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

• School closure - further information

  Thu 19 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman

  As you will be aware, Coronavirus is a rapidly changing situation and we have been working with the Department for Education, Public Health England and Knowsley Council to plan for such a pandemic.

   

  As per the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday we have been directed to close schools for most children. We are prepared and ready to respond to this challenge.

   

  We are writing to inform you that school will close on Friday 20^th March (tomorrow) at 3.15 pm and remain closed until further notice. Parents should check the school website for updates which will be posted regularly.

   

  Pupils will be provided with work packs that will be sent home today. Additional work will be available via the school website. Teachers will update this regularly.

  If your child is absent from school, you may collect work packs from the Junior Hall between 2 pm and 3.30 pm on Friday. If you are unable to collect work packs, please inform the school office.

  As advised by the government, we will do all we can to stay open from Monday 23^rd March for the following groups:

  • children with an EHCP or a social worker – we will contact you separately

   

  • children of key workers (e.g. NHS staff, police, others in frontline services)

  Please contact school if you are a key worker and require this provision. School may ask you for further information about your role. School will also ask you for further detail about your requirements – eg. if you need the place all week for example.

   

  We encourage you and your children to continue to follow Public Health England advice on keeping yourselves safe.  Updated information can be found here:

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

   

  Pupils who are eligible for free school meals will have their lunches provided for them.  Further information about this will be communicated to these families in due course.

   

  Energy difficulties - The Government has announced that energy suppliers won’t shut people off and that families should contact their supplier in the first instance.

  

• School closure & provision of work

  Wed 18 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman

  Dear Parents/Carers,

  In light of the Government announcement to close schools on Friday, staff have prepared work packs for children. School will be open as normal tomorrow with further information to follow when we have received further guidance from the Local Authority.

  Children who attend school tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday will be given their pack by the end of the day. Parents/carers of children who are self-isolating or absent due to illness, will be able to collect work from the Junior Hall between 2 pm and 3.30 pm on Friday.

  If you are unable to make arrangements for work to be collected, please inform the school office.

  If school closures persist for an extended period, further work activities or tasks will be added to the SeeSaw learning platform. To access these resources, pupils will need access to a digital device such as a phone, tablet or laptop and the Seesaw app or the website app.seesaw.me.

   

  We will continue to keep you informed of any changes or further advice and recommendations.

   

  All information will be placed on Parentapps, twitter and the school website.

  If you do not have access to Parentapps please contact the school office or follow the guidance on the school website.

   

  Yours faithfully,

  Julie Withey

• Drinks bottles

  Tue 17 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman

  Dear Parent/Carer

   

  We have taken the precaution to remove the schools plastic beakers for drinking water. Please could you provide a water bottle for your child which can be taken home each day and washed accordingly. Any children who do not have a water bottle will be provided with a single-use disposable plastic cup.

• Foodbanks

  Tue 17 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman

  The Local Food Banks are keen to make parents aware that families will still be able to access food without the paper vouchers. Please find a link to the local food banks and opening times below:

   

  https://knowsley.foodbank.org.uk/locations/

   

  Thank you

• Covid 19 further guidance

  Mon 16 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman
  In light of the Government advice this evening, we would urge all parents/carers to isolate all family members for 14 days if any member of the family has a cough and/or high temperature. 
  We will continue to keep you informed of any further advice or recommendations. 

• Latest COVID-19 response

  Mon 16 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman

  School's latest response to Covid 19 can be seen below or on the attached images from the school letter:

   

  16^th March 2020

   

  Dear Parent/Carer,

   

  This letter aims to update you on our preparations within school in response to the spread of Coronavirus (Covid 19) 1.45 p.m. on 16.3.2020. Updates from the Department for Education, Knowsley Council and Public Health England have been used as a basis for our planning. We recognise that people will understandably be concerned at this time; therefore we just want to reassure you that the school is monitoring the situation closely, is in regular contact with relevant authorities and has comprehensive plans in place.

  Currently, there are no school closures in Knowsley. The Local Authority will continue to advise schools of actions in line with Government recommendations.

  Day to Day Response

  We are encouraging all of our staff and children to follow Public Health guidance and keep high levels of personal hygiene; this includes making sure that we are directing children/students and staff to wash their hands:

  • • before leaving home
    • on arrival at school
    • after using the toilet
    • after breaks and sporting activities
    • before food preparation
    • before eating any food, including snacks
    • before leaving school

  Children can bring hand sanitiser to school with them to use throughout the day if they wish but please be assured that we have plenty of hand wash available in school for children to use.

