Dear John Randall Family

A quick newsletter and update – July 2021

We still have just over 2 weeks of learning time in school and lots to do!

Your class teachers will be letting you know when your class sports day is. This is a children only event again I’m afraid but we will post pictures of sporting achievements  on the web site. It’s time to get out the John Randall PE kit! Your child will come in their kit for the whole day.

I will be sending the details of your child’s new class and teacher for September out on Friday.

Facemasks / Covid –  I would like to stress that the DELTA variant is still within Telford and it is advised that you continue to wear your masks on the playground  for your own protection.  The positive cases are on the increase and we are not safe to reduce our procedures. We will not be reducing any safeguarding measures before the end of term – despite what the government recommendations are.  Other schools are closing bubbles and so far we have not had to shut one bubble since March. This is because we have acted together and  have been very careful.

Can I please urge to support us by ordering your child a school lunch and NOT BRINGING PACKED LUNCHES IN A BAG OTHER THAN PAPER. THE NUMBER OF LUNCH BAGS AND BOXES ARE CREEPING UP. Our risk assessment hasn’t changed and we still are asking for paper bags that can be thrown away. The less waste the better.

School lunches

Please encourage your children to have a school lunch – the chefs and your school governors have listened to your feedback and have made the lunches all foods which your children know. The lunches are delicious!

We would like to reduce the number of packed lunches in school and if you have to have a packed lunch please make your lunches as healthy as possible. We are a healthy school. Please add a protein such as cheese, ham or tuna to sandwiches and not jam or  Chocolate spread. Keep the snacks to 1 only please. Add fruit, veg as snacks instead.

We will not be serving morning snacks for the rest of the term – Key Stage 1 children will still be offered fresh fruit and veg with the government scheme  – Key Stage 2 children should bring in fresh fruit or veg sticks or a cereal bar. But no crisps, biscuits or sweets please. If children bring these in they will be returned at the end of the day. The kitchen will serve snacks again the September.

Playground equipment

Unfortunately we have had an isolated accident. I can assure all parents that all the playground equipment is completely safe to use and is checked regularly.

It is specially designed for primary age children. The equipment is really important for the children to use their muscles, being ready, respectful and safe and learning how to be safe.  The adults are well placed around the playground when the children are outside. As always each class has a dinner supervisor as well as class teachers and support team. These adults are always with the children both outside and inside.

Attendance  100%

If  your child’s attendance dips below our target of 97% it triggers a letter from school. This is to alert you to the level of absence and how we can help you in keep your children in school every day. The letters are written by the Local Authority Attendance Team and do not come from school. We work with the Attendance Team to ensure that we keep within the Law and to support you as parents.

Knife crime

Please stay safe at home – the levels of incidents in the local community are on the rise and we are hearing reports that children in the area are carrying weapons to ‘ feel safe’ in the community. Please ensure your children are safe in your homes and gardens. Please know where they are at all times and talk to them about knife crime and the dangers.  We will be learning more about this in school next year.

As always please do not hesitate to contact me  or your parent governors if you require any further information.

Lets be Ready, Respectful and Safe together.  

With best wishes

Stephanie Dowley

 

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Dear John Randall family

 

We have come to end of another term!

We have many things to be thankful for. We have not had to lose any bubbles or school for some time, no ill health in school which is due to all of us keeping Ready, Respectful and Safe. The children are so pleased to be with their friends once again and we love having them all back together.

Sadly, I have had a concern from your parent governor, that some adults are not wearing face masks on the playground  Please do not do this! You are putting others at risk. Even of you have had the vaccine – it does not protect you from getting or spreading Covid 19. If you are exempt from wearing a mask, please wear your identification. If you have been asked by staff to wear a face covering please do so.

Thinking ahead to the summer term I would like to remind you –

School is not changing in the near future.

We still have to wear face masks/ coverings in all our public areas including the playground.

We still have to maintain social distancing in school and in public spaces

We still have to bring any food and drink in a bag. Order school dinners to save extra packaging waste and expense!

Clothes

We are still not changing for PE and every class does outdoor learning for at least an hour every day.

So please make sure your children are wearing the school jumper and polo shirt on top and either joggers, leggings or shorts in schools colours. Dark grey/ blue/ black with trainers. Girls can wear dresses but please remember they are doing PE in their clothes and dresses are not always practical.

We are still a dusty building site and we are having lots of learning outdoors. I do not want you to spend money on school trousers which will get dirty and need lots of washing. Joggers & leggings are cheap to buy and easier to wash!

