Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Hi everyone
At least it has stopped raining!! :)
School has been planning for September and trying to think about how we can best bring the children back. There has been a lot of speculation in the press. We need to wait and see what the PM actually does say. At St. Margaret's the proof will be in the detail. If the maximum number of children per class is 30, then this presents us with a problem as our intake is 35. I am not worrying about this too much yet. I am waiting for what the PM says.
Regarding the infants, the school will re-open (again, we are not certain of the numbers) on Wednesday 2nd September. The children will go to the class they were in, in March. So, say for example, if your child was in Willow, they will go to Willow. This will be for the three days in that week. The children will say a 'Good goodbye' to their current teacher. That teacher will also informally assess where the children are. This will not be a formal test at all. Assessment is the last thing the children need to be worrying about. The infants will go to their new classes on Monday 7th September. By this time the children will have been put in their mixed classes. (Lilac -Rec/Y1 and Oak Y1/2 and Hawthorn -straight Y2.)
Year 2 upwards will go to their new year groups straight away (depending on the maximum numbers dictated by the Government). Staff are currently arranging Zoom meetings so that the children can meet new teachers and chat to their current teachers. I will also be working with staff for the Year 2 children upwards to find some closure with their current teacher. (More details to follow). Please can you contact school with an up to date email address if you are not getting our emails. My letters to parents are also on the web six days a week.
New Reception children will begin their transition into school from Monday 7th September. School will be in touch with more details very soon.
Enough detail for now. Enjoy your evening.
Lots of love
Mrs. Perry
Good afternoon to you all.
I hope you are having a lovely day? It is still very warm for me as I am sitting here emailing you. I can see the storm clouds approaching though! I was out in the garden yesterday and I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I explored and it was a frog trying to get in the back door. This is Frog 2. I am wondering if this year the frog population is confused. (Aren't we all?)
Frog number 1 hopped repeatedly into the garage and hid under the car. It took 10 minutes of 'tender persuasion' to get it out.
Frog 1 is now hiding in the strawberries.
Next week school will welcome back Reception children :)
The week after there will be a welcome for Year 5.
As I said yesterday, staff are considering what to do to support transition for your children. Details to follow asap.I am also working with staff (and the Local Authority) to welcome the new Reception children in September (probably on a phased return). In truth,school does not know what school will look like in September. We await Government advice which is due in next Friday.
Please be re-assured that school will continue to keep you, your children and staff safe at this very complicated time.
We are committed to re-opening for your children as soon as possible and safely.
Lots of love to you all.
Mrs. Perry and the frogs .
PS. It is pouring down now and getting cooler :))))
I hope you all have your sun tan lotion on if you are out and about? The children managed really well in school today. It was so hot!
Mrs. Barnes struggled to cope outside this morning letting all you guys in and it wasn't even 9am. Mr. Henry does not like the heat as it makes him grumpy. (I can't tell the difference to be honest ;)
I have been talking to staff about the children moving to their next classes. We are thinking of ways for the children to meet up (either virtually or in person) so that the children can at least see their current and new teacher. More info to follow as soon as possible.
Next week school will welcome back a small number of Reception children and then on the 6 July, Year 5 will be in. School cannot fit all the Year 5s back in all at once and will have to have two bubbles. One on a Monday and Tuesday, the other on a Thursday and Friday. Wednesday will be a deep clean of the room. I am aware that this may not suit everyone. If you change your mind about a child place in light of this then that is totally understandable.
Staff will still provide a report for your child. Obviously it will be based on our knowledge of where the children were (for the majority) in March. However, we still feel that what they have achieved should be celebrated. The reports will be sent by email before the end of term.
For those parents of children who are attending school, if your child presents with any Covid symptoms: a cough, feeling tired, a high temperature etc then please do not send them in to school. They need to be tested as soon as possible to guarantee a reliable result. The school needs to be informed so that we can contact the parents of the children in the same bubble. If you are uncertain about the symptoms of C-19, I find that if I phone my GP they will give you some very helpful guidance at some length!!
The new fish in the pond are settling in nicely. They are all swimming round together now. Mr. Perry also bought some new fish for the tank in the kitch and he has cleaned it too! It looks lovely!
In the garden the broad beans have started to grow as well.
have a lovely evening!
Lots of love.
Mrs. Perry
Good morning everyone
I am emailing early today with some very good news. The child who was tested for C-19 yesterday - the results have come back negative. Therefore, from tomorrow all our Year 6 children and staff can resume their normal timetable.
This is very good news and must be a great relief to the child's family.
What happened yesterday, can only be the first incident of what schools can expect in the future. This is a 'new way for us'. School dealt with it well and we need to use what we learned from the experience to help us deal with future incidents.
If you do not receive emails from school, it is crucial that you forward your email address to stmargarets@bury.gov.uk as soon as possible. If there is a need to close a bubble as we did yesterday we need to be able to contact the relevant families as soon as possible.
