Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Good afternoon everyone, on another extremely hot day!!
I hope you are all well? I am getting a lot of emails from parents with concerns and questions about re-opening the school to more children. I understand and share all your fears. There has been a massive amount of coverage in the media this weekend. I have spoken to our Governing Body very frequently in the past few days and they share concerns. Media coverage and the latest advice from the Governments own 'Science Advisory Group' shows a very mixed view on the safety of re-opening the school for more children. In the North West the number of people with C-19 remains high compared with in the South.
At St. Margaret's we will use a very cautious approach. It will not be the same as other schools in the Prestwich area nor in Bury overall. The decisions made are based on what I/the Governors feel is safe for our children, staff and community as a whole. Please be patient and support the decisions made. I know that I cannot please everyone.
WB June 1st -The school will re-open for staff training tomorrow. Staff will work on an extremely detailed Risk Assessment and implement what comes out of this. Key worker children will be in school from June 2nd. Parents please note that at the time of writing this our PPE supplies are running very low. There is little sanitiser left, although we have plenty of soap for hand washing. We do have gloves for First Aid, but the aprons have not arrived yet.
WB June 8th -The aim is to open to Year 6 children on June 8th. Year 6 parents, please can you email school and let us know if you intend to send your child in to school. Thank you to those who have already responded. If you do not respond, then I will have to assume that your response is 'No'. Please do not just arrive with your child on the 8th. They will not have been planned for and I need to be clear with you - they will not be admitted on that day. The cut off point to tell us if you want a place is 12 noon tomorrow. This has already been explained in you in previous emails.
Key worker children -As well as the Year 6 returning, school is having an increasing number of KW and vulnerable children in school, as a result of parents needing to return to work. This increased demand will need planning and possible overspill in to another room.
WB June 22nd - the intention is to re-open the school to the youngest children. My feeling is that bringing in the youngest children in, is reckless. They cannot reliably self isolate and therefore, to re-admit them is unsafe for them and for staff. I predict that I will have my wrist firmly slapped for being honest with you.The environment they will return to will be alien to them. However, from June 22nd, following the Government Guidelines, this is our aim. By then the school will have had time to assess the impact of re-opening for Year 6 children.
I predict that the numbers of children needing a place will be small. That is your choice as a parent and will be respected by school. Staff have decisions to make about their own children as well.
Other year groups will be considered once Year 6, Reception and Year 1 have been re-admitted.
Any child attending school will need to wear their own clothes. These clothes need to be washed at the end of each day. This will be the same for staff. Children should not bring anything from home. The equipment they use in school will be provided by school and cleaned at the end of each day. It is yet unclear whether this will be enough time to clean the school well enough, so school day times will be under constant review.
School will be closed each Friday for a deep clean. On this, day staff will also need to plan work for their own year groups,especially if they are already teaching in school.
Currently, there is a quarter of school staff that will be unable to attend from 1st June and at least until 31st June, because of their own underlying health conditions or the health conditions of someone in their household.
The fact of it is, that there is so much that needs arranging: Pods, PPE (The PPE equipment has NOT YET ARRIVED, even though Mrs. Barnes ordered it some time ago. Every school in the country is ordering the same thing at the same time); lunches; toilet arrangements;outdoor play,the curriculum!!
Need I go on. Sorry for the lengthy email. However, you need to be aware what 'the new normal' looks like for now. There is a deep desire to meet with your children, and you as soon as possible. We will do it safely and well. In the meantime if you need to contact school please do so using the school email stmargarets@bury.gov.uk
Mrs. Perry
Hi everyone
I hope that you have enjoyed the sun today. I have been out in the garden a little and tied up the honeysuckle that the wind blew down last week. I have asked Mrs. Barnes to send a letter to Year 6 parents about re-opening school for more children.
School will be opening to staff on Monday to plan for the future. Our Governors are very very divided on opening school to more children on safety grounds.
Following Year 6 returning, if that is what happens, then I will contact each year group parents regarding future plans.
Enjoy your weekend
Mrs. Perry
I hope that you are all enjoying the gorgeous weather?? Don't forget your sun cream. Charlotte had hers on yesterday and still got a little burned. !!
I have been working with the LA and Head Teacher colleagues until about ten minutes ago on opening schools to more children. When I was listening to my friends I was surprised at our different circumstances but proud of the determination to bring children back as soon as possible, safely and well.