If you want to see how good we are at outdoor learning – catch up on channel five news from Tuesday 30^th march! We were on the channel 5 news at 5.20 pm. They filmed the children as are a flagship Nature Friendly School for outdoor learning!

Please…. Can you keep reading and practising the phonics with your children. They have so much catching up to do and 2 weeks is a long time to go without any learning!

Have a very happy safe and well Easter holidays

Don’t forget we have a PD day on the 19^th April so back to school on the 20^th April!

 

Stephanie Dowley

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March 2021

To all our families …

All children are required to attend school form Monday 8^th March. Unless your child has a shielding letter they must be in school.

All attendance will be unauthorised unless contact is made with school. We are really looking forward to 100% attendance!

We all want to be as safe as possible- we have made lots of changes  in and outside the building. We have written a risks assessment which has been assessed and agreed by the Local Authority

Risk Assessment

As we are a building site – access both front and back is limited. Please stand 2 metres from other adults when queuing at the gate and on the playground and front entrance.  We will get the children out as quickly as possible. It will really help if you are at the same entrance every day!

Remember that year 5 is now in a classroom at the front of school!

Breakfast club for families who need to get to work opens at 8.00 am, please pre book your place and pay on parentpay.

School opens at 8.30 am and the gates will close at 8.45 sharp! Gates will reopen at 2.45 pm for the end of the school day.  Please do not be late for school.

There will be no more new learning on the class pages on the website – so if you do need to isolate we will send the work to you via seesaw or tapestry,

Regards

Stephanie Dowley

Headteacher

 

John Randall Primary School and Nursery

January 2021

Remote Education provision: Information for Parents

In order to reduce the spread of Covid, we know the majority of our John Randal family will remain at home, until it is safe to return. We are looking forward to welcoming you all back safely, when we are allowed to do so.

If your child is classed as vulnerable or you are a critical worker, your child may be eligible for school-based provision. Please contact school directly if you feel you meet this criteria or if your current circumstances change.

We have produced a risk assessment to explain how we will keep everyone as safe as possible.

All risk assessments have been assessed and agreed by the Local Authority and the school policies have been updated in line with this.  There have been a lot of changes inside and outside the school building to ensure that we adhere to the current advice regarding social distancing.

Click on link to see the current risk assessment  and the master risk assessment.

 

Remote Learning

Every day, we offer a well-sequenced, progressive and rich curriculum, in a range of National Curriculum subjects, to children working in school and at home, to ensure high quality learning is maintained.

Our approach is that children and families engage daily with our online learning platforms, Tapestry or See Saw.  These online learning platforms allow teachers to upload work, children to submit their work and teachers to provide regular, daily feedback to the children.  Children and parents can communicate with their teacher through this platform. If families are unable to access this platform, all work can be found on our school website.

Our learning offer reflects the curriculum for all children. However, the learning can be broken up in to manageable routines, that meets the needs of your family. Each day, teachers will be looking for good quality work from the children. We are able to offer daily support, guidance and alternative ways of accessing the learning offer if needed.

We recognise that your child may not be able be access remote education without additional support at home. We acknowledge the difficulties this may place on your family and we will work with you to support your child by providing additional activities, resources and guidance. We know you may not have the devices or internet connection to access our home learning offer. We are in a position to lend a limited number of laptops and have data sims available. As an alternative to this work packs are available from the school office. Work can be emailed back to school or retuned to an isolation box in the school office weekly.

Please contact the school on (01952)388390 or a2176@taw.org.uk

Knowing our children are safe and well is really important to us. Our expectation is that our children will be logged on by 9.30am every day. Each morning children need to let their teacher know how they are feeling by responding to the wellbeing check. Teachers will be in contact with families if they have not had any communication, for safeguarding reasons.  If you have any issues, please don’t worry, just let us know.

We look forward to continuing the learning journey with you.

Here is our remote learning policy:.

January 5th 2021

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Dear John Randall Family

 

Thank you for working with us so well during our lockdown today!

Now Boris Johnson has locked the country down again, all schools are only open to Key children.

 

We are still teaching and learning

For those children in school the doors open at 8.30 sharp! And home time is 2.45 pm. Please do not be late.

You wil have been contacted if your child has a place in school.

 

For those children learning at home the school day will be as follows:

 

Parents and children to log on to their class learning platforms by 9.30 am

This is our register to make sure all children are safe and well. If you do not log on then you will receive a phone call

from school. This will be logged on your attendance register.

