Latest News

Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Virtual Parents' Meetings via telephone

  Wed 30 Sep 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

   

  We are now half way through our first half term and it seems that everyone is now more familiar with the changes we have had to make to the organisation of the school day in order to keep everyone (children, parents and staff) safe in school.

   

  I'd like to thank al parents/ carers for your help and patience with this. I know it can be frustrating for parents not being able to speak to class teachers as often as you would like but your continued support is very much appreciated.

   

  Now that children have settled back in to the routine of being back in school and become more familiar with their new class teachers, we would like to organise an opportunity for teachers to be able to speak to parents about how they are doing and give you an opportunity to discuss and raise any concerns or comments you have.

   

  We would normally organise a Parents' Evening for you to come and visit the classroom and speak to the teacher; however, this year, we are unable to organise this for obvious reasons.

   

  Instead, over the coming weeks, teachers are going to be released from class in order to be able to contact parents, introduce themselves to you and discuss how your children are getting on.

   

  These phonecalls will mostly take place during the school day although if that's not convenient staff may be able to make some calls after school instead. Calls will be around 10 minutes long (about the same time as an appointment on parents evening) and will give you a chance to hear how the children are settling in to their new class, how they are getting on so far with learning and what you can be doing to help them at home. You will also have the chance to ask any questions you have to the class teacher.

   

  Unfortunately we can't give definite dates and times for the calls as it may be that staff have to make them at different times on different days. Staff will only speak to one parent, usually whichever parent picks up the phone when calling. Please be aware that calls may appear as "Withheld Number" or "Private Number" depending on where the teacher is calling from.

   

  Don't forget that if you have an urgent concern or question for any member of staff you can always call the school office (0121 464 6746) and ask the office staff to make you an appointment for a call with them when they are available.

   

  Thank again for your continuing support and understanding,

   

  Mr Beale

• Headteacher's message to parents - First full week back at school

  Fri 11 Sep 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents and Carers,

   

  This has been the first full week back at school and it has been wonderful to see so many parents and children at the school gates this week. As you know by now, we have made some changes to the way children arrive and finish at school and changes through the school day in how we organise playtimes and lunchtimes. I have to say THANK YOU to you all for your understanding and how supportive you have been during this first week. There have been one or two parents who have forgotten their family's start and finish times or who have arrived at school without a face covering but, on the whole, I think everyone has been very understanding of what we are trying to do, very polite and helpful towards staff and our procedures have become smoother each day.

   

  We have had a good week in school with the children, who have seemed very happy and excited to be back. They have been delighted to see their friends in their classes and teachers have told me that they have been keen to catch up on their learning.

   

  Obviously, it is a concern that some children may have fallen behind in their learning so we do urge you to make sure that the children are in school every day unless they are unwell or self-isolating. The teachers have worked hard to plan learning to help children catch up quickly but it can only happen effectively if children are in school as often as possible.

   

  Attendance, which was excellent last Thursday and Friday, has fallen this week unfortunately but we do understand that some parents may have concerns about the ongoing issue of COVID-19. However, we can assure you that we have followed Government and Local Authority advice carefully and have put lots of measures in place, not just to protect the children but also the staff and parents too.

   

  In a school the size of Regents Park, there will obviously be the possibility of children and adults testing positive for COVID-19 and, like this week, we may have to close a class bubble and ask the children and staff in that bubble to self-isolate for 14 days. This does not mean that the children self-isolating, or any of the other children in school, are at greater risk of catching Coronavirus. It just means we are being cautious, following Public Health guidance and working closely with Birmingham Public Health to make sure that everyone - pupils, staff and parents - are kept safe in school. 

   

  I do hope that all parents and carers will trust us to do everything we can to look after your children, make sure they are safe and make sure we are helping them with their learning.

   

  When searching for information about Coronavirus and about what is happening in school, please remember to get your information from reliable sources. We have created a page on the school website with information for parents about Coronavirus.

   

  We are always wiling to speak to parents so, if there are any specific concerns or questions you have, please feel free to ring via the school office (0121 464 6746) to speak to Mr Beale or Miss Paddem or email us at enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk

   

  Thank you again for all your support

• FAQs about Coronavirus in school

  Mon 07 Sep 2020 Mr Beale

  We have created a page on the school website on which we will put all the information for parents about Coronavirus in school including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The page can be found under the heading Key Information.

   

  The link to the page is: Information about Coronavirus

   

  Thank you

• Updated guidance on reopening for all parents - September 2020

  Tue 01 Sep 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents/ Carers

   

  We are looking forward to welcoming children back to Regents Park for the new academic year from Thursday 3rd September 2020.

   

  As you know, this will be the first time we have been fully open to all pupils since lockdown began on March 20th. In order to make sure that all children, parents and staff are safe, we have put into place some additional guidance related to our COVID-19 response which we need all parents to read and understand before returning to school this week. Much of this was shared in July before the Summer holiday began; however, there have been some slight amendments so, although it is long and detailed, I would urge you to read it again before bringing your children to school on Thursday.

   

  Guidance for parents and familiesin light of Covid-19 response

   

  Please note that the following guidance is subject to change – we will continue to follow national and local guidelines, consider concerns raised by staff, children and parents and monitor local and national rates of virus infection and, as such, review and adjust this guidance as appropriate.

   

  Rationale:

  The aim of this guidance is to give a clear breakdown of the key measures to be implemented to ensure that school can successfully and safely open for all groups of pupils from September 2020.

   

  Key aims during this period in terms of COVID-19 response:

  1. Support the safe reopening of the school to all pupils from Nursery through to Year 6
  2. Ensure the health and safety of all pupils and staff working in school
  3. Support pupils in all year groups, providing them with a curriculum that will help them to catch up, especially in reading and other key areas of the curriculum
  4. Support all pupils with their mental health and wellbeing following lockdown and school closure, especially individual pupils who are identified as a cause for concern
  5. Ensure contingency planning is in place in the event of any future school closure due to COVID-19, making sure online or paper-based home learning is available and accessible for all pupils and provision is available to provide safe childcare for Key Worker/ Vulnerable Families

   

  Key strategies in terms of COVID-19 response

  There are 5 key strategies that will be in place in order to ensure school is a safe environment for all pupils and staff. These are:

  1. Social Distancing
  2. Minimising contact
  3. Increased focus on handwashing and effective hygiene routines for all
  4. Increased cleaning across school throughout the school day
  5. Ensuring all pupils, families and staff follow Government guidance on self-isolation, quarantine, testing and track and trace procedures

   

  Ensuring social distancing is a key strategy in terms of our COVID-19 response. Social distancing between children and between children and staff is almost impossible and will not be an expectation. Instead, children and staff will be encouraged to keep a reasonable social distance between one another wherever possible.

   

  Social distancing between adults (ie. between staff members and between staff and any other adults) is an expectation and should remain 1m+ at all times.

   

  The principle of minimising contact between groups of pupils and staff is another key strategy in terms of our COVID-19 response. Class and year group bubbles will be used to minimise contact between pupils and other members of staff.

   

  Zones within school and reduction of movement around school will also support the minimising of contact between pupils and staff.

   

  Pupils and staff will be expected to wash hands regularly throughout the school day. More hand washing and hand sanitiser stations will be provided around school.

   

  Pupils will be reminded about and expected to follow good hygiene routines such as “Catch It, Bin It, Kill It” and avoid touching their faces with their hands.

   

  There will be increased cleaning on-going throughout the school day and more opportunity for deeper cleaning across school with a half day closure on Wednesdays.

   

  Implementation of plan for full reopening to pupils

  We have endeavoured to ensure that the safety and welfare of the pupils, staff and wider school community is at the heart of this plan.

  Please note:

  • Within these guidelines, we understandably cannot plan for every possible outcome and eventuality. Therefore, we absolutely recognise that navigating certain situations will be up to the discretion and judgement of staff.
  • Please note, we support staff to use their professional judgement – in areas not outlined in the guidance - to make sensible and measured decisions with pupil and staff safety considered.

   

  Date of reopening in Autumn 2020

  School will reopen to all pupils in Years 1 to 6 on Thursday 3^rd September 2020. All staff will attend training days on Tuesday 1^st and Wednesday 2^nd September 2020.

   

  Phased opening for EYFS pupils

  • In order to support pupils who are making the transition to Year 1, EYFS children will not start full time until Monday 28^th September 2020
  • All EYFS staff will be available from Thursday 3^rd September through to Friday 11^th September to work with staff in Y1 supporting these pupils with transition from EYFS to KS1
  • From Monday 14^th September, Nursery staff will begin to withdraw in order to begin transition work with pupils and parents that will be starting in Nursery
  • On Friday 18^th September, Reception staff will withdraw to meet new pupils who are starting school
  • From Monday 21^st September, Nursery and Reception children will begin phased visits in their new classes
  • From Monday 28^th September, all Reception children will be attending school full time
  • Nursery children would normally attend part time on either a morning or afternoon session. However, initially children will attend part time either full days on Monday to Tuesday or full days on Thursday to Friday. To avoid disruption, Nursery will be closed to pupils on Wednesdays.

