We've had a really positive start to the new half term. We know there's a national lockdown looming, but we have had no positive cases in school and we know our health and safety protocols are strong.

I wanted to say a huge thank you to all parents who have taken to wearing masks on site. This gives us great confidence and we're grateful!

In the mornings, it is still a challenge to manage all the children as they arrive in their year group bubbles. There are a lot of people in a small space and we need to improve this handover arrangement.

Current arrangements are:

Year 3 and 4 arrive from 0840. They will go in to school at 0845.

Year 5 and 6 arrive from 0845. They will go in to school at 0850.

No pupils should arrive before 0840. At 0840, staff are out and will assume responsibility for the children as they arrive.

At present too many parents are waiting with their children unnecessarily. We cannot have groups of parents waiting on the car park. It's just too busy.

So, can I please politely request for parents to either leave the school site when they drop their children or, at least, move away from the children towards the exits? Parents who need to go to the infant playground should go straight there.

If the situation doesn't improve, I may have to make the difficult decision to put staff on the gates at 0840 and not allow parents on site. I really don't want to have to do this, but if we can't work together to make the handover work more efficiently, then that's a decision I will have to make.

Huge thanks to all parents for their cooperation. Let's work together, to ensure the continued safety of all the children.

Thank you

Simon