Returning To School

We are aware that there will be many emotions within our children and their families around returning to school on Monday 8th March.

To try and ease the transition back into school, we have arranged for Vinny, our sports coach, to come into school and run a sports session for each class. We'd like to invite all children to a session, please see the timetable below. The class teacher and support staff will be there as well. 

The most important thing we need to do is build relationships and build our school community back to the busy, enjoyable place we love.

The times for Vinny's sessions are below. Please arrive at the school entrance, use the socially distanced spots; wear a mask and one adult to accompany each child for drop off and pick up.

Tuesday 2nd March 

9-15am until 10.15am - Amethyst

10-30am until 11-30am - Rainbow

1-30pm until 2-30pm - Ruby 

Wednesday 3rd March 

9-15 until 10-15am - Sunshine

10-30 until 11-30am - Quartz

1-30pm until 2-30pm - Amber

Thursday 4th March 

9-15 until 10-15am - Aventurine

10-30 until 11-30am - Diamond

1-30pm until 2-30pm -  Emerald

Please come to school in sports clothes and bring a bottle of water with you.

We are so looking forward to seeing you all :-) 

 

Please click here for the updated information about remote learning at Stroud Valley Primary School

 

Key Stage Assemblies 

Now Teams is running well we are going to introduce Key Stage Assemblies twice a week.

Reception / Key Stage One

Tuesday 2pm and Thursday at 1-15pm 

Key Stage Two

Wednesday at 1-15pm and Friday at 10am.

We are keeping our fingers (and toes) crossed that this first venture into meeting up with a larger number of children is successful!

There will be an invite in the calendar section of Teams, please log in a few minutes before and we will start at the times given.

Looking forward to seeing you all later

 

Letter from the Governing Body

The GB would like to wish all the staff, parents and children a well-earned restful holiday next week. We thought parents might be interested to know the amount of work that has been involved in getting Teams up and running. On-going issues meant our IT partner needed staff to alter the email configuration for every one of the 260 children at school. This had to be done on Saturday and required at least 12 clicks per child! It took 3 members of staff many hours of their precious weekend to sort out. So huge thanks to all the staff and good luck with Teams!

 

Stroud Valley School Update Saturday 6th February

Dear Parents & Carers,

The government funded RM Unify to create Teams in such a way that class groups were set to go. This didn't work well and we have been having daily contact with them to sort the problems.

Today has involved changing all the configurations with the children's accounts for them all to access teams as a class this week, we may have cracked it!

We are as keen as you to start some interaction with our children and are looking forward to seeing them all, albeit virtually. 

The focus of our interactions will be focused on the personal and social elements of our children's feelings. We recognise that being out of school is really challenging and the feeling of isolation is impacting on feelings.

We are also working on our recovery approach to opening school as soon as we are allowed and will publish more details in the coming days.

We are all doing the best we can in these unprecedented times.

Please look after yourselves, be kind to all those around you and stay safe.

We look forward to returning to normal times soon.

Miss Sleep 

In order to set up Microsoft Teams to interact with your children, we need to communicate with you via email.  If you have received a text message from us, this means we don’t as yet have an email address on file.  Please can you provide your email address to us by Monday 1st February.  We have sent an email to parents that we do have an email address for. If you have received this email please can you reply to office@stroudvalley.gloucs.sch.uk to let us know that your email address is still in use.
Next week, we are setting up time slots for staff and once we have your email addresses we will email you your child’s log in information alongside their password to enable them to join in live sessions with their class teachers.  All being well and running smoothly we will be ready to use teams with our children by Monday 8th February. 
As ever, we always try to keep you as up to date as possible.  I’m sure you’re all doing your best during these trying times as we are too.

Best Wishes,
Miss Sleep 

 

Microsoft Teams Update

Our teaching staff have now taken part in the Microsoft Teams training that has been organised by the DFE.  We are still awaiting the final transfer of information from our management information system which will enable us to set up classes and groups.  We are, as I’m sure you are too, very keen to start to use Teams as one of the ways we are interacting with your children during lockdown.  Our next steps will involve a staff meeting next week on Wednesday 27th January as to how we will roll out live interaction with your children  - fingers crossed the technical team will have our school up and running as soon as possible.

School Update Monday 18th January

Dear Parents & Carers,

First and most importantly, congratulations on surviving the last ten days of home learning!

We recognise that this is a difficult time and you are juggling many tasks that are easier done when your children are in school.

MICROSOFT TEAMS UPDATE

As a state Primary school we are bound by strict safeguarding rules around any form of video conferencing.  With this in mind, schools have been offered a selection of suitable platforms to enable the much missed and needed (teacher – child) and (child – child) interaction.  Zoom has been mentioned by parents which unfortunately for schools is not an option. Our management information system data is safeguarded and only authorised technical companies are able to assign children to a whole school system.  Our school staff training date for ‘TEAMS’ is this Wednesday 20th January. 

All of us here at Stroud Valley are missing our children and are very keen to begin virtual face to face interaction. I would like to mention at this point that some of our children do not have access to any form of tablet / computer / laptop.  We are awaiting an allocation of laptops but as yet we have received no information. 