   

  Changes to the start and end of the day

  • There will be staggered starts and finish times and parents will not be allowed to drop off or collect children at times other than those they are given
  • Families will be given one of four staggered start and finish times. The slots are 10 minute apart and are from 8.30 to 9.00am and from 2.30 to 3.00pm. We will insist that parents follow the timings strictly and that they do not gather and remain by the school entrance at other times.
  • In the mornings, all entrances will be available for parents to drop off children – Camelot Way, Dixon Road and Arthur Street. Children will be left at the gate and expected to walk to their classes themselves.
  • Families can be dropped off at any gate except for those with children in EYFS or Y1 who will be expected to be dropped off at the gate on Camelot Way
  • No parents will be allowed in through the gates
  • Gates will be locked at 9.05am and lessons will be expected to start as soon as possible after 9.00am
  • Pupils that are late will enter via the office from Arthur Street. SLT/ Office staff will supervise and remind parents that pupils must arrive on time.
  • At the end of the school day, all pupils will be brought to the main playground to meet parents. Pupils will be supervised by TAs/ Support Staff
  • One parent will be allowed to enter the playground via the Dixon Road entrance and wait behind the marked line on a designated spot. Parents will be asked to wear a mask or face covering and will be expected to maintain appropriate social distance from each other and from staff
  • There will be a marked entrance into the playground and out of the playground for parents with signage for directions
  • Children will remain with members of staff until parents are in the playground at which time they can be sent to meet them
  • As soon as parents have collected all of their children, they should exit the playground as soon as possible
  • Staff will not be available to have conversation with parents in the playground - parents must ring the office to organise a suitable time to speak to the parent, preferably by phone. s

  Class and Year Group Bubbles

  • In order to minimise as much contact as possible between groups of pupils and between adults in school, pupils will continue to be grouped in “social bubbles”
  • Most of the pupils’ time in school will be spent in “class bubbles” with their class teachers/ teaching assistants.
  • Lessons will take place in class bubbles led by the class teacher. Part time staff will be able to continue to lead the teaching within their class bubble
  • There should be minimal contact between class bubbles when children are inside school
  • However, there will be some limited contact with others as part of a “year group bubble”. This will include other pupils from their year group and other adults assigned to work with the year group including other teaching assistants, teachers, pastoral care staff, lunchtime supervisors, etc. There should be minimal contact between year group bubbles
  • Lunchtimes and break times will be spent within year group bubbles
  • Consideration has been given to situations which may require staff to make sensible adjustments to the plan; this may include a first-aid incident, challenging behaviour or a situation in which a pupil requires social and emotional support.

   

  Movement around school

  • Movement around school by children and staff should be kept to a minimum and children should, where possible, remain in their classrooms when inside school
  • We will control movement around the building so that there is minimal contact between groups. The playground will be zoned into different areas and children will be given a specific space to be with their group when outdoors
  • There are signs and markings on the floors to indicate movement around school and these should be followed by all pupils and staff

   

  In the classroom

  • When in the classroom, furniture will be arranged so that, wherever possible, pupils will be able to maintain a reasonable social distance from each other. However, as the DfE have stated in their guidelines, social distancing between children will not always be possible in schools and, for young children in particular, it is neither natural nor easy to understand
  • Tables will be arranged in rows in Years 3 to 6. In other classrooms, consideration will be given to minimise face to face contact where possible
  • Good ventilation should be encouraged when working in class. Open windows, doors and skylights will help support with this.

   

  Working with individuals or small groups

  • When working with individuals or small groups, staff should remember to work in open, well-ventilated spaces or should keep a reasonable social distance from the children of at least 1m+

   

  Playground zones

  • The playground will be split into two main zones:
    • Zone 1 – Basketball court/ Astroturf/ Y2 & Garden Area
    • Zone 2 – Trim Trail/ Arena area/ Y3 Area

  • • At playtimes and lunchtimes, one year group will be allocated to a zone. They will swap over on the following day.
    • Staff supervising during breaktimes and lunchtimes must make sure that year group bubbles are kept separate in their allocated zone.

   

  Changes to lunchtimes

  • During the Autumn term, only children in EYFS and KS1 will have their lunch in the hall in 20 minute sittings with 10 minutes cleaning between each one:
    • EYFS – 11.30am to 11.50am
    • Y1 – 12.00pm to 12.20pm
    • Y2 – 12.30pm to 12.50pm

  • Children will be collected from the classrooms by lunchtime supervisors and taken to the dining hall. There will be minimal lining up in corridors
  • Children will sit in class bubbles and socially distanced where possible
  • Children will be served at tables by the kitchen staff supported by lunchtime supervisors
  • Lunchtime supervisors will support the children to eat their food
  • Children will then have a 20 minute lunchbreak in an allocated playground zone:
    • EYFS – 11.50am to 12.10pm in the EYFS playground area
    • Y1 – 12.20pm to 12.40pm
    • Y2 – 12.50pm to 1.10pm

  • Children in KS2 will have their lunch in their classrooms in 20 minute sittings followed by 20 minutes break in the playground
  • Lunchtime supervisors will be allocated per class to support children with lunch in the class and then supervise them in the playground
  • Children that finish lunch early will wait until the other children are finished so that they can all go out to the playground together
  • Timings for KS2 lunches are as follows:
    • Y3 – 12.00pm to 12.20pm lunch in class; 12.20pm to 12.40pm in the playground
    • Y5 – 12.30pm to 12.50pm lunch in class; 12.50pm to 1.10pm in the playground
    • Y4/ Y6 – 12.50pm too 1.10pm lunch in class; 1.10pm to 1.30pm in the playground

   

  Children who have packed lunches

  • Children who normally have packed lunches will be able to bring them in to school as normal

   

  Parent/ School Communication

  • It is vital that school can communicate quickly and effectively with parents
  • Parents must make sure that mobile phone contact numbers are kept up to date
  • Parents must make sure that they can be contacted quickly during the school day in case of emergency, e.g. a child falls ill with symptoms or school needs to close quickly
  • Parents must make sure that there is more than one emergency contact available
  • Parents must contact school immediately if a child or a household member shows symptoms or is diagnosed with Coronavirus.
  • Children can be tested if showing symptoms and parents must let school know immediately what the outcome of any test is
  • School will also let parents know immediately if a child from the same bubble is diagnosed with Coronavirus
  • Please note: if a child or member of staff is diagnosed with Coronavirus, this may not mean that the whole school is closed. It may mean that a class or year group bubble are asked to self-isolate. We will take and follow advice from Public Health England on this.

   

  Cleanliness and hygiene around school

  • Handwashing and good hygiene practices are key to ensuring there is minimal risk of transmission of infection in school
  • There will be stringent handwashing and hygiene practices (“Catch it, bin it kill it!”) in place throughout the day. BSS/ cleaning staff will also regularly wipe down surfaces and touch points throughout the day in addition to the daily cleaning provided by cleaners in school
  • There will be cleaning materials available for staff to clean down and wipe surfaces in the classroom and elsewhere if necessary

  • Children and adults will be expected to wash their hands using soap and water regularly throughout the day
  • There will be hand sanitiser available at all entrances and exits and we will be putting some mobile handwashing units into the playgrounds for children to use
  • Adults are reminded not to touch their face with their hands and should remind children not to do so either
  • Shared equipment used for PE or for outdoor use during break times should be wiped down before and after use where possible.

   

  Cleaning classrooms and in school

  • Please note, a planned, systematic approach of increased cleaning will take place to ensure the school is cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis. The appropriate cleaning products/chemicals will be used and key ‘hot spots’ will be cleaned multiple times throughout the day.
  • There will be cleaning materials in every class so that cleaning can be completed more frequently, if required. Teachers are required to find a safe and suitable place for storage of these.
  • Toilets will be cleaned regularly throughout the day, but it will not be possible to be cleaned after every single use.

   

  Pupils and staff who are not well

  • Children and staff that are not well and are showing symptoms of COVID-19 must not attend school and should self-isolate for a minimum of 7 days with household members self-isolating for 14 days
  • Children and staff that are well but are part of a household that is self-isolating must not attend school during that period.
  • If a child or member of staff starts to feel unwell at school and, in particular, if they are showing COVID-symptoms, they will be taken to the ELS room and they will be isolated from everyone else.
  • Children will be expected to be collected by parents immediately.  Staff will be expected to go home immediately.
  • All children and school staff can now access testing if they are showing symptoms. If a child is tested for COVID-19 and the test is positive, parents must contact the school immediately as the rest of the child’s class group including staff may also have to self-isolate
  • If a child is tested and the test is negative, the child’s class group may be able to return to school

   

  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including wearing face coverings/ masks

  • The DfE are not recommending the use of PPE in  primary schools for either children or staff unless a member of staff is supervising a child who has been isolated and is waiting to be collected
  • There will be PPE available for staff administering First Aid to pupils in school, including masks, face visors, gloves and aprons
  • Pupils may wear a face covering when travelling to school but will be asked to remove it once they arrive at school.
  • Parents will be asked to keep children’s face coverings as they enter school and take it home with them. If a child has a face covering in school, they will be given a bag to put it in which can be tied up and sealed and then given to parents at the end of the day
  • In light of recent guidance on wearing face coverings in indoor spaces, staff may wear face coverings in communal spaces where they are in close contact with other adults, e.g. in the staffroom, in office spaces, in meetings or training with other staff, in the kitchen, in corridors, etc. Staff who are on gates at the start and end of the day and likely to be in close contact with parents should also wear face coverings
  • When staff are working with or supervising children, face coverings shouldn’t be worn, e.g. in the classroom, taking children to or from the classroom, in the dining hall, in the playground, etc. When staff are with children, they should make sure that they follow guidance on maintaining a reasonable social distance from children and other adults, limit contact with those outside their social bubble and follow guidance on good health and hygiene routines
  • Cleaning staff will wear necessary masks/ face coverings when working around school
  • Staff are encouraged to work outdoors with children as much as possible. When working indoors, staff should make sure rooms and working spaces are well-ventilated with open windows/ skylights, etc.

