Dear Parents & Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,
What a sincere pleasure it’s been this week to welcome back so many familiar faces. The pupils may be taller and their hair either grown much longer or buzzed much shorter, but it was fabulous to see their smiling faces. I think many of them had butterflies as they arrived, but everybody left with a spring in their step and many even went as far as saying they wanted to return the next day! It was also great to catch up with parents. More than anything it was a relief to see that everybody seemed to be in a good place, which from my point of view was and is the primary purpose and aim of these sessions – making sure everybody was ok.

My sincere thanks to everybody for their cooperation and support in making sure everything was safe and organized. It really was appreciated and we can at least look forward to the final fortnight, knowing that everybody is on board. Hopefully, by then we will have an idea of what to prepare for, when the new academic year starts in September.

Yours sincerely,

Bryn D. Jones, Headteacher / Pennaeth

Wellbeing Activities – There were some lovely activities in class and none more so than in Year 4, where the children got to feed their worries to Bob the Monster. What a great way to get things off your chest!

Reminders for Next Week – Could all pupils ensure they bring a couple of snacks and a water bottle on their allocated day with teachers. This includes Key Worker pupils for their educational session. Please make sure hats, sun cream and coats are worn depending on the weather.

Childcare Arrangements – Key Worker provision continues until the end of term. When I am informed of arrangements for the holidays, I will be in touch.

End of Year Reports – End of Year reports have been sent out to Nursery and Reception parents plus siblings yesterday. Year 1 and 2 reports will go out today with Juniors’ going out early next week.

Academic Year Dates 2020-21 – I have attached the finalised academic dates for next year.

Jay’s Bike Ride – A special mention for Jay in Year 1 and his charity fundraising for Chester Zoo. His aim was to cycle 30 miles and raise £300 for the zoo. He has now completed the bike ride and has raised an amazing £400! What a fantastic effort!

Giggles – Please see the attached image regarding details for Giggles, which will be reopening in September.

Dinner Money – As we close accounts for the year, I’d be grateful if you could check your Parentpay accounts to ensure that all dinner money debts have been settled.

Year 6 Hoodies – We will be holding a brief, socially distanced ceremony to present Year 6 with their hoodies at the school as a way of goodbye. This will take place at 2pm on Monday July 13th at the front of the school. I know this is a difficult thing to ask, but in order to make the event as safe as possible, it would be preferred if only one parent accompanies each child. A Google Classroom task will be set up for pupils to confirm attendance.

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you all remain well, positive and cautiously hopeful as we see restrictions being lifted slowly and the virus seemingly in retreat.

It is now over three months since our schools became very different places, but we are finally in a position to reopen, albeit for significantly fewer pupils. I am very much looking forward to being able to talk about what our pupils have been doing at school in the weekly newsletter from now on. It’ll be great to include some pictures of smiling children, excited about being reunited with their teachers and being able to see some of their classmates, even if it is from a social distance.

The contents of the letter set last week have been complemented by a video which I hope helps you visualise where to go and what to do in order to ensure a safe and organised reopening. Many thanks for the positive feedback regarding the video. I am pleased you have found it helpful.

I have attached the guidance letter once again and made a couple of amendments, following further considerations this week. They include these slight changes and clarifications:
1. As shown in the video, Foundation Phase pick-up for Reception, Years 1 and 2 will now be straight from the classes cloakroom door. Please enter the site via the bottom gate and path and exit via the top Nursery gate. Clear signage shows where you should stand, socially distanced.
2. Any child arriving on their bike and needing help, can pass their bike onto a member of staff, who will place it by the rack. There will be staff at the front of the school to assist.
3. Staff will also be on hand to escort childen of parents with buggies.
4. The climbing frame and wooden mushrooms in the Foundation Phase area have been made out of bounds.

I am really looking forward to seeing you next week and as I said in my letter last week, I’d be grateful if you could have a positive chat with your children to reassure them about coming back, but also help them understand the rules they need to follow to keep themselves and everybody safe. If they haven’t seen the video yet please show it to them, as I included a message for all of them at the beginning.