Some schools are in areas of high infection still. Two schools have had gas leaks. At St. Margaret's I predict that up to a quarter of staff may not be able to return yet because of underlying health conditions., or the health conditions of people in their household. Every single member of staff has expressed that they WANT to be in school and that they/I, miss your children very very much.
I am going to listen to the PM announcement later and then, depending on what he says, send a letter out to parents of Y6 children initially, tomorrow. Other year groups will follow. I am working with the Governors and staff on which year groups this will be. I know that you will continue to support the decisions school makes. You have been utterly amazing. Thank you so much.
Mrs. Perry
Hello to all Parents and Carers
I hope that you are enjoying the day?? If you read the Bury Times today you will see an article that I was asked to provide by one of their journalists. The issue of safety in schools is clearly at the forefront of the mind of the Press, which I think is good.
I am trying to turn my head to the matter of opening St. Margaret's to more children. This will begin with the children of Key Workers from June 1st. As parents return to work, I realise that more places will be needed for your children. Therefore, please can you contact school by email to stmargarets@bury.gov.uk if you need a place for your child(ren). I know that some of you have already done this. Please would you mind confirming the days you need so that we can plan ahead.
School is also planning to re-open for more children, starting with Year 6. There are certain safety measures that must be in place before this is safe enough and the fact is that they are not in place yet. School will keep in touch on a daily basis as it has been doing so that you know what is happening. Please be re-assured that school will open as soon as possible for more children, but it must be done safely and well
Mrs. Perry
Good afternoon everyone
I had a visit today from the BBC Education Correspondent and her camera team.
I was happy with what I said and I put forward the BAPH perspective as well as I could. The piece will be on tonight's news at 6pm. I just hope that what goes out reflects what I wanted to get across.
Mrs Perry
Dear Parents and Carers
I hope you have had a lovely day. I have watered the spider plants I potted for all your classes and they are really coming on. I re-potted some of the sunflowers over the weekend, but I broke the roots of one and unfortunately it has wilted so I will need to be more careful next time :(
We have had tears in our house today. My daughter Charlotte has finally been told that she cannot return to China where she has been teaching Y1 in the British School in Beijing. The problem is that all her belongings are still there.
So at 4am this morning she was in contact with her class teaching assistant who has been so kindly packing her things ready for shipment home. In China, you can just buy a scooter and ride off on it. She has two that she uses to get to school. (Beware all other road users!!) When I was listening to her conversation, she was telling Yidan how to get the scooters up the stairs. (What?)
Anyway, it seems to be all finished.... hence the tears.
I hope you all have a lovely evening.
Keep safe and well
I hope we will all be back together safe and sound as soon as we can
Mrs. Perry
Good afternoon Parents, Carers and Staff
I am attaching a letter from Tariq Tamoor, the Leader of Bury Council. Bury Cabinet has today, decided that schools will not open on the 1st June for any pupils (Reception, Year 1 nor Year 6) as the overarching feeling that it is unsafe and therefore, wrong to do so.
The date for re-opening is now unsure. We await safer scientific evidence and future advice.
The announcement was unexpected for me as head and it will be for you as parents. However, I agree that it is unsafe to open school too soon. I do not know when the next proposed date will be.
Keep safe and well.
Mrs. Perry xx
To: All maintained schools and Academies - To Head Teachers (copied to Chairs of Governors)
Colleagues
An Important message from the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Schools & Families
Dear Head Teacher,
Covid-19 and the Bury Education Service
I am writing to you, firstly to place on the public record my sincere thanks and those of our council for your unswerving professionalism and for the dedication of your staff during what is an unprecedented time in the life of Bury, whilst we get to grips with the biggest public health crisis our country has ever seen.
Secondly, I want to set out the concerns we have regarding the proposed extensions to the current opening arrangements as proposed by central government.
The third matter, and one which is of the utmost gravity is to announce I have approval from Bury Council’s Cabinet to not support the government guidance regarding the progressive extension of schools re-opening to more pupils from 1st June 2020.
I set out below the main themes of my argument;
From the detailed discussions I have had with the DCS, Karen Dolton, and the Interim Director of Education and Inclusion, Julien Kramer, I have become very clear that there is an unacceptable risk to our pupils, our staff and to the communities of vulnerable people in Bury, if we were to extend the opening of our schools from 1st June as central government had proposed.
The North West region and Bury face persistently high levels of new infection, and a significant level of deaths through Covid-19 infection: and we have very high levels of vulnerable individuals within our communities. There are in addition real concerns regarding, Covid-19 testing, availability of PPE, limitations on the proposed Track and Trace, and real concerns regarding the inconsistent level of central government support for our recovery.
