Keep up to date with all the news happening in school at the moment.

Please click a headline to read more or visit our school Facebook page: Cliftonville Primary and Pre-School.

• Letter to Y6 parents for Wednesday 22nd July- last day!

  Wed 15 Jul 2020

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

  As year 6 will be leaving us officially next Wednesday the 22^nd July we would like to invite you to a ‘flyby’ event in the school Car park from 9.30am – 11.30pm. Staff would love to say goodbye to each and every one of Year 6, so please pop along with your child to see their class teacher, TA and other staff. They will be able to collect their Year book to remember everyone by, their work books and any other belongings that may have been left in school. We will also have some special large photo ‘Frames’ so you can take a memorable picture of your child and teacher so bring along your phone or camera as well! The children who are currently in the bubbles will be able to sit socially distanced along with their teacher so they can also say goodbye to their friends who have not been in school.

  We are still missing nearly half the children’s pages for the Year book. If you are having difficulty completing remember you can just email the details to homelearning@cliftonville.kent.sch.uk  along with a photo and we will make the page up for you. We feel it is really important that they have something positive to remember everyone by and appreciate your help with this. The deadline for entries will be Friday 17^th as books will be printed and bound next Monday.

  Rest assured we will be ensuring that everyone stays socially distanced at this event.

  We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday.

  The Year 6 Team

   

  

• Library opening over the summer to exchange reading books

  Tue 14 Jul 2020
  

• Letter to all parents 10th July- arrangements for September opening

  Fri 10 Jul 2020

  Dear Parents and Carers,
  As you know, the Leadership Team and myself have, this week, been working through the guidance produced by the government to make plans for a September opening for all children.
  Throughout all the discussions and decision making, we have placed the children’s needs first and have sought to ensure that their social and emotional needs are met alongside their academic ones. This is, and will always be, our priority.
  As you can appreciate the returning of the whole school presents a number of logistical challenges which will require a great deal of cooperation and understanding, especially in the first instance.
  You already know that we are asking the children to come back into their new classes for the year. We want this to be a positive and consistent start and we feel that being in their classes at the start of the year and not changing after a period of time is the best way forward for our children to provide that consistency in learning that they have not had for some time. We do recognise that our children are amazing and resilient. Many will have a few worries and feel anxious about returning (as will some adults) but they will settle quickly into their new routines.
  To help the children quickly settle in to school life again we will be asking them to come in part time on the Wednesday 2nd- Friday 4th September. This is to ensure that new routines of drop offs and pick-ups are successful with less adults and children around; will ease children’s anxieties around coming back to school; will allow more social and emotional work to be done with their teacher as they will be in smaller groups. It will also enable the school to check and understand the new way of working. You will be told by the end of this term whether you should come mornings or afternoons. We shall try to keep any disruption to a minimum.
  We have considered many options to ensure that all children are able to return. We have been able to draw upon the very successful reopening of the school to children in reception, year 1, year 5 and year 6 where children have settled very quickly with the new rules and different ways of working in the school. This has gone incredibly well. We are also lucky that each year group is ‘blocked’ in its own area and that staff work within those year groups. Therefore, we have decided that year group bubbles will provide the best structure to ensure that all children receive a full, broad and balanced curriculum in a safe and protective bubble.
  The arrangements include:
   Using different gates around the school with staggered times to allow year group bubbles to be dropped off or picked up safely. Due to the relatively short periods for each year group we ask that you only come at your allotted time- there is no space for loitering and please follow one way systems
   Each year group bubble will have their own playtimes and lunchtimes staffed by their own team.
   Resources will not be shared outside their bubble and children will continue the strict hand washing routine that they have been doing throughout this period.
   Children will be expected to return in their full uniforms; they should bring PE kits in on a Monday and be taken home on a Friday for washing- these will be the only items kept in the lockers.
   Children should have just one bag which will be kept in their classrooms- and to have only a water bottle, packed lunch and book bag.
   It will be packed lunches only in the first instance to be eaten in their classrooms. Should your child receive a Free School Meal, this will be provided by our catering team, Caterlink, and will be taken to the child’s classroom for them. If you wish to pay for a school packed lunch, this can be done via the Caterlink website as before.
   Most classrooms will be set up to have forward facing desks and an area that the teacher will teach from which is between 1-2 metres from pupils. There will be slight variations with the very youngest pupils.
   There will be minimal movement of children around the school
   There will no breakfast club or extended day provision until October- more details nearer the time
   There will be no clubs until term 2.
   Behaviour expectations and sanctions will remain the same. We will be supporting children to return to school and to have a clear understanding of new rules and regulations. However if rules are broken that put others in danger we will need to consider the safety of others first and will contact parents directly. We appreciate your support with this. It is everyone’s responsibility to follow the rules and therefore keep our whole school community safe.
   First Aid will continue to be administered from trained staff within each year group who will have PPE protection
   The office will remain closed to parents and visitors. Please continue to communicate with the school via email (office@cliftonville.kent.sch.uk), by telephone (01843 227575 for the main school office and 07540686882 for attendance) or by letter.
   Discussion or meetings with any adult will be via appointment only and facemasks will be expected to be worn by the adults.
  Further information about what school will look like for each child and further information will be posted on the website. You will find all the information at https://www.cliftonvilleprimary.co.uk/september-2020-opening/
   