I am sure it will be a really positive experience for everybody who attends and will be a very useful exercise in the lead up to the Summer holidays which as I informed you earlier this week, has now been confirmed to start on Friday, July 17th. We were aware that the situation with the extra week at the end could potentially change, so planned for each week’s arrangements to mirror one another, giving regular weekly check-ins rather than a block of days, so thankfully the timetable shared with you remains the same, minus the cancelled final week of course.

May I thank you for your trust in us, your anticipated co-operation and support in these challenging times. Have a great weekend and see you next week!

Yours sincerely,

Bryn D. Jones
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

A very productive but full-on week nears its end. We’ve made great strides over the last few days, putting together the complicated jigsaw that reopening the school is proving to be. We have first of all put measures in place that encourage social distancing. We have co-ordinated safe routes around the school building, internally and externally. We have put up signage to remind, guide and assist everybody to travel safely. Classes have been reformatted to welcome the smaller groups, with desks moved and one way systems established. We have cleaning stations and procedures for regular handwashing. It may be unfamiliar, but it’s been done as child friendly as possible and is of course for the benefit of their safety. Children are adaptable and will see plenty that they recognise, despite these changes; most significantly, their very welcoming teachers, who will be excited to see them!

On top of all this, we have conducted the complicated task of getting our heads around the logistics of having various year groups, spread across different days, with siblings in on the same day, plus a boy/girl balance and a rota for staggered breaks in allocated play zones outside. Side by side with that, we’ve sorted the restart of our Key Worker RSS childcare provision from Monday and allocated staff to care for those children for the rest of term on a rota basis.

All identified risks have been mitigated as much as possible. Those measures have also been included in the letter I sent to you earlier this week, so that the whole community is informed and on board with the way forward. The sheer amount of factors that staff have had to consider in this whole process, has been staggering and I am very grateful to them for their input to put together this plan, which is one I am very confident will work.

When the Minister of Education first announced the framework by which schools would reopen, I was very much in opposition. This was because of the scale of demands on staff to put such a plan together in such unprecedented times, on top of ensuring the paramount considerations regarding safety were in place. I should never underestimate what the staff can pull off though, despite those astronomical demands and we have all worked together positively and diligently to make the school as safe as we possibly can. Governors have been much encouraged by what we have done and from the significant positive feedback received from the school community, parents have been too, when they would rightly be in need of great reassurance.

Shielding – One thing I would like to request, is that any families with a member living in the household who is shielding, but is intending to send their child back, contact me directly for a discussion. Public Health Wales guidance indicates that they should not return without a very strict risk assessment, to determine whether it is appropriate.

Welsh Government – Please be aware that discussions continue nationally, regarding many elements of the framework for reopening schools. If the situation changes in any way, or any amendments need to be made to the plan as a result, I will let you know.

Key Worker Childcare – The Ruthin Hub has been a positive example of schools working together to provide childcare for our Key Workers. As schools now begin the process of reopening, that childcare now reverts to the parent school. We want to wish all the pupils we’ve got to know over the last few months well as they return! There can be no additions to the list of pupils accessing this provision, without a discussion regarding eligibility with myself, so please get in touch if you need this service and all carers in the household are Key Workers, having no alternative childcare. Many thanks.

School Uniform – You will be aware from the plans put in place, that our pupils will not need any school uniform until September at the earliest. I have been in discussions with Workplace Worksafe, who are very understanding of the situation and wish to be supportive and helpful to any parents regarding uniform orders. I will liaise with them over the Summer as the picture becomes clearer, so that they will have enough stock when the time is right. I am sure they will address any queries you have directly.

Twitter – I understand and acknowledge that Twitter has been quieter this week, due to the scale of the work taking place here behind the scenes. However, please continue to share your activities, experiences and photos and we can keep everybody enthused and motivated, through seeing all the positive home learning that is going on.

Have a lovely weekend and remember I am always the other side of the email inbox to address and respond to any of your queries.

Thank you for your ongoing support. It means a lot. Please tell your children to keep smiling – we’ll see many of them soon and can’t wait!

