Coronavirus update

01.06.2020

School opening

School is open this week for our vulnerable and key worker families as usual.

We are risk assessing and preparing the school building, with the view to opening school to our Year 6 pupils only, next week – Monday 8th June.

You will receive a text or email notifying you of what to do in relation to this.

You will be asked to collect and sign a home school agreement this week before your Year 6 child comes to school.

Free School Meals

We have stopped issuing vouchers starting this week. If your child is eligible for free school meals then please come through the gates from 11.30am and pick up your child’s packed lunch each day.

Please click here for further guidance on why we are using our own school food provider (Manchester Fayre) now, instead of vouchers.

Please click Manchester Fayre Menu – schools 28.05.20 to have a look at the revised menu.

22.05.2020

School will be closed over half term 25th May to 29th may 2020.

Please email admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk if you have any concerns.

Click here for DfE advice on supporting your children at home

 18.05.2020

As you may be aware the government has announced that they would like to see schools open from 1st June – the week after half term holidays. There is a lot of planning going on at St Agnes at present – surveying parents, carrying out risk assessments and planning what this will look like! Please be reassured that we will open only if it is deemed safe for our pupils to return and we will work with you the whole way.

If you are worried then please share it with us , as many of you have already done so.

Please click here for the latest government guidance on what they would like to see happen.

12.05.2020

Letter from Mr Uddin regarding the latest government guidance on schools opening – please click here.

Latest government guidance for parents and carers – please click here

05.05.20

We will be closed on Bank Holiday 8th May – VE Day.

Below is information should you wish to access more information during this closure:

Department for Education coronavirus helpline – Friday 8 May Bank Holiday opening hours

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care.

Phone: 0800 046 8687

The helpline will remain open over the early May Bank Holiday weekend for staff, parents and young people as follows:

10am to 4pm – Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Our standard opening hours will resume on Monday 11 May:

8am to 6pm – Monday to Friday
10am to 4pm – Saturday and Sunday

17.04.20

Following the latest official government briefing, the coronavirus lockdown will continue for at least another three weeks – this means school will be closed until 11th May at the very least. Should things change we will inform you as soon as possible.

I hope everyone is safe and well whilst staying at home.

Thank you.

Mr Uddin

06.04.20

Please click here to find out more about what the government advises regarding the coronavirus COVID-19 and click here for advice to parents and carers about education related matters.

St Agnes will contact you in the next two weeks regarding free school meals.

As we have made our own arrangements families with pupils who are eligible for FSM will not be able to access the Manchester city council offer.

Those families who are experiencing financial hardship and need to access cash grants there is support available for you from the council – please click here.

Please inform us if your circumstances have changed and you are getting benefits such as Universal Credit – this may support you in accessing free school meals. Email admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk for further information.

03.04.20

St Agnes will remain closed, during the Easter holidays and after, until further notice.

We wish you all a safe break and pray for everyone’s health and wellbeing.

25.03.20

Latest update 22.03.20:

Dear Parents and Carers.

I hope and pray everyone is safe and well.

I hope and pray that we are following guidance around staying at home, social distancing and self isolation.

Latest update 20.03.20:

In light of the latest guidance from the government regarding COVID-19 please read the following:

The scientific advice to minimise risk of COBID-19 is –  If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.

The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

At St Agnes we want to be able to offer care for a limited number of children – children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.

If the following applies to you please contact school the 2.00pm on 0161 224 6829 or email admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk to help us plan and provide support.

• Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
• Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.

Latest update 19.03.20:

Following the latest government advice St Agnes will be closed until further notice.

If you are a key worker ( then please contact school as soon as possible through 0161 224 6829 or admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk

A clear list of who a key worker  is yet to be identified and shared by the government but as of now this would include:

• NHS workers
• police officers
• supermarket delivery drivers
• those who are employed to look after the vulnerable and elderly

Our vulnerable pupils’ guardians will be contacted in due course in how best to support them following the latest government information.

Thank you.

Mr Uddin

SCHOOL CLOSURE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

Dear Parents and Carers,

After careful consideration and taking into account local authority and government advice, St Agnes Primary School will be closed from tomorrow – Thursday 19^th March 2020 due to coronavirus.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

This has not been an easy decision, nor been taken lightly, but health (mental and physical) and safety must be our top priority.

As more staff and families are required to self-isolate and others should not be in school because they have underlying health conditions and are more vulnerable to the virus, it is no longer possible to maintain the correct staffing levels and provide a safe or healthy learning environment for pupils.

In order to maintain your child’s education as best we can whilst the school is closed, your child’s teacher will be sending Home Learning Pack containing guidance, activities, a pen/pencil and exercise book. Should you have questions, guidance is also included in how to contact teachers through the school website and your child’s class page.

Teachers can be contacted tomorrow, Thursday 19^th March, between the hours of 9.00am and 3.00pm should you have any concerns.

We urge you to encourage your child to complete the activities and to keep them gainfully occupied during the closure period. We also make a special request that you do not allow your child to spend excessive amounts of time online and you closely supervise their online activity at all times.

We very much hope to re-open at the start of the summer term, which is Monday 20^th April 2020. However, the current situation is ever changing and it is impossible to predict if staffing levels will enable us to re-open or what government advice will be. All essential communication and updates will be shared with parents/carers via the school website: www.st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk  and/or text.

Please check the Urgent Messages page of the website regularly and ensure you are also able to pick up texts to check for any changes.

Any general enquiries should be sent to admin@st-agnes.manchester.sch.uk and we will aim to respond within 48 hours.

We very much appreciate your support, understanding and co-operation during this very difficult time and look forward to welcoming you all back once the virus has subsided and life is returning back to normal.

We pray for all our families and staff, good health and safety, during these very worrying times

Yours faithfully,

Mr S Uddin

Latest communication

Please click Coronavirus letter 11.03.20 for the latest letter sent to all our families in relation to what we are doing in school currently.

Coronavirus – Advice for all early years providers, schools and further education providers

The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Coronavirus and is taking action at home and abroad.

The overall risk of Coronavirus to the UK remains moderate. However we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting China.

Public Health England and the Foreign Office have issued advice for anyone travelling to the area. This can be found at:

Latest information and advice can also be found at:

Advice for parents/guardians

You should not be unduly worried about the possibility of your children catching the Coronavirus.

There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend their early years, school or further education setting as normal.

We recognise that some families or children may be planning to travel to China during the forthcoming half term period. If so, please refer to the FCO’s latest travel advice via the link above.

What action you can take

A UK wide campaign has been launched to provide clear advice on how to slow the spread of Coronavirus.

Please help to support the campaign which promotes basic hygiene practices, such as regularly washing hands and always sneezing into a tissue, to stem the spread of viruses.

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