Dear Parents/Carers,

With the summer break approaching quickly, we thought that you would like some information about September school opening – especially as over the past two years we have had to follow Covid guidance and change the routine of the school.  We are hoping in September; our ‘pre-pandemic’ school life can resume!  For some of you, you will not know what this is like – here is some information that you may find useful to prepare you and your child for September opening.

Initially, we will be establishing new routines and boundaries, as well as helping children to adjust to their new teachers/friends within school.

Arriving at and leaving school from September – New start/end of day times (Rec-Yr6)

• Nursery children 8.30am – 11.30am or 12.10pm – 3.10pm
• Reception children will start school at 8.50am and finish at 3.20pm
• Yr 1 to Yr 6 will start school at 8.45am and finish at 3.15pm
• Reception/Nursery parents - please hand your child over to the member of staff on the door– over the past two years, children have adapted to this extremely well and settled quickly.
• Parents will be expected to leave pupils at the perimeter gates where staff will be stationed, except for parents of Nursery who should bring continue to bring their child to the Nursery entrance.

Entrance/exits will be as follows, with all pupils expected to attend school on Tuesday 6^th September 2022. Click on the link at the bottom of the newsletter to see the map of gates.

As the school day will start and end at the same time for the majority of children, it will be very crowded along the footpath to the park – please do not stand around the gates, as when staff dismiss they may find it very difficult to see you.  The process will be slow initially, but hopefully this will speed up after the first week – we ask you to be patient please.

What should my child bring to school?

• The School Uniform policy will be followed from Tuesday 6^th September and pupils will be expected to wear uniform. This means that children not correctly dressed may result in moving to orange on our behaviour chart – we are trying to maintain high standards and expectations for all. Summer uniform is permitted until October half term.  Black school shoes must be worn – not trainers or trainer shoes. 

• Children can wear their own clothes when it is their birthday- they should be appropriate to wear for school.

• Children should only bring a filled water bottle (not squash – see healthy tuck policy on the website). This needs to be named please so that children can easily recognise their own bottle and do not touch or drink out of bottles belonging to other children.
• Please do NOT send your child with pencil cases and stationery;
• Bags are allowed but as a school we would strongly advise KS2 pupils NOT to bring large backpacks. There is insufficient room in cloakrooms to store bags, and this is often the thing pupils moan about most. Children need a small bag to carry items to and from school, so a drawstring bag like a P.E. bag would be much more suitable; KS1/Rec should only bring their red book bag to school.
• It will be vital for the children to bring their P.E. bags into school on Tuesday 6^th September 2022, as the timetable will start immediately.
• Children in KS2 should also bring a piece of fruit for break, unless you have ordered and paid for your child to receive fruit from school (No crisps or chocolate please.)
• Children should not bring any money to school, as all lunches will be paid for online.  There is nothing to purchase in school.

Health and Hygiene

• Health and hygiene will continue to be a priority and a large amount of time will be taken with hygiene and safe use of the facilities. Children will wash hands or use their hand sanitiser frequently
• The classroom will be thoroughly cleaned at either the start or the end of every day.

Breakfast Club (BC) and After School Childcare (ASC) clubs

Breakfast Club and After School Childcare clubs will recommence on Tuesday 6^th September 2022. We have limited availability for places.  If you know that you require a place for September and have not yet confirmed this with Mrs Barlow (BC) or Mrs Small (ASC), please do so a soon, by completing the online form on the school website and returning the request to info@blanford.dudley.sch.uk. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

After school sports clubs

We will operate three extra-curricular clubs from September – Tennis Yr2, Gym KS2 and Football Year 5/6. An email has been sent out for the year groups this applies to.  There will be more opportunities for other clubs for different year groups throughout the year.  

Curriculum

Pupil wellbeing and support

As the new term starts, we will have a greater emphasis on:

• supporting the building of friendships and social engagement
• supporting pupils with approaches to improving their physical and mental wellbeing

All staff have had the opportunity to handover valuable information to new teachers regarding your child.  This information is used so that we can get off to a swift start in September.

The wider curriculum.

• We will continue to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, whilst putting into place bespoke interventions to support pupils.

How can parents help?

We want to continue to make the school day a happy, educational and positive experience for all children. We would really appreciate your help in the following ways:

• By making sure that you have read and noted the information in this letter.
• We have indicated on the map, the areas for parents to wait but would appreciate you keeping your child with you whilst waiting for the doors to open to avoid accidents and minimise congestion.
• Making sure that children only bring into school the items that we have asked for and nothing else.
• It would be helpful if you could leave the waiting area as soon as your child has gone into school or been collected, as the pathways can become very congested.
• Sending your child to school every day – collecting and dropping children on time.
• If your child is not in school, please call the office daily on 01384 818365 by 9.00am at the latest.

We hope that you will take time to read and digest this information that we have provided, so that when we return to school on Tuesday 6^th September 2022, we can start of the year off smoothly for all children, parents and staff to work harmoniously together.

We appreciate your continued support and look forward to welcoming everybody back to school in September.

Best wishes,

Mrs N Miller and Miss A Stanton

Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher