School From March 2021

Set out below will be important information, key times, documentation and procedures from Monday, 8 March 2021. You are advised to read this to ensure you are fully aware what will be happen.

Harris Primary Academy Kent House will be opening for ALL year groups.

The School Day:

Year Group	School starts at	School ends at
Nursery AM Session	8.30am	11.30am (collect from 11.20am)
Nursery PM Session	12.30pm	3.30pm (collect from 3.15pm)
Nursery 30 Hours	8.30am	3.30pm (collect from 3.15pm)
Reception	8.45am	3.15pm
Year 1	8.30am	3.10pm
Year 2	8.30am	3.10pm
Year 3	8.35am	3.20pm
Year 4	8.40am	3.25pm
Year 5	8.45am	3.30pm
Year 6	8.50am	3.35pm

Start and End of the Day:

• Years 1 to 6 should enter and leave through the car park wooden gates on Kent House Road. (The car drive will not be in use by cars at this time)
• Nursery and Reception classes should enter and leave through the Nursery entrance
• We will operate a queue and one-way system, which will be clearly marked for both entrances
• While waiting to enter the school at drop off or collection times, please line up along one side of the street only. These will be clearly marked
• Please ensure only one parent drops off and collects at the start and end of the school day
• Parents should wear masks when dropping off and collecting their children
• We will operate a queue and one-way system, which will be clearly marked
• 2 metre points will be marked on the playground to ensure social distancing at all times. Please remember to stand a safe distance from the person in front of you
• Younger children MUST remain with their adult at all times
• Once you have collected all your children please follow the one-way system to leave the site as quickly as possible 
• Staff will be unable to meet you face to face. If you would like to speak to your child’s teacher, please contact the school to arrange for a telephone meeting.     

Siblings:

If you have more than one child at Kent House, please follow these arrangements for drop off and collection for Years 1 thru 6:

• At the start of the day, please arrive at the correct time for your youngest child. Older siblings will be able to wait in a separate supervised area
• At the end of the day, parents/ carers should arrive at the correct time for your oldest child

• Younger siblings will be supervised until their older sibling is collected and then they will be sent to you
• If you prefer to collect your younger sibling first, you will need to then re-join the back of the line, outside the school gates

What Other Protective Measures Are in Place?

• Pupils will wash their hands regularly at school including when they first arrive, before and after they eat, and when returning from break
• Pupils will be placed in a ‘bubble’ with the rest of their year group
• We will avoid bubbles coming into close contact with each other helping to keep the school safe
• We have a one way system throughout the school
• High contact areas will be cleaned throughout the day
• Staff will wear protective face masks in all communal areas of the school
• Staff are currently participating in a voluntary programme of Covid-19 lateral flow testing twice weekly.

Lunchtimes & Playtimes:

• Lunch times will operate in the usual way, with a choice of school meal or packed lunch
• The pupils will either eat at their desk, or the Dining Hall, to maintain the ‘bubble’
• Playtimes will be staggered for each year group, and pupils will remain within their ‘bubble’.

What Will Learning Look Like for My Child/ren?

• We have been so impressed with the level of engagement from our pupils in their remote learning. However, nothing can replace face to face teaching, and we have therefore planed a programme of catch up sessions in order to ensure any gaps in learning are quickly addressed.
• After a long time away from each other we also recognise that children will have a strong desire to re-connect. We have planned some additional well-being sessions around the theme of ‘connectedness,’ in order to give our pupils the chance to participate in joint activities together. Where possible these will be physically active and will take place outside.
• Design Technology and Music will continue to be completed at home until at least the Easter Holidays, as has been the case from September 2020
• Pupils will be required to wear full school uniform

What Can My Child Bring to School?

• They may bring in a book bag; books will be given for reading homework in the usual way
• They may bring a packed lunch if required
• All children should also bring their own water bottle
• On their PE days, pupils should wear their full school PE kit. This must be: white t-shirt; back shorts, joggers or leggings; plain trainers or plimsolls; their Kent House sweatshirt or cardigan if cold.

What Happens if My Child Falls Ill at School? Or if Someone at School Tests Positive for Covid-19?

If your child, or somebody else in your household, develop symptoms of COVID-19, you must not come to school and should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when your symptoms appeared. Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and this can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. 

All other household members who remain well, must stay at home and not leave the house for 10 days. This includes anyone in your ‘Support Bubble’.

Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

The 10-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.

Household members should not go to work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home.

If your child falls ill during the school day, they will be brought to our designated medical area and supervised while we await your arrival to take them home. Medical staff carrying out any kind of first aid will be dressed in protective equipment. We will then ask you to contact Track & Trace by dialling 119 and requesting a Covid-19 test.

Any Other Important Information?

There is a dedicated area of our website that will have a wealth of information on it with regards to returning to school from March 2021. This is a ‘live’ area and will be added to regularly. The link is as follows:

https://www.harrisprimarykenthouse.org.uk/578/school-from-march-2021

Finally, a reminder that the government guidance for schools opening in March 2021 include some key changes. As you know, we have been working hard over recent weeks to finalise plans for a safe and happy start for all children.

Please remember:

• Attendance is a statutory requirement, although a small number of pupils may still be unable to attend in line with public health advice
• Pupils will wear full school uniform
• Parents can provide a packed lunch
• Pupils may bring a book bag