COVID UPDATE 6 22nd March 2020

Sunday 22nd March 2020.

IMPORTANT COVID UPDATE 6

To all parents and carers, please read the following message:

On Saturday 21^st March Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education reinforced this critical message to all parents:

‘You should only send your child to school on Monday if you have to, because your work is critical to our COVID-19 response.

If you are able to keep your child at home, you should!’

Since our booking form was sent out the government has repeatedly reinforced the message to everyone that schools are not open to those inconvenienced by keeping children at home.

School is closed to everyone but those who are at the core of our nation’s response to this crisis.

Please remember that schools have been closed to enable family members to socially distance themselves. This means that children should be at home and not out with friends.

Unless we are proactive at reducing our movement, the government will have to put in stronger measures in place and for a longer period of time.

If you are able to keep your child at home next week, this is the best place for them to be. Schools are now emergency provision only.

If our staff become ill then we will reduce the ability of the school to look after the children of emergency workers.

To reduce staff numbers on site, we will be operating a team rota in school. This is to ensure that staff can also protect themselves and the children that we are supporting by socially distancing when not required on site.

I would end by thanking all of the parents and members of the community who have shared messages of support and encouragement. As a school, every member of our staffing team has shown a huge commitment to playing their part in helping the families who work in critical care areas by caring for their children for as long as it takes.

We are part of a national response to a crisis which we must realise will not be solved in days or weeks but months.

We will stay at school for you if you need us to

Please stay at home for us if you do not.

Mrs Crisell remains in contact with colleagues and friends of the school from across Europe, who in happier times have joined with us in sharing our schools passion for science.

Federico and his family have been in lockdown in their home in northern Italy for the last two weeks. As we share our best wishes, thoughts and prayers with Federico, he repeatedly urged us to share with all of our parents the importance of staying at home unless you have no other option.

The next update will provide practical advice to all families whose children will be accessing critical childcare at RTS on Monday.

Safe safe,

Andrew Symonds

Headteacher