Yours sincerely,

Bryn D. Jones
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

As promised in last week’s newsletter, I am pleased to provide further details, regarding the provision we have put in place for the reopening of Rhos Street School on June 29th. As you will see below and as I have previously stressed, what will be delivered will be very different to what our pupils are used to. I would be grateful if you could explain the contents of this letter to them beforehand, to provide them with the necessary information, in order for them to be fully aware of what to expect when they attend.

While we have made every effort to ensure that the school is as welcoming as it can be and the sessions the pupils spend with us as stimulating as we are able to make them, it has also been necessary to put measures in place to ensure that the health and safety of the school community is protected as much as possible. Many of those measures will be unfamiliar to our pupils. Please go through these with your child and reassure them that they are in place to protect them and that we are really looking forward to welcoming them through our doors again.

We want to make sure that what we have put in place is appropriate and works for us. It may well be that we adjust or amend some of the arrangements going forward. However, to begin with, all pupils whose parents have indicated they want their child to attend will do so for one session per week for at least the first fortnight. We will be open for pupils in Reception up to Year 6 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and no more than eight pupils will attend any session with their teacher on any day. Following advice taken, the school will initially remain closed for Nursery pupils. Giggles will also remain closed for the rest of the academic year. We will consider the feasibility of any transition activities nearer the end of term.

Sessions will begin at 9.30am and will end at 1pm. Pupils will have two snack breaks during this period and will need to bring their own snack and their own water bottle. The school will be closed for pupils on Thursday and Friday for an extensive clean, before pupils return on the following Monday. On those days the school is closed, teachers will be able to give added focus to home learning, so that the blended approach of face to face schooling and home activities can complement one another. Consequently, the amount of online support on Monday-Wednesday will be reduced as teachers will be working in school.

Below is a list of questions you may have in your mind about the whole process and hopefully you will find the answers that you need. Apologies for the sheer amount of information below, but I wanted to be as clear as possible regarding the extensive measures and arrangements necessary in these unprecedented times and despite the length of the letter I hope it gives reassurance that we have put everybody’s safety as paramount.

I have also attached the schedule for each week specifying on which day your child will be expected to attend. This timetable is based on the data received via the online questionnaires.

Will my child be safe at Rhos Street School?
At Rhos Street School, we have consulted with the local and regional authority to produce risk assessments and make adaptations to the building. These assessments have been rubber stamped by the Local Authority and the Governing Body. It is essential that pupils and parents follow instructions, guidelines and signage to keep themselves and others safe. Every effort has been made to mitigate all risks. However, no school, no building, no establishment will ever be completely risk free in the current circumstances, although the measures outlined below have significantly reduced that risk.

Will the school be clean?
Our team of cleaners have worked throughout the school closure period and the whole building has been thoroughly cleaned in preparation for reopening. Surfaces, door handles and high touch areas will be cleaned during and at the end of each day as well as all areas the pupils have accessed including cloakrooms and toilets. As stated above, a thorough clean will take place on Thursdays and Fridays.

How often will my child attend school?
Each pupil will be able to attend for one session per week. This may be reduced or increased as the term continues. At present, we are proposing one session between 9.30am and 1pm on either a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Siblings will attend on the same day.

How many pupils will there be in a class?
The number of pupils in a class will vary based on class size and the number of responses received. Numbers will be between 3-8 pupils. These numbers fall within the recommended amount of pupils based on capacity assessments while exercising social distancing of 2 metres.

Will my child be in a class with their friends?
Pupils will be with their usual classmates and teachers. We have endeavoured to ensure that siblings attend on the same days and have also tried to achieve some balance of friends together in their classes. Please remember they need to remain socially distanced, despite perhaps not having seen one another for many weeks.

How will classrooms be organised?
We have taken specialist advice to calculate the maximum number of pupils a class can hold according to Welsh Government guidance. Furniture has been relocated in some classrooms. Windows and non-fire doors will be kept open to ensure good ventilation. There will be a cleaning station in each class which will include wipes, hand sanitiser, spray and tissues/hand towels. A one way system will be implemented to assist with social distancing.

