COVID-19 and Brierley

Parental Information

Brierley has reopened on a wide-scale basis for the 2020-2021 Academic Year. It is very important that we keep both the staff and children as safe as possible. As a school, we are following the advice provided by the NHS and the government.

What are the main symptoms of COVID-19?

– A high temperature
This means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature).
– A new, continuous cough
This means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual).
– A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
This means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

Most people with coronavirus have at least 1 of these symptoms.

What should I do if my child has symptoms BEFORE arriving at school?

If your child has any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:
– You must get a test to check if they have coronavirus as soon as possible.
– You must stay at home and do not have visitors until you get your child’s test result. Only leave your home to have a test.

Anyone you live with, and anyone in your support bubble, must also stay at home until you get your child’s result.

My child has had the test, what should I do now?

– Please keep everyone within the household at home UNTIL you have a negative result.
– Please keep the school informed as to whether the result is positive or negative.

What if the results are positive?

– Ring the school as soon as possible, so we can inform your child’s bubble.
– Isolate the person with symptoms for 10 days.
– The rest of the family/household must isolate for 14 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

We are aware that many of you will have questions or concerns about your children returning to school after such a long absence. Over the summer holidays, many measures were put in place to minimise risk and support the safe return of our children and staff. We hope that we have been able to answer any questions you may have below.

Does my child need to wear uniform in September?

All pupils attending school from Wednesday 2nd September 2020 will be expected to wear their school uniform and adhere to our normal dress code and expectations. All items of clothing should be named.

Uniform
– White polo shirt (available with school logo)
– Grey trousers/skirt/pinafore
– Brierley Blue jumper/cardigan with the school logo
– White/Grey/Black socks
– Black Shoes

In the summer, girls may wear blue gingham dresses and boys may wear grey shorts.

Children should not be arriving into school with trainers (unless it is their PE day), heels or boots on.

Children may wear simple gold/silver stud earrings but they must be removed for PE/Swimming/Forest School activities. If your child is unable to remove their own earrings, please make sure they are removed before arriving at school.

Children should not be arriving into school wearing make-up or nail varnish. Again, makeup and nail varnish should be removed before arriving at school. Long/shoulder length hair should be tied back, especially for PE and Games lessons.

Does my child need to bring their PE kit into school in September?

No, in the first instance we plan that children will not change in school but wear their PE kits to school on their PE day. Each class will have a set PE day.

PE Kit
– White T Shirt
– Navy Blue Shorts
– Black pumps (indoor)
– Trainers (outdoor)
– Navy Jogging Bottoms

In September, they may wear a white plain/school logo PE t-shirt, school jumper, blue shorts/plain navy jogging bottoms and trainers. We are hoping that the vast majority of PE lessons will take place outside – please make sure that your child comes to school dressed appropriately in the correct PE uniform.

Each class will be told which day their PE day is on via text message on Tuesday 1st September.

What does my child need to bring to school?

It is recommended that children limit the amount of equipment they bring into school each day apart from essentials such as lunch boxes, bags, hats coats and books. Children will be able to take books and other resources home.
– All children will need to come into school in full uniform.
– Book bag/school bag if year 4 – 6 (reading books and reading records will be given out in September).
– A named water bottle – please bring your own named water bottle and fill up to bring in each day. This must be water only, not cordial/juice/milk.
– A healthy snack
– Lunch (if not having a lunch provided by school)
– Year 6 only – a pencil case with the stationery listed on your class letter.

Will there be snack available?

Normally we offer a snack making facility. This will not be available in the first few weeks of term as we are trying to minimize points of contact. There will be no ‘tuck’ shop. We are still waiting to hear whether the government is definitely going to reinstate fruit for Reception/Year 1 pupils. It is important that your child comes to school with a healthy snack each day.

What about lunch?

As our catering team will have spent 6 months shielding, we are allowing a staggered start to our hot meals so that we can purchase supplies and restock the larder/freezer. For the first week, cold sandwich bags will be provided for children wishing to have a school meal.

For Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 or if your child is entitled to a Free School Meal these are funded. If your child is not eligible you must pay for lunches in ADVANCE using our SchoolMoney system.

Will my child have to wear face coverings/masks?

Public Health England does not currently recommend the use of face coverings for children in primary schools because misuse can inadvertently increase the risk of transmission and have negative effects on communication and consequently education.

Children must not enter school/grounds with face coverings. They must dispose of temporary face coverings in a covered bin or place reusable face coverings in a plastic bag they can take home with them, and then wash their hands again before heading to their classroom.

How will my child learn at home?

One of the expectations of all schools is to have a Remote Learning strategy in place to support children’s learning. The teachers have been busy learning and practising how to use Teams for live teaching should this be needed. If you are having trouble with this, please do contact your child’s class teacher.

We will be offering live teaching when:

- Your child is well but has to self-isolate for 14 days due to a positive test outcome in your
  household.
- A year group bubble has to close due to a positive test outcome for a pupil or teacher in that
  year group.
- There is a whole/partial school closure and all/most children have to remain at home.

Who can pick up my child from school?

We have been asked by some parents about whether or not they can still ask family (who don’t live with you) and friends to drop off and pick up each other’s children under these new lockdown measures. Although there is no specific school related guidance, it states in the National Restrictions document that: “Meeting others safely in general, you must not meet people socially. However, you can exercise or
meet in a public, outdoors space with people you live with, your support bubble (or as part of a childcare bubble), or with one other person. You should minimise time spent outside your home. When around other people, stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household – meaning the people you live with – or your support bubble. Where this is not possible, stay 1 metre apart with extra precautions (e.g. wearing a face covering). You must not meet socially indoors with family or friends unless they are part of your household or support bubble.

Also:
“Parents are able to form a childcare bubble with one other household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is 13 or under”
In order to follow these guidelines and keep everyone safe, we would request that you do not ask your family (who do not live with you) or friends to drop off and collect your children unless you have formed a childcare bubble with that one household.