Update 19th June 2020
19th June 2020
Dear Parents and Carers
Year 6 children have settled in really well this week into the new routine and been able to follow the new rules in school extremely well, as expected. We now have four Year 6 bubbles in school which are currently full. From next week we will see more of our children returning to school and staff are looking forward to seeing more of Foundation 2 and Year 1 children from next week. I realise not every parent is comfortable yet in these specific year groups with their child returning to school and this is understandable. I am also conscious of those children who are currently isolating/shielding and those in other year groups not yet able to return; you are all in our thoughts at school and do not think for one minute that you have been forgotten about, you truly haven’t!
Wider reopening commences.
Year 1 and Foundation 2 children who have been allocated a space in one of three year group teaching bubbles (these parents have been sent a text message earlier in the week). We look forward to welcoming Year 1 children back from Monday 22nd June 2020 and then Foundation 2 children will be returning from Wednesday 24th June 2020. We are currently planning our next phase for our nursery children and returning a small number of our Foundation 1 children to Somerville Nursery School.
Year 1 and Foundation 2 bubbles.
- Year 6 children our now back in school, if you wish your Y6 child to return they can be placed on the waiting list to return, at present there is only 1 child on the waiting list.
- Year 1 children who have been sent a text will return on Monday 22nd June. Drop off and pick up from the Northbrook Rd gate (By the main office and front entrance to the school).
- Foundation 2 children who have been sent a text will return on Wednesday 24th June. Drop off and pick up from the Foundation 2 gate (The normal gate for foundation 2 children).
If your child is in Year 1 or Foundation 2 and you would like them to return to school and you have not been notified by text earlier in the week please contact the school office by email. Your child will then be allocated a place for the following week if and when one becomes available. Please remember that places in the bubbles are limited and once the bubbles and rooms are full we will be unable to allocate any further places until the guidance is relaxed or the schools own risk assessment allows this to happen.
Please take a look at this video if you have not seen it already and read the information attached to your email, hopefully this will answer most of your questions. http://www.somerville.wirral.sch.uk/news/phased-return-of-children-to-school-and-presentation/54094
Please do not arrive late for school once your child’s bubble returns to school, your child must arrive on time between 8.45am and 9.05am unless there is an exceptional circumstance. Children must be picked up from 3.00pm to 3.20pm by an adult.
Follow the guidance.
Please continue to follow the guidance in your own families over the coming weeks to ensure that the virus continues to fall in our community.
Childcare provision.
Children in the childcare will continue to be dropped off and picked up from the Poulton Rd Gate adjacent to the school hall. Children must be dropped off ready to start their childcare sessions at 9am. Please drop off between 8.45am and 9.00am unless you are a key worker needing to leave for work earlier. Collection time is from 3pm to 3.20pm at the latest unless you are a front line key worker and have after school care. We would like all children in the childcare to attend the whole day from 9.00am to 3.00pm to ensure there is less disruption for them. Childcare survey forms must be completed the week before you need a place for your child by Thursday at 7pm at the very latest.
Working from home.
Please continue to utilise the online learning that has been made available on the working from home page on our school website. Or utilise the extremely well resourced national academy website https://www.thenational.academy/ . Don’t forget that you can contact your child’s year group teachers by email, for example: year1@somerville.wirral.sch.uk Foundation 2 is F2year@somerville.wirral.sch.uk this is the only one that differs slightly in format.
Free School Meal Vouchers.
The government have changed their mind about issuing vouchers during the Summer holidays and we are grateful that they have realised the need for this to continue. I will be making arrangements shortly on how to ensure the vouchers can continue to be issued during the summer break.
Vouchers continue to be issued to parents of those children who are eligible for free school meals and who are not in a teaching bubble. If your child returns to school and is in a Foundation 2, Year 1 or Year 6 bubble from next week these will no longer be issued as your child will receive a school packed lunch. This will not affect your voucher for the Summer holidays as we will ensure that everyone is back on the list for the week of the 20th July.
PGL Residential for next year’s Year 6 children
As you know this is a really challenging time to plan trips and visits but we have continued to plan for our annual residential visit for Year 6. We have therefore started to take payments for our current Year 5 children who will be in Year 6 next year to visit PGL Boreatton Park in November 2020. If the trip is cancelled by the school or PGL due to COVID-19 issues you will receive a full refund before the planned date of 4th November 2020. If you need any further information regarding the visit please see this link http://www.somerville.wirral.sch.uk/news/year-6-planned-residential-2020/54469 or visit the school website. If you need any help with payments through parent pay or information regarding the cost please contact Mrs Lewis in the school office by email or telephone.
Contacting the school.
Office staff are now working in the school office to answer the telephone and respond to or forward emails. Please do not visit the school office unless you have a prior appointment. No visitors will be allowed in the school. Emails can be sent to the schooloffice@somerville.wirral.sch.uk and the school office number is 0151 638 5074. Only in exceptional circumstances should you visit the school office and with a prior appointment.
Look after yourselves everyone!
Mr M J Forber
Executive Headteacher