How will the school day be structured?
The focus of each session will be to support pupil wellbeing, support home learning, ensuring understanding of Google Classroom and other online platforms, troubleshooting and introducing future tasks. Other wellbeing activities will take place, such as circle time and class discussion, giving pupils the opportunity to express their feelings and communicate any worries they may have regarding recent events. Opportunities to go outdoors will be maximised, with two breaks for snack and play, plus PE, although no invasion games nor activities which require sharing of equipment will take place. Some eco activities may also take place, but once again, all outdoor activities will exercise social distancing with no sharing of equipment. All equipment used will be cleaned after use, including Chrome books used in class.

How will playtimes/breaks be managed?
Breaks will be staggered to reduce contact between numbers of pupils. Staff will be on duty, but it is essential that pupils observe social distancing measures during these periods. There will be separate designated areas for breaks and we will not permit pupils from different classes to interact at these times. Pupils can eat the snack they have brought, but no food should be shared and pupils should use their own water bottles and wash their hands before and after eating.

What sort of work will be done in these sessions?
The Minister of Education has stated that the purpose of the reopening of schools in Wales is to “Check in, catch up prepare ”. It will not be possible to run a full timetable and formal lessons when school reopens. Our initial focus will be every pupils’ well-being and then we will move on to discussions about how they have progressed with the work set during the lockdown period.

What changes have been made to the school building?
Signs have been put up to direct pupils, parents and staff both inside and outside. All soft furnishings have been either removed or made inaccessible. Certain areas, such as the Library and Donut room have been made out of bounds. Desks have been set up in line with 2 metre social distancing protocols. Arrows assist pupils in travelling in the correct direction. There is a one-way system for all staff and pupils to use in each class.

Where do I bring my child at the beginning of the day?
We encourage as many families as possible to walk their child to the school. If you are required to bring your vehicle, please ensure you DO NOT park next to another car, using alternate spaces in the car park.
We ask that only one parent walks their child to and from the site. Families should walk together but remain socially distanced from other families. Pupils can enter the building from 9.20am. Please do not arrive earlier than this time and leave promptly after dropping off your child/ren.
On arrival to school there will be a one way system. Please observe the signs. Foundation phase pupils are to enter school via the lower gate and will be directed up the path to their class by a staff member. Parents can then go up the steps inside the gate and exit via the top Nursery gate. Years 3 and 4 are to enter the main reception door with Year 5 and 6 pupils to enter via the hall door. Please explain to your child that they must enter the site independently with little fuss. No parents will be permitted to enter the school building. Please only visit the office if it is completely essential, otherwise please telephone or email.
Please take note of any signs Pen Barras have displayed, avoiding their walkways.
All pupils will travel in one direction to their classes to be welcomed by their teachers. There will be clear signage to help them travel in the correct direction safely. Foundation Phase pupils will enter via their classes external door after walking up the path. Years 3 and 4 will travel up the main corridor to their class. Years 5 and 6 will go through the hall, exit the other hall door and enter via their classes external door. Pupils will go straight into class and not assemble on the yard as they would normally do.
All pupils and staff will be asked to wash their hands on arrival to the site as well as on the following occasions:
– before and after handling food
– before and after handling objects and equipment that may have been used by others
– where there has been any physical contact
– after people blow their nose, sneeze or cough.

Where do I pick up my child at the end of the school day?
Pupils will be sent home via the same doors they entered the site. Foundation Phase from the bottom gate, Years 3 and 4 from main reception and Years 5 and 6 from the hall. May I once again ask parents to arrive on time, exercise social distancing and leave the site promptly.

Do the pupils need to wear uniform?
There is no expectation for pupils to wear school uniform. We strongly recommend pupils bring a sun hat and apply sunscreen before arriving on site. Please dress Foundation Phase pupils in clothes that they are able to independently undo/take off and put back on eg. after going to the toilet. Many doors and windows will be kept open, so please ensure that your child has a hoodie or jumper. It is advisable to wear something that is comfortable and easily washable. There is no need to bring in any PE kit.