 

Teachers will post learning every day. Your child’s teacher will be on the learning platform every day

to support your children at home. They will be able to answer any questions you have. You will be able to upload

photos, videos and recordings for your teacher to see.

 

Over the coming days we will be sending you lots of learning links.

The most important thing is to practise reading everyday with your children.

We don’t want them out of school and we really don’t want them to miss out.

 

If you do not upload any evidence of children’s learning your teacher will be in touch to see how we can help.

 

If you need paper learning packs to collect then please contact school and these will be made up for you by Friday.

 

If you need a packed lunch please use the parent pay to order it the DAY BEFORE- and please collect it from school.

 

We are expecting you to support your children at home with their learning. We are here to help in any way as always

Please contact us – we look forward to hearing from you.

 

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Stephanie Dowley

January 4th 2021

Dear John Randall Family,

We take the education of your children very seriously and our ethos of Being Ready, Respectful and Safe is in everything we do. This is a time where we need to be all 3!

I wrote to you yesterday to outline the plans for a Covid safe school for us all. This is my priority to ensure that we all keep safe in school, our communities and our families at home.

As I explained, the teaching unions have asked their members to report if they feel safe working in school in a class of 30 children with additional adults.
This is not reflection of the school safety but rather the unknown science behind the new variant of the Covid virus. SAGE has strongly recommended to the Government that schools do not open fully until more is known. The teaching staff feel that not enough is known about the new virus for them to feel confident teaching in a full classroom at this time.

Therefore I have made the decision to return our school to remote learning for the majority of children for the next 2 weeks
Monday 4th – Friday 15th January.
If your child has been offered a school place, you will already have received your phone call. School uniform remains the same with joggers and trainers for outdoor learning. We recommend your child having the school lunches as this will be hot meal, this must be pre-ordered using parent pay. Any packed lunches must be in a bag which can be disposed of after the lunch break.
Breakfast club is now cancelled. School is open to named children from 8.30-9.00 and 2.45 – 3.00 pm – please do not be late.

If you have not received a phone call please keep your children safe at home.

We are expecting you as parents to support us in logging on to your child’s learning platform every day. This is either seesaw or tapestry. The teachers are working very hard to provide you with on line learning opportunities. You will need to log onto the virtual register before 9 am every day. If we don’t receive a log on we will be giving you a call!
Please support your children in reading with them every day- even for 10 mins. It makes all the difference and will help to close the gap in learning whilst they are at home.
Please tell your children that they are still learning and their teachers will be asking them lots of questions online!

Any child at home in receipt of free school meals – you will be offered a packed lunch to be pre ordered and collected from school the next day. Please use your parent pay accounts to order them.

I apologise for any disruption that this causes, but we are acting quickly to try and keep to our excellent safety record of no positive cases in the school. I do hope that this will be the last time we have to resort to online learning. We miss the children in school very much!

If you have any further questions please be in contact with Maz Kahnam or Belinda Ezeazu, your parent governors or of course myself at school.

Thank you again for your continued support of school.

Stephanie Dowley
Headteacher

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January 3rd 2021

Dear Parents

 

On behalf of the Governors  and staff – Happy New Year! I hope it has been a safe and sound time for everyone!

 

School closed for PD DAY Monday 4^th January 2021

School only open to named key children on Tuesday 5^th January 2021.

 

As you will be aware there has been a rapid escalation in the Covid virus. This has led to an uncertainty in the new strain of the virus and its rapid escalation rate through the country. Following the duty of care we have for everyone, on Tuesday initially,  we have decided to only open school to those children who have an EHCP, young carers, those families who work with social services and those families whose parents are key workers.  Families will be contacted by school on Monday 4^th January. If you are not contacted by school on Monday please do not bring your children in on Tuesday. We will provide remote learning for your children at home on the school webpage and the learning platforms.

 

We need to make sure that we can keep everybody safe, that includes our wonderful staff as well as our children. As the national picture remains uncertain the Local Authority and Teaching & support staff unions are working to put in place safe working practises for everyone. We are awaiting further decisions to be made and I will contact you again on Tuesday to look at the week ahead. We need to ensure that we can provide the right level of staffing both in school and remotely if necessary.

It is clear that the new variant of Covid-19 is virulent and the rates of infection are rising far more rapidly than the previous strain. As a school we are thinking very carefully about the safety of all adults and children in classes of 30 and as parents you may wish to consider the safety of your families.

