Dear Parent/Carer,
Although all schools officially closed on Friday afternoon at 3pm, we recognise our duty to support Key Workers in posts which ensure that essential services can be delivered and cover tasks within the local community which support the vulnerable and aid community resilience. Definitions of key workers and eligibility are outlined in Appendix A (click here to download this appendix or click the link at the end of this letter to view). This service is for families where both parents/carers are key workers or in the case of single parent families, where the main care giver is a key worker.
It is essential in stopping the spread of COVID-19 that people who can work from home do work from home. The remaining education support service should only be accessed by those who absolutely require it to enable National Health Service and other critical services to continue and also for vulnerable young people. We appreciate your cooperation with this.
Arrangements for week beginning Monday 23rd March 2020
If you are an eligible key worker, who has no other suitable childcare arrangements, then your child can attend school as normal on Monday 23rd March; school transport will run as normal. If you are able to go in person to school or establishment, staff will ask you to complete a pro-forma. If you are unable to do that then the school or establishment will contact you to gather information.
Future Plans
Over the course of this transition week, the council will collect data from across Schools and Centres and use this data to inform its planning. This may involve closing some schools and moving to a cluster/hub model, with only identified schools and centres remaining open to support Key workers who have no alternative childcare in place. In practice, this may mean that your child attends a different school, but within their locality.
Meeting your needs
This week, you will be asked to complete a form to provide us with essential information about you and your child. This will include information about your employment, work patterns and emergency contact details. This information will be used by the council to build up a picture of the requirement for education services across each locality. The more information you provide the more prepared we can be. Further information will be provided about this later in the week.
School Meals
All children who are entitled to free school meals will be able to access these meals. If you need to access this support please take your child to their usual school at the school’s normal lunchtime (12.30 – 1.15pm).
Breakfast clubs will be open in those schools that normally offer them.
SQA Course Work
Scottish Government have clarified your child should not attend school to complete any SQA course work. The school may ask you to complete course work remotely.
Teachers know your children well and already have a wide range of evidence on which to base their professional judgement. Estimated grades will be based on predicted attainment, coursework and assessment. They will NOT only be based on prelim marks. Since all estimates and professional judgements have not yet been carried out, I would ask that you do not contact the school at this time for that information. Although there is no process for appealing professional judgement, the SQA have indicated that their post results service will be free of charge this year. Further information on this will be issued in due course.
Finally, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should any child who has symptoms of coronavirus, or who lives in a household where someone has symptoms, present at school. The whole family must follow the self-isolation advice.
Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.
Yours faithfully
J. G. McCormick
Head Teacher
