Rift House Primary School
Ready to Teach, Ready to Learn
Parent Letters
Monday 8th March 2021
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It was wonderful to see you and your children in school this morning. They all looked amazing!
Just as always, we need to continue supporting one another in order to ensure that school is as safe as possible.
This morning the children have listened to a COVID-safe assembly which will help us all to remember our COVID-safety rules – This assembly will be available on seesaw and our school website. www.rifthouse.co.uk/coronavirus
Breakfast club will be starting on the week beginning the 15th March from year 1 upwards. There will be a maximum of 12 children. Therefore, if you would like a place, please contact school immediately. These arrangements will be reviewed at the end of each week.
Further information will follow regarding after school club, although the earliest this provision will start will be the week beginning the 22nd of March.
Thank you for your continuous support.
Mr Turner
Head Teacher
Return to school information
As per Government guidance, all children will return to school on Monday 8th March. Please click on your child's year group to find out all the information you will need reguarding this including start and finish times, exit and entrances for different yeargroups and what your children can expect coming back to school. We have tried as much as we can to keep to a similar routine as before Christmas.
Early Years and the Foundation Stage
Any questions or queries please contact school on 01429 275239 or Seesaw/Tapestry message your individual teachers.
Breakfast and After school club
An update on Breakfast and Afterschool club – As you know, all children will be returning to school on Monday 8th March. Breakfast and Afterschool club will NOT be open during this week.
The school and staff need to have time to fully risk assess the provision ensuring all are safe.
As soon as this is complete, school will be in touch informing you of when Breakfast and Afterschool club will open.
Thanks for your continued support and understanding.
WEDNESDAY 24TH FEBRUARY
RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND FROM MONDAY 8TH MARCH
Dear parents/Guardians,
Good news! I’m sure you are all aware that following the prime minister’s announcement yesterday, all of our school children can return on Monday 8th March as the government working with scientists now feel that it is safe to do so.
Attendance from the 8th of March will be mandatory.
Class teachers will forward information to you, sharing start and finish times etc.
The school will be set up exactly as it was before Christmas and lockdown. Each class will form their own bubble and play times, lunch times, start and finish times will be staggered.
Parents must wear face coverings as before and maintain social distancing and follow all school advice and rules.
Your support throughout this pandemic has been nothing short of amazing in helping me and the school to keep everyone safe.
Any further information that you need to know will follow over the next two weeks.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Turner
Head Teacher
newsletter - Friday 12th February
Dear Parents/Carers,
Thank you for your continued support throughout this very difficult half term. Thanks also for supporting with our programme of remote learning (I know this can be very challenging).
Last week, we had over 90% of children working from home, accessing some of their online learning.
I hope that you can have a restful and relaxing half term holiday and hopefully when we return on the 22nd, I will be able to share with you more information regarding the reopening of schools for all children. (The government have informed schools that there will be an announcement on the 22nd February).
Yours sincerely,
Mr David Turner
Head Teacher
NewsletteR 12/01/21
Dear Parents/Carers,
Hope you’re all safe and well.
Thank you for supporting your child with their online learning – the take up has been excellent.
Free School Meals
As of now, the government have no national voucher scheme in place. Therefore, the schools only option was to use food parcels. I know that parents would prefer vouchers as it allows more choice in the food that you buy.
We are working on how we can offer a voucher scheme instead of food parcels. Hopefully, there will be something in place before the end of the week.
The children who are in school (vulnerable and key workers) will not receive a food parcel or vouchers as they are given a packed lunch whilst in school.
As always, if you require any help or support through this very challenging time, please contact school and we will do everything we can to help you.
Stay safe, follow the rules and most of all, take care.
D A Turner
Headteacher
URGENT Update tuesday 5th January
Dear Parents/Carers,
As of tomorrow, school will only be open for those identified as vulnerable and those of key workers.
It is essential that you all understand the seriousness that this town is currently in.
Schools have been closed by the government because it is now known that children are spreaders of this awful virus into their own homes.
If you are a key worker, I strongly advise that you consider every option you have before choosing to send your child into school.
