Update from Dr. Sue

3rd February 2021Neil Simpson

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we get nearer to half term, I’d like to update you on the situation in school and our plans for after half term.
As you know, we have tried very hard to offer as many children as possible time in school. Our limiting factors have been available staffing and our risk assessment restricting group sizes to no more than 6 (8 in classroom 11B due to the size of the room).
We know that the current lockdown will remain in place, with schools closed to the majority of pupils, until 8th March at the earliest, but we are hoping to be able to offer more places, probably part time initially, after the half term holiday. About one third of parents told us last month that they would prefer to keep their child at home. Over the coming days, the family support team will be in touch with you to ask you about your preference for after the half term holiday. We will do what we can to help.
Glynis, Tracy or Demi will be in touch soon. Please let them know what you would like for your child. We will do our best to increase our capacity to meet as many requests as we can.
As ever – thank you so much for your ongoing support at this very difficult time.
Keep safe and take care,
Sue

Further COVID Update

5th January 2021Neil Simpson

Dear Parents and Carers,

 
As you know we have been working on a plan today to offer the children of key workers and the most vulnerable children time in school from tomorrow. You will be contacted by text if your child has been included and the days each week that they are able to attend school. They will be educated on the same site as usual for them – Ashdale and Blythdale are both able to be used this time.
 
Today’s plan has been shared with Nikki from transport and we believe that transport should be in place from tomorrow.
 
If your child is poorly, please do not send them to school – we must all do our very best to keep everyone in school safe from germs. If you are a key worker, please share your working days or shift patterns as far in advance as you can so we can possibly offer some days in school to other children. 
 
If you do not receive a text message this afternoon, then your child will be learning at home for now and we will support you with this by providing learning opportunities that we believe your child should be able to access and learn from. Your child’s teacher will contact you each week to offer support and to try to tailor the learning opportunities to how your child learns best at home. Glynis, Tracy or Demi will also contact you regularly to keep in touch and help if we can.
 
If you need our support, please don’t hesitate to make contact with us and we will do our best to help. Our telephone will be answered during normal school hours or you can email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We know this is a difficult and stressful time for everyone and we want to help where we can.
 
Thank you again for your support – we all really appreciate it! 
Take care and keep safe and well.
Very best wishes,
Sue

School Closure Update

5th January 2021Neil Simpson
Dear Parents and Carers,
Once again I’d like to apologise for the late change of plan yesterday. I’d like to explain the situation as well as I can and offer what reassurance I can in the circumstances.
Yesterday, before 8pm, the Government had asked all Primary Schools to remain open. Those with staffing difficulties, like The Dales, needed to try to find a way to support as many children as possible to have as much time as possible in school. That’s what we did – we asked you whether or not you wished to send your child back to school, and those of you who did were included in the best plan that was possible to create yesterday. Our plan was shared and we were ready to go.

 

However, at 8pm, the Prime Minister instructed all schools to close from today and only offer time in school to the children of key workers and those classed as ‘vulnerable’. In a mainstream school all children with EHCPs are classed as vulnerable, but in a special school it is those children with vulnerabilities and needs beyond their special educational needs that are deemed to make a child especially ‘vulnerable’. At The Dales, we have always tried to do what we can possibly do to support all our pupils and their families and we will continue to do so.
This announcement from Boris Johnson last night meant that we were no longer able to carry on with what we had planned as the directive from the Government had changed. We also now have less staff available as members of staff with children have their own issues with childcare, as their children’s schools have also been ordered to close. Some of our staff are also shielding again due to their own health needs. So our plan needed to change and that’s what we will be sorting and sharing with you today.
 
Today we will be working on a plan to offer time in school to children who fall into either the ‘key worker’ parent or the ‘vulnerable’ category. If there is any capacity in school left, we will do our very best to respond to families in most need of our support. Parents will be contacted today to ask them if they are key workers and we will be consulting with social care to ensure that all ‘vulnerable’ children have at least some time in school. 
 
Please accept my apologies for the late change of plan last night but be reassured that we will do all we can to help as many families struggling at this time as we are able to.
 
Can I just finish by saying a huge thank you for the support you show to the school and staff at The Dales. We are all living and working through completely unknown times and I just hope we are quick to return to some normality. Please stay safe and well! 
With my very best wishes,
Sue

Breaking up for Christmas

10th December 2020Neil Simpson

Please note that in line with government advice, The Dales will break up for the Christmas holidays at 3:00pm on Thursday, 17th December. Children will return as planned on Tuesday, 5th January 2021.

