Returning to School – September 2021
We have taken account of law, guidance and advice from the government, The Department for
Education and our Local Authority to plan for our return to school on September 2nd 2021. The key
information that you require for your child returning to or starting school is:
Start of the school day
All children to enter the pupil gate (near main office). To avoid too much congestion, we will use a
slightly staggered start.
8.45 – 8.55 am – Year 3,4,5,6 pupils (and siblings) Pupils to walk around to main yard
8.55-9.00 am – Year 1,2 pupils (and siblings) Pupils to walk around to main yard
8.55 – 9.00 am – Reception (A member of staff will meet you at the gate and pupils will go straight to
the classroom)
End of the school day
We will continue to use a one-way system. Parents, please enter the pupil gate and collect your child
from the main yard. Exit through the car park gate.
3.05pm – Reception pupils
3.05pm – Year 1,2 pupils
3.10pm Year 3,4,5,6 pupils
Lunchtimes
Lunchtimes will continue to be staggered slightly. Approximate times are:
11.40am – Reception Pupils
11.45 am – Year 1 &2
12.05 am – Year 3 & 4 or Year 5 & 6
12.20pm – Year 5 & 6 or Year 3 & 4
Packed Lunches
Dependent on space and timings, packed lunches may need to continue to be eaten in the classroom
(except for children in reception class who will eat in the hall).
School Meals
All school meals will be eaten in the hall. A rota system will be in place.
Curriculum
The Government has made their expectation clear – we are required to teach an ‘ambitious and
broad curriculum in all subjects’. Teachers are planning a broad and balanced curriculum to help
children to ‘catch up’ with missed learning. We will be focusing on the basics of phonics, reading,
increasing vocabulary, writing and maths to ensure gaps in children’s key learning are identified and
filled as well as ensuring that we focus on our children’s physical and mental well-being.
Attendance & Remote Learning
The Department for Education state that attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory
school age. This means it’s your legal duty as a parent to send your child to school regularly if they
are registered at one. Our school’s normal attendance management systems resume.
We will provide remote education for school-aged children who are unable to attend school due to
following government guidance or law relating to COVID-19 (for example if they need to self-isolate,
or if they have tested positive but are well enough to learn from home). Remote learning will be
provided through the Dojo platform. Further information on remote learning can be found on our
school website. Please speak to your child’s class teacher, Mrs Nesbitt or Mr Dickinson if you have
any questions or require any support.
Bubbles & Moving around school
The Department for Education no longer recommend that it is necessary to keep children in
consistent groups (‘bubbles’) or to keep groups apart as much as possible. This means that bubbles
will not need to be used for our return to school. This means that assemblies and larger group
activities can resume. Our risk assessment based on LA guidance states that we will do this gradually.
Children will be predominantly with their class indoors as is usual practice, we will introduce larger
group activities and mixed breaktimes as full Key Stages initially.
If there is an outbreak in our school or if we are in an enhanced response area, we might be advised
that it is necessary to reintroduce bubbles or to keep groups apart for a temporary period to reduce
mixing between groups. We will inform you as soon as possible if this is the case.
We will continue to operate a one-way system through the corridors to avoid congested areas
indoors.
Uniform and Equipment
Children continue to be required to wear school uniform. The order form to buy Toft Hill Primary
jade green polo shirts and red sweatshirts/cardigans embroidered with the school logo can be
found on the school website or obtained from the office. A white/jade green polo shirt and plain
sweatshirt bought from a supermarket is perfectly acceptable.
Footwear – We ask that shoes are sensible: no heels, with good grips (trainers are a sensible choice)
and easy for children to manage. (Children need to be able to tie their own shoe laces. If they cannot
do this then Velcro fasteners will be best).
School will provide all equipment that children will require. We ask that children only bring:
· A water bottle
· A packed lunch (in a wipe clean bag/container or disposable packaging)
· Sun cream (weather dependent)
· Coat (weather dependent but remember this is Toft Hill and we have our own weather system
which is often different to the surrounding area).
Reading books
PE
Children will have PE twice per week and your child’s class teacher will inform you of their PE days.
Could children please continue to come to school dressed in their PE kit for PE days. We ask that PE
kit is a uniform of:
Red or black shorts (if weather is good!)
