Dear Parents and Carers,

We are all so excited to be opening school as planned from September 3rd (we have INSET days on 1st and 2nd). It is going to be wonderful to see everyone and come together as a community face to face again.  Routines will be a little different but we want a real sense of normal for the children.  We want to see them happy, learning and thriving at school and will support them through this change with a comprehensive pastoral and mental health and well-being programme .

There are some practicalities for us all to get use to, from timings of starting school to creating space for everyone to learn in school.  Parents please make sure you have read the section at https://www.ash-grange.surrey.sch.uk/getting-ready-to-move-up-september-2020/, which states times and locations for drop offs and pick ups.

We want school to be a haven for children, the safe and special place they have always know it to be.  We want to ensure that we are all doing everything reasonable that we can to limit any infections and have a comprehensive document listing all the measures we are taking, https://primarysite-prod-sorted.s3.amazonaws.com/ash-grange/UploadedDocument/7753020601d7448c8124576631f94498/protective-measures-document-sept-2020.pdf

Please read this carefully to answer all your Covid related questions.

Whilst there is great variation in the rules regarding face coverings, in reviewing our site and building it is clear that the site does not allow us to have a 1-2 metre distance between adults at mass gathering times, ie drop-off and pick up. Therefore, in order to protect our community and one another face coverings will be worn when:

1. Parents when entering the school grounds or buildings at any time; no admittance to site will be allowed without a face covering.
2. Visitors when entering the grounds or buildings at any time, no admittance to site will be allowed without a face covering.
3. Staff when at a distance of less than 1-2 metres from any other adult. Staff are not expected but have the right to choose to wear a face covering in the classroom.
4. Children under 11 years of age are not requested to wear a face covering, but they may if they want to.

All our normal school policies apply.

We are on this journey together, taking guidance from the government and doing all we can to keep one another safe and appreciate your co-operation and support with the measures we are taking.

Kindest regards,

Mrs Curtis, Mrs Rumsby and all the staff and governors of Ash Grange.