Welcome Back Information for our Families

8th March 2021

Updates following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 22nd Feb

Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced the government’s plan for the return of all pupils to schools and colleges, as part of the roadmap for leaving lockdown. You can read a transcript of the Prime Minister’s speech which has now been published.

The DfE published updated guidance yesterday to reflect the changes announced by the Prime Minister:

The DfE have also published an evidence summary which sets out the evidence relevant to, and in support of, the government’s decision to lift restrictions on education from Monday 8 March. The government’s wider decision-making is set out in the government’s COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 and supporting scientific evidence.

The overwhelming evidence is that the risk to children and young people from coronavirus (COVID-19) is low, but the risks to children and young people of being out of school and college are high and increase the longer restrictions on education are in force. Whilst education settings can be places where transmission occurs, there is no strong evidence of them driving largescale community transmission.

The guide below explains how we will be reopening school from 8^th March

We would like to thank you for the huge effort that you have put in to provide remote education for your child during national restrictions and are pleased to announce that school and Lookout club will be open to all pupils from 8^th March and school attendance is compulsory.

Since January, our staff have been using twice weekly asymptomatic testing as an additional measure to protect those children who have continued to access education in school.

All changes that we make to our provision aim to reduce any spread of the COVID-19 virus, keep your family safe and to ensure that we do not have to close school and restart our home learning provision.

A Letter to Parents from Education and Public Health