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Chapel Road Primary School, Waterside
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IMPORTANT LETTER TO PARENTS-UPDATE 18th JUNE 2020

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18th Jun 2020

‘There is light at the end of the tunnel’

                                                                                                           Thursday 18th June 2020

Dear parents/guardians

I hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to the summer break. We know it has been a long time and we are thinking about you all every day. Thank you for keeping going and sending us news from home. Thank you also for the lovely emails and thoughtful comments you have sent the staff. We are grateful and appreciate each and every word.

I am sure you have been waiting to hear what the return to school will look like, when it will happen and what it all means for us in Chapel Road. We have also been hoping for some clarity so that we can make the necessary arrangements in time for our return.

Following today’s statement from the Minister of Education stating that a guidance document will be available tomorrow, we hope to receive the clarification we need to proceed with planning our 'new normal' in school. It is expected that the guidance will focus on ‘restarting’ school, concentrate on social distancing, hygiene considerations and provide guidance on other aspects including transport and catering. Additional operational guidance will follow in due course. As a school, we will use this guidance to plan the best possible return for our children.

The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed that the current social distancing guidance of 2 metres must continue to be followed between all adults within the education sector but that a distance of 1 metre is safe and appropriate between children and young people. The 1m guidance between children is to be followed as far as possible within the confines of the physical capacity of each classroom and the 2m rule for staff adhered to fully. This guidance will be subject to on-going review as the situation evolves.

The Minister also outlined that the start of the new term will be 24th August 2020 for Primary 7 and vulnerable children. I will let you know about the start date for the other children as soon as we reach finalise the ‘restart programme’.

In the meantime, the end is in sight and we are grateful that everyone is safe and well. I will send another update as soon as we have studied the guidance.

Regards

Mrs Bacheta