Opening the gates
1st June 20
This week we will see the return of a small section of our student population to both Ivy Wood and Manor Wood sites.
Head of Lower School, Karen, and her team have been working incredibly hard to put in place measures which will make this return safe for students and staff.
From staggered start times, increased cleaning, removal of soft furnishings and creation of smaller class ‘pods’ there has been a huge amount of work which has gone into getting the school ready. Huge thanks must also go to Zah and the Estates team and Nikki in the Lower School Office.
Here are the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions on our reopening:
Which year groups are returning to site for the second half of the summer term?
Reception, Year 1 and Year 6
When will this happen?
Tuesday 2 June. Monday 1 June will be a set up day for teaching staff to ensure all health and safety and educational arrangements are fully in place.
If my child is in these year groups but does not come back to site, will KAS connected learning continue?
Yes but this will look different. This will be with a different member of staff as the class teacher cannot do both the on-site and KASConnected online teaching simultaneously. The children who are at home will form a new mixed class. The new online teacher will have contacted families during half-term.
What arrangements will be in place to make the on-site experience safe?
The DFE has issued extensive documentation on what schools must do to create a safe environment. The model that all schools will follow is putting students into groups or ‘pods’ of up to 15. These are self-contained units which will not mix with any other pods. Therefore, if anyone contracts COVID-19 in one pod, it will not spread to another.
To prevent transmission within pods, measures will be put in place which include
- Preventing anyone with COVID-19 from coming on site
- Enhanced hygiene protocols including regular hand washing
- Enhanced cleaning regime throughout the day
- Physical distancing where possible, including as much use as possible of outdoor spaces
We have carried out a detailed risk assessment which considers every aspect. Further details were shared with parents of Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 in webinars over half-term.
Information for parents on our KASConnected Learning provision is collated here.