   

  Breakfast Club and After-School Clubs

  • Initially, there will be no Breakfast Club or After School Club provision although this will be reviewed and may change as we move through the first few weeks of term

   

  Pupil attendance in school

  • The expectation is that ALL pupils will attend school from September 2020; however, we recognise that some parents may not feel confident sending their child or children into school
  • During this period, we will seek to encourage and support parents and pupils who may feel apprehensive about returning to school.  We will offer Early Help to families for the first half term.
  • Where parents choose not to send their child into school we will speak to them and reassure them about the measures that are in place to keep their children safe

   

  Behaviour policy

  • Parents should be aware that an amended behaviour policy will be in place in light of Coronavirus which will highlight a variety of additional measures to ensure the safety of all children and staff on site when reopening.
  • It will be vital that these measures are followed as school will not tolerate any disregard to the rules set out or any deliberate attempts to endanger the health and safety of other children or staff, e.g. not maintaining reasonable social distance, coughing or spitting at or towards others. Incidents such as these will be regarded as a serious breach of the school rules and staff will follow guidelines set out in the amended behaviour policy
  • Parents of pupils who do not comply with the amended school behaviour policy may be contacted for further discussion about their child's behaviour

   

  Communication between staff and parents

  • There will not be the opportunity for parents to speak to a member of staff directly when they drop off or pick up children; however, parents can ring the school office, contact enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk  or continue to use contact methods set up and used during the summer term.
  • If a member of staff needs to speak to a parent, they can do so by phone or ask a member of office staff to contact the parent for them
  • Parents will not be allowed onto the site at any other time unless they have made a prior arrangement by telephone

   

  Early closing at lunchtime on Wednesdays

  • Please note, school will be finishing early for all groups on a Wednesday so that cleaning staff can begin a thorough whole school deep clean. All children will be given a “grab and go” packed lunch on Wednesday unless they normally bring their own lunch.
  • Parents will be asked to pick up their children promptly at the allocated time on Wednesdays so that school can be closed and cleaners can begin work on the deep clean
  • Pick up times on Wednesdays will be 12.00pm, 12.10pm, 12.20pm and 12.30pm and will be from Dixon Road only
  • Support staff and lunchtime supervisors will oversee the dismissal of children on Wednesday afternoons.

   

  Uniform

  • From September, children will be expected to wear full school uniform as normal. On PE days they will be allowed to wear PE uniform for the day instead to avoid changing

   

  Bringing in things from home

  • Items that children bring in from home should be kept to a minimum where possible
  • Children who have packed lunches will need to bring in their lunchbags/ boxes and these should be stored together in a box in a suitable location near to their classroom.
  • Children can take home and return reading/ library books; however, books that are returned should be kept out of further circulation for 48 hours before being loaned out again. Each class will have a box for the library boxes which can be rotated amongst the three classes. A separate box to quarantine the books will also be in class.
  • Children will not bring in separate PE kit. Children and parents will be told which day is PE day and they will be able to wear their PE kit to school on that day.

   

  Homework/Home Learning on Wednesday afternoon

  • Children will still be given homework to do at home each week as normal; however, some thought will have to be given as to what the homework is, what it involves and whether it is appropriate for children to have to return the work to school when it is completed
  • Homework will be given to children on a Friday and will include maths and English work, spellings and online access to TTrockstars, BugClub, Read Theory, Accelerated Reader and maths
  • On Wednesdays, children will be given work or activities to complete at home. This is likely to be work linked to their topic. Again, where possible, this should be work that doesn’t require time consuming feedback or marking by staff.
  • Use of online learning activities should be encouraged where possible although staff need to be aware that not every child has access to the internet or suitable connective devices at home
  • Parents should let school know if they are struggling to provide access to online learning activities at home as school may be able to support them with this

   

  Educational Visits/Visitors in school

  • Bookings can be made for educational visits and visitors in school during the Autum term, although the risk of each visit or visitor will need to be risk assessed and a decision made on its merits
  • Consideration will need to be given as to how social distancing will be maintained at the venue and during any transport that is required and how other Coronavirus guidelines will be followed during the visit
  • Mitigation against Coronavirus infection will need to be identified on any risk assessment ahead of the visit or visitor coing into school
  • Some visits by other adults into school are already planned such as music service support and HEN project work and visitors will be reminded of our COVID-19 guidance
  • All visits and visitors will remain under review during the Autumn term

   

  Marking and Feedback

  • There is a marking and feedback policy currently in place which encourages teaching staff to reduce the amount of written marking that is done and aims to encourage more feedback via other means such as individual or whole class verbal feedback, peer and self assessment and use symbols to acknowledge work completed in books
  • In light of Coronavirus, staff will aim to limit the amount of marking that is done in order to reduce possible infection through contact between surfaces

   

  Assemblies

  • Assemblies will not take place in the hall during the Autum term; instead, we will experiment with assemblies taking place online
  • We are also going to experiment with organising pre-recorded class assemblies and how we can safely share them with parents online. We will send out more information at a later date.

   

  Planning for further closure due to local lockdown

  • In its most recent guidance, the Government have made it clear that schools will be only be closed as a last resort. Primary schools in particular will remain open even if nearby secondary schools are partially closed as a result of a local lockdown
  • However, by the end of September, we are expected to have a contingency plan in place to ensure that, should school close or should there be a partial closure due to a local lockdown, it is possible to support all children with their continued learning
  • School leadership will be working on this but, in the meantime, we need to make sure that children are aware of how to access any online learning resources they will need to use and how they would communicate online if possible. Staff will make it a priority in the first few days and weeks to make sure that children are aware of any online learning resources and how to access them as well as any means of communicating with staff when at home
  • Consideration also needs to be given to providing continued learning for children who are unable to access online learning or who are too young to do so. It may be necessary to prepare work for these children which is paper-based and keep it ready for immediate distribution

   

  Post-lockdown recovery curriculum

  • It is recognised that many children will have missed out on a lot of learning since school closed on March 20^th and lockdown began. Priority needs to be given to providing a curriculum that helps children to catch up quickly on missed learning whilst also supporting their mental health and well-being
  • Despite the restrictions on what can and can’t be done in school, the expectation is that we provide engaging and stimulating opportunities for pupils that return to school
  • During this period of full reopening we are required to follow the National Curriculum. However, a big part of our focus when children return to school will be on resocialising the children and providing activities that reflect their need for well-being and mental health
  • For all children we will be supporting them with learning and catching up in the core areas of English and maths, especially in the essential life skill of reading
  • Depending on the weather, we will also be encouraging the children to spend as much time, and undertake as much of their learning, outdoors and to take part in creative activities and projects
  • Children will also need support in knowing how to access online learning and resources should a further full or partial lockdown mean that either all or some of their learning needs to take place at home. Also, depending on age and access to internet devices, children will need to know how they can communicate and receive feedback from staff if they are at home

   

  Emotional support for pupils in school

  • Families have been affected in different ways during the past few months and this will have been unsettling to all of our children.  Children will be supported emotionally in a variety of ways throughout the school day, from planned teaching activities to bespoke support as and when needed.
  • Pastoral support staff will be available to provide one to one support for pupils although it will be following social distancing guidelines, e.g. taking place in larger open spaces or outdoors

   

  Fire Procedures

  • Usual fire procedures will be in place as pupils are able to exit the building through their normal fire exits.  Assembly points and exit points for different rooms will be as normal.
  • Please note that in the event of a fire/lockdown/evacuation, risk to life will take priority – social distancing will not apply.

• End of Year Newsletter

  Thu 23 Jul 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

   

  Here we are at the end of what has been the most extraordinary academic year that any of us have ever known! Last September, none of us would have been able to predict what was going to happen in 2019-2020.

   

  Obviously, the disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic has been a terrible shame for all of the children at Regents Park, but particularly for those children in Year 6 who were working hard towards their final tests and then looking forward to celebrations with their friends before leaving for different secondary schools. The lockdown closure of school has also meant that many children have missed out on crucial learning at the earliest stage of a child’s education in Early Years and Key Stage 1 when learning to read is so important.

   

  All of the children have missed out in one way or another but despite this there has been a lot of work going on to support the children and families of Regents Park and I know that many of you have commented on this to staff during fortnightly phone calls.

   

  All staff have been busy during this period either working from home or at school to provide online learning or prepare packs to send out to families, supporting key worker children and vulnerable children in school, working with children that have retuned in bubbles in recent weeks, contacting families and offering support such as food vouchers, free school meal vouchers, assisting with families in crisis, loaning out school ICT equipment to families and much more. I’m sure you would like me to thank all of the staff for the way they have responded and adapted to support you and your children during the Coronavirus crisis and school closure.

   

  Unfortunately, in September school will not return to normal completely although we are confident that school will be safe and so are looking forward to all the children returning.

   

  You should by now have received a pack in which there is a booklet which explains the changes to the normal school organisation starting in September; these are changes which are designed to keep everyone safe – children, parents and staff. We need all parents to read the information fully and agree to follow the temporary procedures. There is a copy of the guidance on the Latest News pages of the school website and, using Google Translate, this can be translated in to home languages if you need it.

   

  One of the most important changes in the Autumn term to affect you will be the staggered start and finish times each day which parents must agree to including a half day closure on Wednesdays. There is a sheet in the pack which indicates at what time you MUST arrive and collect your children and from where. We will only be using the Dixon road entrance for collection so it will be important that parents don’t think that they can all drive to the end of the road to park and turn around. We would advise that you walk but if you do need to drive then you should park away from school and walk to the Dixon Road entrance.

   

  Also in the pack are your children’s reports for this year – please note that these are reports on your children’s work and progress up until the closure of school on March 20^th. For each child there is also a welcome message from their new teacher for 2020-21.

   

  STAFF NEWS

  There are a number of staff changes and other news to bring you up to date with:

  • Mrs Saleh has been working at Story Wood Primary School this year on secondment. I am pleased to tell you that she has been successful in the work she has been doing and has become the permanent Deputy Headteacher at the school. We thank her for everything she has done at Regents Park and all wish her the very best for the future.
  • Also leaving are Miss Bano, Mr Little, Mrs Kauser and Senora Holmes who are all moving on to further their careers in other settings. Again we are very grateful for their work at Regents Park and wish them all the very best for the future.
  • We have had a number of staff who are on maternity leave or who soon will be. Miss Martin and Mrs Deol have both begun maternity leave and I’m pleased to say that, despite the worry of giving birth during the height of the pandemic, have both had healthy new born babies
  • With Miss Martin on maternity leave, Mrs McDonald will be taking on her role as leader of Upper Key Stage 2 during the next year. We are pleased to welcome back Mrs Higby from maternity leave; Mrs Higby is returning part time so for now her role as EYFS leader will continue to be taken by Miss Turner.