Update from Dr Sue Fisher

9th December 2020Neil Simpson
Following a member of staff testing positive for Covid-19, Ashdale site staff and pupils will be self-isolating at home until Monday 21st December. This is in line with advice and guidance from Public Health.
Ashdale site is one ‘bubble’ due to the needs of the pupils and the size and layout of the building. This sadly means that if there is a positive case, it is impossible to isolate close contacts on a class by class basis.
Parents with any queries should phone Blythdale site during usual school hours and we will do our best to help. 
 
Ashdale will now be closed until next term. Staff will be in touch with Ashdale parents in the coming days to arrange to drop off Christmas related gifts and activities for the children.
 
Blythdale site remains open as usual. 
 
Anyone who develops symptoms of Coronavirus should seek a test as soon as possible. 
Thank you so much for your understanding and support.

Update from Dr. Sue Fisher

23rd October 2020Neil Simpson
Dear Parents and Carers,
Firstly, thank you for all your support this half term. As you know, we have had a number of cases of Coronavirus this half term and most bubbles have been affected at some point; however, we have done all we can to avoid in-school transmission and no one caught COVID-19 in school. That’s thanks to everyone doing their very best to follow all the rules, the cleanliness of the school buildings, frequent hand washing, wearing face coverings and keeping 2m social distance. THANK YOU!
 
Remember, please don’t send your child to school if they are unwell. If anyone in your household has symptoms of Coronavirus, please do not send your child to school even if they seem fit and well. Thank you very much for your support in keeping everyone, the children, staff and all our families, as safe as possible.
 
Finally, although this week the Government sadly did not vote to support schools to give free school meals vouchers to pupils who receive pupil premium in the school holidays, we are sending vouchers out to these families anyway. We know that times are tougher just now and we want to do whatever we can to support you.
There is a staff training day on Monday 2nd, so we will see you again on Tuesday 3rd November.
Have a safe, restful and fun half term.
Take care,
Sue

Informing school of a positive test result

7th October 2020Neil Simpson

Dear Parent / Carer,

INFORMING SCHOOL OF A POSITIVE COVID TEST

If a pupil or member of staff tests positive for Coronavirus, there are many things that we need to consider and then take action very swiftly. If your child is tested for Coronavirus, it is important that we are informed immediately if the result is POSITIVE. We appreciate that this may be out of school hours, and to support you with this, we have arranged the following procedure:

Out of normal school hours, you should send a text immediately to our COVID MOBILE on 07599 019223 including the child’s name and class number.

You should also then email the positive test result you received to admin@thedales.northumberland.sch.uk.

Your child must stay at home and the household needs to self-isolate for 14 days. A member of staff will contact you as soon as we return to school.

If you receive the POSITIVE test result during normal school hours, then please contact the school office as soon as possible. Your child must stay at home and the household needs to self-isolate for 14 days.

It is extremely important that we receive this information as soon as possible, to allow us to make the necessary arrangements and keep everyone safe.

We thank you so much for your continued support during this very difficult time.

Kind regards,

Dr Sue Fisher

Head Teacher

Update

30th September 2020Neil Simpson

UPDATE 30/9/20:

 
One child at Blythdale site has tested positive for Coronavirus. In line with advice and guidance, close contacts of this child are now self-isolating, at home, until Wednesday 14th October (14 days since that child was last in school).
 
One member of staff has also tested positive for Coronavirus. In line with advice and guidance, close contacts of this member of staff are now self-isolating, at home, until Tuesday 13th October (14 days since that member of staff was last in school). As this is the second case in the same bubble, Bubble 3 is closed until 13th October.
 
The class affected earlier this week by the case in 11B in Bubble 3 can still return to school next week, as this class is unaffected by the positive case today. Children and staff in 11B can return to school on Tuesday 6th October.
 
Parents with any queries should phone Blythdale site during usual school hours (01670 352556).
 
Ashdale site remains fully open as usual.
Blythdale site is open for all other unaffected children.
 
Anyone with symptoms of Coronavirus should seek a test as soon as possible – A persistent dry cough and/or a fever and/or loss of ability to smell or taste. Further advice is available here:  https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
 
Please do not send your child to school if they are unwell. 
 
Many thanks for your understanding and ongoing support.