We will do everything we can to keep our school as safe as possible, but we must understand that this new variant spreads 50-70% faster than the previous strain.
Please contact school today if you are a key worker and you intend to send your child into school tomorrow.
School will contact identified vulnerable children directly by 12 o’clock today.
NEWS Letter New Year 2021
News letter - 7th December
Dear Parent/Carers
Firstly, thank you once again for your continued support throughout this very challenging year. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing children at Rift House who have shown show much resilience and who have maintained such positive attitudes throughout.
As you know, it is essential that we follow the Covid-19 safe guidelines and therefore how we celebrate Christmas this year in school has had to be different. Unfortunately, we were not able to have our Christmas Fair or our Key Stage School Performances. We do however have a number of safe activities planned:
Friday 11th December – Christmas Jumper Day
Christmas Lunch
Bring your Christmas cards into school (only if you want to)
Monday 14th & Tuesday15th – Christmas crafts in class
Wednesday 16th – Christmas ‘interactive in-class pantomime’
Thursday 17th – Movies and games! (please do not bring games into school from home)
Friday 18th – ‘in-class’ Christmas Party (appropriate non-uniform for that day if you like)
Please Note – We return back to school on Monday 4th January 2021
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
Mr Turner
Headteacher
School information 4/11/20
Dear parent/carers,
As you know, the country will move into a period of national lockdown on Thursday 5th November.
SCHOOL WILL REMAIN OPEN!
To help ensure that school is as safe as possible for all, in these very challenging times, all visitors are advised to wear face coverings not only inside of school, but on the school yard as well.
All staff in school will wear face coverings when not working with their own bubbles (classes).
As parents/guardians, please ensure that you wear a face covering (unless you have a valid reason not to) when entering the school yard.
Your support as always, is greatly appreciated.
Kindest regards,
Mr Turner
Head Teacher
Letter 2/11/20
Dear parent/carer
Thank you for your wonderful support last half term. We managed to get through the term without having to isolate any bubbles.
It is essential that we continue to work together to ensure that we keep school as safe a place as is possible.
As you know, signage is displayed around school to remind us all of our COVID-safe rules.
Remember that face coverings must be worn by adults in the reception areas of school.
Also, please do not send your children into school if they have any COVID related symptoms and phone school so that advice can be given to you.
I’m sure that we will work together wonderfully well as we always do, to make this half term a real success even in these very difficult circumstances.
Yours sincerely
Mr Turner
Head Teacher
LETTER 2/9/20
Dear Parents/Carers,
It was wonderful to see you and your children today as we welcomed everyone back to Rift House Primary School. The last several months have been extremely challenging for us all and I would like to thank you for your ongoing support throughout this difficult period.
In order to ensure the safe return to school of our children we have had to make some key changes acting on advice from the Department for Education. Staff and governors have worked together to risk assess policy, practice and protocol using this advice. (The risk assessment is displayed on the school website). Hartlepool Local Authority have supported schools in providing the framework for the RA and have consulted with relevant bodies including the DfE and Education Unions. Some of these changes include:
- staggered start and finish times
- staggered break and lunchtimes
- redesign of the classroom environment
- redesign of the school hall
- enhanced cleaning procedures,
- sanitising stations outside of every classroom,
- redesign of school curriculum
- reduced in the number of visitors in school
To ensure the safe return to school of all of our children
WE NEED YOUR HELP TOO!!!!
Please see the ‘DO and DON’T’ list on the back of this letter. These will be displayed around the school and children will be taught these throughout.
Tomorrow you will see that there is now a designated space for each year group to line up at (marked in blue tape). It is essential that you try to stick to designated start and finish times where possible and use the designated entrances and exits.
Please try to avoid face to face appointments – phone school where ever possible and remember that there is only one visitor allowed in the office reception at any one time and face masks must be worn.
Your understanding and support is crucial during this very different and challenging time and is much appreciated.
Mr D. A. Turner
Headteacher
SCHOOL UPDATE 20.7.20
Rift House Primary School have partnered up with Changing Futures North East to gather parent/carer views of their relationship with the school. We understand that your child(ren)’s education is a very big part of your family life therefore we want to find out how you feel about your child(ren)’s school and if we can identify areas of success for current practices and those that might require improvement.
