News

2^nd November 2020

Dear Parents and Carers

You will all be aware of the Government’s decision to move everyone into a second national lockdown from Thursday 5^th November. We know this will be causing some worry for everyone as these are uncertain times.

We are really pleased that we are able to remain open as a school and will continue to provide full education for all of our children. We are looking forward to welcoming all of our children as normal today – Monday 2^nd November. Please rest assured that we will continue to follow our Covid-19 Risk Assessment moving forward and will continue to strive to keep everyone in school as safe as we can.

Now the weather is much colder, please can we ask that parents ensure that children are warmly dressed for school. Children will need to wear their sweatshirt every day. We recommend that children wear additional layers to keep warm, such as vests. This is because we are required to keep our classrooms well ventilated in order to ensure that children are breathing fresh clean air.

Please can we remind parents that when on site face coverings should be worn at all times. Coverings, to be effective, should be worn over the nose and mouth.

Please can we also ask that parents make every effort to socially distance when on site and only enter and leave the site briefly to drop off or pick up children. Please try to ensure that children are not arriving outside of their start window as this leads to children mixing outside of their bubble.

Also, please can we ask that parents do not approach staff members for conversations at drop off and pick up. I know this feels strange to both staff and parents. However, any messages can be sent via the school office (either by phone or by email). It is really important that we keep our staff healthy and safe and limit their contact with others, so that we can keep our bubbles open and all of our children in school and learning.

We thank you in advance for your continued support, hopefully we can stay fully open for another half term. We hope you all stay safe and well,

Yours sincerely

Mrs L Charlesworth

Deputy CEO & Executive Headteacher

National Leader of Education

COVID-19 – FLOWCHART – Should My Child Go To School?

COVID-19 Update – 14th Oct 2020

Latest Risk Assessment 28.09.2020

COVID Flowchart

Letter to Ash Grove Parent Re. Leadership Changes 11.06.2020 LC

Letter to Ash Grove Parents Re. Leadership Changes 11.06.2020 SV

Return to School Letter – 8th September 2020

Risk Assessment Sept 2020

COVID Information Sept 2020

Final Information for pupils return to school

(Tuesday 8^th September 2020)

Dear Parents and Carers,

We look forward to welcoming all pupils back to school on Tuesday 8^th September. Attached to this letter is a copy of the information sent out prior to the summer break that details:

-The start time for your child’s class

-The gate you will need to enter the site by

-The door your child will enter the building through

-The collection time for your child at the end of the school day

Please find below some basic information to support the return to school. More detailed information will be posted in our risk assessment on the website before Tuesday. It is very important that you read through this information so that you are fully aware of what we are doing to ensure that school is as safe as possible. This information is extensive, so please do contact us by email or phone if you have any questions.

Arrival at school

We have planned separate arrival times for all phases in the school. We have allowed a 10 minute period for each phase to be dropped off at school. This is to avoid the overcrowding of pathways and gates. We ask that only one adult accompanies each family of children to school. It is very important that children arrive within their allotted window so that bubbles of children do not overlap.

When you arrive, there will be a sign on the gate showing the classes that are permitted to use that gate. Details of the correct gate for your children are on the attached table. When you arrive at the door, there will be a sign that shows the classes permitted to use that door.

If you arrive just before the door is opened, a sign will show you your designated waiting area with socially distanced markings to stand on. Please try not to arrive too early to maintain social distancing and limit time on site.

If you arrive late and after the designated door is closed, you will need to go to the main office door where the attendance officer will meet you. Pupils arriving late must not enter school through any other cohorts door.

If you have siblings with different start times, you will be able to drop children off at the end of one period and the start of the next. So, families with a child in Y1 or Y2 and another child in Y3 or Y4 will not need to wait on site for long periods. We have identified families who have a child in Y1 or Y2 and a child in Y5 and Y6, who will have a longer period between start times. We will liaise with these families individually to provide support where it is needed.

School pick up

Finish times for each bubble are on the attached table. Please enter the site by the specified gate and wait, socially distanced, in the designated waiting area. Again, please be as prompt as possible to limit your time on site.

At both drop off and pick up, please exit the site as soon as you are able to keep the numbers on site as low as possible.

PE Kit

Pupils will have a designated day for PE. On this day, they will need to come into school in their PE kit wearing suitable trainers for outdoor exercise. All PE will be outdoors. Year 5 and Year 6 pupils will need to wear their PE kit and suitable trainers on the 8^th September when they return.

Monday – Year 1 and Year 2 (Hawkes, Kestrels, Harriers)

Tuesday – Year 5 and Year 6 (Red Kites, Ospreys, Eagles)

Thursday – Year 3 and Year 4 (Buzzards, Falcons, Ravens)

EYFS – Teachers will liaise with parents directly about PE.

Lunches

Lunches will be provided as normal in school for those who are entitled to free school meals and for those who wish to purchase a meal. All lunches will be grab bags. These will be a hot or a cold option. Menus will be circulated by our provider. All menu choices must be made from home before your child comes to school. If you have no device to use to make your choice, staff will be able to support this in school for those pupils.

Pupils who wish to bring a packed lunch from home, can do so. Lunch boxes must be small and wipeable. Lunch boxes will be stored under your child’s desk, so it is advisable to consider putting an ice pack in on warm days. All lunch boxes must be taken home each night to allow for cleaning.

Bringing items from home

Pupils are not permitted to bring items from home into school. All pupils will have an allocated pack of equipment that will be only used by them in school. Pupils may bring a coat if needed. This will be stored on the back of their chair and must be taken home each night.

