Latest News

Rainbows in Windows

Tue 31 Mar 2020 Mr Simms

Wow, we have had some absolutely amazing Rainbows in Windows designs for our competition this week. The winner will be announced shortly and an Easter egg will be winging it's way to their doorstep!

Tonight we came together to Clap for Our Carers and it was a brilliantly emotional with cars beeping, instruments playing, children cheering, fireworks exploding and hands applauding. Thank you to everyone that joined in, every little helps and safely seeing and hearing our neighbours is a lovely way to end the evening. Head over to our Community page to see the videos from some of our homes.

Rainbows in windows competition

Thu 26 Mar 2020 Mr Simms

To show support for NHS workers lots of people are displaying rainbows in their windows with the message 'Thank you NHS'. Why don't you have a go with your children and then send us a picture of your efforts to display on our website and a prize for the most creative. Send all entries to info@athelney.lewisham.sch.uk with the subject Rainbows in windows.

Covid-19 update 19/03/2020

Thu 19 Mar 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

Whilst we await further information from the Government we have sent out a parent survey to find out which potential key workers and vulnerable children may require a childcare place next week. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Kathryn Wong

Executive Headteacher

The King Alfred Federation

Athelney Primary and Elfrida Primary

Local Leader of Education Lewisham

Covid-19 Important News

Wed 18 Mar 2020

Dear parents and carers,

As you will have heard, the government has announced all schools in the U.K are to close from the end of the day on Friday for the foreseeable future. This is in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

However some provision will be put into place for children of key workers and children in some vulnerable groups.

We will update you as soon as possible tomorrow with further information.
We understand what a difficult and challenging time this is and will look to offer support and advice to all who need it.

Kathryn Wong

Year 4 Class Closure Covid-19 Update 18th March

Wed 18 Mar 2020

Coronavirus/ COVID-19 Update: 18 March

I am writing to update you on the school’s situation in the current COVID-19 Pandemic. There will be regular updates and we will post these on our school website as well as notifying you by text that an update has been issued to all parents.

The current government advice is that ‘No school should close in response to a suspected (or confirmed) COVID-19 case unless directed to do so by Public Health England’. However, if necessary and due to local conditions, headteachers may have to make arrangements for partial opening or total closure outside of the PHE advice.

If the situation arises where children cannot attend school, we will notify you immediately by text. This will only happen if we’re either officially advised to do so or we don’t have enough staff to run the school safely.

We are sending out this information to help the school community prepare. There are no immediate plans to close, but the situation is changing very quickly.

However as a result of the latest government’s guidance on self-isolation and their guidance on social distancing, we find ourselves unable to fully staff the school.

The school remains open but the following arrangements are in place:

Due to staffing shortages I have no option but to ask Year 4 to remain at home on Thursday 19^th and Friday 20^th March.

I am asking any parents who work in the NHS; care services for the elderly and vulnerable; the emergency and other essential services and local authority services to let us know if this arrangement causes childcare issues, so that we can consider how we might continue to offer as much time as possible to your children. Please let us know by emailing the school on admin@athelney.lewisham.sch.uk and stating your employer and role.

I would like to reassure you that we will be authorising any Coronavirus related absences, please keep the school office updated on your family’s health so that we can monitor the situation for those still onsite.

I appreciate this will cause significant disruption but at this moment in time and with the information I have from staff and parents this is the best way we can operate safely for our pupils and staff. I will keep you updated about arrangements going forward, but please check our website regularly.

Please be assured that the safety of pupils, staff and the school community remain our priority and we are happy to be of assistance where we can.

We ask that parents follow the current and latest advice being given by the government agencies. Please see the attached guidance.

Yours

Kathryn Wong

Executive Headteacher

Covid-19 Update

Mon 16 Mar 2020

16/3/20

Dear Parents and Carers,

As you will be aware the Government have issued updates advice on coronavirus.

Anyone living with someone that has a new, continuous cough or a high temperature must stay at home for 14 days. That includes all siblings.

If children are unwell at school with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature parents will be called to collect them immediately. This is to help keep all children, parents and staff safe.

The Government has also stated that all non-essential travel and contact should be stopped so we are cancelling all school trips until next term.

The school will remain open.

I understand that this is a very difficult and worrying time. We will continue to do our upmost to keep our community safe and well. Please do not hesitate to contact the school should you require help and support.