We recognise the much needed face to face interaction and this remains a school priority.  In the meantime please look on the whole school YouTube channel to the right of this page.  Click on the four lines – here you will see a list of videos.  Miss Heague and Miss Sleep will be reading chapter books. The class tabs now also have a video link. 

Information from recent research carried out by Ofsted reports using a variety of resources to support your child’s learning is good practice. Stroud Valley are using a mixture of online worksheets,  pre-recorded lessons from Oak Academy, teacher YouTube channel input and as this week ‘Purple Mash’.  Purple Mash is a creative online space which aims to inspire creative learning both at school and at home.

If you are struggling to understand a concept please visit

Home - Oak National Academy (thenational.academy)

There you will find many explanatory lessons for parents and children.

If you are unable to find the explanation you need please let us know through stroudvalley@stroudvalley.gloucs.sch.uk and we will aim to either:

• publish a power point with a voice over
• record an explanation  which we can upload onto our YouTube channel

These will then be there for you to return to over and over to help.

 

We now have the following email set up for you to have contact with your teachers during lockdown. Please can you include the teachers name and class so that they know which emails are for them. 

 

stroudvalley@stroudvalley.gloucs.sch.uk

If you would like to collect pencils and exercise books, please come to the main school entrance where you will find them in drawers please help yourself.  

 

 

 

 

School Update Monday 4th January 2021

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you’ve have an enjoyably socially distanced Christmas and New Year and were able to take time to enjoy some time in the snow!

We’re looking forward to welcoming the children back into school tomorrow albeit under tier 4 restrictions. We have made some changes to our existing risk assessment in light of the rising infection numbers and increased transmit ability of the new strain of Covid – 19.

We’d like to thank you, as always for your ongoing support during what has and continues to be a very challenging time for us all. Your support is essential to keeping our children and staff safe.  We have listed below our best practice regarding pick up and drop off for your children which will ensure as best as possible safety for all:

• Please continue to wear a face covering.
•  
• Please maintain a 2 metre distance for people within other households at all times.
•  
• There will be a box for you to place any items that need to be passed onto a teacher.
•  
• If you wish to speak to a teacher please let the office know.

In addition to above we have altered lunchtime arrangements to ensure class bubbles do not cross paths.  Key Stage 2 children will use classrooms to eat which will allow for the children in Key Stage 1 to continue to use the canteen.

Staff will be wearing face masks in communal areas at all times.

As things change we as ever will aim to inform you as soon as possible on this front page.

Many Thanks

Main Symptoms of Coronavirus are

• high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

 

The medical advice is clear you must self-isolate if you have coronavirus symptoms or live in the same household as somebody who does.

 

School Update Friday 13th November 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please be rest assured that we are following all current government guidelines in relation to Covid – 19.  We remain vigilant, cautious and seek guidance in response to all possible cases and are responding in line with the strict guidance. 

We understand that these are worrying times for all.  We will inform you if a positive test requires self - isolation for individuals or classes.

Social Distancing

For the Health and Safety of all our children and families, please ensure that Social Distancing measures are followed at all times on Castle Street at drop of and collection times.

Please remain at a distance of 2m from other pupils, staff and children. Thank you for continuing to wear your facemasks during these times.

Household Isolation

If one member of your household is displaying any symptoms of COVID19, all members of the household must self-isolate until a negative test result has been received. Please continue follow the Government Stay at Home Guidance for all children and members of the family.

This also includes all siblings. Your children must not attend School while a member of the household awaits a test result. If you are unsure of Isolation guidance or Testing Guidance, please click here for an easy to follow poster.

 

 

 

Arrival and Collection

 

If arriving by the main gate, please follow the one-way system and use the colour bubbles for distancing.

Only one parent to accompany children to school.

Please practice social distancing and clear the site quickly and refrain from group gatherings on Castle Street.

Click here for the Stroud Valley Covid-19 Risk Assessment 

 

 

Home Readers

The difference that regular reading with your children at home makes is immeasurable. We will be sending reading books home as normal and have a system in place where books that are returned to school will be put aside for 72 hours before being touched again. 

Uniform

Please send children to school in uniform as usual. There is no requirement from us that a clean uniform is worn every day. Please check that all items of uniform are clearly named, access to lost property will be more difficult than usual due to restricting the number of adults on site. 

Ventilation

In line with the guidance we have increased ventilation, check they have jumpers with them. They may not feel cold in the morning but sitting in a ventilated classroom for a length of time may require a jumper.

PE / Forest School Clothes

Please send PE clothes as normal and children will change in school. As will all uniform please check that it is clearly named.

Face Coverings

Children are not required to wear face covering to school. Government guidance is 'face coverings would have a negative impact on teaching and their use in the classroom should be avoided.'

The measures we have in place follow all guidance and are aimed to keep everyone as safe as possible.

 

Items from Home

Please do not allow children to bring anything from home except:

Water Bottles

If you are able to send a water bottle in with your child that would help and they will be kept with the individual child.

What we will do if we suspect COVID -19 symptoms

We will isolate, supported by a socially distanced adult, the individual while we wait for a parent to collect.

