Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Dear Parent / Carers
The Special Partnership Trust Covid-19 update - 5th January 2021
I wanted to write to you to provide an honest overview of the current position of the Special Schools in Cornwall and what we are planning to do. These are unprecedented times - information and guidance changes almost daily. It is no surprise that we were taken aback by the Government announcement yesterday evening, as we had planned extensively over the New Year period in the hope of welcoming students back to school as usual this week. We are still gathering detailed information from the Department of Education and it is vital that we take time to plan and communicate effectively with pupils, parents and staff.
It is important to emphasise that we endeavour to ensure schools are as safe / Covid secure as possible but, with Covid cases now rising in Cornwall this inevitably impacts on safety. We need time to put measures in place and to plan our education offer whilst we review risk assessments, staff availability and those pupils who are clinically extremely vulnerable to ensure that we are able to support all pupils with either onsite or remote learning or a blended combination. We understand and support the fact that many parents will choose to keep children at home and ‘shield’ them during the lockdown period. The wellbeing of staff and pupils is our priority.
Curnow School will remain closed tomorrow (Wednesday 6th January). This is instead of the originally planned Inset on Friday 8th January. We will be continuing to work on setting up the testing process which will initially be in place for staff at our Secondary school site. Trust Schools will be providing support (remote/onsite/blended) for pupils from Thursday this week (7th January) and teachers will be in touch with families today.
I am very proud and grateful for the reaction and continued support of staff, parents and pupils at this time. This is a wonderful community and we are working together to develop flexible arrangements that will be put in place to make sure we can offer support to pupils and families.
School staff will remain in touch with you to explain the school offer, our plans and the way forward. If you have any concerns or questions please refer to the school website, contact your school or the Trust office and we will answer any questions or queries.
Yours faithfully
Guy Chappell
Executive Director
The Special Partnership Trust
Covid-19 Update – 31st December 2020
Following the recent Government announcement and news reports, I wanted to provide an update on the arrangements for the beginning of the Spring Term 2021. The Government is clear that SEN schools should be open. Therefore, all schools will open as planned on Monday 4th January.
It is important to highlight that Trust schools will continue to operate and ensure that the wellbeing , health and safety of pupils and staff remains the priority. Trust schools will continue to review the offer for all pupils and offer flexibility as Cornwall has now been placed in Tier 3 and we do expect disruption during the next few weeks as infection rates potentially rise.
Further Government SEN guidance is expected tomorrow to support schools and explain in detail the testing requirements for pupils and staff. Testing kits and resources will be delivered to schools on 4th or 5th January. As soon as we have received and interpreted the guidance and have planned our approach we will, of course, write to you again outlining details.
To support the delivery of the Government testing requirements, I would like to inform you that all Trust schools will be closed to pupils on Friday 8th January for an additional Inset day. This is advised by the Government to ensure that staff receive the necessary training and the logistics are in place to implement testing from the 11th January.
I would like to reiterate that we do not have all of the information and guidance at the moment. There is a lot of national information and communication messages which can be confusing and there is also a lot of misinformation. It is important that, if you have any questions, concerns or queries, you contact your school and the Headteacher will answer any questions and/or provide support. Please follow the usual procedures to report to school if your child will be absent.
Thank you for your ongoing support, patience and cooperation.
May I take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy New Year.
Yours sincerely
Guy Chappell
Director
The Special Partnership Trust
Dear Parents / Carers & Staff
Covid-19 - End of term and holiday period arrangements
We have finally reached the end of the Autumn term. At times it has been quite challenging and I wanted to thank you for your support, kindness and patience. The school community has worked tirelessly to support each other and, whilst aspects have been difficult, the strength in the partnership is something worth celebrating.
