Dear Parents/Carers                                                                                                               Tuesday 23^rd June

I would like to start once again by thanking you for your support over the last weeks and months in the enormous decisions that we have had to make. The emails and calls with very positive and supportive comments have really helped staff.

I wanted to write to you in light of the Prime Minister’s new update today.

The words that stick with me are getting children back to school because “it is safe”. It is safe because the Government want to open bars and restaurants. The virus has not gone away and I will remain extra cautious in every way to ensure your children safe. Suddenly it is acceptable for us to do almost everything we did before lockdown. Really?

It wasn’t safe two weeks ago when plans for all children to return to school before the Summer were shelved.

In a nutshell nothing is changing in school before the Summer holidays. If your children are here they will stay 2m apart and be restricted in their group ” bubble”. The original bubbles created in YR, Y1 and Y6, are now full and staff allocated, therefore anyone wanting children back before the Summer will have to wait two weeks until a new bubble can be created, should we have the staff to do so.

No other Year groups will be back before September.

The Government are changing the goal posts every few weeks and announcing changes before we know anything about them, without any real guidance or advice.

We are currently working on what the “new normal” will look like in September. There will be changes to your normal routines but should there be no new spike in the virus and it is safe to do so all children will be back in school in September. I honestly hope this is the case as do all of my staff.

I will update you with how this will work when we know nothing else will change.

I understand that you may be worried about transitions so please be reassured that we are doing our very best to ensure this is as smooth as it can be under the circumstances.

We are also planning what our curriculum and staffing will look like to ensure the children get the very best across the curriculum when they return.

These are very uncertain times and changes are being made almost daily. I wish for nothing more than all children back with us, being taught in the way we always do providing motivating, inspiring and creative lessons.

Please email school on sugarhill@durhamlearning.net if you have any questions. I will keep you updated about September plans as often as I can. 

Mrs Paula O’Rourke