News

19th March 2020

Dear Families

Coronavirus Update for parents/carers 

The Government has announced this morning that parents are asked to keep their children at home wherever possible.

Schools have been asked to try and remain open from Monday 23rd March to provide care for a limited number of children - children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response if they cannot be safely cared for at home. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.  

It is stressed that schools, colleges and other educational establishments remain safe places for children but the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

If there is no one at home who can care for your child, it is not safe for them to stay on their own and you fall into one of the following categories, please let us know as soon as possible. A lot of families have already done so via our survey, however some keyworkers were not known at the time and would have not let us know. Please do write in info@teddingtonschool.org and we will be in touch to support. We want to support wherever we can.

Critical workers

The government has defined critical workers working in the following sectors:

1. Health and social care

2. Education and childcare

3. Key Public Services

4. Local and national government

5. Food and other necessary goods

6. Public safety and national security

7. Transport

8. Utilities, communications and financial services

 

Please follow this link for more detail https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

Can I please stress that in the efforts to reduce social interactions to limit the spread of the disease, this service is to be used to allow critical workers who cannot safely care for their children at home to continue to go to work. If our school is unable to provide care at any point because it is unsafe to do so we will work with neighbouring providers and the local authority to find an alternative setting for your child.

With regards to external exams we expect a further update today and will then be able to provide greater clarity on how students and young people will be awarded the examination results that they deserve.

The Government are currently working on a national voucher scheme to support parents of children who are eligible for free school meals. In the meantime, we are looking for an interim solution to support these families.

It has been an extremely turbulent and emotional time and I would like to thank everyone for their messages of support and encouragement during this period.

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

K Pacey

Headteacher