   

  Important dates so far for 2020-2021:

  Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd September 2020	School CLOSED – Staff Training Days
  Thursday 3rd September 2020	School is OPEN to all children in Y1 to Y6
  Wednesday 9th September 2020	This will be the first day that school will close at lunchtime – Please make sure you are able to arrange for your children to be collected at the allocated time
  Monday 28th September	New Reception and Nursery children to begin at school
  Friday 23rd October 2020	School CLOSES for half term
  Monday 2nd November 2020	School REOPENS after half term
  Friday 18th December 2020	School CLOSES for Christmas holidays
  Monday 4th January 2020	School CLOSED – Staff training day
  Tuesday 5th January 2020	School REOPENS for all pupils

   

  Please remember to keep up to date with more school news on our school website, school app, twitter and by text message.

   

  Have a wonderful Summer everyone and we look forward to seeing you all in September.

   

  Yours faithfully,

  Mr A Beale

  Headteacher

• Plans for full reopening in September 2020

  Mon 13 Jul 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

   

  I am writing to you to let you know what our plans are here at Regents Park Community Primary School for full reopening to ALL pupils in September.

   

  On 2nd July, the Government announced plans for the full reopening of schools for all pupils in September. This can be read in full here: https://bit.ly/2CzmTak

   

  The document makes it clear that all children are safe to return to school in September although with precautions and increased safety measures in place. It states that the risk to children's education is greater than any current risk to children's health from Coronavirus providing sensible measures are put into place.

   

  Among the headlines were that, during the Autumn term, schools should plan to:

  • Keep children working in groups or bubbles with minimal contact between the groups/ bubbles
  • Bubbles should be kept small (class-sized) but, if necessary, bubbles can cover a whole year group
  • Social distance as much as possible although it's recognised that not all primary-age children can do this nor should they be expected to
  • Ensure that rigorous handwashing and hygiene routines are in place as well as increased cleaning throughout the day

   

  Along with all schools, we have had time to study the new guidance and consider what our plans should be to make sure that school is safe for all the children of Regents Park to return to in September. Because of the size and layout of each school, plans will look different from school to school. Our plans have been discussed with school staff, governors and the local authority and now I am sharing them with parents.

   

  Please note: the plans are temporary and we will return to our normal school organisation and timetables when the Government tell us it is appropriate to do so - this may be in January although it may possibly be longer. In the meantime, we need full support from ALL parents to make sure that ALL children and staff are kept safe.

   

  General Principles

  • Social distancing of 1m+ between children and between children and staff is almost impossible and is not expected – children and staff are to be encouraged to keep a reasonable social distance where possible
  • Social distancing between staff and other adults such as parents is to remain at 1m+ at all times
  • Use of social bubbles, zones within school and signed movement around school to minimise contact
  • Movement around school to be kept at a minimum
  • No parents allowed in school - parents should ring or email to arrange an appointment with a member of staff
  • Parents must agree to tell school if their child or anyone else in their household has symptoms or has tested positive for Coronavirus
  • Parents must agree to follow guidelines on self-isolation and use Test and Trace if necessary
  • Regular handwashing and effective hygiene routines to be continued
  • Increased cleaning to take place throughout the school day

   

  Dates for reopening in September 2020

  • School will be CLOSED on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd September for staff training days
  • School will OPEN for pupils in Years 1 to 6 on Thursday 3rd September
  • School will OPEN for new Reception and Nursery children on Monday 28th September

   

  Delayed start for new Reception and Nursery intake in Autumn

  • To support the current Reception moving into Year 1, we are going to delay the start for new Reception and Nursery children until the week beginning Monday September 28th
  • This will allow EYFS staff to support the children moving to Y1 with their transition following what has been a disrupted year for them at an early and crucial stage of their education
  • It will also allow EYFS staff to arrange appointments with parents of new children coming in to Reception and Nursery and support all new EYFS children

   

  Staggered start times for families

  • Unfortunately, to begin with there will be NO breakfast club provision at the start of term
  • Families will be given a staggered start time at which ALL the children in that family must arrive
  • Staggered start times will be every 10 minutes from 8.30 to 9.00am
  • Families can be dropped off at ANY gate (Arthur Street, Camelot Way or Dixon Road) where children will be met by a member of staff
  • No parents will be allowed on site and parents must not gather at gates blocking off access for other children to enter
  • Children will make their own way from the gate to their classroom
  • EYFS and Y1 children MUST be dropped off with the rest of their family at the Camelot Way gates
  • Gates will be locked promptly at 9.00am so lessons can begin as soon as possible
  • We would urge you to make sure that children are not late but, if they are, they must be taken to the office by a parent via the Arthur Street entrance

   

  Staggered finish times for families

  • Families will be given a staggered finish time at which ALL the children in that family must be picked up
  • Again, finish times will be staggered in 10 minute slots from 2.30pm to 3.00pm
  • All children from Reception to Y6 will be collected from the playground
  • When picking children up, parents will only have access to the playground from Dixon Road. Parents should note that parking is not possible near this entrance. Parents should walk to school via Warners Walk or Dixon Road or park within walking distance, e.g. on Cooksey Road or Bolton Road
  • Only one adult from each family will be allowed into the playground at a time and any other children with them should be kept by their side
  • Adults waiting in the playground must follow directions and should stay behind the yellow line at all times
  • Adults waiting in the playground are expected to use the markings in the playground to maintain social distance from others. Please do not stand in areas that restrict others from entering the playground
  • All the children will be brought down by a member of staff a few minutes before their pick up time and will wait by the fence around the garden area in the playground until sent across to the parent that is waiting
  • Once parents have all their children they must exit the playground quickly following the signs and should not stop to chat to other parents or try to speak to staff
  • At the start of the Autumn term, there will be no after school clubs to begin with.

   

  Early closure on Wednesdays

  • Unfortunately, during the Autumn term, we will have to close for ALL children on Wednesday afternoons
  • There are a few reasons for this decision -
    • it means that we can keep each lunchtime the same in terms of school organisation instead of having to change it every day to accommodate staff PPA release time
    • it helps to minimise contact between children and staff by allowing us to give staff their release time together for planning and preparation without disrupting the bubbles 
    • it means that we have a longer period for a deeper clean half way through the week
  • This change will be temporary and we will revert back to our normal timetable and school organisation when the Government tells us that it is safe to do so
  • Staggered finishes on Wednesday will start from 12.00pm to 12.30pm and will be in similar 10 minute slots
  • Arrangements for collection will be the same as on other days
  • Pupils who have paid or who are eligible for Free School Meals will be given a grab bag lunch to take home with them
  • Children will be given learning activities to take home with them which will either be paper-based or will be online
  • Because of the early closure on Wednesdays, we have made a decision not to run AM and PM Nursery groups in the Autumn term. Nursery children will be put in to two groups - one will be in school on Monday and Tuesday and the other will be in on Thursday and Friday
  • Nursery will be closed all day on Wednesdays to allow for the deeper cleaning to take place

   

  Year Group and Class Bubbles

  • To minimise contact between large groups of pupils/ staff, pupils will be kept in social bubbles in school
  • Most of their learning and contact with others will be within class bubbles of up to 30 children
  • Some limited contact with other children and staff may take place between class bubbles as part of a year group bubble, e.g. lunchtime and breaktimes
  • Some staff in school will be allowed to work across year group bubbles but should try to maintain social distancing

   

  Breaktimes and lunchtimes

  • Breaktimes and lunchtimes will be staggered and year group bubbles will be kept separate in playground zones
  • EYFS and KS1 children will have their lunch in the hall but KS2 children will have their lunch in the classroom to avoid lining up in corridors
  • We would like to minimise the number of children bringing in things from home so we would encourage all children to have a school dinner, particularly those children in EYFS and KS1 as they are all eligible for Universal Infant Free School Meals
  • Also, to avoid disruption and minimise contact in school, it would be advisable if children do not go home for lunch at dinnertimes
  • To avoid queuing, children will be given a menu to choose their lunch each morning which they will hand in to their teacher. Their dinner will then be pre-served to them at lunchtime
  • Children in EYFS will be given a menu a week ahead on a Thursday so that it can be completed with their parents at home and then returned by the next day
  • As part of their lunch, children in Y1 and EYFS will be given an afternoon snack to be eaten part way through the afternoon session in class

   

  Uniform

  • Children will be expected to wear correct uniform as normal from September - please make sure children have white shirts, bottle green jumpers/ cardigans, grey/ black trousers or skirts and black shoes for the beginning of term
  • On PE days, children can wear their PE kit uniform to school. PE kit uniform consists of:
    • Plain white t-shirt
    • Plain black or grey tracksuit/ sweatshirt/ hoodie/ shorts
    • Black or grey socks
    • Plain black/ grey trainers
    • No brands/ logos
    • Trainers can't be worn for indoor PE - children can wear plimsolls or will be barefoot indoors

   

  Attendance and punctuality

  • From September, the Government has made it clear that attendance at school is no longer optional and it is expected that ALL pupils will attend school
  • The Government has said that parents can be fined from September if they continue to refuse to send children into school. We hope this won't be the case at Regents Park and that we can speak to you and assure you if you have any concerns about your children returning
  • Punctuality is going to be vital from September in order to ensure that reasonable distancing can be maintained. We would ask you to arrive to drop off children or to pick them up at exactly the time that you are given so that we don't have too many families around the site or on the playground at any one time.

