmond.sch.uk.  This information will then be forwarded to your child’s teacher so he or she is aware of why your child is absent.
• Please ensure you inform the school office using the absence@marshgate.richmond.sch.uk email address for any appointments (such as medical / music exam) during the school day.  Please provide at least 24 hours-notice about these.
• Please revert to using parents@marshgate.richmond.sch.uk to contact myself or the teachers.  This inbox is monitored by the school office and messages are directed accordingly.  Please do not use the teachers’ direct email addresses, these were provided purely for periods of home learning.
• Provide your child with a full pencil case, hand gel, sanitising wipes and tissues for personal use. (As usual, if any families are financially challenged and need support with providing these supplies the school will supplement them.)  A link to the pencil case information can be found on the Home/Parents&Carers/Information/School information booklets page on the Marshgate website.
• Make sure you and your children are maintaining social distancing rules outside school at all times. We really need everyone’s support on this, so no Covid is brought into the school.
• Ensure all children and adults in any household maintain the required quarantine following any travel abroad.
• Please drop and pick up your child exactly on time.
• Please leave the school gates, drop off points promptly so other year group pods can enter and exit safely.
• Maintain social distancing at drop off and pick up.
• If you provide your child with a packed lunch, please ensure they can open all items themselves.

 

I do know for many parents this will be an anxious time but please do reassure your child that everything is being done at school to keep them safe.  We really do want them to come back confident and happy.

I do hope the above answers any questions you have but I will arrange a parent Class Representative (current Class Reps not new ones) virtual meeting as soon as possible after the first full week.

 

We are all looking forward so much to seeing all the children back.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Ms Jackson

Head Teacher

Marshgate Primary School

www.marshgate.richmond.sch.uk

 

Miss Dunne had the fantastic idea to create a video of the staff singing along to Walking on Sunshine to bring a smile to the children's faces.  Thanks to Mr Mollett for his editing skills creating the video.  To watch the video click here:

 

https://www.marshgate.richmond.sch.uk/marshgate-staff-singing-walking-on-sunshine-for-th/