Brynmill Opening Logistics Key Points for Parents
It is Welsh Government’s expectation that in most schools, learners would have the opportunity to attend on 3 occasions before the summer holidays. However, in some schools it may be more.
We are currently working on the groupings, logistics and risk assessments that help us comply the huge amounts of operational guidance that we must meet. However, we felt it important to share with you where we are so far. This will be subject to change dependant on a range of matters including: staff availability, demand for emergency childcare and how successful the plans are. We will be in touch with the proposed groupings to clarify days by Monday 22nd at the latest. If you have any other questions, we will use them to update this page.
The purposes of the 4 weeks are to:
- Check in, catch up and prepare for September
- To address pupil well-being
Below is a set of answers to the things we think most parents will want to know.
| Point | Actions |
| What days will my child be offered? | When planning the sessions we can offer, we have taken into account the size and number of available classrooms, staffing availability and numbers of pupils intending to return. We plan to offer 4 sessions, subject to change. We plan for these to be a set day of each week. These will be one day out of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. |
| Will there be staggered start and end times? Yes
What will the timings be? |
Each Year group will have a different start and finish time:
Reception 9 – 1:30 1/2 - 8:30 – 2:30 3/4 - 9:00 – 3:00 5/6- 9:30 – 3:30 Emergency Childcare – 8:30–3:30 from 29th June |
| How will children be grouped?
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Your child will be assigned a group, currently of around 8 which we call a bubble. Pupils will stay within this group for the day’s activities.
We are trying to take into account friendships, familiar adults in Phase Teams as well as siblings. Given that groupings have to be small it may not be possible for all pupils to be with their class teacher. |
| Dropping off my child
How will they come into school? |
Pupils will arrive and wait at different gates with parents at socially distanced queue spots next to the following gates:
All children will use hand sanitiser as they enter school and the need to handwash reinforced throughout the day. |
| Collecting my child
How will they leave school?
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All pupils must be collected from school at this point in time, though this may be reviewed in the future. Staff will bring pupils down to the allocated exit and wait in a safe manner until parents arrive. |
| What about break times? | Pupils will stay with their bubble for breaktimes and lunch play on a staggered basis with their ‘bubble’ |
| Will there be Social Distancing? | Bubbles will not be mixing and staff assigned to each group will remain the same. The 2m rule will be reinforced around the school, while queuing for the gates and in classes. In order to support this, we have kept bubble sizes to a minimum. Youngest learners will find this difficult, and staff will use visual reminders to help support this. |
| What if my child becomes unwell? | Pupils who are feeling unwell during the school day will be allocated an isolation room for their and others’ safety.
Pupils who are feeling ill before school should not attend and if they exhibit COVID19 symptoms, they should follow Public Health Wales advice for families in terms of quarantine. |
| How does Emergency Childcare work when schools reopen?
Will my child be able to have face to face learning on a day they are in emergency childcare? |
Emergency childcare will continue for those parents eligible as key workers and will run alongside our bubble provision. From 29th June, this will run daily from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Please note that this is childcare only and not face to face teaching. Application via a pre-registration form, meeting eligibility and booking for Emergency Childcare is mandatory.
From 29th June, pupils will be placed in a bubble (group of pupils) and allocated face – face check in sessions. In accordance with WG guidance, in order to reduce the risk of transmission, children will stay with the same group of learners for that day. For those who are registered and booked into emergency childcare, parents will need to decide whether their child/ren attend the allocated face to face check in sessions at the stated drop off and collection times or remain booked into Emergency Childcare at the usual time of 8:30 – 3:30. Unfortunately children will not be able to attend both Emergency Childcare and Face to face check in on the same day. |
| What about Lunchtimes? | Pupils will stay with their group and will need to bring their own packed lunch, as no dinners will be prepared on site. They will eat together with their bubble in class or outside. |
| Will my child need equipment? | Pupils should bring in their own pen and pencil case (one), they should not share. However, if pupils need to borrow, then these will be cleaned at the end.
Pupils should bring in their own water bottle and can fill it up through the day themselves, not share. |
| Will there be Nursery provision? | WG have stated there is to be no Nursery provision before the summer break |
| Do staff or pupils need PPE? | Due to the scientific evidence related to the wearing of PPE clothing and masks, the schools risk assessment identifies when it may be needed, and that staff may choose to wear masks. If you wish your child to do so, we respect that choice. |
| How will infection control be managed? | The planned days allow for a deep clean on Friday, in addition to 3 days for any potential virus to naturally degrade over the weekend. Additional cleaning will take place through the day of all surfaces, high touch areas and resources used. Children will only use resources that can be frequently cleaned. Posters and videos will reinforce this with pupils. Toilet usage will be managed be allocated members of staff and water fountains will be made unavailable. Pupils with First Aid or Personal Care needs will be attended to by staff with PPE. |
| What about uniform / clothing? | Children/ Staff will not have to wear uniform but should wear clean clothes daily to prevent the transfer of the virus. |
| Will there be Breakfast Club? | There will be no breakfast club for the rest of this term
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| What will children be doing? | In line with the Education’s minister’s request to use this return to support pupil wellbeing, all staff have attended training on supporting pupil’s well-being though a pandemic. Staff will be doing positive check in activities with the children to support them and continue to establish a blended learning approach between home and school. The well–being team and ALNCO will be available to support pupils.
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| Free School Meals | If you think you are eligible but have not already applied, please follow this link. All children will need to bring in their own packed lunch and water bottle. https://www.swansea.gov.uk/applyfreeschoolmeals
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| I have children with different start and finish times.
What are my options? |
Where siblings start and finish at different times, and different gates, we would ask that the children arrive at the time of the later sibling and are collected at the time of the earlier sibling’s finish. This once again, prevents additional mixing of bubbles. |