   

  Pupils who are not well/ self-isolating

  • Children that are not well and are showing symptoms of Covid 19 must not attend school and should self-isolate for a minimum of 7 days with household members self-isolating for 14 days.
  • Parents MUST contact school to let us know if a child is not well and not coming in for any reason
  • Children that are well but are part of a household that is self-isolating must not attend school during that period and, again, parents should contact school to let us know
  • If a child starts to feel unwell at school and, in particular, if they are showing Covid19 symptoms, they will be isolated from everyone else and we will expect them to be collected immediately.
  • All children and school staff can now access testing if they are showing symptoms. If a child is tested for COVID-19 and the test is positive, parents must contact the school immediately as the rest of the child’s class bubble will also have to self-isolate. We will liaise with Public Health England if there are any confirmed cases for further guidance and advice.
  • If a child is tested and the test is negative, the child and their class bubble may be able to return to school

   

  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Although you may choose for your child to wear PPE (face masks/ plastic gloves) on the way to school, the Government are not recommending its use in school by either children or staff unless a member of staff is supervising a child who has been isolated and is waiting to be collected.
  • Children that wear face masks and gloves on the way to school will be expected to give it to their parent before they come in to school or bring a plastic bag to put it in to so it can be tied up during the school day

   

  Behaviour policy

  • Regents Park Community Primary School has taken a variety of additional measures to ensure the safety of all children and staff on site when reopening. It is vital that these measures are followed and school will not tolerate pupils ignoring the rules set out or any deliberate attempts to endanger the health and safety of other children or staff, e.g. not maintaining reasonable social distance, coughing or spitting at or towards others. This will be regarded as a serious breach of the school rules and staff will follow usual guidelines set out in the behaviour policy and Covid 19 policy addendum.
  • Where pupils do not comply with the amended school behaviour policy, parents may be asked to  pick their child up and take them home. Continual behaviour issues that endanger pupils and staff may lead to individual pupils receiving further sanctions

   

  Parent/ School Communication

  • It is vital that school can communicate quickly and effectively with parents
  • Parents must make sure that mobile phone contact numbers are kept up to date
  • Parents must make sure that they can be contacted quickly during the school day in case of emergency, e.g. a child falls ill with symptoms or school needs to close quickly
  • Parents must make sure that there is more than one emergency contact available
  • Parents must contact school immediately if a child or a household member shows symptoms or is diagnosed with Coronavirus.
  • Children can be tested if showing symptoms and parents must let school know immediately what the outcome of any test is
  • School will also let parents know immediately if a child from the same bubble is diagnosed with Coronavirus
  • Please note: if a child or member of staff is diagnosed with Coronavirus, this may not mean that the whole school is closed. It may mean that a class or year group bubble are asked to self-isolate. We will take and follow advice from Public Health England on this.

   

  Emotional support for pupils in school

  • Families have been affected in different ways during the past few months and this will have been unsettling to all of our children.  Children will be supported emotionally in a variety of ways throughout the school day, from planned teaching activities to bespoke support as and when needed.
  • Our pastoral support staff will be available to provide one to one support for pupils although it will be following social distance guidelines
  • Please let school know if your family has been affected directly by Coronavirus and school will work together with parents in order to try and help all children through these uncertain times

   

  Other things for parents to note:

  • From Y3 to Y6, classrooms will be arranged with tables in rows facing the front of the class. EYFS and KS1 will continue to have tables grouped together with carpet space for other group teaching
  • We would like to minimise items that children bring to and from home. However, because of the importance of reading, books can be taken home and returned to school
  • There will be no large gatherings during the Autumn term, i.e. no assemblies taking place
  • There will be no breakfast club or after-school clubs initially although we will be trying to arrange for catch up tuition for children that need it to start up as soon as possible in the Autumn term
  • Children will be expected to wash hands regularly throughout the school day. There will be extra wash basins and handgel available for children and staff to use as often as possible
  • Some shared equipment will be used in school but we will ensure it is wiped and cleaned down between use by different bubbles. Some equipment such as pens, pencils, rulers, etc will be organised into individual packs for each child to use.
  • If the school is closed or there is a local lockdown, children will be expected to return to learning from home. Parents should aim to be able to support children with their learning whether paper-based or online.

   

  There is a lot of information to take in so we are organising for a member of staff to ring each family to talk through it all with you. Obviously if you have any concerns or questions please don't hesitate to contact school and let us know and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You can ring school as normal on 0121 464 6746 or email using the address enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk

   

  We hope we can work with all the parents and families of Regents Park to make sure that everyone including children, families and staff remain safe and well. We look forward to seeing you in September.

• Plans to reopen for more pupils in Nursery, Y3 and Y4 from 6th July 2020

  Tue 30 Jun 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents,

   

  I am pleased to say that we have now been successful in reopening to children in Reception, Y1, Y2, Y5 and Y6 and from next Monday 6th July we will be looking to reopen to children from Nursery, Y3 and Y4.

   

  Currently we have the following numbers of children in school:

  • 16 Reception children in two social bubbles
  • 22 Y1 children in two social bubbles
  • 13 Y2 children in one social bubble
  • 17 Y5 children in two social bubbles
  • 30 Y6 children in two social bubbles
  • 3 key worker children in one social bubble

   

  The children who have been in school have been very happy to be back and have enjoyed themselves and the teaching staff have been pleased to see them.

   

  Next week will be the final week that we welcome back children to school this term before September. Depending on numbers of children and staffing, we will be inviting children from Nursery, Y3 and Y4 to return for the first time since lockdown and we will be seeing if any other children wish to return in Reception, Y1, Y2, Y5 and Y6.

   

  Parents must read and agree to the reopening guidance which is published again below, such as:

  • agreeing to drop off and pick up at specific times between 9.00am and 9.30am and between 2.30pm and 3.00pm
  • agreeing to pick up at lunchtime on Fridays so school can close for deep cleaning
  • agreeing to have a school meal rather than bring in packed lunches
  • agreeing to make sure children change into clean clothes every day
  • agreeing to changes in our behaviour policy

   

  A survey will be going out shortly for parents to complete to let us know if they would like their child to return next week. It must be completed by 5pm tomorrow (Wednesday 1st July). Unfortunately, any surveys completed after that time will not be looked at.

   

  We will then look at the numbers of pupils and organise staffing. If we are able to set up new bubbles for your child from next week, we will ring to confirm with you what time they need to be dropped off and picked up.

   

  It is important that parents know the rules we have in place currently for pupils in school and that they agree to them. I would ask you to re-read the guidelines below so that you are completely aware of what is expected and then that you complete the survey that will be texted out to you to say whether you would like your child to return or not.

   

  Just a reminder that our plans may have to change at late notice depending on the number of children requesting to return and the number of staff we have available.

   

  We look forward to hearing from you.

   

  Here is the guidance that you MUST read:

   

  Please read to the end so that you fully understand the plans we will be putting in place.

   

  What follows are general principles to cover the period between now and a time when the school is able to open fully again. These principles must be understood and adhered to without exception and, although many of the measures outlined below may seem strict, they will be put in place to protect pupils, staff and parents.

   

  Please note - the plan for reopening is subject to change at short notice as we continue to monitor the situation regarding infection rates and follow national and local guidelines. We need parents to accept any changes that are made as they will always be in the interest of pupils and staff.

   

  Class groups (“social bubbles”)

  • Children will be put into groups by their teachers and they will stay in those groups for lessons, break times and lunchtimes. The same two adults will remain with each group throughout the day. This arrangement is becoming commonly known as “social bubbles”.
  • There will be no more than 15 children in any designated classroom at any time but, unfortunately, some of the children returning will not be in their usual classrooms or taught by their usual teachers or be with many of their usual classmates. We understand this may be unsettling for the children at first but they will soon settle into their new routines with our fantastic caring staff looking after them.

   

  Attendance in school

  • Having made plans to further reopen school, we hope that as many children will attend as possible; however, we recognise that some parents may not feel confident sending their child or children into school yet
  • During this period, until full reopening for all pupils in school, there will be no consequences or fines for parents who choose not to send their children into school. It will be expected, however, that parents are encouraging children who remain at home to be learning and we will still be providing online learning or home learning packs to support these children
  • The week beginning 6th July will be the last week before the Summer holiday that we will be readmitting more pupils back in to school

   

  Social distancing in school

  • When in the classroom, furniture will be arranged so that, wherever possible, pupils will be able to maintain a reasonable social distance from each other. However, as the Government have stated in their guidelines, social distancing between children will not always be possible in schools and, for young children in particular, it is neither natural nor easy to understand
  • Children will be encouraged to remain a reasonable distance from one another when moving around school and when they are in the playground
  • We will control movement around the building so that there is minimal contact between groups. The playground will be zoned into different areas and children will be given a specific space to be with their group when outdoors.

   

  Cleanliness around school

  • There will be stringent handwashing and hygiene practices (“Catch it, bin it kill it!”) in place throughout the day. Staff will also regularly wipe down surfaces and touch points throughout the day in addition to the daily cleaning provided by our cleaners in school.

  • Children will be expected to wash their hands using soap and water regularly throughout the day
  • There will be hand sanitiser available at all entrances and exits and we will be putting some mobile handwashing units into the playgrounds for children to use

   

  Pupils who are not well/ self-isolating

  • Children that are not well and are showing symptoms of Covid 19 must not attend school and should self-isolate for a minimum of 7 days with household members self-isolating for 14 days.
  • Parents MUST contact school to let us know if a child is not well and not coming in for any reason
  • Children that are well but are part of a household that is self-isolating must not attend school during that period and, again, parents should contact school to let us know
  • If a child starts to feel unwell at school and, in particular, if they are showing Covid19 symptoms they will be isolated from everyone else and we will expect them to be collected immediately.
  • All children and school staff can now access testing if they are showing symptoms. If a child is tested for COVID-19 and the test is positive, parents must contact the school immediately as the rest of the child’s class group will also have to self-isolate. We will liaise with Public Health England if there are any confirmed cases for further guidance and advice.
  • If a child is tested and the test is negative, the child and their class group will be able to return to school.