What should pupils bring with them to school?
Welsh Government suggest that pupils should only bring a coat to school and nothing else e.g. No footballs, bags etc. All standard school equipment will be provided. Snacks should be brought in a labelled disposable bag and water in a labelled bottle. Please do not send in any nut products. If your child uses an inhaler or any emergency medication, please make sure they have it in school and it is labelled. They can bring hand sanitizer if they wish in their coat pocket.

I am a key worker and my child has been attending during the school closure. Will this childcare provision continue?
Rhos Street School will remain open all day to care for the children of key workers. Childcare runs from 8am until 3.30pm based in the school hall. All carers in the household must be key workers in order to be eligible. Children of Key Workers will also be allocated a weekly session with their class teacher. School lunch is available for Key Worker pupils.

If my child falls ill during the day, what are the procedures?
If your child is unwell, DO NOT send them to school. If your child becomes ill during the day they will be sent to the sickroom. A qualified first aider will attend to them, but this member of staff will be wearing PPE. Please discuss this with your child. The school will then contact you to collect your child.

What are the arrangements for PPE?
The guidance states that there is no need to use personal protective equipment (PPE) when undertaking routine educational activities in classroom/school settings. However, we will respect parental choice for a pupil to wear PPE if they wish. Some staff may choose to wear PPE – see Welsh Government guidelines. Any parent who wishes to wear a face covering on site is welcome to do so.

A member of my family is shielding, can I send my child to school?
Please see advice from Public Health Wales (www.phw.nhs.wales)

A member of my family is pregnant, can I send my child to school?
Please see advice from Public Health Wales (www.phw.nhs.wales)

Will there be schoolwork set over the summer holidays?
No. It is important that everyone-pupils, parents and staff alike-take some time to rest and recharge.

Can I send my child without notifying school?
No. Parents must inform school if their circumstances change and we will liaise with you to see if you can be accommodated under the current framework. Please contact the school if you have decided not to send your child after all. As a parent or guardian, you have the right to choose to send your child to school or not.

Can my child walk to school and back home on their own?
If parents have previously signed the consent form permitting them to do this, then they can walk on their own.

What are the arrangements for managing behaviour?
This could be a difficult experience for some pupils who may be anxious about returning to school. Pupils are expected to follow the rules for their own safety and wellbeing, and everyone else in the building. Please discuss this with your child. In primary schools, WG guidance recognises that it is not practicable to expect learners to always maintain social distancing of 2 metres. We will however, always seek to ensure distancing between learners. We recognise that younger children will not be able to maintain social distancing at all times but we will constantly remind and encourage, with class furniture and signage organised accordingly to facilitate this.

How will I know what is planned for September 2020?
Please make sure that school has your email address as this is our preferred and most effective method of communication. We will keep you updated during the summer holiday when decisions are made.

Other useful information
There will be no school assemblies held or any gatherings of pupils in school.
Foundation Phase pupils will not be permitted to sit together on the carpet.
We will not permit visitors inside the school building, unless there is an emergency or essential maintenance is required.
There will be no Breakfast Club.
There will be no after school club provision.
All staff will receive clear briefing on the above procedures.
Free School Meal pupils will continue to receive their payments.

I acknowledge that this is a lot of information to take in, but I’m sure you’ll agree, the above measures are necessary to ensure the safety of all. Your cooperation in complying with these guidelines is very much appreciated and I’d be grateful if you would discuss them with your child before we reopen to ensure that staff, pupils and everybody in the school community is suitably briefed.

If having initially decided not to send your child back, you have had second thoughts, please let me know and I will consult with you to see if we can accommodate you for future weeks, once the timetable is up and running.

Please also be aware that dialogue continues between Welsh Government, Local Authorities and the Unions, so some information above may need to be changed. If it does, I will inform you straight away.

If you have any further questions, please get in touch. Otherwise, I look forward to welcoming back our wonderful pupils and catching up with you all, after what seems like a lifetime!

Yours sincerely,

Bryn D. Jones
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

This week, preparations have begun to ready the school for the partial reopening, which will take place on June 29th. Staff have collaborated to put together preliminary plans, processes and procedures for us to do this as safely as we possibly can. On Wednesday, we received guidance from Welsh Government to aid us in this task and you have filled an online questionnaire indicating your intentions regarding sending your child to school. Thank you for this information, which is essential for us to plan appropriately in these unprecedented times.

