KEY WORKER / VULNERABLE CHILDREN UPDATE

/in /by

20th March 2020

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope that you are all keeping safe and looking after each other as best you can in thses very difficult circumstances.

Thank you to everyone who sent in their repsonses to the Key Worker / Vulnerable Children question form. If for any reason you have not yet managed to do this yet, please send in your information to the school via the following email address: admin@parkside.herts.sch.uk

I wanted to write and update you with the latest advice I have received from the county regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The school is to remain closed for all pupils and staff until April 1st 2020 for a number of reasons.

Earlier in the week I wrote to you to inform you we had a confirmed case on COVID-19 and as a result the school has been deep cleaned. Under the government guidelines from earlier in the week I took the decision to close the school which caused me great difficulty knowing the impact it would have on families. In the interest of public safety this still remains the case.

The school will reopen on Wednesday 1st April at the usual time for children of key workers and those who have been identified as vulnerable. I will personally make contact with these families on Monday 23rd March. You may also have read that where possible children of key workers and those considered vulnerable could be educated at other schools locally. I have also decided that this should not be done in the interest of public safety.

Whilst I understand the challenges and the difficulties this poses for you all I want to reassure you we are doing everything we can as a school to support our families.

Those children who receive a free school meal through the benefit system will be able to collect their lunches from the school car park from Monday 23rd March from 11:30am through to 1:00pm. For further information regarding social distancing and key worker / vulnerable children please cllick the link below;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

If for any reason you need to contact me please send your  queries to: head@parkside.herts.sch.uk where I will endeavour to respond to them in 24 to 48 hours. Teachers will continue to put activities on their class web pages and children should complete them as best they can. I will write again next week with a further update.

Please continue to stay safe and look after your families during this very diffcult and challenging time.

Yours sincerely

C D Soyka
Headteacher