Parents, have you applied for a primary school place for your child in 2021? 🏫
The deadline is January 15th 👇
https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-primary-school-place

4^th January 2021

 

 

 

Dear Parents/Carers,

 

As you may have seen in the news, the government have instructed our school to close from tomorrow and provide remote learning to all our pupils. We are absolutely devastated for our children and families to go through this again but we will be again with you every step of the way.

We’ll only be able to stay open for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will need to continue their learning from home until the restrictions are lifted.

You can find details of our plans for remote learning here:

Reminder-Home Learning Support Information

 

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll continue to receive these while at home by offering a pick up packed lunch meal again. Please could you contact the office before 10am then we can prepare it for you ready to collect at 11.45pm.

 

A reminder of the definitions of ‘vulnerable children’ and ‘critical workers’

Vulnerable children are those who:

• Have a child in need plan or child protection plan
• Are looked after by the local authority
• Have an education, health and care (EHC) plan and have been determined, following risk assessment, that their needs can be as safely or more safely met at school
• Have been assessed as otherwise vulnerable by the school or LA, including children who are:
  • On the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services
  • Adopted
  • At risk of becoming NEET (‘not in employment, education or training’)
  • Living in temporary accommodation
  • Young carers

 

Critical workers are those who work in:

• Health and social care
• Education and childcare
• Key public services (including the justice system, religious staff, charities delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting)
• Local and national government who are involved in delivering the coronavirus response or essential public services
• Food and other necessary goods
• Public safety and national security
• Transport
• Utilities, communication and financial services

 

 

If your child attended during last lockdown, the school will open from 8am-3.30pm tomorrow and will have a place. Please can you contact me if your child is coming to school so that we can prepare for numbers. We will still provide breakfast club and can provide a cooked school dinner.

 

If your circumstances have changed and you believe you are now a front-line critical worker, please email: d.lee103@durhamlearning.net outlining what your role is as soon as possible. Please note that priority will be given to those families where both parents are front-line critical workers.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by email on d.lee103@durhamlearning.net.

Thankyou again from the bottom of my heart to you all for persevering and continuing to work with our different ways of operation. I would also like to thank our wonderful staff again for their positive attitudes and readiness to respond to requests and go above and beyond to make sure we do the best we can for the children. Also a huge thank you to our wonderful children, who have been fantastic during these difficult times. I am so proud to be Head Teacher of our amazing little school- it’s a huge team effort with you fantastic parents/carers, children, staff and governors all working together.

 

 

Thank you again for your continued support.

Donna Lee

Head Teacher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome Back

 

Monday January 4th 2021

 

 

Dear Parents/Carers,

 

 

I hope you have had a lovely Christmas and New Year. Welcome back to the start of the new Spring Term and thankyou for your patience regarding schools re-opening and the current media. There has been much speculation in the media over the past few days re: reopening of schools this week and things keep changing.

It is an unfolding situation with the government, scientists, and staff unions all taking different views on the current risks of schools reopening. I’m sure you will appreciate how this is a very difficult time for school leaders as we continue to work out how best to keep our staff and families safe.

School will re-open tomorrow on Tuesday 5th January at 8.00 a.m. for breakfast club, followed by normal start and finish procedures for class bubbles. If there is any further change or guidance from the Department of Education or Local Authority, I will let everyone know as soon as possible. I also totally understand if anyone is feeling anxious about their children returning to school. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns.

Due to on-going restrictions there will be no after school tuition clubs until further guidance so unfortunately we will not be able to begin them next week.

As you are aware, we are now in Tier 4 and further restrictions are in place. Please can we remind you to be aware of what these are and follow them in order to protect us all. Failing to do so impacts all of us and will most certainly result in the closure of school bubbles. The staggered start times and social distancing measures in and around school are very important, we also encourage you to wear a face mask when collecting your child from school.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

If you, your child or a household ‘bubble’ member has tested positive for Covid-19 during the last two weeks can you please email d.lee103@durhamlearning.net so we are aware if your child will be absent from school next week, due to the isolation period. This allows teachers to provide online learning, as well as prepare for face to face teaching.

For the latest Covid-19 stay at home guidance visit

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

Despite the start of a new year, we are still facing very difficult and challenging times. Our main priority is the safety and mental well-being of our children and I would like to thank all the staff, Governors and yourselves for your continued support.

 

Best Wishes

Donna Lee

Head Teacher

 

Congratulations to Mrs Aspinall, who has had her baby boy Zac this morning 00.33-7Ib 9oz.

Here at Nettlesworth Primary School we have made sure that all of the children have had a magical run up to Christmas! Click the link to find the best bits:

Good luck on your maternity leave Mrs Aspinall. We can’t wait to meet baby Zac!

Today we had lots of fun at our Class 2 Bubble Christmas Party! Lots of dancing, food and party games. A lovely way to end the Autumn Term!

 

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Today we had lots of fun in school … not only was it Christmas jumper and Christmas dinner day ….. but SANTA had dropped off a letter for each boy and girl in school. What a special day!

A massive thank you to everyone for donating to our Christmas Jumper Day event in school. We’ve managed to raise £62 so far.

And to top it off … a visit from Santa’s elf!

Merry Christmas!

 

The children of Nettlesworth Primary school are proud to bring you our first ever virtual Christingle service. We hope you enjoy it,

Merry Christmas to you all! 🎄