Marton & District C E Aided Primary School

I know you are all waiting to hear exactly what is happening after school closes today. It seems incomprehensible that we are hours away from closing and as yet, the advice we are receiving is changing. However, we know parents and carers need information urgently and so I am writing to you all at the earliest I can.

I would like to remind you that we are following DFE guidance which states: if it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.

The government has advised us that children where parents are Key Workers (of which the list is extensive) and vulnerable children (those with an Educational Health Care plan) will need ‘school’ care from Monday. It goes without saying that fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

This is not about ‘entitlement’. It is about doing the right thing for the greater good of society; accommodating the greatest need and limiting social interaction and the spread of the virus - allowing school to stay open for those who need it the most.

I can therefore confirm that this school provision will be from 9am - 3.30pm from Monday. 

This is a very different type of provision than schools usually provide; for these pupils, it will be about care, not education. This is about keeping children safe and allowing key workers to go to work and care for the sick, or to keep food supply chains moving.

Children will bring in their learning packs and there will be adults to supervise the children. They will be dressed in their own clothes. Unless we have contacted you regarding free school meal support children will need to bring a packed lunch, drinks and snacks with them for the day. 

All children will need to come through the main school entrance and a register will be taken each day. 

There will be no after school clubs unless Kickstart continue wrap around care and you will need to contact them directly for this advice. Similarly, if you use school transport, you should contact school transport as this is not something school controls.

It remains the case that if we do not have enough staff to care for pupils safely even based on the new reduced provision approach then, subject to a risk assessment and consultation with the chair of governors, a full or partial closure may be necessary. We as teachers are classed as Key workers and many of us have children that we need to leave at home to keep them safe.

We will review the situation daily.

We now need an indication if you will be using the school provision on Monday. Please DO NOT call school as we cannot respond to all your calls but email us on admin@marton.cheshire.sch.uk or myself on head@marton.cheshire.sch.uk if your child will be attending on Monday.

Many thanks 

Nevin Deakin