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Update from the Education Minister - 5th January 2021

05 January 2021

Dear parent and carers,

On Wednesday 6th January to Friday 8th January we will continue to open our Nursery Unit as instructed by the Department of Education, unless we receive any change to that guidance. However, I totally understand if Nursery parents decide to not send your child into school at this time to minimise risk. The rest of the primary school continues to be open to key workers' children or vulnerable pupils only.

Update from the Education Minister on 5th January 2021

The Education Minister has said pre-school education settings and primary schools will be required to provide remote learning to pupils until the half term break in mid-February. The Executive has said that it will be keeping the position under review.

Vulnerable children and children of key workers will have access to schools for supervised learning. Only one parent/guardian is required to be a key worker to qualify for key workers provision. Direct payments will be made to families whose children are entitled to free school meals.

As yet, I have received none of this information officially from the Department of Education or the Education Authority. However, I feel it is in parents best interests to get this information out to you as soon as possible.

Requesting a laptop/digital device or Wifi access

Requesting a key worker/vulnerable child supervision for Monday 11th January to Friday 15th January 2021

  • School will be open for supervised learning for vulnerable children and those parents which fall under the keyworker category. If you are a key worker or your child is classed as a vulnerable child and you require your child(ren) to attend school next week (Monday 11th January - Friday 15th January) please fill in this online form - https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=-yeCOETeDkaBkAVAK4mNqE6IZGSWWw5Fr-cwGloPHtpUREdPU0REOVNDQVk2ODlJTFlEUU1BNFA0OS4u
  • Please note that the form will close on Friday 8th January at 12 noon so that I can organise a staff rota and adequate staffing for the following week. 
  • Please note that pupils should wear their school uniform and bring a packed lunch with them.
  • I anticipate that key workers/vulnerable pupils would not be kept in their current class bubbles but would become one group of pupils who attend school. Therefore, the pupils who attend school may be in one classroom or split across a small number of classrooms from next week.
  • Nursery pupils who attend school will have supervised learning from 9am to 1.15pm.
  • P1-P3 who attend school will have supervised learning from 9am to 2.00pm.
  • P4-P7 who attend school will have supervised learning from 9am to 3.00pm.

I know a number of parents will feel frustrated and worried at this latest announcement. We especially remember our Primary 7 pupils who would have been sitting their AQE assessment within the next few days. We will continue to do all that we can to support you and your child(ren) through this extended period of remote learning. Please get in contact if you need help or support, we are only at the end of a phone or at the end of an email. I will continue to communicate information to parents as soon as information becomes available. I expect that the Department of Education will issue guidance tomorrow to schools.

I thank you for your many messages of support for myself and my staff.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Taylor

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6 v 34

Nursery P1/2 P2/3 P3 P4 P5 P5/6 P7