I wanted to draw your attention to the end of term and holiday period arrangements. As you know, Curnow School closes to students at 1pm on Friday 18 December. During the holiday period we have made arrangements should you need to contact the school following a member of your household displaying symptoms of Coronavirus or receiving a positive test result. Where a student or staff member tests positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19) having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted. In this circumstance, contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace should be followed. For the first 6 days after teaching ends (18 December – 24 December), if a student or staff member tests positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school, please contact the school on 07825 213079 or via email at trackandtrace@curnowschool.org.uk. We will assist in identifying close contacts in school and advising self-isolation as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school. The school staff member on call will access emails and telephone messages between 9.00am and 12 noon each day between 18 - 24 December. Should there be a positive case, the school will contact you via telephone or text message to inform you of a close contact and whether you should self-isolate.
School staff are not on-call during the holiday period. Following the end of the 6 day period the school will not conduct any track or trace monitoring. Where students and staff are required to self-isolate due to contact with a positive case after the first 6 days following the end of term, the school does not need to be informed of their absence until the first day of the new term.
Please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the school senior leadership team, or myself, if you have any questions or queries.
Take care over the holiday period. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Guy Chappell
Director
Special Partnership Trust
email: gchappell@specialpartnership.org
20 November 2020
Advice to all Parents - Single Confirmed Case
Dear Parents,
We have been advised that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the Curnow Lower School.
We are continuing to monitor the situation and have taken advice from Public Health England and the Local Authority. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
We have taken the decision to close a single class bubble (Eden Class) following discussions with Public Health and the Trust. For your information guidance from Public Health suggests, due to the time between contact and onset of symptoms for the member of staff, we were not required to close the class bubble. However, as an additional precautionary measure and in light of the current situation at Illogan School, we have chosen to take this action.
The school remains open for all other classes and, providing your child remains well, they can continue to attend school as normal. We will keep this under review.
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19:
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, you should organise for your child to be tested via the NHS online portal or by calling 119. Your household should isolate until you receive negative test results.
Symptoms of COVID 19:
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
How to stop COVID-19 spreading:
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19
Further Information
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.
I do understand that this week will have caused many of you increased anxiety related to Covid in the Community. Please be assured that we will continue to have in place the restrictions and measures we have outlined to you as we aim to reduce the risks of infection. Should you feel that you would like to keep your child off school as an additional precaution please contact us in the first instance to discuss this. Equally I am very happy to talk with any of you and answer any questions you may have.
Yours sincerely
Caroline Jewell
Headteacher
Dear Lower School Parents / Carers
Re: Illogan School Closure Update
I wanted to bring to your attention that the following communication was sent home to parents from Illogan School today:
Dear Parents,
We have been made aware that additional members of staff and children in our school community have tested positive for COVID 19. These staff members and pupils are from Year 1, Year 5 and Year 6.
We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with Public Health England. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your children. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
The bubbles of children who have been in close contact with the individual who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) have received a letter informing them that their child must stay at home for 14 days.
The school will be open from Monday 23 November and your child should continue to attend as normal if they remain well. Health and Safety remains my unremitting priority at this time.
Jo Knuckey, Head Teacher
The advice from Public Health remains clear in that they are advising affected bubbles at Illogan School to be closed rather than the whole school. Illogan School still plan to re-open to pupils not affected by bubble closures on Monday 23 November. I have also spoken with an advisor from Public Health today who reassured me that we do not need to do anything differently at Curnow Lower School at this stage and that we should continue to implement infection control elements as we have been doing in school as well as reminding families to do the same at home.
The Public Health Advisor also added: ‘We are seeing increased transmission across Cornwall at the moment, not just in Illogan, and it is important to reflect that what we see in the school is often a reflection of what is happening in the community, it is just more visible which then increases anxiety’.
I do understand from conversations with parents that the situation at Illogan School does cause increased concern for many of our parents and that this will be very personal to each family. Please be assured that we will continue to have in place the restrictions and measures we have outlined to you as we aim to reduce the risks of infection. Should you feel that you would like to keep your child off school as an additional precaution please contact us in the first instance to discuss this. Equally I am very happy to talk with any of you and answer any questions you may have.
