22nd March 2020
Dear Parents/Carers,
Update - Coronavirus, Covid 19
I’m sorry for the number of messages and I hope you all keeping safe and well. You can imagine we are being given a lot of information from the Local Authority in readiness for next week when the school becomes an ‘emergency child care provision’ for the use of Key Workers. We are tasked to reduce the transmission of this virus and your cooperation is imperative.
Mrs Claire Homard, the Chief Officer for Education has asked for this message to emailed out to you. I must stress the following is NOT compulsory for key workers.
Flintshire County Council statement to explain access to emergency childcare provision for key workers classified as ‘vital’ workers, provision of free school meals, and support for vulnerable learners.
To limit the spread of COVID-19 it is important that, as far as possible, social contact is minimised.
Parents need to keep their children at home wherever possible and schools/settings should be open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.
Only children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response should be offered places in schools/settings when there is no safe, alternative provision.
FOR THE WEEK COMMENCING 23rd MARCH Flintshire Headteachers have been advised to prioritise the allocation of places to children of parents who meet the following criteria:-
· Category 1 - a single parent with a role on the list defined as critical to the Covid-19 response from Welsh Government
· Category 2 - where both parents have roles on this list
· Category 3 - a parent from a family unit who does not qualify under categories 1 and 2 above, and has a role on this list, and where there is an explicable and genuine reason why they need to access provision.
Headteachers may use their discretion for this third category - provided that they have sufficient provision - as they know their families’ circumstances best.
Should there be insufficient provision due to the requirements of social distancing, Headteachers have been advised by the Council to refuse admittance to the children of the third category above and liaise with their neighbouring headteachers to offer a place close by where this is possible.
Alternative provision is in being made for children entitled to free school meals and will be introduced shortly. This group SHOULD NOT attend their local schools this week unless their parent(s) fall under the above categories 1-3. Further communication will follow.
Provision for children classed as vulnerable is also being planned. When this is ready to start further communications will be issued.
Claire Homard
Chief Officer, Education and Youth| Prif Swyddog, Addysg ac Ieuenctid
Flintshire County Council | Cyngor Sir y Fflint
In order for me to plan staffing for the coming days, I would like anyone who received an email on Friday or who has heard from me over the weekend to email me with which days and times you will need the emergency provision. This is important as I need to be also mindful of keeping my staff and their families safe and I do not wish to have too many staff on the school premises.
When you arrive at school for your first use we will require you to complete details of your job, work address and contact telephone numbers and again to confirm when you need to use the provision.
Please use somail@hwbcymru.net to advise me of your requirement.
As I have previously said, this is only for this week. Following this period the plan is to move the provision to Mountain Lane School which will be the Buckley Hub.
I appreciate there is a lot of information to assimilate at the moment, but we need to be mindful that our part of the Government plan is to keep socially distanced from others and keep our families safe. This will be difficult today, Mothers’ Day, but our greatest gift to our elderly mothers, and families, is to phone, Skype or Facetime rather that visiting.
Please keep well and safe.
Kind Regards,
Diane Chisholm