Kirkby Christmas Star – bringing the community together at Christmas 2020
We are working with the Kirkby Collaborative of Schools and Tower Hill and Shevington Together group to bring the Kirkby community together.
The idea is to encourage everyone in Kirkby to put up a Christmas symbol in their window with a Christmas message for the community.
It was agreed that a star should be the symbol that everyone uses, as this has diverse appeal and religious and non religious affiliations.
By putting up a star in the window the idea is that everyone is thinking of all other members of the Kirkby community at Christmas – and the star is the symbol we are using to demonstrate that togetherness and unity at this difficult Christmas time.
Your children will be making a star in school during the remainder of this month – and they will bring the star home on Tuesday 1st December so they can all be put on the window together on the 1st to shine a light throughout the Christmas month.
Members of the Kirkby community without school children can also create their own star. You may wish to share the message to embrace other members of the community and community groups.
Dear Parents/Carers of Year 4 children,
We have been advised by Public Health England that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.
We have followed the national guidance and have identified that your child’s class bubble may have been in the proximity of the affected person. Your child may have been in close/direct contact with the confirmed case as defined by Public Health England.
Governors and I have made the decision to follow the national guidance as we must take every step to ensure the safety of the children, staff and the school community. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, the children in the Year 4 class must self-isolate for 14 days. As the affected person has not been in school since Monday 16th November, the isolation period will end on Monday 30th November and children can return on this date.
Miss Bennett will set work for the children during the isolation and she will be in touch via Seesaw to explain how the work can be accessed. If your child has difficulty in accessing the work please contact the school and we will make any necessary arrangements.
It is not recommended that you access a test unless your child begins to show symptoms, as even if the test comes back negative your child will still have to self- isolate for 14 days.
The rest of your household does not have to self-isolate and other family members can attend school as usual.
If your child needs to access a test during this time, please inform school of the results.
Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to minimise the risk to your children and I thank you for all your support in following the new arrangements.
I would be grateful if parents/carers would refrain from using social media to discuss this matter as rumour and speculation can cause unnecessary upset and panic.
Please read the attached information and if you have any questions, contact the school and I will be happy to speak to you.
Thank you again for your continued support in such challenging times.
Miss J Withey
Head teacher
Please see the link to the PHE Staying at Home Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19- stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when symptoms appeared as advised in https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
You should arrange for testing for your child via https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested or 111.nhs.uk or primary care
All other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill. Household members should not go to work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home.
Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community
If you are able to, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period
Symptoms of COVID 19
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
· new continuous cough and/or
· high temperature and/or
· a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia) For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/ or by phoning 111.
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19:
· wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
· use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
· wash your hands as soon as you get home
· cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
· put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
Further Information
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Unfortunately, it has become necessary to close the Y4 bubble due to potential exposure with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. All parents/carers should now have been notified.
Miss Bennett will be providing home learning via Seesaw for the Y4 children. Although siblings are fine to attend school (and should do so wherever possible), it may have implications for siblings of these children if parents/carers are unable to provide childcare for the Y4 children and also bring siblings to school. These children should access the 5 day home learning package from the remote learning page.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM REMOTE LEARNING
What happens when a bubble goes home?
If your child is sent home from school to self isolate, they must not leave your home or garden for 14 days.
They should try to stay 2 metres from others in the house if possible. You should not have visitors to your house to see the child unless they are: part of your support
bubble (one other adult or one single parent family); childcare bubble (one other household) or they are from health or social care and it is necessary to see them.
The other people in the house do not have to self isolate, they can continue to go to school/work as long as the child is being looked after at home. If your child develops Covid symptoms, make sure you have them tested.
Government expectations:
Schools should provide:
Parents should provide:
The full document can be found here.
The 'Tower Hill Together' group have developed a proposal for Christmas to bring the Tower Hill community together.
The idea is to encourage people to put up a Christmas poster in their window with a Christmas message for the community. It was agreed that a star should be the symbol that everyone uses, can be viewed as either religious or non-religious.
By putting up a star in the window the idea is that everyone is thinking of all other members of the Kirkby community at Christmas – and the star is the symbol we are using to demonstrate that togetherness and unity at this difficult Christmas time.
The idea is that the stars could be created in school during the remainder of this month – and that they would all go up together on 1st December to shine a light through the Christmas month. Members of the Kirkby community without school children could also create their own star.
Dear Parent/Carer
REMINDER
The Immunisation Team will be coming into school tomorrow - Tuesday 10th November 2020 at 9.30 am to administer the intra nasal flu vaccination.
This applies to all children from reception to year 6. The vaccination is free and is a quick and simple spray up the nose. Even if your child had it last year, it is recommended to have the flu vaccine again this year.
I appreciate a lot of you have returned your child's consent form that you wish or do not wish your child to have the nasal spray- these have been passed to the Immunisation team.
However if you have not received a consent form you can access one from our website ( https://bit.ly/35ee3Ll ) or if you contact the school office we can pass one to your child tonight If you have any questions please contact the Immunisation Team on 0151 676 5141
Thank you