News

Dear Parents and Carers

We are able to start our Early Bird Club for early pupil drop-off at 0830 hours after half term. 

In order to book a place for your child (or children), please ensure you book them in and pay for their place via SchoolMoney a week in advance.  Please note: if you have not booked a space or paid in advance, we will not be able to take your child at 0830 hours on the day.

If you have any query, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Yours faithfully

Carolyn Ellis-Gage (Mrs) Head teacher

Dear Parents and Carers 

Firstly I would like to thank you for the support you have shown the school over this last week.  It is very much appreciated and great to know we are all ‘on the same team’ working together for the best interests of your children. 

We are hoping that the restrictions we have in place currently, followed by the half term, will ensure that the cases drop significantly when we return in November.  If this is the case we intend to hold our Parents’ evening on 9th November between 4 – 7 pm.  

We intend to hold this as a face-to-face evening, but there will be the option of Zoom or a telephone call if that is your preference.  

Class emails will be sent out requesting your preference and a time slot.

Kind regards

Carolyn Ellis-Gage    (pronouns she/her)

Head Teacher

EMAIL SENT THURSDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2021

Dear Parents and Carers

We know how important it is for you to be able to send your child/ren to school. 

At Parkside School we are taking a number of measures to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus, including:

• Encouraging all staff to test regularly, to minimise the risk of our teachers giving your child or other children Covid;
• Ensuring our staff and children practice good hygiene;
• Making sure our spaces are well ventilated; and;
• Encouraging all members of our community to isolate and book a PCR test should they develop symptoms of the virus.

We are also asking all parents to test their children regularly and to report each result

Up to one in three people who have COVID-19 can spread the virus without knowing.  This is because they have no symptoms.  We are therefore asking all parents to test their children on Sundays and Wednesdays andhelp us to keep Parkside School open.

This letter is going out to all parents of children at Parkside School asking them to regularly test their children and to report each result.

Pupils will be able to collect home test kits from Reception and bring them home with them – each week.  Please ask your child if they have received these and help them to take the test and report their results. Testing is free of charge.

The tests will come with guidance in multiple languages on how to take the test.  You can also see this useful video to show you how to take the test – tests usually take a few minutes to do and you get the results in 30 minutes. Then all you need to do is to report the result to:

• NHS Test and Trace: https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result
• To school by filling in this Google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcilEHckzk2m-O7iTxDCPl4GtV9aE2AOsvbyC7eJMLcZJy4w/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

Financial support is available if your child tests positive and you need to self-isolate

If you are unable to work due to your child having or displaying symptoms of COVID-19, you may be entitled to a one-off payment of £500 through the NHS Test and Trace Support Payment scheme if you are required to stay at home and self-isolate. 

You will be eligible if you live in England and meet all the following criteria:

• you have been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, including by the NHS COVID-19 app
• you are employed or self-employed
• you cannot work from home and will lose income as a result
• you are claiming at least one of the following benefits:
• Universal Credit
• Working Tax Credits
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit or Housing Benefit

By testing your child on Sundays and Wednesdays you will help us to reduce transmission of Coronavirus, keep students in school, which will be open to minimise disruption to their education and to you and your household.

Please contact school, if you have any questions or concerns about home testing. 

Thank you for your support.

Yours faithfully

CAROLYN ELLIS-GAGE (Mrs)

Head Teacher

Dear Parents and Carers 

I am writing to make you aware that following the weekend break, Parkside has been made aware of  positive lateral flow test results.  Those with positive lateral flow tests are all isolating whilst awaiting their PCR results and are not currently in school. 

Parkside is following the DFE guidance fully and has been in contact with the Norfolk Outbreak Team for advice today; we have everything in place that they recommended.  We have a contingency plan to limit contact where a case is reported within school.  We will also inform you with an email if there are cases within your pupils class. 

If your child is a close contact the NHS Track and Trace system will be in contact with you.  They request close contacts take a PCR and daily lateral flow tests for 10 days, but they can continue to come into work/school.  If you would prefer to isolate whilst awaiting the results Parkside will authorise the absence and set up remote learning until the PCR result is confirmed. 

You may find this link useful to help you understand when to isolate and what to do. 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/

This is a reminder that Covid 19 is still very much with us and we will need to be vigilant to any symptoms.  If your child presents with any symptoms whilst at school the advice from the Norfolk Outbreak team is that we request the pupil is picked up from school and starts isolation as well as booking a PCR test.  The Outbreak Team has been clear that we need to have a low threshold towards the symptoms and be cautious in our approach as this will be the best way to keep everyone safe. 

All adults and Secondary-aged pupils (aged 11 and above) are strongly recommended and urged to do twice weekly lateral flow tests.  Please see the link below for any further information. 

Symptom-free coronavirus testing – Norfolk County Council

Thank you for your continued support, working together to keep everyone safe.  We have already experienced staffing issues due to Covid 19 and complications around this and I know this can at times be unsettling for the pupils.  We are committed to keeping everyone safe and ensuring all pupils get the education they are entitled to at Parkside.

Kind regards

Carolyn Ellis-Gage    (pronouns she/her)

Head Teacher

The Parkside School

College Road

Norwich NR2 3JA

01603 441126

www.parkside.norfolk.sch.uk

Norfolk SEND Partnership (SENDIASS) September e-newsletter (campaign-archive.com)