Kind regards
Caroline Jewell
Headteacher
Dear Lower School Parents / Carers
Re: Illogan School Closure
I wanted to bring to your attention that the following communication was sent home to parents from Illogan School today:
Dear Parents/Carers,
Coronavirus cases
As you know we have recently had to close Y1 and EYFS bubbles due to positive tests. Having given this thought, we have taken the difficult decision to close Illogan School from tomorrow morning, Wednesday 18 November for 3 days. This will allow for a deep clean of the entire school. We plan to reopen to Y2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on Monday 23 November.
If you wish to keep your children at home today, we will fully understand and would simply ask that you leave a message on our answer machine so that we know that they are safe with you. We remain open today for any children in Y2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 whose parents wish to send them and children will be taught by their usual staff member with no movement between bubbles.
As ever, I assure you that Health and Safety is our highest priority and I will remain in touch with you throughout this period of closure. All children have been sent their Home Learning packs and should use these at home this week. We will be in contact with any family entitled to Free School Meals to arrange the collection of a food parcel in place of school lunches.
This is a difficult decision to make but I hope that you understand my priority in these challenging times.
Kind regards,
Mrs Jo Knuckey
Headteacher
This is an additional precaution that Illogan School have decided to take, in light of their current situation. As you will know from previous communications, the pupils at our school have remained in their class bubbles with their Curnow peers and staff, as have the pupils attending Illogan School. Therefore, Curnow Lower School will continue to remain open as usual. We do understand how worried some of you will be each time you hear of local confirmed cases, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to discuss your concerns related to this matter.
Kind regards
Caroline Jewell
Headteacher
05 November 2020
Dear Parents and Carers
Covid-19 update following the publication of the latest Government guidance
I only wrote to you about 24 hours ago to say that we were yet to receive any further guidance following the Government announcement of a second lockdown on 31 October.
Last night, the Trust received further guidance regarding updating processes and procedures as England enters a second period of lockdown and I have summarised the key points below:
Most children originally identified as clinically extremely vulnerable are no longer identified as such. We would ask that you speak to your GP or specialist clinician as soon as possible if you have not already done so, or received a letter from the NHS, to understand whether your child is still classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.
Those children whose doctors have confirmed they are still clinically extremely vulnerable should not attend school during the lockdown period and will be provided with home learning. Where a meeting with a GP or specialist clinician has not taken place, the Government advice is that the child is still clinically extremely vulnerable and should not attend school during the lockdown period.
As always, if you have any questions, queries, or concerns please contact your school and speak with the Headteacher.
Take care and thank you for your cooperation.
Yours faithfully
Guy Chappell
Director
The Special Partnership Trust
04 November 2020
Dear Parents/Carers
The following message comes from the Special Partnership Trust regarding our current position:
Covid-19 Second National Lockdown
I thought I would take an opportunity to write to inform you that, at this time, the Trust and Schools have not received any further updated guidance which includes detail about the second national lockdown. Trust Schools and Area Resources Bases remain open and continue to prioritise the health, safety and well-being of pupils and staff. Once we receive further Government guidance we will, of course, be in touch with you.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your school.
Thank you for your patience.
Your sincerely
Guy Chappell
Director
Special Partnership Trust
email: gchappell@specialpartnership.org
At Curnow, we will continue to follow the protocols as outlined at the start of term. In addition, we have decided that, in light of the pending lockdown and to further protect our school community, all staff will wear face coverings when moving around communal areas on both school sites. The school risk assessment has been updated to reflect this additional measure.
We will also be cancelling any less essential events/visits (such as school photographer) during the lockdown period. If we need to use agency staff to cover any staff absence (outside of our own Curnow employed staff) we will be requesting them to wear visors when in school and classes.
As always if you have any questions or just want to chat please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Caroline Jewell
Headteacher
15 September 2020
Dear Parents/Carers
Covid-19 Update:
What will happen if a pupil and / or staff member display Covid-19 symptoms in school
I am sorry to write so soon. However, the current situation regarding Covid-19 locally and nationally is ‘dynamic’ and, following my recent letter, I need to update you on Trust processes and procedures.
