Dear Parent/Carer,

I am writing to you after the Government announcement at teatime that all schools will close from the end of the week.

I am now expected to plan to open with a skeleton staff only in order to support the community’s needs where vulnerable pupils will need care, such as those with an EHCP or those with social worker involvement – clarification of ‘key workers’ will become apparent from the DFE shortly.

In addition, I intend to plan to ensure that those children of key workers, such as Police personnel, frontline NHS staff and delivery drivers, all receive adequate support in caring for their children during school hours, if needed.

As a result of this announcement I am writing to ask you, where possible, to ensure that you keep your children at home. Yesterday’s announcement are strict instructions from the Government, not soft advice… to protect and safeguard everyone. However, if you fall in the ‘key worker’ bracket and know that you will need to send your child to school and will need to access our service from next Monday, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can plan to staff this provision. Please give us as much notice as possible in order for us to do this as the size of the task is significant in such unprecedented conditions.

Please note, we will be unable to staff this skeleton service for any parents not in these specific groups as identified today by the Government. In addition, if we do not hear from you, we will assume you may not require this service and will plan accordingly.

At this time, I am unable to elaborate until further announcements are made but, rest assured, we will all be ‘going into bat’ for all of our young people, regardless of the challenges faced.

Our staff have come in everyday and supported our children throughout these uncertain times when lots of us are at our most uncertain. They have offered constant support and smiles and help to the children (for them and the parents)… keeping calm and carrying on. Their positive attitude towards keeping normality and furthering/continuing to develop the children through these difficult times has been amazing. I have never been prouder of our team.

I realise that these are acute and extreme conditions under which we are now operating. Equally, I am conscious that it is very difficult to please everyone. I ask that you bear with us as we listen, understand and try to process what is now required of us in a tight turnaround.

We all remain fully committed to serving our community in the best way we can. I will remain in touch for as long as is practicable in the circumstances as we navigate new territory.

With very best wishes – stay safe.

Martyn Wells