June 26th 2020

Dear John Randall Family

Thank you all for supporting school in many ways since our change in Lockdown from March 2020. As you know school has never closed to all children and we have been changing and adapting our teaching and learning working together.

The virus has not gone away and we need to keep being  READY, RESPECTFUL AND SAFE! 

As we adapt and change with the virus; so will some of our staffing in September.

It is time to say a fond farewell to our wonderful year 6 and sadly to their teacher Mrs Wust.

Mrs Wust has been a brilliant teacher at John Randall and we will miss her wonderful productions, her piano playing and singing in assemblies and her enthusiasm for learning. Now it is time for her to support other children who need her. She will be greatly missed.

 

We are also saying a very fond farewell to Mrs Aguayo- Although she has not been in school this term – she is going to be missed in the Foundation stage. Mrs Aguayo has been the first teacher for many of our John Randall children and she has set them on the path for life-long learning. We wish her much happiness for the future.

We are welcoming new staff in September – the class teachers are not yet fully confirmed but we will be saying hello to Miss Lauren Hughes. We will also be introducing you to our new team of chefs! Watch this space!

I will be writing to you with more updates for September soon and to confirm the class lists.

Can I remind you that your children’s teachers are contacting you next week regarding your on line working- we are very keen to know what difficulties you are having and are here ready to support you with learning packs to take home if you need them.

 

With very best wishes for a peaceful weekend.

 

Stephanie Dowley

Headteacher

 

 

Dear John Randall Family

Ready respectful and SAFE warning!

I was contacted on Friday by a concerned parent regarding the use of Snap Chat by some John Randall children.

The parent had full knowledge of her child’s account and was watching the conversations.

Unfortunately a stranger was let into the conversation and it very quickly turned very nasty.

However, I am very pleased to report that because of great messages about internet safety from home and school, our year 6 reported it immediately to her mum. It shocked the parent how quickly it tuned into potential child sexual harm.

School and the police were contacted and they will be investigating the sender of the inappropriate messages.

Parents – please do not let your children use any social media platform. They are illegal for under 13’s.

Please make sure you have sight of your child’s device and check it every day.

Please keep talking about on line safety to your child

See our safeguarding pages for good websites on safeguarding your children.

Best wishes

 

Stephanie Dowley

June 12th 2020

Dear John Randall Family

School is back! But for some not as we knew it! 

We are welcoming more children back to school from Monday. Thank you to all those parents who replied wanting a place and I’m very sorry that some children will be disappointed they can’t start back.

Even though some children will not be at school we are now expecting everyone to sign up to the on line learning platforms and show their learning. The teachers have worked very hard over the last 12 weeks to make sure that all classes have learning activities.

We will not be opening our doors to any more children now unless the situation changes rapidly for the better.  The governors have made a decision that class sizes should stay at a maximum of 12 children plus adults in each classroom. I’m sure you will agree that the safety of everyone in school is the the most important thing. With his number we can maintain social distancing measures. We will be following government guidelines.

From Monday we need to be especially Ready, Respectful and Safe:

Parents: Do not use the car park at any time.

We open our doors at 8.30- 8.45 am This Is to support our working parents and so we don’t have too many parents and children trying to get into school at one time. There will be signs outside the classrooms directing you to social distance.

Home time – will be from 2.45 – 3.00 pm Again this is so parents can socially distance when collecting children.

 We are all part of the John Randall Family  and your child’s learning journey is very important. Working together we need to make sure that our children still keep making progress. Reading success is the key! Keep reading with your children! Early years have lots of phonic videos to join in with or there is BBC bitesize. All links are on the website.

 We have made sure that we have email and text contacts for you – if they change please let us know.

Teachers have set up lots of learning opportunities on the school website – see your child’s class pages.  The foundation stage and year 1 have Tapestry and all other years groups have See-Saw.  We ask that you upload photos of your children’s leaning onto these platforms. If on-line learning is tricky for families then we have work packs that can be used instead. Your child’s teacher will be in touch. Please check the website Facebook and twitter for our news.

 The learning in the classroom will mirror the online learning – so you can be sure your child is not missing out!  

 Doing nothing is not an option!  Even though we are not seeing many of you on a daily basis we are here..  If you need any help please contact myself, Mrs Pugh or your child class teacher – we are here to support you.

 Your class teacher will be in touch with you regarding your access to the learning platforms.

 Thank you all again for such positive support for school during this terrible pandemic. Our children’s safety is the most important thing and you can be sure that we are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe.

 With best wishes

Stephanie Dowley

UPDATE 09.06.2020

Dear John Randall Family,

I hope this finds you safe and well!