 

Teaching Unions have advised their members to consider if they feel safe working in a school environment at this time. This is not a strike and any staff not in school will be remotely working from home. We are awaiting a full picture on the staffing levels in school. The Local Authority support school decisions and they are updating us with Department  of Education information daily. We all fully support staff with any decision they make.

 

As a cluster of schools we are working closely together to bring you information and to support you in keeping all our families safe at this uncertain time.

 

School will keep you informed and update you with full opening times.

 

Can I thank you once again for your support of school at this most challenging of times.

Very best wishes

 

Stephanie Dowley

Head Teacher

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John Randall Primary School and Nursery

Dear Parents

The builders have started work!

If you have children in year 1 or year 6 ONLY- please pick up and drop off from the front entrance of school.

All other classes  – parents please wait on the football pitch on the playground and your children will be brought out to you or brought into their class in the morning.

If you have children in year 6 and 1 with children in other classes please wait on the football pitch.  DO NOT ENTER THE KEY STAGE 1 PLAYGROUND.  You must use the rear entrance of school at all times

Please come early – we open the gates  at 8.30am and 2.45 pm.  There will be an increased number of people using the back gate, but please ensure that you maintain social distancing at all times

Regards

Stephanie Dowley

Headteacher

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December 14th 2020

Dear Parents,

As you may have noticed – the building work has started!  This building work is to improve the facilities of both Haughton School and John Randall.

I will be able to share the plans with you next term, but we are going to have a brand new two storey addition to our school and nursery and reception will be in the school not a demountable!

However things are going to look a bit different for a while…

The contractors will be building a service road around the edge of the field. This will make sure the children are kept away from large machinery and are as safe as possible.

Please be aware that the playground outside Year 1, 2 & 3 will be fenced off.

For all parents – where possible use the rear entrance to school and please come to school as early as you can – Remember our gates open at 8.30am. No children to be unaccompanied please – One adult with children at all times. The front entrance will be used for heavy machinery and could be dangerous. If you need to use it- there will be a walkway around the outside of the playground – please walk quickly round in single file.

For parents with children in reception and nursery please use the fire exit doors NOT the front door.   This is to keep you and your children safe as it is as far away from the building site as possible.

The children will be playing on the field and the astro turf playground. We are in the process of buying wellies and extra waterproofs for all the children, to be kept in school,  so that school clothes do not get muddy. The children need to come to school in shoes/ trainers.

We will be using our forest school area as much as possible during the building so please keep to the uniform of dark blue/ black tracksuit bottoms and easily washable trousers. I really do appreciate your support with this. We are fortunate to have such a large field!

The construction work will be lasting the whole of the school year and hopefully when we return in September 2021 the children will be in the new building!

I know some of you are keen to show your appreciation to your children’s class teacher this year- so in order to keep it Covid safe there will be a box outside the classroom. Please do not bring any Christmas cards for children please

We have all had a very very strange and quite frightening year . However, we haven’t had to close any bubbles at all! Can I thank you for supporting the school by following our Covid rules.

Thank you for all your comments and ideas, I really do appreciate the time you take to contact either myself or Maz.

On behalf of all the staff and Governors

May I wish you a very Merry, Safe and peaceful Christmas

And may the New Year be calm!

Please remember that we break up on Thursday December 17^th and we look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday 5^th January at 8.30!

Very best wishes

Stephanie Dowley

Head Teacher

John Randall Primary School and Nursery

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Dear John Randall family

 

Government guidance has been announced advising schools to close on Friday 18^th December.

So with apologies for the short notice,  our last day of term will be Thursday 17^th December.

 

Public Health England have agreed a 6 day window after the final day of teaching in which schools are asked to remain contactable so we can assist with contact tracing where necessary.  This will allow enough time for positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases to be identified and confirmed by a test and for relevant contacts in our school to be traced.  They are clear that beyond 6 days after the final day of teaching, school staff are not are not asked to play a role in any contact tracing.  It is also likely that the need to support the tracing process will reduce dramatically over the course of the 6 days as the majority of cases should be identified earlier in the week.

Where a pupil or staff member tests positive for Coronavirus, having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted.  Parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.

For the first 6 days after teaching ends, of a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus, having developed symptoms within 48 house of being in school, the school is asked to assist in identifying close contracts and advising self-isolation, as the individual may have been infections whilst in school.

School staff are not asked to remain on-call or conduct any contact tracing more than 6 days after the final day of teaching.  As our schools last teaching day is on Thursday 17^th December, there should be nor pupil contact tracing asks beyond Wednesday 23^rd December.