   

  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Although you may choose for your child to wear PPE (face masks/ plastic gloves) on the way to school, the DfE are not recommending its use in school by either children or staff unless a member of staff is supervising a child who has been isolated and is waiting to be collected. Children that wear face masks and gloves on the way to school will be expected to bring a plastic bag to put them in to that can be tied up during the school day

   

  Changes to the start and end of the day

  • There will be staggered starts, break times, lunchtimes and home times throughout the day and parents must not drop off or collect children at times other than those they are given
  • During the first period of reopening, we will only be using the Dixon Road entrance as a drop off and pick up point for Y1 - Y6 children and parents. Nursery and Reception parents will drop off and collect from the Camelot Way entrance.
  • Only one parent will be allowed to accompany children into the playground and all parents will be expected to maintain appropriate social distancing from each other and from staff
  • There will be markings on the playground (arrows/ 2m spots to stand on), signage for directions and staff on hand to guide children and parents
  • Parents will be asked to drop off and pick up children at one of three times (9.00am, 9.15am or 9.30am in the morning and 2.30pm, 2.45pm or 3.00pm in the afternoon). In order to minimise contact between adults that are not from the same household, we insist that you follow the timings strictly and that you do not gather and remain by the school entrance at other times
  • Pupils that do not arrive at the allocated time may not be able to be admitted late into school. Similarly, parents that do not collect pupils at the allocated time may not be able to send children to school on subsequent days
  • Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer Breakfast Club or after-school clubs during the period of this reopening

   

  Behaviour policy

  • Regents Park Community Primary School has taken a variety of additional measures to ensure the safety of all children and staff on site when reopening. It is vital that these measures are followed and school will not tolerate pupils ignoring the rules set out or any deliberate attempts to endanger the health and safety of other children or staff, e.g. not maintaining reasonable social distance, coughing or spitting at or towards others. This will be regarded as a serious breach of the school rules and staff will follow usual guidelines set out in the behaviour policy and Covid 19 policy addendum.
  • Where pupils do not comply with the amended school behaviour policy, parents may be asked to  pick their child up and take them home. Continual behaviour issues that endanger pupils and staff may lead to individual pupils not being allowed to return until the school fully reopens at a later date

   

  Communication with staff

  • Due to the nature of dropping off your child in the morning, there will not be the opportunity to speak to a member of staff directly; however, you can  ring the school office or contact enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk  and any messages will be passed on. If a member of staff needs to speak to you they will contact you by phone
  • Parents will not be allowed onto the site at any other time unless they have made a prior arrangement by telephone.

   

  Early closing at lunchtime on Fridays

  • Please note, school will be finishing early for all groups on a Friday so that cleaning staff can begin a thorough whole school deep clean. All children will be given a “grab and go” packed lunch on Friday unless they normally bring their own lunch.
  • Parents must agree to pick up their children promptly at the allocated time on Fridays so that school can be closed and cleaners can begin work on the deep clean
  • Pick up times on Fridays will be 12.00pm, 12.15pm and 12.30pm and will be from Dixon Road

   

  Changes to lunches in school

  • In order to reduce the need for children to carry in extra bags from home in to school, we will be asking for all children that attend to have a lunch provided by school during this period until full reopening.
  • Those that normally receive free school meals or pay for school meals will continue to do so.
  • Those that normally bring in their own packed lunch will be asked to pay for a school lunch, unless they are eligible for a free school meal.

   

  Bringing in things from home

  • In order to minimise possible contamination from home, we are asking children not to bring items in with them from home. This includes book bags, PE kits, etc. Children will be taking part in physical activities outside and will need to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

   

  School uniform

  • During this period of reopening, children will not be required to wear normal school uniform, although they may wear school uniform if they wish.
  • However, clothes that children wear must be changed each day so that they can be washed and cleaned before wearing in school again
  • Children should wear casual clothes that they can wear for activities indoors and outdoors appropriate to the weather, e.g. for general PE/ Forest School activities, etc
  • Children may be best suited to wearing casual leisure wear, e.g. t-shirts, tracksuits, etc. with soft shoes for exercising in such as plimsolls or trainers. They should bring a coat as they may do a lot of their learning outdoors during this period.

   

  Curriculum for children in school

  • A big part of our focus when your children return to school will be on resocialising them and providing activities that reflect their need for mental well-being
  • For Y6, a key area of focus will be providing the children with a curriculum that supports their transition to secondary school
  • For children in other year groups, we will be supporting pupils with learning in the core areas of English and maths, especially in the essential life skill of reading
  • Depending on the weather, we will also be encouraging the children to spend as much time, and undertake as much of their learning, outdoors and to take part in creative activities and projects

   

  Emotional support for pupils in school

  • Families have been affected in different ways during the past few months and this will have been unsettling to all of our children.  Children will be supported emotionally in a variety of ways throughout the school day, from planned teaching activities to bespoke support as and when needed.
  • Our pastoral support staff will be available to provide one to one support for pupils although it will be following social distance guidelines
  • Please let school know if your family has been affected directly by Coronavirus and school will work together with parents in order to try and help all children through these uncertain times

   

  Other children not in school

  • Online learning/ home learning packs will continue to be provided for those children who are still at home
  • Staff will continue making fortnightly phone calls to speak to children at home
  • Free school meal vouchers will continue to be provided for those pupils who are not in school during this period

   

  Any other information

  • Parents that require any further information should either ring the school office (0121 464 6746) or send an email to enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

   

  Apologies for the length of this notice but there is a lot of information that we have had to share with you. We hope we can work together to ensure families and children remain safe and well and look forward to seeing you soon

• Plans to reopen for more pupils in Y2 and Y5 from 29th June 2020

  Tue 23 Jun 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

   

  I'm sure you have been keeping up with changes that have been announced as lockdown is being eased. For example, you may be aware that the Government are now no longer insisting that all children will be expected to return to school before the end of this term. Instead they have asked schools to try to encourage as many to return as possible whilst continuing to observe strict guidlines in terms of social distancing. One of these guidelines is that children that return to school should remain in "social bubbles", ie. groups of no more than 15 pupils.

   

  We are pleased so far with the success of the return to school for children in Y6, Y1 and Reception. Y6 returned last week on Monday 15th June with Y1 following on Wednesday 17th June and then Reception on Monday 22nd June. We now have about 28 children attending in Y6, 20 in Y1 and 10 in Reception with another group of about 4 children who are in our Key Worker/ Vulnerable group.

   

  Whilst we recognise that not everyone is willing to send their children in at this stage, we know that there are parents of children in other year groups who would like the opportunity for their children to resume some normality before the summer holidays and would like to send them in.

   

  As such, we are now making plans to invite more pupils in to school from other year groups from next week. We will begin from next Monday 29th June by asking more children from Y2 and Y5 to return; the following week beginning Monday 6th July we will be inviting more children from Y3 and Y4.

   

  In order for us to set up the "social bubbles" and then to plan the staffing, we need to know how many parents will be willing to send their children in at this time. It is important that parents know the rules we have in place currently for pupils in school and that they agree to them. I would ask you to re-read the guidelines I sent out previously below so that you completely aware of what is expected and then that you complete the survey that will be texted out to you to say whether you would like your child to return or not.

   

  Just a reminder that our plans may have to change at late notice depending on the number of children requesting to return and the number of staff we have available.

   

  We look forward to hearing from you.

   

  Here is the guidance that you MUST read:

   

  Please read to the end so that you fully understand the plans we will be putting in place.

   

  What follows are general principles to cover the period between now and a time when the school is able to open fully again. These principles must be understood and adhered to without exception and, although many of the measures outlined below may seem strict, they will be put in place to protect pupils, staff and parents.

   

  Please note - the plan for reopening is subject to change at short notice as we continue to monitor the situation regarding infection rates and follow national and local guidelines. We need parents to accept any changes that are made as they will always be in the interest of pupils and staff.

   

  Class groups (“social bubbles”)

  • Children will be put into groups by their teachers and they will stay in those groups for lessons, break times and lunchtimes. The same two adults will remain with each group throughout the day. This arrangement is becoming commonly known as “social bubbles”.
  • There will be no more than 15 children in any designated classroom at any time but, unfortunately, at least half of the children returning will not be in their usual classrooms or taught by their usual teachers or be with many of their usual classmates. We understand this may be unsettling for the children at first but they will soon settle into their new routines with our fantastic caring staff looking after them.

   

  Attendance in school

  • Having made plans to further reopen school, we hope that as many children will attend as possible; however, we recognise that some parents may not feel confident sending their child or children into school yet
  • During this period, until full reopening for all pupils in school, there will be no consequences or fines for parents who choose not to send their children into school. It will be expected, however, that parents are encouraging children who remain at home to be learning and we will still be providing online learning or home learning packs to support these children
  • Where parents choose not to send their child into school initially and then change their minds, children will not be allowed to start until the beginning of the following week. This is to ensure that we have adequate staffing in school for the children attending
  • Parents of children not in school will be contacted each week or will be expected to have contacted school by the end of Wednesday of the previous week if children want to re-join their year group.

   

  Social distancing in school

  • When in the classroom, furniture will be arranged so that, wherever possible, pupils will be able to maintain a reasonable social distance from each other. However, as the Government have stated in their guidelines, social distancing between children will not always be possible in schools and, for young children in particular, it is neither natural nor easy to understand
  • Children will be encouraged to remain a reasonable distance from one another when moving around school and when they are in the playground
  • We will control movement around the building so that there is minimal contact between groups. The playground will be zoned into different areas and children will be given a specific space to be with their group when outdoors.