The survey is divided into general questions about your feelings about the school over the duration of your child(ren)’s time at Rift House Primary but also more specifically around your recent experiences going through the challenges that Covid 19 has presented.
We want the parent/carers to provide honest feedback and therefore we want you to be assured that your answers will remain anonymous. The school will have access to the analysis of results but not individual responses. The individual responses will be held with an organisation external to the school, Changing Futures North East, whom are a local charity focused on improving relationships across Hartlepool. If you select the option that you are open to being contacted about your responses, your personal information will be held safely and will be password protected. Your name, or any other information that would identify you, will not be shared with the school. It is entirely optional to put your name and contact details on.
This survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday 24th July midnight. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to help us.
SCHOOL UPDATE 1.7.20
Dear Parents/Carers
Change of PD day
School is not closed for the previously scheduled date of Friday 3rd July, we will carry this forward to Friday 17th July. Therefore school will close for the summer break on Thursday 16th July.
As guidance has stated school will reopen fully on Wednesday 2nd September.
SCHOOL UPDATE 05.06.20
Phased Reopening for Year 6 Pupils W/B 8th June
Parent Guidance for year 6 children
All parents must contact school if they are planning for their child to return to school, information will be given and a new up-to date medical form must be completed before their child returns. This booklet has been devised to answer any questions you may have about what the school day will look like, safety measures and policies.
Year 6 - Booklet of Information
SCHOOL UPDATE 12.5.20
Dear parents/carers,
Re: possible reopening of school to more pupils in June
We know you’ve seen in the news that schools may reopen on 1 June to reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils if the government thinks it is safe then.
We’re waiting for further guidance and clarification from the government right now, which will hopefully help us create an action plan for our phased reopening. We’ll share this with you as soon as possible so you know what the school’s reopening will look like in practice.
It’s a very unsettling time for us all, but rest assured that we’re going to be doing everything we can to make sure we’re ready to receive these year groups if it’s safe for our school to reopen in the coming weeks.
However, we’re also not going to be pressuring anyone to send their children to school, since you know your children and personal situation best. We’ll keep you updated with all our preparations for making sure the school is as safe as possible, so you can make an informed decision.
In the meantime, the school is still open only for vulnerable pupils and the children of critical workers. We know some employers will be encouraging you to return to work, but we’re not in a position right now to extend places to other children until we receive further government guidance.
We’d like to thank you for your continuous support in helping your child learn from home. We’ll need to keep going with this for a while yet, so please do continue to do what you can and stay in touch with us about how your child is doing.
Kindest Regards,
D. A. Turner
Head Teacher
Dear Parents and Carers,
Celebrating 20 years of enriching children’s lives:
7 steps parents can take to help their children succeed
My name is Valsa Koshy and I am a Professor of Education at Brunel University London. Earlier this year, I was awarded an MBE for my work with children over several decades.
Building on 20 years of research and my more recent work with over 1400 parents of primary schoolchildren from all backgrounds, Brunel University London has released a news item and a video for parents. It describes 7 steps parents can take to help children succeed in learning and, at the same time, improve their health and wellbeing.
The 7 steps are:
- Intelligence is not fixed and we can change a child’s learning potential
- There is no universally accepted definition of giftedness, talent or high ability
- Find and develop your child’s passion
- Develop your child’s wellbeing
- Children’s abilities do not depend on their parents' social backgrounds
- Spend quality time with your children
- Fight low expectations in children with special needs
After participating in the project, children of parents who learnt about aspects of intelligence, talent development and wellbeing
- showed higher motivation and more enthusiasm about learning
- had higher achievement
- were happier and had reduced anxiety levels
We have also produced a handbook for parents and grandparents, which explores the 7 steps in more detail, as well as other relevant topics.
I hope you find the video useful. The video also features our book, which formed the basis of our project for parents.
Best wishes,
Professor Valsa Koshy MBE
Department of Education
Brunel University London
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