Pupils may bring their school water bottle into school. This should be taken home each night.

Pupils will be allocated reading books and reading records. These will be carried in their school book bag. This bag will come home each night and return to school each day. No other bags are permitted in school.

Contacting school

We are not able to welcome parents onto our school site currently other than to drop off and pick up children. If you wish to speak with a member of staff, please use the email system or telephone. Please be aware that the admin staff may experience a high volume of calls and please be patient. A member of staff will contact you as soon as they are able.

Managing infection

If your child or a member of your household has any symptoms of Covid 19 please do not allow your child/ children to attend school. Please inform school and seek a test. Once the result has been returned, and as long as it is negative, your child/ children can return to school. If the result is positive you will need to follow the government guidance on self isolation.

If a child shows symptoms of Covid 19 whilst in school, they will be placed in isolation and you will be contacted to collect them. We ask that you collect them as soon as possible. Then you must seek a test and follow the process above.

In order to ensure that we have all the correct details for you and your emergency contacts, you will be asked to complete an online form to update our records shortly. If you already know your details or the details of your emergency contacts have changed, please let the admin staff know so that they can do this as soon as possible.

Detailed further information

Further details and additional information will be available on our website and social media over the next few days, including a meet the teacher video for you and your child to watch. This will give you much more detailed information about many aspects of school over and above those listed above.

We look forward to welcoming all of the children back into school on Tuesday and to starting the Autumn Term.

Thank you

Mrs Leah Charlesworth

Headteacher

Families Summer Newsletter 2020 Booklet

Lost Property Letter

September timings overview for parents

Letter from Mrs Charlesworth July 2020

If you would like your child to have a grab bag for their school dinner then please log into your Dolce/School Grid account and order for the full week. All children in KS1 are entitled to a free univerals infant school meal. Anyone else wanting to order needs to pay online – £2.30 per day.

If your child is attending school and has and FSM entitlement then please order a grab bag as you will not receive meal vouchers.

Dear Parents/Carers

Ash Grove is now a cashless school – this takes effect immediately (20th May 2020).

Any payments for music, school trips etc must be paid via Scopay. If you have not yet registered for this online service please email [email protected] and we will send you a link.

Dinners are still paid direct to Dolce/School Grid as usual.

Thank you

Ash Grove

Home Learning Protocol COVID 19

Sign Language Video – Letter of the Alphabet

Sign Language Video – Numbers 1-20

After Easter we will no longer be providing grab bags for free school meals. Instead we will be using the government free school meal voucher scheme.

Please see below the frequently asked questions sheet regarding this scheme.

The people that are already eligible for income related free school meals (not universal free school meals) will receive a weekly e-code via e mail.

Please read the faq sheet below and note the advice to take a photograph of the bar code on your phone in case you cannot get connection whilst in the supermarket.

Please also remember that as free school meals are not provided over the school holidays, the vouchers will not be either.

If you have any questions please contact us on [email protected] 

If you feel that you may be eligible for free school meals and have not already applied then there is an application form and a transparency notice below. If you require an application form posting out to you then please contact the free school meals team on 01924 305 061.

DfE FreeSchool Meals Parent Carer FAQs

Application for free school meals

Transparency notice home school transport

Dear Parents and Carers,

Communication with our families: As you are all now aware, school will close from today to the vast majority of pupils. We do not yet know how long this closure will last. We are committed to trying to provide as much information and contact with you over the coming period. We will, where possible, keep the lines of communication open with you.
Our plan for communication in the first weeks is through our parent email system. We will post on facebook and the website to let you know to check your emails. This plan will be reviewed as time progresses and if staff shortages impact our ability to undertake this task.
We know that staffing is already limited and these shortages may increase over this period. As such it may be necessary to limit the time that the school office is covered. Please do not come into the school office. Please ensure that any communication is over the email address above. We will inform you of any restrictions of this nature as they arise.

Free School Meals: All pupils who receive any form of Free School Meals will continue to be entitled to food from the schools provider. The Government have announced that children who have free school meals will receive a voucher for food moving forward. Please ensure school has an up to date email address; you can send that to [email protected] and we will help you set this up. It may take a few days to come through.

Key workers We have sent out a key worker identification letter already today. Please can all parents and carers who fall into this category complete the checks and forms that accompany this letter as soon as possible and preferably electronically today. Should any parent who falls into the groups identified elect not to take the place at this time, but then need a place at a later date, please let school know 48 hours before that place is needed so that staffing can be adjusted. In line with the statement from the government on key workers, places are only to be taken if absolutely necessary.

Am I A Critical Worker in the COVID-19 Response?

We again would like to thank you for your support with these arrangements. We know these are worrying times for all of us. We would also like to thank all the staff in our school for their commitment and dedication to our children at this time of need.

Yours sincerely
Sue Vickerman
Chief Executive Officer

Inspire Partnership Multi Academy Trust

Leah Charlesworth

School Improvement Partner

14 day household isolation: if any member of your household has a cough, a temperature or contact with a confirmed case all members of the household must self isolate for 14 days. Please inform the office if this is the case.

Children who are off currently MUST NOT be brought back into school until the 14 day isolation period is up. Siblings of these children must now also be isolated for 14 days. If unsure please ring the school office.

Parents and carers, please do not come into the school premises. Please phone the school rather than coming to the school office.

These steps are to try to keep the school open as long as possible, please ensure you help us during this public health crisis.