If you change your mobile number, please give school your new number as soon as possible. when I was phoning families yesterday I struggled to contact several as numbers had changed.
In future, if we need to close a bubble, the parents of children in that bubble will be contacted by phone. We believe that in these circumstances parents would appreciate a personal call from school rather than an email or text.
If your child is not in that bubble, for practical reasons, you will be informed via text and via the school website.
Thank you for all your positive comments about the systems that school has school has put in place to keep your child safe. It was gratifying to hear that you are feeling confident.
It will be good to get back to our version of normal tomorrow!
Take care.
Mrs. Perry
Happy Monday to you all :)
It was lovely to see our Year 1s this morning!! After a slightly nervous start and one of them spraying the sanitiser in their eye by mistake, they had a lovely morning!
School is dealing with the situation arising from of one of the Year 6 boys suffering from Covid symptoms over this last weekend. We have spoken to all parents of the children actually attending school, but I am writing to let you all know what has happened so that you are fully up to date, with accurate information.
The boy has not been in school since last Thursday and neither have his 'Bubble Mates'. The bubble he is in did not attend school today and they will not attend till the results of the test are known. We have initially closed the bubble for all of this week so that parents can plan their week as effectively as possible. If the results come back earlier and are negative then the bubble can re-open. If the results are positive then the school will need to close for two weeks for a deep clean. Staff who covered this bubble last week will not attend school till the results are known. School will update everyone with any new information as soon as possible.
The bubbles have kept very much apart, even on the playground, so cross contamination is extremely unlikely. The boy's bubble have not mixed with the Key Worker bubble at any time.
Mrs. Barnes and I would like to say a big 'Thank you' to all our parents, for giving such positive feedback and encouraging remarks when we called today. This made a difficult situation as easy as it could be for us. It was very much appreciated.
Enjoy the lovely weather this evening and keep safe and well.
Mrs. Perry :)
Good evening to everyone :)
I hope you have had a nice weekend and that you are safe and well?
I am looking forward to tomorrow, when school welcomes back a small number of Year 1 children. Staff have been planning interesting activities: phonics;maths and 'other stuff' as well :)
It has stopped raining for a while where am. The weeds and bind weed are having a lovely time!!
Josh bought three new fish for the pond in the garden. They have settled really well and are very pretty colours.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.
Missing you all. Mrs. Perry. xx
Anyone remember Dixon of Dock Green? That was the opening line each week.... you are all too young to remember. I used to watch it with my Dad. Both my parents were teachers. My Dad went into teaching late, but became a Head Teacher in Bury until he retired. My mum was a teacher in Bury all her working life and taught Reception for 25 years. The conversation round our tea table was interesting as you can imagine. I went to see my mum today (she is 88 and still has her 'I survived the war' head on. Good on her. She is very up beat!)
I am so proud of our children and families. Year 6 returned this week and we survived each other. It is lovely to see how they have grown (literally) and as people in their own right.
On Monday we will welcome back Year 1 and then Reception.
Key worker children numbers continue to grow as parents go back to work.
THE INTENTION is to bring back Y5 in the week beginning 6th July, but this is dependent on KW children. I am working with Mr. Longworth to put a transition package together for Years 2,3 and 4. We are thinking that this is likely to be via ZOOM. (Now that I am happy about it's safety.)
I will be working with staff to support your children as they move in to a new year group. Information to follow asap.
I hope that you have a lovely weekend and that your families are safe and well.
Lots of love and hugs (Virtual obviously!)
Mrs. Perry
xx
Good afternoon all
Finally!!!! It has stopped raining!! It was a bit grim standing out in the rain this morning, so Dennis has bought us some very fetching waterproof ponchos (like you get at Disneyland except not!!) Keep your eyes open for them..... you won't miss them!
Thank you to the Year 5 parents who have stated an interest in the children returning. This will possibly happen on the 6th July. I will tell you nearer the time IF IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. The reason for the uncertainty is that the number of Key Worker children is rising quickly as parents return to work. School MUST give priority to these families. If we get five more KW children then school will be at full capacity and there will be no room for Y5 children. Please be patient. I will let you know asap.
Take care and keep safe. Mrs Perry
I hope you are having a good day. I have done my emails, some school work, and been for a run with Charlotte.
Her new school in Warsaw has been in touch, thankfully! She starts on the 18th August, so now we have the fun of finding somewhere to live!!
Just to let you know my peas are growing nicely, but there is a squirrel showing some interest (and in my raspberries).
Also this afternoon I had to dispose of a wasps nest in my back garden ( I hope you think I was brave?!)
This evening I am looking forward to watching TV with Char and J. Your parents may remember Waterloo Road and Downton Abbey. I usually nod off half way through and have to watch it all all over again.
Mr. Longworth will be thrilled that the footy is back on and I guess things are getting back to normal (what normal??) over time. I hope that you are all as happy as you you can be and safe.
Lots of love
Mrs Perry