   

  Cleanliness around school

  • There will be stringent handwashing and hygiene practices (“Catch it, bin it kill it!”) in place throughout the day. Staff will also regularly wipe down surfaces and touch points throughout the day in addition to the daily cleaning provided by our cleaners in school.

  • Children will be expected to wash their hands using soap and water regularly throughout the day
  • There will be hand sanitiser available at all entrances and exits and we will be putting some mobile handwashing units into the playgrounds for children to use

   

  Pupils who are not well/ self-isolating

  • Children that are not well and are showing symptoms of Covid 19 must not attend school and should self-isolate for a minimum of 7 days with household members self-isolating for 14 days.
  • Parents MUST contact school to let us know if a child is not well and not coming in for any reason
  • Children that are well but are part of a household that is self-isolating must not attend school during that period and, again, parents should contact school to let us know
  • If a child starts to feel unwell at school and, in particular, if they are showing Covid19 symptoms they will be isolated from everyone else and we will expect them to be collected immediately.
  • All children and school staff can now access testing if they are showing symptoms. If a child is tested for COVID-19 and the test is positive, parents must contact the school immediately as the rest of the child’s class group will also have to self-isolate. We will liaise with Public Health England if there are any confirmed cases for further guidance and advice.
  • If a child is tested and the test is negative, the child and their class group will be able to return to school.

   

  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Although you may choose for your child to wear PPE (face masks/ plastic gloves) on the way to school, the DfE are not recommending its use in school by either children or staff unless a member of staff is supervising a child who has been isolated and is waiting to be collected. Children that wear face masks and gloves on the way to school will be expected to bring a plastic bag to put them in to that can be tied up during the school day

   

  Changes to the start and end of the day

  • There will be staggered starts, break times, lunchtimes and home times throughout the day and parents must not drop off or collect children at times other than those they are given
  • During the first period of reopening, we will only be using the Dixon Road entrance as a drop off and pick up point for Y1 - Y6 children and parents. Reception parents will drop off and collect from the Camelot Way entrance.
  • Only one parent will be allowed to accompany children into the playground and all parents will be expected to maintain appropriate social distancing from each other and from staff
  • There will be markings on the playground (arrows/ 2m spots to stand on), signage for directions and staff on hand to guide children and parents
  • Parents will be asked to drop off and pick up children at one of three times (9.00am, 9.15am or 9.30am in the morning and 2.30pm, 2.45pm or 3.00pm in the afternoon). In order to minimise contact between adults that are not from the same household, we insist that you follow the timings strictly and that you do not gather and remain by the school entrance at other times
  • Pupils that do not arrive at the allocated time may not be able to be admitted late into school. Similarly, parents that do not collect pupils at the allocated time may not be able to send children to school on subsequent days
  • Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer Breakfast Club or after-school clubs during the period of this reopening

   

  Behaviour policy

  • Regents Park Community Primary School has taken a variety of additional measures to ensure the safety of all children and staff on site when reopening. It is vital that these measures are followed and school will not tolerate pupils ignoring the rules set out or any deliberate attempts to endanger the health and safety of other children or staff, e.g. not maintaining reasonable social distance, coughing or spitting at or towards others. This will be regarded as a serious breach of the school rules and staff will follow usual guidelines set out in the behaviour policy and Covid 19 policy addendum.
  • Where pupils do not comply with the amended school behaviour policy, parents may be asked to  pick their child up and take them home. Continual behaviour issues that endanger pupils and staff may lead to individual pupils not being allowed to return until the school fully reopens at a later date

   

  Communication with staff

  • Due to the nature of dropping off your child in the morning, there will not be the opportunity to speak to a member of staff directly; however, you can  ring the school office or contact enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk  and any messages will be passed on. If a member of staff needs to speak to you they will contact you by phone
  • Parents will not be allowed onto the site at any other time unless they have made a prior arrangement by telephone.

   

  Early closing at lunchtime on Fridays

  • Please note, school will be finishing early for all groups on a Friday so that cleaning staff can begin a thorough whole school deep clean. All children will be given a “grab and go” packed lunch on Friday unless they normally bring their own lunch.
  • Parents must agree to pick up their children promptly at the allocated time on Fridays so that school can be closed and cleaners can begin work on the deep clean
  • Pick up times on Fridays will be 12.00pm, 12.15pm and 12.30pm and will be from Dixon Road

   

  Changes to lunches in school

  • In order to reduce the need for children to carry in extra bags from home in to school, we will be asking for all children that attend to have a lunch provided by school during this period until full reopening.
  • Those that normally receive free school meals or pay for school meals will continue to do so.
  • Those that normally bring in their own packed lunch will be asked to pay for a school lunch, unless they are eligible for a free school meal.

   

  Bringing in things from home

  • In order to minimise possible contamination from home, we are asking children not to bring items in with them from home. This includes book bags, PE kits, etc. Children will be taking part in physical activities outside and will need to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

   

  School uniform

  • During this period of reopening, children will not be required to wear normal school uniform, although they may wear school uniform if they wish.
  • However, clothes that children wear must be changed each day so that they can be washed and cleaned before wearing in school again
  • Children should wear casual clothes that they can wear for activities indoors and outdoors appropriate to the weather, e.g. for general PE/ Forest School activities, etc
  • Children may be best suited to wearing casual leisure wear, e.g. t-shirts, tracksuits, etc. with soft shoes for exercising in such as plimsolls or trainers. They should bring a coat as they may do a lot of their learning outdoors during this period.

   

  Curriculum for children in school

  • A big part of our focus when your children return to school will be on resocialising them and providing activities that reflect their need for mental well-being
  • For Y6, a key area of focus will be providing the children with a curriculum that supports their transition to secondary school
  • For children in other year groups, we will be supporting pupils with learning in the core areas of English and maths, especially in the essential life skill of reading
  • Depending on the weather, we will also be encouraging the children to spend as much time, and undertake as much of their learning, outdoors and to take part in creative activities and projects

   

  Emotional support for pupils in school

  • Families have been affected in different ways during the past few months and this will have been unsettling to all of our children.  Children will be supported emotionally in a variety of ways throughout the school day, from planned teaching activities to bespoke support as and when needed.
  • Our pastoral support staff will be available to provide one to one support for pupils although it will be following social distance guidelines
  • Please let school know if your family has been affected directly by Coronavirus and school will work together with parents in order to try and help all children through these uncertain times

   

  Other children not in school

  • Unfortunately, although you may have more than one child at Regents Park, where one is eligible to return and others are not, we cannot accommodate the children from other year groups unless they have been previously attending school as key worker children or vulnerable children
  • Online learning/ home learning packs will continue to be provided for those children who are still at home
  • Staff will continue making fortnightly phone calls to speak to children at home
  • Free school meal vouchers will continue to be provided for those pupils who are not in school during this period

   

  Any other information

  • Parents that require any further information should either ring the school office (0121 464 6746) or send an email to enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

   

  Apologies for the length of this notice but there is a lot of information that we have had to share with you. We hope we can work together to ensure families and children remain safe and well and look forward to seeing you soon

   

   

• Initial plans for further reopening to pupils in Y6 and Y1 from June 15th 2020

  Mon 08 Jun 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

   

  Regents Park Community Primary School - plans for reopening to more pupils

   

  As you know, some schools in England began reopening to more pupils in Y6, Y1, Reception and Nursery from Monday June 1^st. However, many other schools haven’t reopened yet including Regents Park. On May 21st, I contacted parents to explain that I had decided that Regents Park would not reopen until we had assessed the situation further at national and local level. Having done so, I am now in a position to let you know that Regents Park will begin to reopen for more pupils from Monday June 15^th.

   

  We have used this time to consider how to reopen to more pupils in a way which is safe for pupils and for staff working in school. We totally understand that you may be unsure about sending your child back and acknowledge your concerns that you want to keep them safe. As a result, we have put together a detailed plan that meets all of the stringent criteria around pupil and staff safety. I am writing to share the plan with you and therefore it is a necessarily long and detailed news item.

   

  Please read to the end so that you fully understand the plans we will be putting in place.

   

  What follows are general principles to cover the period between now and a time when the school is able to open fully again. These principles must be understood and adhered to without exception and, although many of the measures outlined below may seem strict, they will be put in place to protect pupils, staff and parents.

   

  Please note - the plan for reopening is subject to change at short notice as we continue to monitor the situation regarding infection rates and follow national and local guidelines. We need parents to accept any changes that are made as they will always be in the interest of pupils and staff.

   

  Proposed dates for pupils to return to school

  • Our reopening will be phased. This means that not all children will return on Monday June 15^th. Initially, only Y6 pupils will return on June 15^th along with the key worker/ vulnerable children we have been supporting previously
  • We will then aim for Y1 pupils to return on Wednesday June 17^th and for Reception pupils to return from Monday June 22nd, although this may be subject to change
  • Depending on the success of these year groups returning to school and on further Government guidance, we will then look to make plans for other year groups at a further date, if appropriate.

   

  Class groups (“social bubbles”)

  • Children will be put into groups by their teachers and they will stay in those groups for lessons, break times and lunchtimes. The same two adults will remain with each group throughout the day. This arrangement is becoming commonly known as “social bubbles”.
  • There will be no more than 15 children in any designated classroom at any time but, unfortunately, at least half of the children returning will not be in their usual classrooms or taught by their usual teachers or be with many of their usual classmates. We understand this may be unsettling for the children at first but they will soon settle into their new routines with our fantastic caring staff looking after them.

   

  Attendance in school

  • Having made plans to further reopen school, we hope that as many children will attend as possible; however, we recognise that some parents may not feel confident sending their child or children into school yet
  • During this period, until full reopening for all pupils in school, there will be no consequences or fines for parents who choose not to send their children into school. It will be expected, however, that parents are encouraging children who remain at home to be learning and we will still be providing online learning or home learning packs to support these children
  • Where parents choose not to send their child into school initially and then change their minds, children will not be allowed to start until the beginning of the following week. This is to ensure that we have adequate staffing in school for the children attending
  • Parents of children not in school will be contacted each week or will be expected to have contacted school by the end of Wednesday of the previous week if children want to re-join their year group.

