Latest News
Please see our latest news here
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Halloween Fun Day - Friday 23rd October
Wed 14 Oct 2020Wear your Halloween costume (or non-uniform) all day for £1.00 donation
Prizes for most creative costumes in class
Spooky film afternoon with your class
Pop up tuck shop - Halloween sweet treats from 50p!
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#HelloYellow Mental Health Day - Friday 9th October
Thu 08 Oct 2020In support of the Young Minds #HelloYellow World Mental Health Day on Friday 9th October, children can wear one item of yellow clothing or a yellow accessory alongside their normal school uniform if they wish to.
No donations are required. To see more, click on the video link:
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Cross Curricular Activity Day - Friday 2nd October
Wed 30 Sep 2020All children will be taking part in an exciting cross- curricular Activity Day this Friday.
Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit and trainers, with black tracksuit bottoms and school jumper over the top.
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Back to School Letter
Fri 04 Sep 2020Please see the letter from Mrs Bourne regarding the start of the new school year.
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Letter about Reopening
Wed 13 May 2020For the attention of Parents / Carers of Year 6 pupils, Critical Key Workers, and Parents / Carers of Vulnerable Children.
Please see the letter from me (here) in regard to potential reopening of the school to a wider number of pupils after 1st June.
Eligible families have been contacted via Epraise and asked to complete a form WHETHER OR NOT they intend to return their child to school.
This information is critical to establishing plans for reopening to different groups of pupils when it is safe to do so.
If you believe you child is eligible, but have not been able to complete the form, please contact the school office.
Many thanks
Suzie Bourne (Headteacher)
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VE Day Celebrations - at a safe distance!
Fri 08 May 2020VE Day Celebrations - 8th May 2020.
Pupils and staff took part in a variety of VE Day celebrations today.
Those children in school have taken part in historical research, VE themed artwork, discussions about heroes past and present and enjoyed a socially distanced picnic lunch. Children and families working from home have joined in through a range of online learning resources.
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Epraise emails - communicating
Tue 14 Apr 2020Hello again everyone!
I hope you have been enjoying some of the good weather - safely - with your families.
Please can I remind all parents / carers to make sure you are signed up for 'Epraise' as this is how we send all communications out to you (newsletters / forms / information). www.epraise.co.uk
Increasingly, we will use this to message you about your child too.
School reopens for ELIGIBLE children only on Monday 20th April.
Please keep up with school closure tasks, and other information on our website.
Look after each other and - stay safe!
Mrs Bourne
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30th March Keeping in Touch Newsletter
Mon 30 Mar 2020Please click the link below to read our first 'Keeping in Touch' newsletter during this school closure period.
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22nd March Emergency Childcare Update
Sun 22 Mar 2020Dear Parents / carers,
Emergency Childcare Provision (22nd March Update)
The school is ready to admit ELIGIBLE PUPILS for Emergency Childcare tomorrow.
We have received a very large number of requests for childcare, resulting in large numbers of pupils at school every day from Monday.
I appreciate we are a large school but please can I remind everyone:
- every child whose parents are not key workers must remain at home, schools closed Nationally on Friday,
- for those families with a key worker, your child should only be at school on the days you are at work when no-one else in the household can look after them,
- if a parent is ‘working at home,’ your child must stay at home with you wherever possible.
This is the clear guidance from the Government to ensure we prevent the spread of this deadly virus within our communities. It is our responsibility to follow this, particularly when we know how easily this virus spreads. It is much safer for your child, other pupils, staff and your families if your child stays at home with yourselves.
Everyone at Witton wants to support our key worker families to the best of our ability who have critical roles to fulfill in the COVID-19 pandemic. I have spoken to many families personally and know that you are trying to keep your children at home with you as much as possible, so thank you. However, in order to protect all pupils, staff and families, I have decided to ask all key worker families bringing pupils to school, to email office@witton.worcs.sch.uk with a photo of their ID badge or some form of identification (where possible) evidencing their employment within these sectors and roles.