Black leggings/ tracksuit bottoms
Plain white t-shirt (round or polo neck)
Red school jumper
Trainers (or suitable shoes for indoor or outdoor physical activity)
School bags
Key Stage 1 (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) can bring red school book bags
Key Stage 2 can bring a small bag if necessary to carry essentials or continue to use a plastic wallet
for books.
Water Bottles
Please ensure that your child has a water bottle in school every day.
Breakfast and After School Club
Wrap around care continues to be available. Places need to be booked. (Maximum of 35 places
available). Breakfast Club will start at 8:00 and after school care will run until
5:30. (In some circumstances , childcare can be extended until 6pm but this must be by prior
arrangement with Mrs Nesbitt). Children will be kept in their class groups and they will share items
only with their class members. Activities have been altered to enable children to work on a table
top.
Bookings:
Please contact:
· Mrs Tully (or Mrs Nesbitt) via Class Dojo · Email school on tofthill@durhamlearning.net marking
your email ‘breakfast club or after school care’
· Telephone the school office on 01388 832393
Payment:
Accounts are now managed by the school office. Payment can be via Arbor or if you prefer to use
cash, it must be sent to the school office in a sealed envelope, clearly labelled.
Arrival at breakfast club
Children can enter school through the main office from 8am. Ring the buzzer and staff will release
the door for children to enter. Parents are requested not to enter school unless necessary. Please
ensure children arrive before 8:30.
Collection from After School Care
Children can be collected from the main office. Ring the buzzer to alert staff. Children will be
brought out to parents. Parents are requested not to enter school unless necessary. There will no
longer be any need to sign on collection.
Please note: We are unable to put uncollected children into after school care.
School office
We are going to continue to ask for a maximum of two visitors or one household (if more than
two people) visiting the office please.
Contacting school
We have been trying to reduce the number of contacts that children and staff have with others
which restricted parents being able to speak to teachers in person. We continue to ask
that parents phone, email or use Class Dojo message facility if they wish to contact school as this has
proved to be an effective way of communicating. However, we are aware that sometimes a face-toface conversation is more appropriate or necessary. Should you need to speak to a member of staff
in person then we ask you to be vigilant in ensuring that you don’t have any COVID 19 symptoms
and that you take appropriate measures to keep yourself, the staff and other children safe (for
example, maintaining social distancing or wearing a face mask). We would also would like to request
that you respectfully consider the wishes and actions of staff to keep themselves and others safe
too.
We have put extensive measures in place to make is both safe and enjoyable for pupils returning to
school. If you have any queries, please contact me.
Reducing the spread
Hand hygiene
All children will be encouraged to wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day for
example, on entry to school, before lunch and after using equipment such as iPads and play
equipment. Three hand gel dispensers are positioned outside of the main entrances. Hand gel and
hand wipes are also available and these will be used under supervision of class teacher or teaching
assistant. When the weather improves, the mobile handwashing kits can be brought back into use.
Cleaning
Additional cleaning will occur throughout the day. Our cleaner Ms Gibson will also complete spot
cleaning during the lunch period e.g. toilets, door handles, light switches etc
Face coverings
The government has removed the requirement to wear face coverings in law but expects and
recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact
with people you don’t normally meet. Please be mindful of this when you visit school.
If there is an outbreak in our school or we are in an enhanced response area, we might be advised
that face coverings should temporarily be worn in communal areas or classrooms. It is likely that this
will be for adults only in a primary school.
Ventilation
We will strive to keep windows and doors open as much as possible and is comfortable to improve
ventilation.
First Aid/Illness
First Aid
We have four paediatric trained first aiders in school:
Mrs Lynne Tully
Mrs Joanne Stones
Mrs Gemma Jones
Mrs Janice Bedford
All staff are trained in First Aid at Work (including lunchtime supervisors). Mrs Tully and Mrs Stones
are the designated first aiders.
If the injury is minor e.g. a scrap or small cut, then the child will be supervised to clean the injury
with an antiseptic wipe and apply a sticking plaster. Where a child requires close contact first aid
staff can wear whatever PPE they feel comfortable with. First Aid kits are available throughout the
school and these contain: gloves, plastic aprons, facemasks, visors and eye protection. A spillage kit
for when vomit or other bodily fluids are present is available (this also contains a range of PPE). For
more serious accidents or illness, you may be contacted to take your child home.
September 2021 – COVID 19 information (1)