Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you for your continued support and patience as we manage the school in these difficult circumstances.

However, I am sure you appreciate that keeping everyone safe is our number one priority and so please can you ensure that you are practising social distancing when dropping off and collecting pupils.

Please can you also ensure that you move away from the school gates when you have dropped off or collected your children, to allow more space for those who are entering or exiting the school grounds.

Can I remind you to line up along the fence and not wait by the school road crossing as this blocks the view of the crossing patrol and makes it more difficult for people to move away from the school gates.

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 –
Queue on the left-hand side of the school gate (rainbow signs on the fence.)

Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 –
Queue on the right-hand side of the school gate.

We’d appreciate it if you can arrive at the school as close to the drop off and collection time as possible to minimise the number of people around the school gates. We have a number of Year 5 and 6 pupils who are waiting for more than 20 minutes each morning to come into school.

APPOINTMENTS

If you have an appointment that requires you to collect your child early from school please can you ensure that you notify us at least 24 hours in advance to ensure we can put measures in place. We encourage you to telephone us if you have any queries during the school day or contact us by text or email rather than coming to the office in person, thank you.

IMPORTANT DATES

Thursday 24th September – School Photographs

Please note that this year we unfortunately won’t be able to invite pre-school siblings to have photographs alongside our pupils.

FLU IMMUNISATION

Please note that the school nurse team will be carrying out influenza immunisations for all pupils on Tuesday 24th November.

INSET DAYS 2020-21

The school will be closed for INSET training on the following dates this year –

Monday 19th October 2020 (tbc)
Monday 4th January 2021
Monday 22nd February 2021
Monday 19th July 2021
Tuesday 20th July 2021

There will be one other training day that has yet to be confirmed.

CONTACT DETAILS

It is very important that we have the correct contact details including telephone number and address, so please let us know if these change so that we can update our records.

ABSENCE

Please can we remind you to contact us by phone, text or email if your child is not in school with a reason for their absence. If we are not provided with a reason we have to mark the absence as unauthorised.

MUSIC TUITION

Please note that there is currently no music tuition available in school. Gwent Music are reviewing their risk assessments and procedures so that music tuition can resume as soon as possible, and we will update you as to their plans when we have more information.

SUN-CREAM

The forecast is for hot weather over the next few days and we will be taking every opportunity to be outdoors, so please ensure your child has had sun-cream applied before they come to school and they bring in a hat to protect them from the sun.

WATER BOTTLE AND PACKED LUNCH

Please can you ensure your child has everything they need for their school day including water bottle and packed lunch, so that they are not having to be handled by additional people if they are brought in late.

COVID-19

It is inevitable at this time of year that pupils will develop sore throats, runny noses and cold symptoms. However, these are different to the symptoms of COVID-19 which are:

• a new or continuous cough
• a high temperature
• a loss of or change to sense of smell or taste

If your child develops any of these symptoms, even if they are mild, you need to:
• book a test for them by phoning 119 or through the online portal: https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test
• keep your child and any siblings home while you await the results of the test
• follow the advice provided when your child receives their test result
• phone school on 01633 273937 or email stgabriels.primary@newportschools.wales and let us know that your child is unwell with COVID-19 symptoms and that you have requested a test and also to notify us of the result

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading, there are things that everyone in your family can do to help. These include:
• washing hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• washing hands as soon as they get home
• covering their mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not their hands) when they cough or sneeze
• putting used tissues in the bin immediately and washing hands afterwards

Further information on symptoms and self-isolation can be found here: https://gov.wales/symptoms-and-self-isolation-contact-tracing

Further information on NHS Wales ‘Test, Trace’, Protect can be found here: https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

For general information on COVID-19: https://gov.wales/protect-yourself-others-coronavirus

The COVID-19 online symptom checker can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do: https://gov.wales/check-if-you-need-coronavirus-medical-help

Thank you,

Mr J Llewellyn
Interim Headteacher