19th April 2021

Newbald Primary School Dear Children, Parents and Carers, Road, , It has been fantastic to welcome the children back into school after the Easter holidays. Thank you for all the warm welcomes I have received , since taking the role of headteacher. There are many exciting projects YO43 4SQ and activities started in the classrooms and I am looking at ways in which we can share some of the amazing work that the children do at our school Headteacher: with all of you . I will let you know more about this soon. Mr. P. Flintham School Business Manager:

I promised that I will be creating a questionnaire for parents to ask for Mrs. A. Rees your views and opinions about the strengths of Newbald Primary School and I value your views and ideas about how the school could be improved. Telephone: 01430 827612 I am working on this at the moment and this will be shared with you all Email: shortly. [email protected]

Website: Whilst I know some Covid safety procedures are frustrating, we are www.newbaldprimary.org.uk committed to keeping everyone as safe as possible during these unusual times. We have been trialling a few changes to the drop off and pick up procedures to ensure that maximum social distancing can take place. I would just like to clarify a few points about the systems and procedures that will now be in place to ensure that we are keeping everyone as safe as possible with regard to our Covid safety procedures.

The timetable for the beginning and end of the day will continue to be as follows: Hedgehogs 8:55 am start 3:20 pm finish Squirrels 8:55 am start and 3:20 pm finish Foxes 8:45 am start and 3:30 pm finish Otters 8:45 am start and 3:30 pm finish

To try and ensure maximum social distancing, please come directly onto the playground from 8:45. I will be on the playground to greet everyone and a member of staff will be at the top gate. On arrival, children will make their way directly into school. Siblings of younger children can also make their way in at this time and will not need to wait or line up. There will be a member of staff from our Hedgehogs’ class at the top gate to welcome our youngest children.

At the end of the day the gate to our playground will be opened at 3:10. You are very welcome to enter the playground and socially distance whilst you wait for your children to be brought round by their class teacher. We continue to please ask that any adults wear a face covering when entering the school grounds (unless exempt).

Lateral Flow Tests Class Bubbles In school we will NHS Test and Trace have announced that all adults in households with school and college age children try to keep without symptoms can now access regular rapid children in their coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. class ‘bubbles’ throughout the day. At break times and Please see the information below from the Department for Education: lunch times these bubbles are Test kits can either be collected or ordered online, as set out below. extended so that Hedgehogs & Undertaking regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing helps reduce Squirrels are separate to Foxes and transmission of the virus. Parents and other adults in households with

Otters. Wherever possible, we will children at school or college, who do not have symptoms, can now access regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. This includes childcare continue to stagger activities and break and support bubbles. Tests are fast, easy and completely free. There are times so that pupils from different different ways for a household, childcare or support bubble to collect classes do not mix with one another. their test to take at home, twice-weekly:

Please rest assured that our Covid 19 • through your employer, if they offer testing to employees • safeguarding measures will remain in by collecting a home test kit from a local test site – anyone aged 18 or over can collect 2 packs of 7 tests place with pupils being asked to sanitise • by ordering a home test kit online – please do not order online if you their hands on a regular basis, all desks can access testing through other routes, this frees up home delivery will be spaced apart and facing forward. for those who need it most

As you would imagine, the risk If you have any queries about the tests, and you live in , please assessments at school are pages long call 119 (free from mobiles and landlines). Lines are open every day from and reviewed regularly, but the staff 7am to 11pm. Children of primary school age (and below) without symptoms are not being asked to take a test. Testing is voluntary, but have diligently, purposefully and strongly recommended to all who are eligible. Alongside the vaccine, respectfully done and continue to do washing hands, wearing face coverings, and maintaining social distancing, everything they can to keep the rapid testing plays a vital role in reducing transmission rates. Getting into children and all their colleagues safe. the habit of regular testing as part of our everyday lives will help us all to play our part and do what we can to protect each other.

Murphy’s Message

Hi everyone,

It has been lovely to see you all back at school, everyone seems to have settled in very well after the Easter Holidays. I have been very busy when I visit Newbald Primary. I have met the new Headteacher and I must have been a good dog, because he gave me a treat! He was going to give me a

sticker, but it would have stuck to my fur.

This week, I have been working with some children from the Otters’ class. They have been training me to take my treats gently. I love meeting the children, listening to them read and hearing about the

wonderful work that they do in class.

I am looking forward to seeing more children each week and hearing what they have been up to in the classroom.

MUGA

Work levelling out the MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) has begun. The workforce has

been busy carefully taking it apart and levelling the ground. This will be a fantastic resource for our school once it

is completed and level. This should be complete in 2-3 weeks. Whilst work on the MUGA continues, it will mean

that break times and lunch times will be on our playground.

Diary Dates Consultation Evenings

It is with great disappointment that our diary of events at the moment A letter will be sent out soon regarding is severely curtailed by the ongoing Covid19 Pandemic. We look forward the belated parent / carer to the day when our normal programme can be resumed. Rest assured, as consultations. These, due to Covid restrictions are lifted and it is safe to do so, there are plans to resume some events that have been sorely missed and create new exciting ones restrictions, will once again be held as that will become traditions at Newbald. a telephone appointment. We look forward to the day where we may be April able to hold these face-to-face once th Mon 12 Training Day again in the future. Thank you for your th Tues 13 School Reopens for Summer Term understanding. May

Mon 3rd Bank Holiday Monday th Mr Flintham Wed 19 Freestyle Football Day Thurs 20th School Census Day Some parents requested that they can th Fri 28 Newbald Primary Awards Assembly see what the new headteacher looks th th Fri 28 Break up for half term – return Monday 7 June like under the mask that they see on

the playground, so I have included a

rare photo in this newsletter. Hopefully

I will eventually become a familiar to you all. Once again, I would like to give

my thanks for the warm welcome I have

received here at Newbald.

Yours Sincerely,

P. Flintham

Paul Flintham Head Teacher