Coronavirus Update - 18th March

This will be the last update regarding coronavirus I will have to write relating to the day to day running of our school. It will not contain a lot of information as Principals only heard of closures at the same time as everybody else. A subsequent letter received by the Minister of Education can be read on our Facebook page. There are many things we simply do not have the answers for at this time but I will do my best to keep you informed as best I can. 

School finishes tomorrow (Thursday) for pupils. 

• No after-school clubs tomorrow. Gymnastics will not run unfortunately as ProStar are unable to run the session.
• Violin and singing tuition will run as planned. Brass will not.  
• Resource packs were sent home this afternoon with pupils in school and are now available for collection from reception tomorrow after 9.30am and between 9am and 10am on Friday. 
• Username and passwords for online activities during closure were included in these packs. 
• PE Kits will be organised into the reception for collection tomorrow after 9.30am. we will retain items from cloakrooms for collection at some point in the future
• Please return reading books, with so many off this will cause major issues next year. 
• Annual Review meetings will NOW NOT go ahead as scheduled. Upon reflection through the night Mrs Alcorn and the teachers need to be with their classes on this challenging day. 
• Ganaway and Greenhill trips will be cancelled. Refunds will be sought and issued via Eduspot. This should be straightforward enough to process. 
• Classwork books will be returned in August. 
• Chuckles will have their last day tomorrow (Thursday).  
• School's Out will be open tomorrow and from 8.30am on Friday. See below post from Susannah on School's Out FB page re next week. 

Although the government have announced this evening that all schools and educational settings are to close by Friday, we are still no clearer on whether this includes childcare facilities or not.
We hope that more light is shed on this situation tomorrow & we will be contacting the Public Health Agency & Social Services to see if there is any further clarity on this.

Based on this we will still be OPEN 2-6pm tomorrow and we will open extended hours on Friday 20th from 8.30am-6pm to facilitate childcare for anyone whose children are off school on this day.

We will update you as soon as we hear any further information on this matter.

I thank you all so much for your kind words, patience & understanding at such an unsettling time.

Susannah

Some Unanswerable Questions

• What are the arrangements for children of key workers in the community?
  • Nothing has been communicated. This may be via a central location to support children from all schools in an area. 
• What about the P7 pupils who may now have finished Castle Gardens?
  • At some stage - even if it is over the summer or in September - we will hold events to celebrate their time in our school and say proper goodbyes.
• When will we get the P7 hoodies?
  • We will contact signature works and communicate via school app arrangements for distribution
• AQE!  
  • All P6 children wishing to do AQE of GL tests will be in the same boat, advice will follow in due course. We will do all we can to ensure pupils are prepared for tests as and when they are held. 

We will do all we can to support you as best we can. Please be mindful that members of staff may also become unwell over the coming weeks and months and if work is not available when intended there will be a reason for this. 

On a personal note, I was devastated at the news this evening and the impact it will have on our children being away from friends and familiar faces for an unknown period of time. I will also miss the wonderful staff in our school as well as helping you and your families work through the challenges that life presents us with.

There is a time ahead that is very uncertain. We plan for what we think we will need with hindsight and experience but the truth is we do not know what is ahead or what things will be like in 4 weeks or 12 weeks. All I can do is wish you the very best of health over the coming months and I look forward to seeing you all soon. 

J Gray 

Principal.