Arrangements for Monday
Only children who have had confirmed places will be allowed into school. If you have not had an email confirming a place, and the arrangements for Monday then, regretfully, we cannot accommodate your child. Any pupil arriving unexpectedly will be asked to go home and we will contact parents / carers.
Eligible pupils with confirmed places, are asked to arrive no earlier than 8.25am. They should wear sports / active clothing so we can undertake physical activities. Children should bring their own snacks and drinks.
Children in receipt of Free School Meals will be given a hot meal at lunchtime. Other children should bring a packed lunch. Our usual safeguarding arrangements are in place, and we will have the same expectations of pupil behaviour and conduct.
It is essential we have current contact details for parents / carers in the event of your child becoming unwell.
Finally, can I respectfully remind you that we can only continue to offer this provision if our staff stay healthy. It is important to keep pupil numbers low, and for us to review daily our ratios for supervision whilst retaining smaller class sizes and keeping social distancing rules in place.
If, at any time, we do not have sufficient levels of staffing to maintain the provision safely, then we would have to close the school completely.
Children who are in receipt of Free School Meals, but who are not at school are eligible for food vouchers. Please email office@witton.worcs.sch.uk if you think you should received these.
Additional information can be found here:
Closure of educational settings: information for parents and carers - GOV.UK
Information for parents and carers about the closure of schools and other educational settings following the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).
www.gov.uk
Please notify us if your circumstances change. Thank you in advance for working so closely with us, and for your ongoing support.
Yours sincerely,
Suzie Bourne (Headteacher)
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Emergency Childcare Provision
Fri 20 Mar 2020Thank you for your patience during what has been one of the most extraordinary weeks we have experienced at Witton.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the current situation, and the Government guidance that we are following. We must all remember that the purpose of the school closure is to prevent the spread of the infection, particularly by reducing the number of pupils and staff who have contact with each other. This is why the Government has stated that “if children can safely stay at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading. Schools remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.”
As you will know, we have been making preparations to close the school of this afternoon. The school is now an Emergency Childcare Provision but ONLY for eligible children.
At Witton, eligible children are:
- Those who have an EHCP plan
- Those are supported by social care
- Looked After Children
- Young carers
- Children whose parents work in critical roles as defined within the Government guidance issued on 20th March.
We are in the process of contacting all parents / carers of eligible children to confirm arrangements from Monday. In some cases we may contact you to gather further information around your specific role, or ask you to evidence this. The guidance sates that “If workers think they fall within the critical categories they should confirm with their employer that … their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.” Please note that the Headteacher reserves the right to refuse any pupil’s provision in school if we cannot meet their needs or guarantee their safety.
It is important that you understand that our staffing levels in school are also affected. We will be operating on vastly lower staffing levels than usual, and must ensure we keep pupil numbers low in order to make sure we can continue operate to support those children who really need us the most.
Please remember that for all other children, school remains closed. Unfortunately if children who are not eligible for childcare arrive at school during this period of closure, they will be asked to return home and their parents / carers will be contacted. Learning activities have been posted on our school website under the ‘Children’ heading, School Closure Learning and then each year group. Teachers will be adding tasks each week, so keep checking in for updates. We ask that parents supervise online tasks carefully and support their child to either mark their own work or do this alongside them. Answers are available for all activities (but no peeking until you have attempted the tasks!)
If you believe your child is eligible for childcare and you have NOT heard from us, then please email office@witton.worcs.sch.uk and we will contact you at our earliest opportunity. Could I ask for your help in only ringing the school if it is urgent, as we anticipate being very busy on Monday, and will not have the usual levels of staff in the office.
Finally, can I thank you for the many supportive and positive emails that we have received from parents to date, they are much appreciated. I thank you for your continuing support and will continue to keep you updated with information should there be any changes.
