Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Wider opening of Greswold

  Fri 22 May 2020

  Dear Parents/Carers,

   

  You will be aware from government announcements that there is an aspiration for wider opening of schools and I thank you for your patience in receiving further information from Greswold as to what this may look like.

   

  At Greswold, all of our thinking, planning and decision making requires the appropriate balance of 3 principles which are:

  1. Our ability to welcome children back
  2. The safety of all onsite and their families
  3. Staff wellbeing in order to deliver sustainable education and care

   

  At Greswold, we will continue to offer full time care for vulnerable children and those of key workers whose child cannot be safely cared for at home. In addition, we have set our priority groups as Nursery and Greswold Greyhounds where children take their main 15 hours, Reception and Y6. Based on a thorough risk assessment and following our 3 principles, Greswold is working towards welcoming back children in those priority groups initially for two days per week (Monday and Tuesday OR Thursday and Friday) from week commencing 8^th June. It is hoped that the same arrangements can be made for Y1 pupils from week commencing 15^th June.

   

  Our plans focus on children being placed into self-contained groups called bubbles of up to 15 children with an appropriate staff member (not necessarily their class teacher) who will facilitate learning to mirror the home learning provision. Each group will have a designated base (not necessarily their usual classroom) indoors. The children will remain in their self-contained bubble for the entirety of the school day including lunchtimes. Lunches will be eaten in the designated base and should be provided from home in Y6 and Nursery but will be provided for by our catering team for Reception and Y1. Learning outdoors and outdoor play will be encouraged within a designated space but mixing with other groups will not be allowed.

   

  Ultimately, I know from parents who have contacted me that the key question is ‘is Greswold a safe place for my child?’ and I want to reassure you that a thorough risk assessment has been conducted which includes detail on:

   

  • Preparing the site
  • Creation of temporary teaching groups (bubbles)
  • Promotion of good personal hygiene
  • Promotion of good respiratory hygiene
  • Cleaning
  • Social distancing including classroom layout, movement around school, use of shared areas such as halls.
  • Protective measures including shared use of resources
  • Reducing contact point activities e.g. activities to cease, doors which can remain open
  • Dealing with suspected cases
  • Controlling other building users
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed for staff
  • Emergency procedures
  • Staff shortages
  • Impact on physical and mental health
  • Staggered drop and pick up to avoid congestion
  • Practical considerations including minimising items from brought in from home and removal of requirement to wear uniform

   

  I am now asking parents of children in N, R and Y6 to complete a survey to indicate whether you intend to send your child to Greswold for two days per week from 8^th June and Y1 from 15^th June.  I understand that some parents will have interpreted government guidance as full time education on site from 1^st June but we will only welcome children back when it is safe to do so and the risk assessment demonstrates that for Greswold the safest way is for 2 days. Please note we are unable to offer, at the moment, before and after school club, 30 hour childcare or childcare on the other 3 days a week.

   

  To aid our planning it would be helpful to have responses to our survey by Thursday 21^st May. You will need to complete a separate survey for each child. Please know that this is not a commitment but an indication for us. Further information will follow next week.

   

  Yours faithfully,

   

  Karen Scott

  Headteacher

   

   

   

   

• May Update

  Fri 01 May 2020
  Dear Parents and Carers,
  
  Yesterday we sent out a message on the school app with a link to a special video message from Greswold’s staff. I hope your children enjoyed watching it and that it provided some comfort to them. I realise that your children are missing their school and the people they would normally see there each day. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the video, you can access it via the link here: https://greswold-primary-school.primarysite.media/media/staff-video-message.
  
  We have received some really positive feedback on the variety of home learning opportunities we are providing each week, along with some useful suggestions from parents and children on how to make them even better. We do consider all suggestions made by parents via email at office@greswold.solihull.sch.uk . We thank parents for understanding that not every suggestion will be implemented. If we do not adopt an idea, such as video conferencing, it is only after careful consideration by senior leaders and with the support of the governing body.
  
  Please do not feel that there is any pressure from us to complete the home learning activities. We are trying to provide a variety of activities so parents can choose what is most appropriate for their particular home circumstances. However, I ask that you appreciate that every family’s situation is unique and everyone is under different pressures at the moment. This also applies to our brilliant staff team who are already working incredibly hard on providing home learning while managing their own health and the care of their own families. Some are also working on the school site providing care for children who cannot be cared for at home.
  
  I know staff have been amazed by the quality and creativity of home learning that has been shared either on Tapestry (Nursery to Year 1) or through the upload link on each year group’s page (Year 2 to Year 6). Children have enjoyed seeing their efforts on the website too so please continue to upload your photos and a selection will be published by staff each week. While we will not be providing feedback on individual work, we are so proud of everything that the children are achieving in such difficult circumstances. If I can offer you one piece of advice, it is to celebrate the effort shown by your child, rather than worry about what they can’t do yet.
  
  I hope that you are finding the other resources on our website helpful too, especially those that offer advice and support on mental health which can be found in the School Closure section of the website https://www.greswold.solihull.sch.uk/school-closure/ If you are in need of further support for yourself or your child, please do contact me via the school email address and I will endeavour to help you to find a solution or strategy.
  
  Since the start of school closure, we have been in regular phone contact with our vulnerable children, as defined by the government. Following feedback, I am interested in knowing if there are any other families who feel their child needs a phone call home from a relevant member of staff to support their child’s mental health or motivation. Of course, we need to see if we can accommodate this but knowing the extent of how many children may need a call will help us to prioritise. Please let me know via the office email account.
  
  The video message sums up how all staff are feeling at the moment so here it is in full:
  
  Hello to all Greswold pupils and your families. We hope that you are keeping well and staying safe. It seems like a long time since normal school days at Greswold. We miss seeing you learning in lessons, playing with friends, eating lunch, singing, in assembly, having fun and learning new skills.
  
  We miss being with you in your classrooms, in the Nursery, in the library, in The Nest, in the Den, in Greyhounds, in the outdoor classroom, on the trim trails, in the playground, in forest school. Everywhere.
  We need you to know that we are all ok. We are staying safe, staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives.
  
  We know it is difficult. Everything is different. We don’t know when we will come back to Greswold. Please do your best for your parents, for your families and for others. Try some home learning.
  
  Remember our values. Belonging, Respect, Independence, Curiosity, Kindness and Success. Try to show our BRICKS every day.
  
  We look forward to seeing you soon. But for now stay safe.
  
  Yours faithfully
  
  Karen Scott
  Headteacher