We have completed our filming for the Easter Passion Play! The year 2 children have led the play beautifully using our outdoor area. Reception and Year 1 classes have also worked exceptionally hard to learn songs for the play.

D.V.Ds are available to purchase for £5. Please return the envelopes provided as soon as possible. If for some reason the DVD does not work, if you bring a USB stick to school, Miss Wellington can put the film onto it for you.

 

Please see below a letter from Aled Evans, Director of Education.

Spring Letter

All classes, Nursery – Year 2 will return on Monday 22nd February 2021.

Please see letter from Director of Education

Dear Parent January

Dear Parent / Carer,
You will be aware that the Welsh Government has agreed that all schools should
move to online learning until January 18th.
Schools will remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners;
our special schools will also remain open, subject to risk assessment, as will our
Learning Support Centres. Please discuss individual circumstances with relevant
head teachers.
Schools remain safe settings. They operate under scrutinised risk assessments and
apply robust control measures based on the four key protective behaviours of
hand washing, social distancing, ventilation and the wearing of face coverings.
These behaviours remain effective in reducing the spread of the new variant of
the Covid-19 virus if adhered to correctly.
However, we also know that education settings being open can contribute to
wider social mixing and given that infection rates remain high in NPT, we
welcome the decision to migrate to online learning.
Our schools have prepared well for online delivery and we are confident that the
provision will be stimulating and relevant, building on your children’s previous
learning.

 

We would strongly urge all parents / carers to engage with schools in order that
their children fully benefit from home provision or, where applicable, access
learning at their school setting.
Educational provision will continue and learning will be scheduled on a daily basis
modelled on normal practice. We strongly advise that all pupils prepare for their
school day as they would normally and to attend their remote learning provision
in the exact same way as they on a school day.
We expect the Welsh Government to review its decision over the next week or so
and in light of decisions already taken by other UK governments, it is reasonable
to expect that this arrangement could be extended. It is therefore vitally
important that remote learning is not viewed as a short gap arrangement and all
pupils should participate in this provision in order to continue with and progress
their education.
Your children’s teacher will still be guiding their learning at this time. Please
follow what the school is setting. You should speak to your children’s school first
if you want additional help and advice about how to support their learning. Your
children’s teachers know them well and will want to help, for example with advice
about:
• the best way to support your children’s learning
• how to access help for their specific needs
• what to do if you or your children have questions about their work
• what to do if you or your children are feeling overwhelmed about school
work
• what to do if you do not have access to a suitable internet-connected
device to access online learning activities from home (help is available to
support families via your school or local authority).
Your children’s school should always be your first point of contact and if you are
contacting your children’s school or teacher you should use the communication
channels your school has set up for this.

 

We expect schools to be delivering a mix of learning opportunities, which will
include where relevant, recorded and / or live lessons, a range of digital
communication and sign-posting to learning resources. We expect schools to
contact pupils individually where this is deemed necessary and to discuss progress
in learning with both pupils and parents / carers.
The effectiveness of this provision will be measured, in significant part, by the
extent pupils engage with it. Pupils have a key part to play in making this
experience meaningful.
We acknowledge that these are challenging times in our lives. However, learning
must continue to be a key priority for children and young people. These
arrangements can be made to work effectively and can benefit our pupils – your
children.
Whilst we all have a responsibility to stay at home wherever possible and adhere
to the restrictions placed by Welsh Government to suppress infection rates, we
also have a responsibility to ensure that learning continues to light even our
darkest of days.
Yours sincerely,
Aled Evans
Director of Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning,
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

A letter from Ms B.

Start 11th Jan 2021

Re: REVISED ARRANGEMENTS FOR JANUARY AT ST JOSEPH’S INFANT SCHOOL

31st December 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Following discussions with Welsh Government officials, the Local Authority has decided that all schools in Neath Port Talbot will not return to school for face-to-face teaching until Monday 11th January. Therefore, we will be providing online learning for our pupils. However, face to face learning will be provided for vulnerable pupils and children of critical workers from Wednesday 6th January 2021. If you child falls into either of these categories, please text reply CRITICAL WORKER COVER.

Therefore, to ascertain numbers of pupils attending/ bubble formation, from Wednesday 6th January 2021, could you please contact me by 3pm on Monday 4th January 2021.  Please take into consideration when making your decision that every child that can be safely cared for at home should be.

