Dear Parents and Carers,

In these challenging and unprecedented circumstances, we are continuing to do all we can to keep the school open and running as normal. As you are already aware, we have made the decision to close breakfast club and after school club – largely due to staff absence and in a bid to preserve staff wellbeing so that school can function as smoothly as possible. After school clubs have also been cancelled (with the current exception of Fizz Pop Science club – although we wait to hear from them whether they can continue).

Our next steps will be to provide work for those families who are self-isolating. By the end of this week, your child’s teacher will send home a list of online programs that your children can access at home to support their learning, with the associated logins. Should we have to close the school, each child will be issued with a Home Learning exercise book and a list of activities for your child to do. Should you run out of work, there will be an email address for you to contact us to request further work. Please also consult the school website (see below) or the official school Facebook page for access to work resources and any relevant information. The appropriate website pages will be under the Children tab and Class Newsletters, along with the Wincheap TV page, where some teachers may upload learning videos in due course to support your child.  News surrounding the school will be found on the website under the Parent tab and Latest News.

www.wincheap.kent.sch.uk

We will no longer be providing reading books for your child to take home so that we reduce the risk of spreading any germs, but your child can continue to read via the Bug Club program – again, you will receive a reminder of the login for your child soon. 

Please could we also ask that parents do not come into school to deliver children for the time being, but deliver them to the doors where they will be greeted by teachers and sent to wash hands. We have been practising lining up in the playground so that children know what to expect and are comfortable with this and ready to show you their grown up routines in Key Stage 1. This should also support us in keeping the children healthy and safe.

As always, we are very grateful for your continued support. Our intention is to stay open for as long as we are allowed to and can manage with decreasing staffing levels, so that we can support working parents. Should we need to, we will abandon the curriculum and provide fun learning experiences in mixed classes. We will continue to update you regularly.

Your offers of support and positive wishes have been most appreciated.

Yours sincerely, Nicola Dawson

Headteacher