   

  Social distancing in school

  • When in the classroom, furniture will be arranged so that, wherever possible, pupils will be able to maintain a reasonable social distance from each other. However, as the Government have stated in their guidelines, social distancing between children will not always be possible in schools and, for young children in particular, it is neither natural nor easy to understand
  • Children will be encouraged to remain a reasonable distance from one another when moving around school and when they are in the playground
  • We will control movement around the building so that there is minimal contact between groups. The playground will be zoned into different areas and children will be given a specific space to be with their group when outdoors.

   

  Cleanliness around school

  • There will be stringent handwashing and hygiene practices (“Catch it, bin it kill it!”) in place throughout the day. Staff will also regularly wipe down surfaces and touch points throughout the day in addition to the daily cleaning provided by our cleaners in school.

  • Children will be expected to wash their hands using soap and water regularly throughout the day
  • There will be hand sanitiser available at all entrances and exits and we will be putting some mobile handwashing units into the playgrounds for children to use

   

  Pupils who are not well/ self-isolating

  • Children that are not well and are showing symptoms of Covid 19 must not attend school and should self-isolate for a minimum of 7 days with household members self-isolating for 14 days.
  • Parents MUST contact school to let us know if a child is not well and not coming in for any reason
  • Children that are well but are part of a household that is self-isolating must not attend school during that period and, again, parents should contact school to let us know
  • If a child starts to feel unwell at school and, in particular, if they are showing Covid19 symptoms they will be isolated from everyone else and we will expect them to be collected immediately.
  • All children and school staff can now access testing if they are showing symptoms. If a child is tested for COVID-19 and the test is positive, parents must contact the school immediately as the rest of the child’s class group will also have to self-isolate. We will liaise with Public Health England if there are any confirmed cases for further guidance and advice.
  • If a child is tested and the test is negative, the child and their class group will be able to return to school.

   

  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Although you may choose for your child to wear PPE (face masks/ plastic gloves) on the way to school, the DfE are not recommending its use in school by either children or staff unless a member of staff is supervising a child who has been isolated and is waiting to be collected. Children that wear face masks and gloves on the way to school will be expected to bring a plastic bag to put them in to that can be tied up during the school day

   

  Changes to the start and end of the day

  • There will be staggered starts, break times, lunchtimes and home times throughout the day and parents must not drop off or collect children at times other than those they are given
  • During the first week of reopening, we will only be using the Dixon Road entrance as a drop off and pick up point for Y1 and Y6 children and parents
  • Only one parent will be allowed to accompany Y1 children into the playground and all parents will be expected to maintain appropriate social distancing from each other and from staff
  • There will be markings on the playground (arrows/ 2m spots to stand on), signage for directions and staff on hand to guide children and parents
  • Parents will be asked to drop off and pick up children at one of three times (9.00am, 9.15am or 9.30am in the morning and 2.30pm, 2.45pm or 3.00pm in the afternoon). In order to minimise contact between adults that are not from the same household, we insist that you follow the timings strictly and that you do not gather and remain by the school entrance at other times
  • Pupils that do not arrive at the allocated time may not be able to be admitted late into school. Similarly, parents that do not collect pupils at the allocated time may not be able to send children to school on subsequent days
  • Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer Breakfast Club or after-school clubs during the period of this reopening

   

  Behaviour policy

  • Regents Park Community Primary School has taken a variety of additional measures to ensure the safety of all children and staff on site when reopening. It is vital that these measures are followed and school will not tolerate pupils ignoring the rules set out or any deliberate attempts to endanger the health and safety of other children or staff, e.g. not maintaining reasonable social distance, coughing or spitting at or towards others. This will be regarded as a serious breach of the school rules and staff will follow usual guidelines set out in the behaviour policy and Covid 19 policy addendum.
  • Where pupils do not comply with the amended school behaviour policy, parents may be asked to  pick their child up and take them home. Continual behaviour issues that endanger pupils and staff may lead to individual pupils not being allowed to return until the school fully reopens at a later date

   

  Communication with staff

  • Due to the nature of dropping off your child in the morning, there will not be the opportunity to speak to a member of staff directly; however, you can  ring the school office or contact enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk  and any messages will be passed on. If a member of staff needs to speak to you they will contact you by phone
  • Parents will not be allowed onto the site at any other time unless they have made a prior arrangement by telephone.

   

  Early closing at lunchtime on Fridays

  • Please note, school will be finishing early for all groups on a Friday so that cleaning staff can begin a thorough whole school deep clean. All children will be given a “grab and go” packed lunch on Friday unless they normally bring their own lunch.
  • Parents must agree to pick up their children promptly at the allocated time on Fridays so that school can be closed and cleaners can begin work on the deep clean
  • Pick up times on Fridays will be 12.00pm, 12.15pm and 12.30pm and will be from Dixon Road

   

  Changes to lunches in school

  • In order to reduce the need for children to carry in extra bags from home in to school, we will be asking for all children that attend to have a lunch provided by school during this period until full reopening.
  • Those that normally receive free school meals or pay for school meals will continue to do so.
  • Those that normally bring in their own packed lunch will be asked to pay for a school lunch, unless they are eligible for a free school meal.

   

  Bringing in things from home

  • In order to minimise possible contamination from home, we are asking children not to bring items in with them from home. This includes book bags, PE kits, etc. Children will be taking part in physical activities outside and will need to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

   

  School uniform

  • During this period of reopening, children will not be required to wear normal school uniform, although they may wear school uniform if they wish.
  • However, clothes that children wear must be changed each day so that they can be washed and cleaned before wearing in school again
  • Children should wear casual clothes that they can wear for activities indoors and outdoors appropriate to the weather, e.g. for general PE/ Forest School activities, etc
  • Children may be best suited to wearing casual leisure wear, e.g. t-shirts, tracksuits, etc. with soft shoes for exercising in such as plimsolls or trainers. They should bring a coat as they may do a lot of their learning outdoors during this period.

   

  Curriculum for children in school

  • A big part of our focus when your children return to school will be on resocialising them and providing activities that reflect their need for mental well-being
  • For Y6, a key area of focus will be providing the children with a curriculum that supports their transition to secondary school
  • For children in Y1 and EYFS, we will be supporting pupils with learning in the core areas of English and maths, especially in the essential life skill of reading
  • Depending on the weather, we will also be encouraging the children to spend as much time, and undertake as much of their learning, outdoors and to take part in creative activities and projects

   

  Emotional support for pupils in school

  • Families have been affected in different ways during the past few months and this will have been unsettling to all of our children.  Children will be supported emotionally in a variety of ways throughout the school day, from planned teaching activities to bespoke support as and when needed.
  • Our pastoral support staff will be available to provide one to one support for pupils although it will be following social distance guidelines
  • Please let school know if your family has been affected directly by Coronavirus and school will work together with parents in order to try and help all children through these uncertain times

   

  Other children not in school

  • Unfortunately, although you may have more than one child at Regents Park, where one is eligible to return and others are not, we cannot accommodate the children from other year groups (Y2, Y3, Y4 or Y5) unless they have been previously attending school as key worker children or vulnerable children
  • Online learning/ home learning packs will continue to be provided for those children who are still at home
  • Staff will continue making fortnightly phone calls to speak to children at home
  • Free school meal vouchers will continue to be provided for those pupils who are not in school during this period

   

  Any other information

  • Parents that require any further information should either ring the school office (0121 464 6746) or send an email to enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

   

  Apologies for the length of this notice but there is a lot of information that we have had to share with you. We hope we can work together to ensure families and children remain safe and well and look forward to seeing you soon.

• Update for parents - school will begin to reopen for more pupils from June 15th

  Thu 04 Jun 2020 Mr Beale

  Dear Parents/ Carers,

   

  In my last message to you on the school website on Thursday 21st May, I explained that Regents Park wouldn't reopen for more pupils on June 1st. I explained that Regents Park would remain closed whilst we continued to assess the situation at national and local level and this was agreed by the school Governing Board.

   

  This week, having considered guidance from the Government and the Local Authority and having had discussions with school staff and leaders in other Birmingham schools, I have made the decision that we will begin to reopen Regents Park to more pupils from Monday June 15th.

   

  Initially, this will be a phased reopening. The plan is for Year 6 pupils to begin returning first from Monday June 15th with pupils in Year 1 beginning to return from Wednesday June 17th. It is then hoped that pupils in Reception classes will begin to return to school from Monday June 22nd. Other year groups may return at a later date before the summer holidays depending on Government guidance. Please note - these dates may change depending on other factors such as staffing availability, numbers of pupils, further guidance from the Government/ Local Authority and, of course, national and local infection rates.

   

  We recognise that lockdown within society as a whole is being eased gradually although there are still concerns that everyone should continue to be vigilant in order to prevent infection and minimise transmission of the Coronavirus. Parents will have concerns and be wary of their children returning to school; however, there are plans that we are putting in place to ensure that all children and staff in school are safe and not put at high risk.

   

  There will continue to be a significant emphasis on children and adults handwashing, maintaining hygiene, extra cleaning and guidelines put in place to ensure as much social distancing can take place as is possible and appropriate in a school setting. I will share more information on our plans next week.

   

  In order to plan further for staffing in school, parents of Y6 and Y1 pupils will be contacted soon to confirm whether they will or won't be sending their children to school from June 15th.

   

  I'm sure you will appreciate that this has been a very difficult period - the decision on reopening further has not been easy to make and planning for it requires a lot of thought in order to ensure that children, families and staff are kept safe. I am grateful for your continued support and will update you further very soon.

   

  Thank you,

   

  Mr A Beale