26th June 2020
To all parents/carers
COVID-19 Update 26.6.20
Thank you for completing the questionnaire. It was lovely to hear all your positive comments, these
have been passed on to the staff. It was great to find out that confidence in returning to school is high
both for now and September and that most children are eager to return. We are just as eager to have
them all back with us. We have noted some general concerns and I will explain them here. Mrs Nicholas
and Miss Symons have picked up individual queries and will contact you directly if they have not done so
already.
The environment is and will continue to be nurturing, as far as is possible. Most staff have chosen not
wear protective masks but will ensure other precautionary measures are in place, lots of handwashing,
wiping of surfaces and resources, extra cleaning, body orientation when close to a pupil e.g. to
administer first aid or personal care, ventilation of classrooms, being outdoors as much as possible.
We will not have a breakfast or after school club now or in September because this means children
mixing from different bubbles and therefore increases the risk of cross contamination. This may change
after October half term though. The same applies for siblings not being able to join the year groups who
have been invited back, we are planning on introducing more year groups in the next couple of weeks so
they would not be able to change their bubble to their correct year group.
With regard to the practicalities of social distancing in a small school, we are very lucky to have a high
staff to pupil ratio and this allows us to have more bubbles with fewer children. All present bubbles have
less than 15 pupils in them and all September bubbles will have less than 20. Lunch/breaktimes and
drop off/pick up times will be staggered so that children are not out at the same time.
Children will still be able to socialise but only with those within their bubble, this gives them the
opportunity to build stronger bonds with their year group/classmates, we will relax this measure when
we feel it is safe to do so.
Where year groups are part time (hopefully only for the first half of Autumn term), we will provide
children with activities to complete at home as a continuation of their learning in school. This only
applies to Boskenwyn reception and year one due to high numbers. We do not expect children to attend
another school setting on non-school days as the risk of cross contamination would be high, parents
who have signed up to another setting will have to choose which setting to attend and stick with their
decision. This does not apply to childminders due to small numbers. School will be closed to all pupils
from Friday lunchtime (staggered finish times will be sent before term starts) to enable deep cleaning of
the schools and for teaching staff to have their statutory planning, preparation and assessment time.
They would normally have this time covered by another staff member so we are doing this to prevent
introducing other adults into bubbles.
We intend to have the children outdoors as much as possible, outdoor learning is great for their health
and wellbeing and this will be the focus our of inquiry topic for September.
I think I have covered the queries there, if you have any others then please do not hesitate to email me
on head@germoe.cornwall.sch.uk. Most parents have signed up to our Facebook pages but if you know
of anybody who hasn’t then please direct them to our school websites as all the information we share
here is duplicated on the websites. Any information which concerns individual children is emailed
personally.
Many thanks, have a lovely weekend
Paula Blackburn
Below are some photographs of the children who are already in school having lots of educational fun!
COVID-19 Update 26.6.20
Thank you for completing the questionnaire. It was lovely to hear all your positive comments, these
have been passed on to the staff. It was great to find out that confidence in returning to school is high
both for now and September and that most children are eager to return. We are just as eager to have
them all back with us. We have noted some general concerns and I will explain them here. Mrs Nicholas
and Miss Symons have picked up individual queries and will contact you directly if they have not done so
already.
The environment is and will continue to be nurturing, as far as is possible. Most staff have chosen not
wear protective masks but will ensure other precautionary measures are in place, lots of handwashing,
wiping of surfaces and resources, extra cleaning, body orientation when close to a pupil e.g. to
administer first aid or personal care, ventilation of classrooms, being outdoors as much as possible.
We will not have a breakfast or after school club now or in September because this means children
mixing from different bubbles and therefore increases the risk of cross contamination. This may change
after October half term though. The same applies for siblings not being able to join the year groups who
have been invited back, we are planning on introducing more year groups in the next couple of weeks so
they would not be able to change their bubble to their correct year group.
With regard to the practicalities of social distancing in a small school, we are very lucky to have a high
staff to pupil ratio and this allows us to have more bubbles with fewer children. All present bubbles have
less than 15 pupils in them and all September bubbles will have less than 20. Lunch/breaktimes and
drop off/pick up times will be staggered so that children are not out at the same time.
Children will still be able to socialise but only with those within their bubble, this gives them the
opportunity to build stronger bonds with their year group/classmates, we will relax this measure when
we feel it is safe to do so.
Where year groups are part time (hopefully only for the first half of Autumn term), we will provide
children with activities to complete at home as a continuation of their learning in school. This only
applies to Boskenwyn reception and year one due to high numbers. We do not expect children to attend
another school setting on non-school days as the risk of cross contamination would be high, parents
who have signed up to another setting will have to choose which setting to attend and stick with their
decision. This does not apply to childminders due to small numbers. School will be closed to all pupils
from Friday lunchtime (staggered finish times will be sent before term starts) to enable deep cleaning of
the schools and for teaching staff to have their statutory planning, preparation and assessment time.
They would normally have this time covered by another staff member so we are doing this to prevent
introducing other adults into bubbles.
We intend to have the children outdoors as much as possible, outdoor learning is great for their health
and wellbeing and this will be the focus our of inquiry topic for September.
I think I have covered the queries there, if you have any others then please do not hesitate to email me
on head@germoe.cornwall.sch.uk. Most parents have signed up to our Facebook pages but if you know
of anybody who hasn’t then please direct them to our school websites as all the information we share
here is duplicated on the websites. Any information which concerns individual children is emailed
personally.
Many thanks, have a lovely weekend
Paula Blackburn
Below are some photographs of the children who are already in school having lots of educational fun!