For the first 6 days after the end of the term, schools are not asked to be on-call at all times.  Mrs Codling and I will be responsible for contact tracing; this will be a limited period in the day to receive notification of positive cases and advise close contacts to self-isolate.

If your child tests positive between Friday 18^th December – Wednesday 23^rd December please notify us on the following email address a2176@taw.org.uk  We will be working between 9am – 12pm on these days.  If we receive an email telling us there is a positive case in school you will receive an email during this period of time.  We obviously will not be supplying home learning packs.  The FSM voucher (if entitled to it) will be sent by the local authority any way for the Christmas period.

I apologise if this causes you an in-convenience but I really do want to minimise any disruption for you over the Christmas period.  If this one additional day means that you don’t hear from me on Christmas Eve it is worth it!

Thank you so much for your co-operation over this past term.  Procedures we have in place will remain in the Spring term until we are all much safer.

 

Very best wishes

 

Stephanie Dowley

 

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Dear parents

Stranger danger- please be aware.
A young girl has been approached by a tall, thin, white man this evening in the Sutton hill area. When she asked him for the time he followed her despite her walking away. She is safe and well.
Please ensure your children are not out alone
Please make sure you bring and collect your children from school.

Best regards

 

Stephanie Dowley

Head Teacher
John Randall Primary School and Nursery

 

Dear John Randall family

As we approach the Christmas season I have had to make a few decisions to ensure the safety of all the children and staff in school.

Please do not send in Christmas cards this year. I know its seems very mean – but we have done very well with keeping the children safe so far and I am hoping everyone has a healthy Christmas!

I hope that by giving you early notice you will not have bought cards etc.

I will be in touch with regards to other Christmas traditions.
We will not be having a nativity play or carols round the tree. The staff are working on alternative Christmas plans that we can safely share with you.

Thank you for your continued support of school
Please take care

Stephanie Dowley

 

Please view the video below about Keeping Safe on School Grounds

 

Dear John Randall Family and Friends,

Dear John Randall Family

The gates will open at 8.30am. The registers will be taken at 8.55 sharp! It will be really help us to keep everyone safe by ensuring all children are in school by 8.55am.

The school gates will re-open at 2.45pm for the end of the school day. We are extending the opening and collection times to make sure there is plenty of room on the playground for all to move around safely.

 

Please wear a mask if you wish to do so.

 

A reminder of all the changes happening in school – it’s a bit different!

Uniform:

Children to wear school polo shirt and logo jumper on the top half. Navy or black Tracksuit trousers and black trainers on the bottom half. This is so that your child can take part in all outdoor activities/ PE without having to change. If you have dresses then please wear thick tights or legging underneath and a jumper on top.

•  Make sure the children have a coat in school every day.
• Please do not bring PE kits into school, lunch boxes or ruck sacks.

We will be doing outdoor activities every day and not just PE days. The children will be doing the mile track and having Forest School sessions on a daily basis. We are doing this to make sure the children and adults are spending regular time out of doors and having lots of time to get to know each other again.

If your child is in early years and may need a change of under clothes – please bring a separate bag with a change of pants and tracksuit bottoms into school with your child’s name on it.

 

School lunches:

We are very excited to be able to announce that our chefs have started and we have our very own John Randall Food Team!

Ask your children about the wonderful meals chef Gareth has made already… The menus will be out next week and lunches will be £2.30 please pay by parent pay – we will not be accepting cash.

Please bring any sandwiches in a paper or plastic bag which can be thrown away. This includes drinks bottles. Please don’t bring lunch boxes or bags as we are trying to reduce the contamination risk of items going from home to school and back to home.

 

Car park:

The car park is completely off limits to parents, unless you have a disabled badge for your child!

We are very sorry for any congestion at the back of school – this is due to the building works and a new car park! I will be writing to you about this separately.

We are keeping up with government policy and the safety of your children and our staff is always my first priority. I know you will understand.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me or your parent governors if you need any further information. Parent governors are: Maz Ahmed and Belinda Ezeazu.

 

Please take care and keep safe.

Best wishes,

Stephanie Dowley

Head Teacher

 

Public Transport Review

We have been asked to pass the letter on this letter to all parents for comment by Friday.  Please click on the link 2020 07 21 Home to School Transport Letter FINAL

 

Please click on the link to read or download the John Randall Summer Newsletter shown below Summer Newsletter 2020