Now that the Local Authority have passed the names of those returning to us, we can now go ahead and make firmer plans regarding the structure of how this will look in reality. I look forward to sharing those plans at some point next week, when I am satisfied that all the measures have been decided and agreed by the relevant people in order to facilitate the safe opening of Rhos Street School. Those plans will be ratified by the Local Authority and the Governing Body.

Of course, over the past few months, Rhos Street has been hosting pupils of Key Workers from the Ruthin area. From June 22nd this provision will revert back to the parent schools and I understand the Local Authority will be communicating this information formally to parents. They will also be outlining the processes for any new registrations for the daily childcare provision which is only eligible to families where ALL carers in the household are Key Workers and have no alternative childcare. Our provision will continue to run from 8am to 3.30pm until the end of term.

Have a lovely weekend, thank you once again for your support and I’ll be in touch with arrangements next week.

Yours sincerely,

Bryn D. Jones
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

I’m sure you have been made aware of the announcement made by the Education Minister, Kirsty Williams regarding the proposed reopening of schools on June 29th.

Although this date is now agreed, I am awaiting the additional guidance from Welsh Government next week in order to be able to communicate to you how this will take place here at Rhos Street School. The Local Authority will then be preparing an online questionnaire for you to indicate whether you will be sending your child into school, so it may be a little while before the picture becomes clear.

Rest assured, we will be spending the next three weeks preparing to open with every safety aspect in mind and look forward to seeing our pupils again. I am in regular meetings with Headteachers, Local Authority and regional representatives as we collaborate with the intention of making this whole process as smooth, safe and as clear as possible.

I think it’s important to stress that this reopening will in no way reflect what we we previously called normal and the amount of time your child/ren will be allowed to spend in school between now and the proposed start of the Summer break on July 24th will be very much limited and could be as little as half a day or perhaps one full day per week. Like I said above, we await the guidance, but the reopening of schools in Wales has been framed as an opportunity to ‘Check in, catch up and prepare.’ This will give us the chance to reestablish direct contact with the pupils who return and help us prepare for the ‘New Normal’ in September, which will it seems, continue to require a blended approach of home learning and face to face contact with teachers in school.

In the meantime, I will ensure that when things are in place and decisions have been made, I will communicate them with you. The safety of all will be the highest priority and I’m sure I can count on your support, cooperation and trust as we work together in securing the reopening of Rhos Street School as safely as we possibly can.

In the meantime, please stay safe and look after one another.

Yours sincerely,

Bryn D. Jones
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

The weather remains kind to us, which I’m sure you’ll agree has been somewhat of a tonic in these unprecedented times. A pause in home learning due to the half term break, has hopefully left everybody recharged and ready to go again from Monday! I hope you all continue to be safe and well and that our pupils remain happy and positive.

From Monday, may I reinforce that we wish for all pupils and families in all full time classes to use Google Classroom as a focal point for their home learning. Please ensure your child logs on each day to review the tasks and activities set by the teachers and to complete them, so that they can receive ongoing feedback. Any problems, please let me know.

We once again await an end of week statement / press conference from The Welsh First Minister, as well as the Education Secretary, so we may well by the end of the day, have a clearer picture of the road map ahead.

On the twitter page, is some information regarding a fundraising initiative by one of our Governors, Mr Brian Hubble. Mr Hubble was previously Chair to the Governing Body and has been a supporter of the school throughout my time as Head and for many years previously. He will cycle Route 76, for 76 miles on his 76th Birthday – 76/76/76. There is also a link there if you wish to lend some support to his fundraiser.

Thank you to those who have shared photos of your child holding aloft their Betsi Cadwaladr certificates. Please keep them coming (template emailed last week.)

Other news of note is that Liam Purvis, has cycled and walked 100 miles during the month of May. Well done! He’ll be as fit as a butchers dog! Also, Ruben has been the lucky recipient of a special message from Leicester City player Christian Fuchs, which you will be able to see on Twitter.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Yours sincerely,

Bryn D. Jones
Headteacher