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Posted on: 20/01/2022Spring Term Newsletter Jan 2022
Our Lady of Grace School
Spring Term Newsletter – January 2022
Dear Parents,
Thank you all for your kind words and patience these past few weeks. As with other returning schools, we have had to deal with a lot of staff absence.
I would like to thank our teachers for their professionalism over these past weeks as they have all helped to ensure that classes were covered. By supporting one another, we have managed to cover classes without resorting to supply cover or Home Learning.
As we come to the end of week three, we only have two colleagues isolating.
As the Covid figures in London begin to fall, from Monday 24th January we are happy to lift the additional restrictions we put in place a few weeks ago.
From Monday 24th January:
School will start for all classes from 8.45am
Face Masks in the Playground will return to being optional
School Assemblies will commence again
Parent Workshops
Letters will be going out over the coming weeks inviting parents in to attend workshops and information sessions on the following:
EYFS Parent Workshops – Numeracy and Literacy
Year 1 Parents – DFE Phonics testing
Year 2 KS1 SATs Preparation and Assessments
Year 4 DFE Multiplication Tests
Year 6 KS2 SAT’s Preparation and Assessments
Class Assemblies / Afterschool clubs
In my autumn term newsletter, I highlighted the school’s intention of extending afterschool provision at Our Lady of Grace.
Though Covid has put us back a few weeks , we are looking to run our own afterschool clubs for both KS1 and KS2.
These will include:
Running Club
Dance Club
Gospel Singing Club
Homework Club
In addition we will looking forward to once again having Class Assemblies for parents to attend and celebrate with their children.
School Uniform- a little reminder
The majority of our children take great pride in their uniform and are always smartly dressed. I would urge all parents to check the list below to ensure that all children are dressed in correct school uniform. This includes hairbands and beads. – White , transparent, red or black.
Listed below are details of the correct school uniform:
Boys: Grey trousers
White shirt
Red School Jumper
Grey Socks
Black Shoes
Girls Grey Skirt or pinafore
White blouse
Red school cardigan
School tie
Red/ grey tights
Black shoes
P.E. Kit Royal blue school shorts
Boys&Girls White school T- shirt
Black Plimsolls or Black Trainers
Dark Blue/ Black tracksuit
9 for outdoor P.E in winter)
To be kept in the appropriate school P.E bag
Coats and School Bags
Outdoor coats / jackets should be plain in design and either red, black or dark blue. All children should have a school bookbag / rucksack which will be put in their tray or on their peg.
Footwear
Shoes worn to school should be safe, sturdy and appropriate for school and playtimes
(boots and trainers are not permitted to be worn around school.)
Jewellery
No jewellery is allowed to be worn in school
Dropping off outside of school
As parents, please make the right choices when dropping off and picking up your children from school.
I continue to give the same message, but I hope that the very small minority of parents who continue to park inappropriately, blocking driveways and mounting pavements etc will finally listen.
2022 Dates for your Diary
21st January : Year 4 Mass
26th January : Internet Safety Day
28th January : Year 3 Mass
4th February : Year 2 Mass
7th February : Spring Term Parents Evening 3:40-6pm
8th February: Spring Term Parents Evening 3:40-6pm
11th February: Year 1 Mass
11th February: PTFA Disco
Academic dates 2022-2023
Attached below are the dates for the next academic year - September 2022 - July 2023.
Sean Small
Headteacher
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS - ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/2023
Autumn Term 2022
Thursday 1st September 2022 – INSET
Friday 2nd September – Children return to school
Friday 21st October 2022 – INSET
Half Term – Monday 24th to Friday 28th October
Monday 31st October – Children return to school
Friday 16th December – Last day of term (school finishes at 2pm)
Spring Term 2023
Tuesday 3rd January 2023 – INSET
Wednesday 4th January – Children return to school
Friday 10th February – Last day of term
Half Term – Monday 13th February to Friday 17th February
Monday 20th February – Children return to school
Friday 31st March – Last day of term (school finishes at 2pm)
Summer Term 2023
Monday 17th April 2023 – INSET
Tuesday 18th April – Children return to school
Monday 1st May (Bank Holiday)
Friday 26th – Last day of term
Half Term – Monday 29th May to Friday 2nd June
Monday 5th June – Children return to school
Friday 23rd June – INSET
Friday 21st July – Last day of term (school finished at 2pm)
Posted on: 6/01/2022Spring Term COVID Update January 2022
Spring-Term-Newsletter-Jan-2022-2.pdf
Dear Parents
Happy New Year to you all!
I hope you are all keeping safe and well despite the very difficult situation we are all facing again. As we begin this term, it looks like it’s going to be a tricky start with a high number of staff isolating. Please bear with us as we do our best to continue face to face teaching.
As we wait for any further guidance that emerges from Government, I’ve highlighted some of the key points from DFE guidelines that were announced on January 2nd 2022.
Key points from January 2nd 2022
DFE priority is to keep education settings open and children and young people continuing with face-to-face education. Home Learning will be activated as a last resort if high rates of COVID-19 cause extreme difficulties with the availability of staff
Pupils do not need to be taught in ‘Bubbles’ at this time.
Face covering by pupils are to be worn in Secondary settings only .
Children under 5 are not being advised to take part in daily testing of close contacts. They do not require to self isolate.
Funded air cleaning units will be available to schools. (Our Lady of Grace have these).
10 day self- isolation period for people who record a positive PCR test for COVID -19 has been reduced to 7 days in most circumstances.
On day 6 and day 7 of isolation, individuals may now take Lateral Flow tests. Those who receive two negative tests no longer need to self-isolate.
People who are fully vaccinated, or children and young people aged 5- 18 years and 6 months, identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, should take a Lateral Flow test every day for 7 days and continue to attend school as normal, unless they have a positive test result or develop symptoms at anytime.
Until Covid figures in London stabilize, we as a school are looking to stagger the start of the day to stop congestion at the front gate from Monday 10th January. This will be a temporary measure and will be evaluated on a week-by-week basis.
8.45am EYFS / KS1
8.55am KS2
Finishing times will remain the same.
For the school to remain open and fully staffed, we ask all parents to respectfully adhere to these guidelines.
Please wear Face Masks when you enter the playground and please do not loiter when picking up children.
Communication with staff will be by email only
Please do not come into the school office unless it is essential to do so. Most queries can be dealt with by telephone (020 8858 2262)
If your child feels unwell, please take a test as a precaution.
Yours sincerely
Mr Small
Posted on: 22/11/2021Latest COVID Cases
22nd November 2021
Dear Parents,
As we near the end of November, it is evident that COVID is making a resurgence within the school.
Last week, attendance in many of the classes was down on the previous week. This was as much to do with seasonal sickness as with COVID. Presently we have three teachers isolating after testing positive. As we only cover using Our Lady of Grace staff, ensuring that all the classes are covered is a challenge at the moment.
As a community to minimise the spread, please help us to maintain social distancing, hand hygiene, cleaning, wearing face coverings when appropriate and limiting social interactions.
As I have said previously, our Christmas Fayre and performances are very important to us as a community. Nevertheless, we have to be realistic as to our current circumstances and the risk posed by COVID. I will make the decision on Friday as to whether or not to cancel the live Christmas performances and move to a virtual platform. If I have to make that decision, it will be with a heavy heart, but my entire motivation is the health and wellbeing of the staff and children.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Sean Small
Headteacher
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