  Our standard cleaning processes will continue but are also taking extra precautions within our cleaning arrangements and making sure that frequent contact points such as door handles are cleaned more regularly.  Our Cleaning Provider has assured us that plans are in place to provide an enhanced or deep clean quickly as and when required.

  We have talked to the children/students about the virus and how it is spread so that they can make sensible choices and follow the Public Health Guidance and ensure they carry tissues to ‘Catch it, Kill it, Bin it.’

  Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19

  The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

  • new continuous cough and/or
  • high temperature

  For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection

  Generally, these infections can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. There is no evidence that children are more affected than other age groups – and it is important to remember that very few cases have been reported in children so far.

  If you or a family member present with these symptoms the advice of health professionals is to self-isolate for 7 days. Guidance on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

  After 7 days, if anyone is still unwell, then seek medical advice NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access call NHS 111. If symptoms worsen during your self-isolation, seek prompt medical advice.

  If children feel better after 7 days and no longer have a temperature, they can return to school. The guidance does say that a cough may persist for several weeks in some people, despite the Coronavirus infection having cleared.

  Reporting Absence:

  Parents or Carers should inform the school as soon as possible of the reason for a child’s absence and provide any further information that may be required. During this time all absences relating to COVID-19 symptoms or precautionary self-isolation will be authorised by the school.

  Communication

  Information will be shared with parents/carers via letter, the school website www.eastcroftpark.co.uk, Parentapps and Twitter @EastcroftPark

   

  ALL information in relation to changes at school will be posted on official channels and I would ask that you do not rely on other sources such as non-school related social media to inform decision making.

  Planning in Place:

  The Council is working to ensure that any local response to COVID-19 is co-ordinated and services to schools are included in this planning. Contingency plans are in place for Council services to schools and we are receiving regular updates in relation to this.

  An important part of our preparations are making sure that we have contingency plans for a variety of scenarios, including a temporary closure if instructed to do so by Public Health England.

  We have made the decision to cancel any non-essential visitors to school and staff have been instructed to not attend any non-essential meetings offsite.

  Currently, we have planned for 3 separate scenarios. However none of the scenarios are currently in operation.

  1. Instruction from Government to close for a specified period of time

  If we are instructed to close the school, parents/carers will be informed by letter and the information will also be posted on the school website, Parentapps and Twitter. Plans to reopen will also be posted on the school website, Parentapps and Twitter.

  Teachers will set work for pupils via Seesaw. Class teachers will post work appropriate for their pupils.

  The school website also has a number of links to educational sites, games and activities.

  Class teachers may also provide booklets and other materials were appropriate.

  All children will be provided with a home reading book and a library book.

   

  Please keep in mind that we’re only sending out this information to help the school community prepare. There are currently no plans to close.

  1. Instruction to implement social distancing and limit the contact of groups of people

  If we are instructed to implement social distancing the school will consider cancelling whole school or large gatherings. We may also stagger break times and lunch times.

  1. Staff absence levels cause the need for closure

  If the school is affected by significant staff absence we may implement partial closure i.e. some classes maybe able to attend school while other classes are closed. Children who are unable to attend will be set work as outlined above.

  We hope that implementing such plans will not be necessary but we will always make decisions with the needs, health and welfare of children first. 

  Thank you for your continued support and your understanding in this matter.

  Yours sincerely

   

  Julie Withey

  Headteacher

  

• World book day - books, brew and biccies!

  Tue 03 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman
  Parent(s)/carer(s) of children from nursery to Y6 are invited to come into school Thursday morning 5th March for books, a brew &  biccies. Details can be found on the attached letter!

  

• Headbolt lane closure

  Mon 02 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman

  For your information, carriageway surfacing works are planned on a section of Headbolt Lane, Kirkby from Monday 2nd March 2020 to Wednesday 4^th March 2020. In order that the works can be undertaken quickly and safely the road will be closed, shown on the link below:

   

  https://one.network/?tm=116558771

   

  The diversion route associated with the Headbolt Lane closure will be via Headbolt Lane, Pingwood Lane, Shevingtons Lane, Bank Lane and vice versa.

  

• LFC foundation mental health event @ Eastcroft Park

  Sun 01 Mar 2020 Mr Youngman
  LFC foundation delivered a workshop about children's mental health at Eastcroft Park, including a visit and talk from Liverpool FC legend Jason McAteer. The video can be watched on our gallery page. Further details can be found here on the LFC website.