  Therefore in summary

  
  Wednesday 2nd September- Friday 4th September children will come in either morning or afternoons. You will notified next week of this  either;
  Year 1 8.30-8.40…….11.30
  Year 2 8.30-8.40…….11.30
  Year 3 8.45-8.55…….11.45
  Year 4 8.45-8.55…….11.45
  Year 5 8.40-8.50…….11.40
  Year 6 8.30-8.40…….11.30

  or

  Group B (afternoons)

  Year 1 12.15-12.25……..3.15
  Year 2 12.15-12.25……..3.15
  Year 3 12.30-12.45……..3.30
  Year 4 12.30-12.45……..3.30
  Year 5 12.20-12.30……..3.20
  Year 6 12.15-12.25……..3.15
  
  Monday 7th September onwards
  All children in all day
  In all cases PLEASE only come at your allotted time- there is no space for loitering and please follow one way systems
  Pre-School 8.30 -11.30 12.15-3.15
  via Reception green gates and one way loop system
  Reception 8.40-8.50     3.00
  via Reception green gates and one way loop system
  Year 1   8.30-8.40       2.50
  via Reception green gates and one way loop system
  Year 2   8.30-8.40       2.50
  via KS1 playground via normal single gate and one way system

  Year 3   8.45-8.55      3.15
  via KS1 playground via normal single gate and one way system
  Year 4    8.45-8.55     3.15
  Through car park and round to double gates to the KS2 playground
  Year 5   8.40-8.50      3.15
  Using back tram track alley gate
  Year 6    8.30-8.40     3.00
  Through car park and round to double gates to the KS2 playground

  
  Getting to school on time and Attendance
  Currently the Government are suggesting that using public transport be kept to a minimum. Please remember that if these services are used then face coverings must be worn. The Government have made it clear that it is the responsibility of the parent to get children to school on time and I would ask you to take note of the start and end times for particular year groups. There can be no loitering on the school premises.
  Obviously, we are aware that there may be siblings in different year groups but we cannot accommodate pupils entering the schools at different times to their year groups. This will also include collection of children. This is an example of where special arrangements will not be able to be made. What we are doing is keeping the timings as close together as we can to limit the wait. We recognise that this will cause some inconvenience however, we hope that you will recognise the importance and the logistical difficulties surrounding getting all the children into school safely.
  The Government have made it clear that all children should be in school and that we should facilitate full provision. We have also been told that normal attendance procedures should be applied for those not coming into school. I will be interpreting this in a way that builds the confidence of all of you as we return.
  If you are late to your bubble, you will need to go to the front door of the house, where the attendance officers- Mrs Saddington and Mrs Sear will be waiting for you. The children will be taken to class by staff as normal. After 9.10, you will need to buzz at the school gate and wait for a member of staff.
  Normal late rules apply: up until 5 minutes after your bubble time will be an L; any later will be a U (unauthorised).
  Finally, there is no doubt that this will be a huge change for us all. Some will adapt quickly but for others, we recognise that there may be a small period of adjustment. I ask for patience, understanding and cooperation from everyone in order to make this new way of working be successful so that our whole community is able to return to school, happy and healthy, settle quickly into our new normal and start building upon the children’s strong foundations for the future.
  Throughout this whole period, we as a school have striven to make decisions that placed the children and the communities’ health and wellbeing at its heart. I would like to thank you for your absolute support in the school whilst doing this. We know from experience that the measures we have in place work and the children who have returned to us have quickly settled and been eager to start their learning again. This will be the same in September and I have enormous faith in our children, staff and you, as parents, to continue where we left off in March.
  Please continue to keep safe,
  Warmest regards
  Claire Whichcord, Headteacher.

  

• Letter to all parents 7th July 2020

  Tue 07 Jul 2020

  7^th July, 2020.

  Dear Parents and Carers,

  As you are probably aware, last Friday, we received the government’s plans for the full reopening of all schools. This eagerly awaited plan sets out how they would like all children to return to school in the new academic year - on Wednesday 2^nd September.

  Since March 20^th, when we closed our gates to ‘normal school life’, we have all been through incredibly difficult and challenging times. At some point over the last few months we have all have experienced, in varying degrees, feelings of sadness, loss, anxiousness but also hope. I believe that there are positives to be had in all situations and today, as I write this to you, I feel incredibly proud of our school whole community; the way everyone has responded to challenges brought by this pandemic and an excitement about the future.

  We are under no illusion. We know that the impact of this will be felt throughout all our lives for some time and the recovery from this will take a huge amount of time and energy. This will also be the case for Cliftonville Primary and Pre School. We understand the magnitude of what lies ahead for us all to get ‘back on track’ and we are currently working on our plan for the return in September - all of which is based around the children’s well-being. This includes the organisation of the return; the curriculum to be delivered to support their academic needs and the support plan to care for their well-being - their emotional, social, physical needs.

