A joint statement from Lewisham Primary Headteachers.
Lewisham Leaders stand together to condemn the unlawful murder of an innocent black man George Floyd in Minneapolis . We stand united in our commitment to tackle and challenge racism, address inequality and call out discrimination. Black people are 40 times more likely to be stopped and searched in the UK . Young black people are nine times more likely to be locked up in England and Wales than their white counterparts, while BAME offenders are far more likely than others to be jailed for drug offences. As educators of a school population which is 76% Black and ethnic minority we cannot remain silent. The murder of George Floyd must prompt careful reflection about racism in Britain today, and the extent to which it shapes our values, politics and economic life. Our community needs and deserves to feel safe in the belief that its leaders condemn all acts of racism and violence and moreover that they believe racism is an abhorrence that we as Lewisham Leaders reject. Lewisham Leaders have a duty to address systemic racism in our society and we uphold this in our united condemnation of the unlawful murder of an innocent black man George Floyd.
Black Lives Matter in Lewisham
A message form Pinaki Ghoshal, Lewisham’s Executive Director for Children and Young People and Angela Scattergood, Director of Education.
The Mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan has published a statement on behalf of Lewisham Council in response to the killing of George Floyd in the United States. You can read the full statement here: https://lewisham.gov.uk/articles/news/black-lives-matter-in-lewisham
We believe that our schools and settings are key to tackling racism and other forms of discrimination. We will support all Lewisham schools and settings in their commitment to standing against racism and injustice, alongside and in solidarity with the local and global Black community.
#BLACKLIVESMATTER
Sir Francis Drake Primary School has always been a warm and welcoming place for everyone; we believe it always will be. Three of our core values are respect, fairness and compassion. We are always here for you, regardless of your race, sexuality, gender, religion or anything else which makes you, you.
Today and every other day, all of us at Sir Francis Drake stand as one with our black pupils, staff, parents and the entire BAME community in condemning racism. #BlackLivesMatter
Keeping in Touch
Returning to School News
We have not now opened to children in Y6 and Y1. WE are also looking forward to welcoming children from Reception back next week.
We have organised children into Bubbles. We have assessed that a Bubble can be a group of no more than 15 children in a classroom to enable staff and children to maintain a 2m physical distance from each other. The exception to this is the Key Worker Bubble that operates from the hall which allows for a larger group. The Bubbles should not be broken. This means that as much as is practically possible the group of children should spend all their time at school together and not mix with any other children nor with any adults other than the ones already in their Bubble.
The rationale behind the Bubbles is that this is a key measure schools can take to minimise the risk of virus transmission as the more people that mix together the higher the chances of coronavirus being passed on.
One complication is that our Bubbles have to be ‘future proof’, i.e. they have to work if all the children in the currently selected year groups come back. At the moment we know that not all parents want to send their children back to school but this may change and once a year group has been invited back we do need to have the staff capacity and be able to physically accommodate a new Bubble as the numbers increase.
We are also aware that children who are not returning to school are entitled to the ongoing online education. Children will attend school two days a week: either Monday and Tuesday OR Wednesday and Thursday. The other days gives capacity for teachers to plan for the children they are teaching in school and for those whom we still have a home learning responsibility. This will also allow time for welfare phone calls. Friday will also be used to do a deep clean.
We have assessed that we can accommodate up to a maximum of 15 children in a classroom.
We have also considered how we can avoid breaching the Bubble concept as children use toilets. As this is an area where children cannot avoid physically touching flush handles, taps, door handles, locks etc. we have consider the use of shared toilets to be of a very high risk.
Other measures to be followed to reduce risk to all members of our school community
- Children should be dropped off at the gate to the school office at the agreed time. (Entry time is staggered to allow for queuing) Apologies but parents will not be allowed onto the school site.
- 2 meter distance markers have been placed on the fence outside the school entrance. Please adhere to social distancing measures while you wait for your child to be admitted and collected.
- School uniform must be worn. This should be washed at the end of their 2 day attendance.
- No coats, bags or personal belongings are to be brought to school.
- Children must bring a packed lunch which they will eat in the classroom as the dining hall is being used for a 'bubble' of Key Workers' children.
- Children will have a 15 minute outside break at 10.45 or 11.00 and a 30 minute outside break at 12.00 or 12.30, weather permitting. Timings allow for 2 bubbles to have outside breaks.
- Children must bring a bottle of water as the drinking fountains have had to be turned off due to the risk of spreading the virus.
- Each child will have a pencil case and equipment provided by the school. They will use 1 exercise book for all their work in school.
- Each child will have access to an iPad while in school and use the same iPad each day. These will be cleaned and charged at the end of each day.
- Each classroom will be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each day that it is in use. Every Friday there will be a deep clean across all areas of the school. We have employed the services of a cleaning company to cope with the volume of cleaning which is required to ensure a safe environment for all.
- Children are not to wear masks or gloves to school. Staff will not be wearing PPE unless dealing with a medical emergency.
- Children need to be collected from school at 2.30. Please queue outside the school office gate. Your child will be sent out to you.
All other staff who are not classroom based will also attend on set days to maintain a wider Bubble across the school.
Mrs Rose will be in school with the Monday/Tuesday Bubble and Mrs Mahil with the Wednesday/Thursday Bubble.
Parents, this is a ten minute video from the Association of Online Safety specialists, it provides a good round up of all the main online safety issues to consider. It advises parents to be more vigilant during this time of increased online activity and offers some good signposts to keep children safe online. Parents Online Safety Film
Remember to keep up to date with what is going on in the world by checking the Newsround website or by reading First News. Click here for the Newsround home page. Click here for the most recent edition of First News.
We can still provide a childcare place for eligible children. We need confirmation from your employer about your critical worker status and what times you need to work. If you need to access this service please email emergency@sfdprimary.co.uk for an application form. Remember, this is emergency childcare only to be used as a last resort when there is nobody else at home or available to look after your children. They are safer at home. With less children, there is also less risk to the staff coming in to do this supervision.
Parents, remember it is okay to go for a walk with your child to get some fresh air as long as you strictly observe the social distancing rules. Watch this video to see what that means https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51989370
It does lift your spirits to walk in the sunshine for a bit, but remember, no playgrounds or play equipment and no meeting up with friends, just a walk!
