CRITICAL/KEY WORKER SUPPORT:

National lockdown began today and with it an opening of school to those vulnerable children and children of key workers - where school is the only possible alternative for a child.
Schools, like ours, will remain CLOSED until at least February half term.

With no advance warning and a Government directive that people MUST stay at home as far as possible and only leaving home for essential reasons as set out on the Government website.

This means that if you can work from home, you should.

Frankly, we have inundated by requests for places in school to the stage where it is almost working against the point of closure. I would ask parents to consider their needs in the light of this.

Please consider that:

• On a daily basis, we still need to protect all our staff from the virus and the potential risks of children accessing school. Initially we wanted to restrict groups to no more than 15 children – this is now - on some days - at a tipping point and classes could potentially see numbers in excess of this;
• We need to balance the deployment of staff between in-school support and the delivery of the remote learning. Currently - virtually all our staff are in school - working with children.
• As a result, I ask you to ONLY request school support if there is absolutely no other alternative open to you – by that I mean those of you who can work from home, and are able to look after your own child, should do so and instead take up the option of the remote learning schedule we are issuing rather than have your child attend school. Children in school are only working on the remote learning activities 

If only ONE of you is a Key Worker, we have to assume the other adult in the household can remain at home and therefore look after your child and not put yourself and others at unnecessary risk by sending them into school.

Please double check your Key Worker eligibility in line with the DfE guidance here:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

It is clear that the Government have enforced this national closure for a reason – we are all still highly vulnerable to the risks of Covid-19 particularly this more aggressive strain that has led to the lockdown in the first place. Transmission of Covid-19 in Sunderland is, this week,  two-and-half times higher than it was last week - a worrying development.

Please support us at Seaburn Dene Primary in protecting yourselves, the children and our school community.

If you decide to reconsider your request to have your child return to school, please advise us as soon as possible so we can make the necessary adjustments.