19^th March 2020.

Dear Parents/Carers,

Re: Coronavirus update – school closure to most pupils

Following on from my last update, I’m now writing to let you know that we have now been instructed to close the school to almost all children after this Friday until further notice.

As advised by the government, we will do all we can to stay open for the children of key workers (e.g. NHS staff, police, others in frontline services) and children with certain needs.

We are waiting for the government to publish more information on what this means, but it would help us in the meantime if you could let us know if you think your child may fall into one of these categories. Can you please contact the school office providing details of both your job title and that of your partner or spouse. We will also require your child’s name, their class, and for you to check that the school has up to date contact details for both yourself and your partner or spouse. We’ll be in touch again as soon as we are sure who this does apply to. Please either telephone the main office on 0121 675 2355 or e-mail enquiry@sumfield.bham.sch.uk

All other children will need to stay at home, so we ask that you do not send your child into school from Monday onwards.

Please note that this is a national closure – as you may have heard in the news – so while it is a challenging situation, we are not alone. We’ll re-open fully as soon as we can and will let you know when this is by Groupcall message and e-mail, email via ParentPay and the banner on the top of the school’s web-site home page (www.sumfield.bham.sch.uk)

What we’ll continue doing while your child is at home

Your child’s learning is of course important to us, so we’ll continue to help your child to learn. 

We have already provided your child with a bundle of work that they should work through in the event that they are forced to remain at home and additional work will be placed on the school web-site within the class pages as detailed in my letter of 16^th March 2020 which can be found on the web-site under News and Events – Latest News. Likewise this letter will also be added to that page as well as sent out via ParentPay.

Your child will have been provided with a login to Education City and I would ask you to check my letter of 16^th March for further information about work and support that you can give to your child.

It is expected that those children who are eligible to continue to attend school should do every day unless they are taken ill or a family member within the same home is taken ill. In which case the government advice remains that the whole household should self-isolate for 14 days. This will need to be communicated to school in the usual way by calling office as soon as your child shows symptoms e.g. a temperature above 37.8 Celsius or a persistent cough. Should this happen than all parents are advised to check the NHS111 website for guidance or in needs be phone NHS111.

If your child usually receives free school meals we will also be in touch with more information about how we will continue to provide this, with support from a scheme that the government has just announced.

The school day will operate as normal from 8:50 am to 3:22 pm. Please note that Breakfast Club will be cancelled from Monday 23^rd March 2020 onwards.

What we won’t be able to go ahead with

• School trips
• Breakfast or after-school clubs
• Events
• Internal exams or tests

This is as much as we know right now and we appreciate your continued patience as we deal with this ever-changing situation. We understand that this latest news will have an impact on you and your family and it’s far from ideal, but we’ll continue to keep in touch with any updates as the situation develops.

If you want to get in touch to share any concerns, please don’t hesitate to do so via 0121 675 2355 or enquiry@sumfield.bham.sch.uk

And remember: if you or your child feels ill and you want to know what to do next, please use NHS 111 online.

Thank you again for your continued support, and we will be in touch with more information when we can.

Mr R Ellis

Headteacher