The individual will have to be tested before returning to school and evidence of the result provided to the school.

If negative and the child feels well enough they no longer need to self-isolate and can return to school.

If anyone in the household tests positive, please follow government guidance and self-isolate for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms and then return to school only if they do not have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell/taste. This is because a cough or anosmia can last for several weeks once the infection has gone. The 10-day period starts from the day when they first became ill. If they still have a high temperature, they should keep self-isolating until their temperature returns to normal. Other members of their household should continue self-isolating for the full 14 days.

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

The school will immediately contact the local health protection team and follow their advice from that time.

How to Book a Test

Please follow this link

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

Please help us keep everyone as safe as possible and do not send your child to school if they are showing any symptoms of Coronavirus

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back

• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

If you think anyone in your house hold has symptoms

• arrange to get a test as soon as possible

• stay at home and do not have visitors until you have the results

• the school will require evidence of a negative test before your child can return

Communication

If you need to speak to a member of staff call the school office - 01453 764400

We are working to reduce the number of adults on site and reduce face to face contact.

Or use the e-mail - admin@stroudvalley.gloucs.sch.uk, this is checked on a regular basis as we will get back to you as soon as we can.

We are all looking forward to seeing you soon

Debbie Sleep

Follow this link to join a virtual tour of Stroud Valley Community School:

Virtual School Tour

 

CLICK HERE FOR SUMMER CLUB INFORMATION

 

Letter from the Governing Body

Dear Parents, Carers and Children,

With so many recent changes and September arriving shortly, the Governing Body thought it would be helpful to give everyone an overview of what has been and what might be happening.

As far as September is concerned you know as much as we do - we don’t get any advance warning on Government information and the newspaper headlines are often the first we hear of things too! We will keep you updated on any developments as and when they happen.  We will notify you by a text when updates are published on the school website.

The school would dearly love to have everyone back, full-time but as always we will prioritise the safety and wellbeing of all our staff and children. Fingers crossed that things are back to ’normal’ by the start of the new school year.

Firstly, we’d like to thank Ms Sleep and everyone at school, the teaching staff, teaching assistants, cleaners, catering staff and office staff for all their hard work and personal sacrifice since March.

The school has been open, even during Easter and half term, to look after our vulnerable children, and the children of key workers so our staff have not been able to rest or protect themselves as many of us have.

Many parents may not be aware that Ms Sleep had concerns about the Free School Meal voucher scheme and to ensure all our children were well fed she has personally organised 5 meals a week for 42 children by purchasing from local supermarkets, packing them into bags and arranging for socially distanced pick-ups. She is still doing this as the voucher scheme has had some well publicised problems.

From the outset the school was determined to maintain verbal contact with all the children, which few other primaries have been able to achieve. The telephone calls and visits have been very well received even though organising and making over 200 calls per week takes many hours and much effort alongside preparing home learning resources and teaching in school.

Ms Sleep and her team considered using video calling to provide some online lessons but we are very aware that not every family has the hardware, high-speed broadband and technical knowledge required. In addition, the well-known security issues for children, especially our vulnerable children, and staff meant delivering online lessons safely for all our children was not possible - the school wanted no child to be left behind. With that in mind it was decided that using the website was the best method to deliver home-learning whilst keeping our children safe.

The school has followed Government guidelines at all times and these are clear in stating that we should not rota children if possible so we have run a full school timetable from 8-50am -3-15pm everyday for all eligible children. This explains why we have not yet been able to have other years in school as there is simply no room after we have around 100 socially distanced Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children in school.

 To rota children with either half-days or only a couple of days per week increases exposure for our staff, and in turn our children and the decision was taken that this was a risk both Ms Sleep and the Governing Body weren’t comfortable taking unless we were given an instruction to do so. You will all have seen the letter on 26th June outlining the school’s cunning plan to get absolutely everyone back together in the next few weeks, for a few hours at least. We understand how much the children are missing their classmates and teachers - the staff are really missing the children too!

School reports for all children will be with you by the end of next week. These will, as usual, be sent home with the children that are in school during the week. Others will be e-mailed or posted to you.

September 2020

In the envelope will be the transition information for next year including name of teacher and our plans for meeting them and the classroom through a video format.

 

We are very grateful to you and the children for all the hard work with the home learning and we always value feedback so please make a suggestion, add a comment or express any opinions on the admin@stroudvalley.gloucs.sch.uk address.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Best Wishes

The Governing Body

 

For support, advice and recommendations about 'surviving' at home during lockdown please follow the link below to a really helpful local publication 'Families'   https://issuu.com/familiesonline/docs/gloucester  we hope you find it helpful.

With families using more apps to communicate during lock down we would like to draw your attention to the following information about the apps Zoom and House Party. Your child may be using these (either with, or without you) so we would encourage you to read these informative posters and discuss them with your child.  Zoom  House Party

Due to the on-going nature of the current situation we know many families are struggling to cope with the additional pressures of social distancing and spending long periods of time in their homes with children and young people. The Family Information Service advice line  provide some practical parenting support to parents click here to find out how to contact them and what suport they can offer you.