Keep up to date with all the latest news

• Email Information - How to contact your class teacher

  Tue 24 Mar 2020

  Hello Everyone,

  Please find below a list of the class emails we have set up. These addresses are so that you can ask your child's class teacher for any help around home learning.  Please note that you may not get an instant reply as Teachers are working on a rota basis and will be having a break over the Easter Holidays.  We are hoping to post additional work over the following weeks through these emails so please look out for them. 

   

  EYFS-RT-AB@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk        RThorne and ABallard
  EYFS-KC@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk              KCharnock
  Y1-BC@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk                  BChapman
  Y2-DR-HP@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk           DRivett and HPerry
  Y2-GK@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk                 GKinch
  Y3-JG@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk                  JGidley
  Y3-GG@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk                GGreatrex, LNethercott and EClark
  Y4-5-MF@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk             MFullerton
  Y4-5-AR@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk              ARetter
  Y4-5-CP@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk              CPaton
  Y6-KP@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk                  KPlumley
  Y6-RW@the-castle-primary.devon.sch.uk                RWilley

   

  The staff of Castle School will be in contact with you over the coming weeks and months via emails and messaging, we may also be telephoning at some point to talk to the children just to touch base when we can.  We want to ensure they still feel in contact with their Teachers.

  We would like to send our very best wishes to all of you at this very difficult time, we understand how challenging this period will be for all of us.  

  Keep reading, exercise, do the best you can with the work supplied and stay safe.

  From all at Castle Primary.

   

   

• 19th March 2020 -Latest news re school closure

  Thu 19 Mar 2020

  19 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, and as soon as we have this we will let you know.   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. Please contact us via email admin@castletiverton.school with the following information:

  • Child’s name
  • Reason (for instance, you are a key worker and what your job is)

   

  We’ll be in touch again as soon as we are sure who this does apply to and to give you further information.

   

  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 using the school website, school email and text messaging.

   

  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. In the first instance we shall be putting work onto the school website in the ‘Class Information’ section.  We have set up class emails and will send more information home later this week.

   

  During Term time, your child is still in education.  Your child’s education is a priority to my staff.  My expectation is that all children at home, unless they are ill, will be engaging in education.  We are doing our absolute best to ensure we do all we can to help you with this.  Please explain to your child that they are still in education during this time and it is NOT a holiday.

   

  Please bear with us, we will provide you with more information just as soon as we have it.

   Pg1 of 2

  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.

   

  What we won’t be able to go ahead with

  • School trips – more information will be provided just as soon as we have it.
  • Internal exams or tests

   

  This is as much as we know right now and we appreciate your continued patience with us 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 will continue to keep in touch with you 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 email admin@castletiverton.school .  Please keep phone calls to the school office to a minimum as staff are trying to make lots of arrangements for your child’s continuing education.

   

  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.

   

  Yours sincerely

   

  Mrs Noble & The School Team

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Letter to parents re school procedures and Covid-19

  Fri 13 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents and Carers,

  We are all aware that the situation with Covid-19 is a rapidly changing picture throughout the country.  With this in mind we have been updating our response to the situation following the daily support from Devon County Council and the Public Health England.  We have reviewed and updated our systems of cleaning and hygiene in school and are encouraging increased personal hygiene from the children.

  Possible school closure

  Please be aware the school will remain open for as long as it is deemed safe to do so by Public Health England. However, the additional advice from government which is likely to have an impact on schools and industry is anyone with a “new, continuous” cough or high temperature is now advised to self- isolate for seven days.

  This new emphasis may well lead to an increase in staff and student absence. With regards to staff absence I need to make you aware that dependent upon the level of staff absence it may result in a partial or full closure of the school.

  If we have to shut the school, the process is as follows

  • We will text you
  • The closure will be on the school web site
  • The closure will be on DCC official school closure site https://www.devon.gov.uk/schools/closure/

  Once we re-open we will inform you through text and the school web site

  We understand that closure is inconvenient for all and will have an impact on your child’s education. 

  To reduce this impact, our plans are as follows

  We advise you try and keep some sort of normality, I know this is a hard one, through doing some of the following.

  • We will update the school web site with work for your child to complete – this will be in the class pages.
  • Do some of the activities from the class home work sheet
  • IF your child has an electronic reading scheme please get them to access books through this
  • READING!
  • Yr 6 staff will ensure there is work from the SATs companion scheme ready for the children
  • We are in the process of setting up new class email accounts so if needed we can communicate through this new system – more information to follow.

   

   

   

   

  We have taken the decision to cancel the Easter holiday club provided through Primary Sports.  This is part of our increased infection control routines in line with the government strategy.

  If you are considering travelling during the Easter period, we advise you check on the government web site before doing so.  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas

  The Department for Education continues to keep schools updated on the government’s response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and have launched a new Coronavirus helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows: Phone 08000468687, opening hours are 8:00am to 6:00pm (Monday to Friday) or via email at DfE.Coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk

   

  Kind regards the school team.

• BBC Newsround – Video for children explaining Coronavirus: ‘why it might not be as scary as it sounds’

  Tue 10 Mar 2020
  BBC Newsround have produced a great video which explains the coronavirus https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51342366