A new kind of “sort-of” normal

At last, with great excitement and a huge amount of preparation, St Peter’s was able to open its doors more widely to pupils on Monday 1^st June.

During the first week after the half-term break, pupils in Year R (aged 4-5), Year 1 (aged 5-6) and Year 6 (aged 10-11) were able to come into school, along with continued provision for the children of key workers and vulnerable children. It was no mean feat to get the school ready, with classrooms rearranged, one way walking systems in place, staggered timings and locations for arrival, pick-up, break times and lunch times, and all this in a setting that was thoroughly deep cleaned from top to bottom in time for the first arrivals.

Meeting the government guidance for a return to school on Monday 1^st June has meant that we have used every classroom in the school and member of staff available in order to accommodate just 3 of our 7 year groups along with key worker and vulnerable children. At the same time, we are maintaining a deep cleaning schedule of all rooms in the school over the course of the week so that parents, pupils and staff can have confidence that we are doing all we can to maintain a safe and hygienic setting for them. The staff at St Peter’s are continuing to set learning on-line for children to do at home, and those children who are able to come into school complete those tasks in classrooms of no more than 15 pupils. Plenty of time is also spent outside (what luck this wonderful recent weather) for PE and games lessons, as well as other outdoor learning opportunities covering science, maths and creative subjects.

Whilst it was wonderful to see the children return with smiles (but not hugs!) this week, we are keeping in contact with the pupils in those year groups not yet nominated by the government to return to school even on a partial basis. Phone calls home from their class teachers continue, and we know that through a range of technology (mostly their parents’ devices) the children are keeping in regular contact with their friends from school. In the coming week we will also put into action discussions that have been going on in the Leadership Team about how we can refresh home learning physical resources for children who have completed exercise books over April and May.

So school life enters a new dimension at St Peter’s, once again, and the only thing of which we are sure is that more changes will be on the way for us to handle before we approach anything like a school routine that could be considered normal! We continue to put the children and their welfare at the heart of everything we do, be they in school or at home, and ask for your prayers for the whole school community, pupils, staff and families, at St Peter’s.

As ever, please find links to the Ten:Ten worship resources for this Sunday and the coming week:

https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/primary-subscription/prayers-for-home/sunday-liturgy-for-families/

https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/primary-subscription/prayers-for-home/homeprayer-2020-06-08/

Please don’t forget to keep sending in a picture of your child’s work each week to the class e-mail address (listed below) and colleagues will reply with a praise phrase for your child, as well as the art blog.

With every best wish to you all, and your extended families wherever they may be.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

The class e-mail addresses are as follows:

Seahorseclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Miss Deacon – Year R)

Starfishclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Mrs Conlon – Year R)

Turtleclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Mrs Jonas & Mrs Knight – Year 1)

Pufferfishclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Mrs Layton – Year 1)

Giraffeclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Mrs Osborne & Mrs Sumba – Year 2)

Elephantclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Miss Foote – Year 2)

Hippoclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Miss Shaw – Year 3)

Lionclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Mrs Pike & Mrs Atkins – Year 3)

Koalaclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk (Miss Jackson-Nash – Year 4)