As the lead Member for Children's Services Schools and Families, I feel the heavy responsibility of protecting our education communities; and the wider community. I therefore have approval from Bury Council’s Cabinet to not open schools to a wider intake of pupils from 1st June. I further intend, to lobby our case for a delayed, and more planned restart, with central government through the Secretary of State for Education. We will commit to regularly review this decision if there is clear evidence to suggest any changes around Covid-19 infection rates or if the government brings forward different direction or guidance than it has done currently affecting education.
I have only praise for the superb professionalism and determination of our Heads, and our staff in Bury schools. Through the daily briefings and from conversations with heads and staff it is clear how resilient the education service is, and how determined colleagues have been to protect the most vulnerable. I thank them for their brave work.
But I must recognise, both the high level of uncertainty regarding persistent high levels of Covid-19 infection in the North West; and the widespread anxiety which government proposals have created; across our education service, among parents and carers; and in the communities we serve here in Bury. In the last week the public view and the views of parents and carers around the re-opening of schools has been quite clear. I know some of our schools have directly consulted with parents to ask if they intend to send their children into school in line with the governments timescales, and overwhelmingly the response has been NO.
The decision to ask Early Years Children to be amongst the first back into the school was ill thought out and most definitely ill judged. Pupils of that age, would not adhere to or understand social distancing and this would place greater pressure on our teaching staff.
Moreover there are clear significant implications including, the impact for our SEN children, school staff that are shielding, the lack of physical space in some schools and the fact next to no PPE has been offered for our School staff. We must learn the lessons from recent weeks where significant number of health and social care staff were put at risk without PPE.
I have had detailed engagement with Heads, parents, carers and professional associations/unions; and I have listened carefully to their expressions of doubt, and their misgivings.
The latest government announcement by the Prime Minister, together with an unfortunately timed and poorly judged Ministerial letter, have created yet further uncertainty and some dismay.
As the Lead Member for Education I have had valuable advice from, and discussions with the Bury Heads Advisory Group. I have also had numerous representations from parents and local groups; unions and the professional associations. All are saying to me, the present risk is too great.
Bury Council believe passionately that each child in our Borough should have access to education, we are also conscious of the fact that there will be gaps around the teaching and learning of disadvantaged pupils. However we will continue to work with you as our head teachers in helping to bridge and repair this gap at the earliest opportunity. Moreover at this stage our decision making and priority has been based on the clear concerns that have been raised from the teaching profession, parents and carers and teaching unions and the risk that is placed on all if schools were to reopen on 1 June.
The cabinet recognises that this decision will necessitate a clarity around safeguarding procedures aligned to the latest government advice. We will continue with our safeguarding plans which have been in place through the period of lockdown and ensure through this next stage of the Summer Term we keep up the engagement with schools. We are clear that vulnerable children and children of key workers should continue with school provision as they have been doing over recent weeks.
I recognise the Cabinet's heavy duty in making this decision to not further open schools from 1st June; and I am clear that there are wider health and safety issues which government must address, before we risk returning more children to our schools. Subject to your advice to me, I intend to write to the Secretary of State for Education, citing the persistently high levels of infection in the North West region, the lack of PPE, the very slow progress in setting up Track and Trace, and the confused government approach to resourcing our recovery. I will urge him to reflect on the importance of local evidence, the local scientific advice, and the national opinion of the British Medical Association in proposing decisions which could have a dramatic impact on our lives here in Bury.
In conclusion I thank you for your outstanding contribution and leadership to teaching and learning within our borough during this pandemic. It is abundantly clear that you have more than risen to the challenge. I share my gratitude and thanks to you our Head teachers and all of your staff for the flexibility, resilience, and your determination to protect the health and safety of our schools communities at this time.
Once again Bury has shown the strength of our Education Service, through the strong family of schools, including our local authority maintained schools, our faiths schools and our academy trusts.
Looking ahead, the Local Authority advice that you have been receiving on a daily basis will continue, and we will of course keep dialogue open with you around risk assessments, and your individual plans for the eventual opening of schools whenever that may be.
Please forward this letter to the parents and carers in your school, your staff team and your governing bodies.
More than ever, feedback is appreciated at this unprecedented time.
Yours faithfully,
Councillor Tamoor Tariq
Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Schools and Families
Copy to Vicky Beer, Department for Education
Deborah Smith, Diocese of Manchester
Simon Smith, Diocese of Salford