  This plan will be shared with you on Friday 10^th July and will have the mental and physical wellbeing of all at the centre of decisions taken.

  In the meantime, if you wish to read the guidance yourselves please click here. This will detail the expectations placed on schools which will then translate into practice when you receive our plan on Friday. We will continue to keep our website up to date. There is further information added with regards to Coronavirus testing  and Free School Meal offer for the summer holiday.

  Finally, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me either by email or through the school office which remains open as always (please telephone or email).

  Please continue to keep safe,

  Warmest regards

  

• Letter to parents regarding transition and classes in September

  Fri 03 Jul 2020

  Dear Parents and Carers,

   

  As the school year draws to a close, in usual circumstances, we would be part way through our transition process and letting both you and your child know who their class teacher will be next year and creating opportunities to meet them. Unfortunately, this year, it is not possible to carry this out in the same way.

   

  As always, Senior Leaders, Year Group Leaders and teachers have come together to discuss the movement of children from one year group to the next. We have taken into account friendship groups, ability, personalities and interests when deciding which teachers to allocate to a class to ensure an even spread. As you can imagine, this takes an incredibly long time to ensure that we get it as right as possible. This year, taking all of these factors into account, we have decided that classes in the current years R, 3, 4 and 5 will be split across their next year group to create new classes. Children in the current years 1 and 2 will remain with their same class as they are now as they move into the next year group.

   

  To ensure that children feel safe and secure, your child’s current teacher will let them know next week, who their new teacher will be during their weekly phone call.  You will be sent a link to our website where you will be able to see a picture and find out a little bit about their new teacher. During the week beginning the 13^th July, if your child is not in school, they will receive a short phone call home from their new teacher. To guarantee that every child knows who their new teacher will be, we will be sending out a confirmation email towards the end of term to the email address you have supplied to school.

   

  Due to legal requirements (GDPR), we are not able to tell you which children will be in your child’s new class but you are welcome to share this information if you wish.

• Letter to Year 5 parents

  Wed 01 Jul 2020

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

  I hope are all keeping safe and well. As you are aware, we have started the phased return of our Year 6 and Year R children (with year 1 starting next week) and now feel that we are in a position to be able to open our doors to some of our Year 5 children from Wednesday 8^th July on a part-time timetable – either a morning or afternoon slot Monday to Thursdays. Unfortunately, we do not have the classroom space or the staff to open for a longer school day due to the number of children we have returning to school in the next few weeks. Fridays will be used to deep clean the classrooms and for teachers to plan and prepare lessons. We need to ensure we can meet the needs and safeguard all children at all times with staffing numbers and social distancing measures. Now that so many children are returning to school, we only have space and available adults for 30 Year 5 children.  As promised, we have been evaluating at the end of each week, our health and safety measures and the number of staff available to ensure that any return to school can be as safe as possible.  Taking into account and following the Government guidelines, we will be:

   

  • Continuing to enforce a 2m social distancing rule with the children as much as possible.
  • The children will be in a class with up to 9 other children.
  • To minimise the threat of the virus spreading, the children will not be able to socialise with other children from different groups but will remain within their ‘group’ for the duration of their time at school.
  • The children will have their own set of resources to be used
  • The children will not necessarily be with their usual class teacher. We will be using all available Cliftonville staff to lead the classes of children. We will be using the year 5 block.
  • Arrival and departure from school will be staggered to avoid too many children arriving and leaving at one time. Drop off and pick up will be via the gate on the Key Stage 2 playground using a one way system accessed via the tram tracks running alongside the school field.
  • Children will be expected to wear a set of clean clothes every day to minimise contamination. This does not have to be school uniform but must be appropriate for school.
  • Children will only need to bring a water bottle to school.
  • One to one support will not be possible.
  • Parents/ carers will not be allowed into the school. All communication will need to be via telephone or email.
  • Children will need to be dropped off and collected by an adult at the end of their session.

   

  If your child currently attends in a Key Worker bubble, they will have to either stay in that bubble OR attend in a Year 5 bubble. We are NOT able to mix them.

   

  If you would like your child to return to school from Wednesday 8^th July, please click on the link below and complete the Google Form. You are able to express a preference of a morning or afternoon slot. However, I cannot guarantee that we will be able to fulfil your wish – this will depend on the number of families who sign up. We are still operating on a skeleton staff and so need to plan for enough adults to keep your children safe. Applications will close at 5pm on Thursday 2^nd July. Due to a limited number of places, they will be allocated on a first come first served basis. We will also hold a waiting list.  You will be told if you have a space by Friday 3^rd July.

   

  The Google Form will be open from 6pm today (Wednesday 1^st July).

   

  https://forms.gle/QpSpVvS8KWkQM6VLA

   

  If you have been allocated a space,  we will be in touch with you next week to let you know who your child’s teacher and TA will be and which slot you have been allocated along with drop off and collection points.

   

  I would like to reiterate that the decision over your child returning at any time is 100% your choice and we will fully support your decision. The provision of online learning will continue for those children remaining at home.

   

  Yours Sincerely

  Mrs L Wilson

  (Deputy Head Teacher)