Latest Government Guidance

15th January 2021
As you know, on Monday 4th January 2021, the Prime Minister announced another national lockdown in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This lockdown has now come into effect. School leaders and staff worked tirelessly last week to put the necessary arrangements in place to ensure the safety and best possible outcomes for everyone in OUR school. The health, wellbeing and safety of Shanklea students, teaching and support staff remains our number one priority. The Government have said: "Our teaching staff have worked incredibly hard right throughout this pandemic to ensure that pupils continue with their education, either in school or online. Our schools also have robust risk assessments and health and safety measures in place and have done absolutely everything in their power to ensure the safety of pupils and staff. These are very challenging times for everyone, and some difficult decisions have to be made.” As part of this announcement, it was made clear that vulnerable children and children of critical workers would be able to attend school if needed. At Shanklea, we really want to accommodate every child, but sadly this just isn’t possible in the light of the new COVID-19 regulations. We are currently operating socially distanced teaching and learning, with enhanced safety procedures and reduced staffing capacity due to sickness and isolation requirements. The latest Government guidance published on 7th January 2021 says: ‘Parents and carers who are critical workers should keep their children at home if they can’. To try and support as many pupils and parents as possible, we are asking critical workers to think very carefully before sending your child to school. If you are able to keep your children at home, then please do so. We appreciate this is difficult and the work you do is critical to the Coronavirus response, however, as we reach capacity, we have been advised to prioritise the following vulnerable children before the children of critical workers: • Children with a Child Protection Plan, Looked-After Children and children with Education,
Health and Care Plans. • Children previously on a Child Protection Plan or previously Looked-After children. • Those with a special guardianship order. • Children with a Child in Need Plan. This does not mean there isn’t a place for your child if you are a critical worker but please help us by only requesting a place if you really need it. The current guidance for children who are deemed clinically extremely vulnerable is not to attend their school setting and to remain at home as much as possible. If your child is within this category, please liaise with us and we will continue to support you.