Afternoon everyone,

 

I know many of you are keen to know what our plans are for September. We have well developed plans (e.g. new timetables, etc) but are waiting on one decision that needs to be made by all the headteachers in the trust. This will be made on Friday 17^th July. I will then meet my senior leadership team to finalise our plans and brief our team.   We will aim to publicise these plans with you on Wednesday 22nd July. 

 

The issue that is causing us most concern is Breakfast and After School clubs. As a working parent, with a wife who is also a teacher, I know how crucial wrap around care is. As a family, we have found it incredibly hard since lock down to manage work and child care (our youngest is in Year 5). However, as a Headteacher I need to balance that with the risks that opening Breakfast, and after School clubs, will bring. You will see when we publicise our plans that we will have staggered start and finish times, as will all schools in the country. We will also keep each class separate from one another for the whole day to minimise the risk of the virus spreading. Much of that effort will go to waste if we then have children from multiple year groups in these clubs. 

 

To help me plan for these clubs, I really need to know how many parents would need to use them. This will help me to understand how feasible it is to open them. We must also make you aware that, as a result of the new measures, there may be an increase in the hourly cost of these clubs, though we will not know the precise amount until we have ascertained numbers. The increase in cost may be incurred through the employment of additional staff to keep groups smaller.

 

If you would like to access the clubs in order to remain employed, and have no other options in the short term, could you email me at headteacher@burford.nottingham.sch.uk by 9am on 20^th July 2020.

 

Thank you,

 

Mr Farrington