Dear Parent /Carer,

As you will have no doubt seen in the news Covid 19 is on the rise again across the country and also in County Durham . Several schools in Durham have had positive cases amongst pupils and staff and yesterday Framwellgate School was advised to close due to an outbreak.

We obviously do not want the last few weeks of term to be disrupted by closding bubbles and sending pupils home. We have not had  a positive case since before Christmas, and we really want it to stay that way. However, as society opens up and regulations relax and people mix more , this will help Covid to spread.

We are still working under our system of controls in school .  Staff are following Covid guidance and testing twice per week.

Durham County Council has asked us to share this letter with all parents. Please read it as it contains important advice.

DPH letter – parents and carers 11-6-21

Can I once more ask that all parents/carers take the following advice:

• Do not send children to school if they have Covid symptoms or seem generally unwell. The Covid symptoms are changing . If your child has  a runny nose, cough, headache, high temperature, sore throat (even if it seems like a cold) please keep them off and book a PCR test. If it is negative they can return to school.
• If you are notified by Test and Trace that you or your family must isolate, please do not send the children to school until the isolation period is over.
• Please encourage your child to wash their hands and sanitise , as we do in school.
• Please continue to wear a face covering when bringing or collecting children.  We are outside but it is busy and sometimes it is impossible to socially distance.
• Please come alone to collect or drop the children and don’t congregate at the gates to talk , please leave the premises quickly
• Please follow the national guidelines around mixing households and the rule of six .

Children’s attendance is not affected if they are isolating or off as awaiting the results of a test.

Stay Safe.

The new 14 LFD testing sites are below, all will be open for testing from Friday 15 April, these are all listed on the web page we are signposting to:

• Annfield Plain Library, DH9 8EZ
• Belmont Library, DH1 2AA
• Brandon Library, DH7 8NN
• Chilton Library, DL17 0EX
• Easington Colliery Library, SR8 3PN
• Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre, DL5 4HT
• Pelton Library, DH2 1HS
• Spennymoor Leisure Centre, DL16 6DB
• Teesdale Hub, DL12 8TD
• Willington Library, DL15 0PG
• Woodhouse Close Library, DL14 6JX
• Lanchester Library, DH7 0NT
• Trimdon Library, TS29 6PY
• Wolsingham Library, DL13 3AB

Here is our end of term newsletter .

March 24th 2021

Important information for parents and carers on the return to school for all pupils on 8th March is below.

We look forward to welcoming all the children back !

Letter to parents 2.3.21

A letter to parents and carers from Mrs Glass including information about remote learning.

Letter to parents week 3

Please find the letter from Mrs Glass below on school/home learning arrangements from Monday 4th January.

Thank you. More updates will be posted later this week, keep checking back .

Information for parents and carers 3.1.20. UPDATED.docx

Please read the government guidance below for who qualifies as critical workers and the attached application form for school places.

Completed forms should be emailed back to school at:

bowburnprimary@durhamlearning.net

Vulnerable pupils ( those with a social worker) can also attend school from tomorrow.

Critical workers info

Critical worker form

Thank you

Due to concerns around increases in national and local coronavirus transmission rates, teaching and support staff are taking action following advice from their unions and professional associations. School will therefore be open from Monday January 4th 2021 ONLY FOR THOSE CHILDREN OF CRITICAL WORKERS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN . All other children will move to remote (online) learning from tomorrow. This position will continue for two weeks initially.

I can only apologise for the late notification of this information , however schools and head teachers were only notified last night. I will be posting a longer letter on the school website and emailing to parents to expand on the information above later today.

Thank you.

Mrs Glass.

Please see the important letter below for parents /carers which outlines steps to take if a child tests positive over the Christmas holidays. You will need to follow these instructions so school can take part in track and trace as directed by the Government.

Reporting positive cases after school closes

You may have seen in the press that the DfE have suggested that schools close next Friday 18th December in order that they will not need to be on call to support  track and trace contacting beyond 23rd December. However,  schools do not have to do this if they do not want to rearrange the agreed term dates and teacher training days which will already be planned.

As a school we will therefore REMAIN OPEN up to the end of term as normal. School will close at 3pm on Friday 18th December and reopen on Monday 4th January 2021. We think that asking parents at this late stage in the term to make alternative childcare arrangements for the last day of term is unfair.

As school leaders are being asked to continue to support national efforts for track and trace , if a pupil tests positive for Covid 19 at anytime up to 6 days after the last day of teaching (i.e. up to and including 24.12.20), they will need to report this to school so that close contacts can be told to self isolate.  Beyond 6 days, schools will not be called upon to engage in supporting track and trace.

Further details on how parents should contact the school during the holidays to report positive cases of Covid will be shared before the end of term,  once the Local Authority provides us with advice on how best to manage this process.

Further details to follow.