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Information for Parents – Coronavirus and Educational Settings
Dear all
I am sure that we are all acutely aware of the high profile coronavirus cases and the spread of the virus in recent weeks. In this letter, I wish to outline the position of the school regarding this matter.
The Department for Health guidance is clear and I have attached the information with this letter.
Parent actions
Other than for normal illness reasons, there is no reason to keep your child from school unless:
*Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Northern Italy, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
Risk
The Health Department’s view is that, even with confirmed corona virus, most people get better with enough rest, water to drink and medicine to alleviate pain/discomfort. The chances of being in contact with the virus remain low in the UK and this extends to educational settings. Other than ensuring good hygiene practices are in place, there are no current wider actions required of schools.
Effective hygiene practices and facilities are already in place at Ashgate Primary School and in today’s celebrations assembly, children were reminded to wash their hands thoroughly regularly, before eating and after using the toilet, and to use tissues and cover their mouths if they have a cough. This is no different to the advice normally given to children. We will keep reminding children of this expectation.
This information is accurate at the date of being published. Should advice or guidance change for schools, I will update you.
Parents can find more up to date advice on NHS.UK.
Mr Seargent
Parents are respectfully reminded that the office staff cannot act as a before or after school child care (emergency or otherwise) for parents.
Recently, we have had an influx of parents arriving at school (as early as 8am) assuming that staff will be able to care for their child as they need to go to work/attend and appointment etc. Likewise, parents have been arriving to collect as late as 4:45pm, assuming that someone will care for their child.
The school has offered a before school/breakfast club for parents (this year), however, a recent audit evidenced that take up from parents for a paid service was too low to make this viable.
I ask that parents make arrangements for care that does not assume staff availability. All staff are timetabled and have specific tasks before and after school, therefore can not act as child care provision.
WANTED – Parent Governors
Our school Governing Body is made up of Governors from all walks of life and many come to us through a variety of routes and with a range of different backgrounds, skills and experiences, but they are all volunteers who work together for the benefit of the school and are the link between the school and the community it serves.
We want you -
We are currently looking for new Parent Governors and would be delighted to hear from anyone who has:
If you feel you match the above description, you may be the very person to
become a Governor at Ashgate Primary School. Everyone has something to offer and we want people from as many backgrounds and with as wide a range of interests as possible.
What can we offer?
Why have a Governing Body and a Headteacher?
The Headteacher is responsible for management of the school, ensuring that strategic plans are implemented, the curriculum is delivered effectively and that the policies of the school are acted upon. He or she makes the ‘chalk-face’ decisions to ensure that children are cared for, socially, emotionally and academically on a day-to-day basis, in line with the school’s policies.
The Governing Body provides the strategic management and long- term direction for the school; it acts as a ‘critical friend’ to ensure that standards are high and maintained. Governors act, not as individuals, but as a group to support the work of the Headteacher, staff and pupils. School Governing Bodies are the largest voluntary group in the United Kingdom. They are unpaid and give up their time freely.
What is the composition of our Governing Body?
The Governing Body of Ashgate Primary School is led by Miss Jessamie Self (Chair), elected by the Governing Body from within its membership. Staff members, including the Headteacher, cannot be elected to this office.
Governing bodies are made up of key stakeholders:
Parents - Parent Governors are elected by other parents at the school.
Staff - including the Headteacher - Staff Governors (teaching and non-teaching) are elected by the school staff.
The Local Community - the Governing Body appoints Community Governors i.e. members of the local community.
The Local Authority (LA) - appoints one or more Authority Governors.
Governors meet as a 'Full Governing Body' 3 times per year. Prior to each full meeting, the Resource Management Committee and the Teaching and Learning Committee meet to review progress and make recommendations to the Full Governing Body.
What do governors do and how did they attain this role?
Great emphasis is given to recruiting Governors who can bring professional skills to their work on the various committees, so that we are qualified to conduct the School in line with our statutory duties. These include promoting high standards of educational achievement, acting in a strategic manner to help the development of the School through effective management of resources and working closely with the School Senior Leadership Team to create and promote the School's values.
Resource Management (RMC) focusses on the financial and resource based aspects of school leadership. If you have a head for figures, a background in finance or industrial work – this committee may be of interest to you.
Teaching and Learning (TLC) focusses on the teaching and learning at school, performance indicators and benchmarking outcomes. If you are interested in analysing how the school works and what is expected – this committee may be for you.
More information is available on ‘About Us’ at the school website:
www.ashgate.derby.sch.uk
If you are interested, please email the Clerk o Governing Body at email clerk@ashgate.derby.sch.uk, alternatively, you can contact the school direct and I will be more than happy to arrange a time to discuss the role with you. Depending on the number of applications there may be an election process, which will be advised in due course.
You should not be unduly worried about the possibility of your children catching the Coronavirus.
There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend their early years, school or further education setting as normal.
We recognise that some families or children may be planning to travel to China during the forthcoming half term period. If so, please refer to the FCO’s latest travel advice via the link below.
The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Coronavirus and is taking action at home and abroad.
The overall risk of Coronavirus to the UK remains moderate. However we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting China.
Public Health England and the Foreign Office have issued advice for anyone travelling to the area. This can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-and-avian-flu-advice-for-travel-to-china