I will update you as soon as I have further information.

Yours Sincerely

Kathryn Wong

Executive Headteacher

Covid-19 Update

Mon 16 Mar 2020

Dear Parents/Carers,

Coronavirus/ COVID-19 Update – 16th March

I am sure that you are all following the news closely and are aware of the new Coronavirus advice that came out on Friday.

Following updated government guidance, if any pupils or staff members develop the following symptoms, they must stay at home for seven days:-

• a high temperature

• a new continuous cough

Do not go (or take your child) to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you're staying at home.

For most people, Coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection but if symptoms get worse or are no better after 7 days, contact NHS 111 online. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care/nhs-111/

If you have no internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.

Stay at home guidance can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

Please let the school know as soon as possible if your child is unwell.

If anyone becomes ill during the school day they will need to go home and will be asked to remain at home for 7 days. Please make sure that the school has up-to-date contact details for you and that you keep phones on so we can get in touch with you if necessary.

We do not have any confirmed COVI18 cases at school.

Public Health England and Department for Education current advice for schools in London is that staff and pupils should monitor themselves for symptoms and self-isolate if they experience symptoms. People who do not have symptoms are advised to carry on as normal and do not need to self-isolate.

We understand that parents are concerned about the risk of their children catching Coronavirus and that some may want to keep children at home even though they are not required to do so by the medical advice. All pupils who are well enough to come to school and who do not fall into the two categories described above, should attend school as normal.

We continue to follow the advice of the Department for Education and Public Health England in school. We are encouraging all children and staff to wash hands properly and regularly and we are taking extra care with cleaning. We will continue to follow advice and we will keep you informed of the situation and what we are doing about it.

The School has taken the decision to cancel mass gatherings such as assemblies and family events are cancelled until further notice. We will not allow any more selling or sharing of foods via cake sales etc. This is to reduce the risk to our staff and students, and so that staff capacity can be prioritised for the day to day running of lessons during school hours.

Please make sure you check the NHS and government websites daily:

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19

I realise that this is a very worrying time for all of us. Rest assured that the safety of pupils, staff and the school community remains our priority and we will keep you updated with any new information.

Yours Sincerely

Kathryn Wong

Executive Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

Coronavirus/ COVID-19 Update – 16th March

I am sure that you are all following the news closely and are aware of the new Coronavirus advice that came out on Friday.

Following updated government guidance, if any pupils or staff members develop the following symptoms, they must stay at home for seven days:-

• a high temperature

• a new continuous cough

Do not go (or take your child) to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you're staying at home.

For most people, Coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection but if symptoms get worse or are no better after 7 days, contact NHS 111 online. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care/nhs-111/

If you have no internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.

Stay at home guidance can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

Please let the school know as soon as possible if your child is unwell.

If anyone becomes ill during the school day they will need to go home and will be asked to remain at home for 7 days. Please make sure that the school has up-to-date contact details for you and that you keep phones on so we can get in touch with you if necessary.

We do not have any confirmed COVI18 cases at school.

Public Health England and Department for Education current advice for schools in London is that staff and pupils should monitor themselves for symptoms and self-isolate if they experience symptoms. People who do not have symptoms are advised to carry on as normal and do not need to self-isolate.

We understand that parents are concerned about the risk of their children catching Coronavirus and that some may want to keep children at home even though they are not required to do so by the medical advice. All pupils who are well enough to come to school and who do not fall into the two categories described above, should attend school as normal.

We continue to follow the advice of the Department for Education and Public Health England in school. We are encouraging all children and staff to wash hands properly and regularly and we are taking extra care with cleaning. We will continue to follow advice and we will keep you informed of the situation and what we are doing about it.

The School has taken the decision to cancel mass gatherings such as assemblies and family events are cancelled until further notice. We will not allow any more selling or sharing of foods via cake sales etc. This is to reduce the risk to our staff and students, and so that staff capacity can be prioritised for the day to day running of lessons during school hours.

Please make sure you check the NHS and government websites daily:

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19

I realise that this is a very worrying time for all of us. Rest assured that the safety of pupils, staff and the school community remains our priority and we will keep you updated with any new information.

Yours Sincerely

Kathryn Wong

Executive Headteacher