It is being widely reported that there are issues with accessing Covid-19 testing and delays in receiving test results. Public Health have committed to testing and results being received within 48 hours but, due to the issues with testing capacity, this is proving not to be the case locally.
The Trust will continue to review its approach in line with Government guidance and will do everything we can to reduce Covid-19 risk in schools, but, as I have previously stated, we cannot guarantee a Covid-19 free environment.
I want to update you on the process should a pupil and / or staff member display symptoms in school. If a staff member or pupil show one or more potential symptoms (listed below) in school they will be isolated, sent home, and asked to book a Covid-19 test. Covid-19 symptoms:
If test results are delayed (beyond 2 school days), Trust schools will contact parents and staff within the bubble, by telephone to advise that possible Covid-19 symptoms are being investigated. School based staff will be able to discuss options with you about what interim measures will be put in place to support pupils until test results are received. This may include you deciding to keep your child at home until we receive the test result if you wish.
To be clear, we will only follow this process if:
Should a pupil, a member of the family, or a member of staff display symptoms whilst at home, please inform the school and follow national guidance.
It is a complex, dynamic situation and I can only apologise for the complexity. I thank you your co-operation. Please continue to communicate with your school if you have any questions or queries.
Yours sincerely
Guy Chappell
Executive Director
Special Partnership Trust
Dear Parents and Carers
I hope you are well and had a good summer.
The Autumn Term at school starts on Tuesday 8 September and we are very much looking forward to welcoming our whole school community back. Following my previous letter in July where I highlighted the main health and safety measures the school has implemented, I would like to remind you of some of the key points and to reassure you that we have been working hard on our plans for the full school re-opening ensuring that we:
Key information:
How will the school limit the risk of infection for my child?
All students will have lunch in classrooms and there will be no whole school gatherings such as assemblies for the first part of the Autumn Term. These will be replaced by a virtual assembly, which will be watched by children in multiple classrooms. Swimming at the leisure centre will not take place in the Autumn Term.
Before Your Child Leaves Home in the Morning
Please check for any of the following symptoms:
If any of these symptoms are evident do not send them to school (even if you believe symptoms are not Covid related we will still have to follow the procedure of asking for pupils to be collected immediately and tested in line with the guidance), please contact school to notify of your child’s absence.
How will the school manage children or staff who develop symptoms during the school day?
If a child shows symptoms whilst in school, they will be isolated in the designated room. The staff member/s will be required to wear full PPE when supporting the child. Parents/carers will be contacted immediately and asked to collect their child from school. Parents/carers will not be required to enter the building themselves, to limit the potential spread of any infection.
We ask that parents/carers whose child has been identified as having a suspected case of Covid-19 should seek immediate medical advice. The guidance says ‘Anyone who displays symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) can and should get a test.’ If no test is undertaken, then we expect children to self-isolate according to the Public Health England guidance here:
What if there is a confirmed case at the school?
In line with DfE guidance, the school will:
We ask that parents and staff inform the school immediately of the outcome of any test;
‘Close contact’ now means:
The school will contact parents and request they collect their child from the school immediately.
Households with a confirmed case of Coronavirus should follow the advice regarding isolation laid out by Public Health England here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
As part of the national test and trace programme, if other cases are detected within the school, Public Health England’s local Health Protection teams will advise schools and other settings on the steps to be taken.
Finally, although there are some restrictions in place, we fully intend to continue with our normal ambitious and broad curriculum in all subjects from the start of the Autumn Term. All staff are fully committed to providing a welcoming, inspiring and ambitious learning experience for all children. This will be a year where we will rely on your continued support and, as our learning community may see many changes over the next few months, we will no doubt have to be flexible and supportive of one another. We appreciate your continued efforts and cooperation to support the wider school re-opening.
Kind regards
Yours sincerely
Caroline Jewell
Headteacher