We are looking to extend our welcome to more children from Monday 15^th June whilst still working within government guidelines on limited numbers in school.  Please contact school by phone or email by midday tomorrow (Wednesday, 10^th June) if you would like your child to be considered for one of these full time places.  We will then contact you by midday Thursday (11th June) to confirm any places offered.  Please do not send your child if you do not receive this confirmation.

Best wishes in these troubling times,

Stephanie Dowley

Update 27.05.2020

Dear Parents,

I hope that you all had a wonderful bank holiday weekend – what fantastic weather!  In the last few days – in line with the government’s drive to have some year groups back at school – we contacted you and asked if you wanted a school place for your child.

Based on the responses, we have offered a small number of places in addition to the children that are already in school. We have emailed those parents to confirm the place.  If you have not received a confirmation email then do not send your child to school on 1st June.

For the care and protection of the children and staff in school we will review the situation in 2 weeks’ time.  If we feel it is safe to do so then we will contact you again.

Can I thank you all for your support in these very difficult times.  Please rest assured that we are doing everything in line with government guidelines to keep you and your children safe.  Do not hesitate to contact myself or the two parent Governors: Maz Ahmed and Belinda Ezeazu if you have any further concerns or questions.

 

As always keep checking the school website class pages for new home learning ideas! The teachers love hearing from the children.

 

Keep safe and well,

Steph Dowley

Head Teacher

John Randall Primary School and Nursery

Update 26th May 2020

 

Dear Parents

I hope that you all had a wonderful bank holiday weekend-  what fantastic weather !

In the last few days – in line with the governments drive to have some year groups back at school – we contacted you and asked if you wanted a school place for your child.

Based on the responses, we have offered a small number of places in addition to the children that are already in school. We have emailed those parents to confirm the place.

If you have not received an confirmation email then do not send your child to school on 1^st June.

For the care and protection of the children and staff in school we will review the situation in 2 weeks time. If we feel it is safe to do so then we will contact you again.

Can I thank you all for your support in these very difficult times. Please rest assured that we are doing everything in line with government guidelines to keep you and your children safe. Do not hesitate to contact myself or  the 2 parent Governor; Maz Khanam  and Belinda Ezeazu if you have any further concerns or questions.

As always keep checking the school website class pages  for new home learning ideas ! the teachers love hearing from the children

Keep safe and well

 

Stephanie Dowley

Head Teacher

John Randall Primary School and Nursery

 

 

20-5-2020

Dear children, parents, carers and our Madeley community

Can I thank you all for your support at one of the most difficult times in world history.  We are all living through very uncertain times and conditions and our first priority is for our families and friends.  This is true of you as parents, and for all the staff at school too.  It is a very sad fact, but we all know someone who has died, been ill or is anxious for their health and the well-being of themselves and precious family.

As you know we are only open at the moment for a small number of families.  I can assure you that I will not be opening John Randall to any more children unless the governors and myself think it is absolutely safe to do so.  I am making this decision based on the care I have for the children, our families, and the care and well-being of the staff.  You trust your most precious children to us and I will not be putting them at unnecessary risk.

But if we do open for more children, please be assured that it will only be when all risks have been assessed and in agreement with Government guidelines.

In the mean- time please, please answer the emails from your class teachers, asking you to sign up to our online learning platforms. Either Tapestry in the Early years and SeeSaw for the older children. You will find the links on our school website – class pages.  If for any reason you cannot access those pages – PLEASE CONTACT SCHOOL! We have lots of home learning packs available and ready to go!

Your children’s teachers are making contact with everyone – we are loving seeing all the work you are sharing.

I will keep in touch when I have further information.

 

Please take care and keep safe.

Best wishes

Stephanie Dowley

Headteacher

 

14-5-2020

Returning to School

As you will have seen on the news, the Government is keen for schools to start re-opening whilst maintaining the social distancing rules.

This will therefore be a gradual opening, with some classes attending and some still Home Learning.  We would really value your opinions on this, as to whether you would send your child back to school in June or not.  Please email  school on a2176@taw.org.uk  with yes or no

As part of the new procedures we will be putting in place, to avoid handling cash, we have signed up for ParentPay which is a secure online portal for you to make payments for dinner money, breakfast club, uniform, trips etc online.  We will be using this in the future as a main preferred method of communication between school and parents for trip permissions.

If we have got an email address for you in school, you will receive your login details via email in the coming days, otherwise it will be a posted letter.  If you have received neither by the end of next week, please get in touch with us.  If you have children in other schools that use ParentPay, you can just add your John Randall pupils to that account.  Similarly, for children going to secondary schools that use ParentPay, their account will just transfer.

 

Thank you

 

Stephanie Dowley

Headteacher