As 2020 comes to an end; I would like to take this opportunity to once again, to thank you all for your support, in what has been an exceptionally challenging year for everyone. I wish you all a happier, healthier, and more positive 2021.

 

 

Take care, stay safe!

Yours sincerely,

Ms J Beaumont

Dear parent / carer

Please see letter below

Letter re change start date 2021

 

Re: BEGINNING OF TERM ARRANGEMENTS AT ST JOSEPH’S INFANT SCHOOL

 

Dear Parent / Carer

Following advice from Welsh Government and Neath Port Talbot Local Authority, schools are to be closed to all pupils for 2 days immediately after the Christmas break to assess staffing levels and prepare for the new term in light of ongoing concerns surrounding COVID 19. As such St Joseph’s Infants will be closed for all pupils on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th January. All pupils will return to school on Wednesday 6th January following the same arrangements as was carried out in the Autumn Term.

N.B. If there is a change in this date we will inform you on the 4th January. However, the school will still be open to vulnerable learners and children of critical workers on Wednesday January 6th and we emphasize that it is important for them to attend.

Please be alert for symptoms of COVID-19 in your child. If your child develops any of these symptoms, even if they are mild.

• Inform the Test, Trace and Protect (TTP) team who will be in daily contact with you
• If advised by TTP book a test for them by phoning 119 or through the online portal: https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test

• Inform Saint Joseph’s Infant School (text URGENT) that they are unwell with COVID-19 symptoms and that you have requested a test

 

 

 

• Your child should remain in self-isolation
• All other household members should isolate for 10 days from when your child developed symptoms
• Do not visit a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital but if you require medical advice please contact NHS 111 or telephone your GP; if there is a medical emergency phone 999
• If you require medical advice for COVID-19 symptoms or another reason, please inform the healthcare worker that your child is a contact of a case of COVID-19 and in self-isolation
• Please follow the advice provided when your child receives their test result

 

Further formation on Test, Trace, Protect can be found here https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

Further information on symptoms and self-isolation can be found here https://gov.wales/symptoms-and-self-isolation-contact-tracing

For general information on COVID-19 https://gov.wales/protect-yourself-others-coronavirus

The COVID-19 online symptom checker can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do https://gov.wales/check-if-you-need-coronavirus-medical-help

 

With best wishes,

Ms. J. Beaumont – Headteacher

 

Dear parents,

Please see the letter below explaining an extension to isolation period for Year 2 children and staff.

1st letter to parents Dec 15

 

 

 

Dear Parent or Carer,

 

Re:    Contact of confirmed case of COVID-19 in Saint Joseph’s Infant School.

 

NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect trace everyone who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

 

Your child has been identified as a contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 and will now need to self-isolate for 10 days from 8^th  – 18^th December 2020. By identifying contacts and asking them to self-isolate for 10 days, we will reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 from those contacts to their family, friends and the wider community.

 

Self-isolation advice requires your child to stay at home, not to go outdoors to exercise, to visit shops, family or friends, or to other public spaces. Please do not invite people to your house. Further information on self-isolation can be found in the link at the bottom of this letter.

 

If your child remains well then the other members of the household do not need to isolate and can continue with their normal activities. If your child is still well at the end of the 10-day period of self-isolation, they can return their other usual activities.

 

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading, there are things that everyone in your family can do to help. These include:

• washing hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• washing hands as soon as they get home
• covering their mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not their hands) when they cough or sneeze
• putting used tissues in the bin immediately and washing hands afterwards

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please be alert for symptoms of COVID-19 in your child, which are:

• A new or continuous cough
• A high temperature
• A loss of or change to sense of smell or taste

 

If your child develops any of these symptoms, even if they are mild:

• Inform the Test, Trace and Protect (TTP) team who will be in daily contact with you
• If advised by TTP book a test for them by phoning 119 or through the online portal: https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test

• Inform Saint Joseph’s Infant School (text URGENT) that they are unwell with COVID-19 symptoms and that you have requested a test
• Your child should remain in self-isolation
• All other household members should isolate for 14 days from when your child developed symptoms
• Do not visit a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital but if you require medical advice please contact NHS 111 or telephone your GP; if there is a medical emergency phone 999
• If you require medical advice for COVID-19 symptoms or another reason, please inform the healthcare worker that your child is a contact of a case of COVID-19 and in self-isolation
• Please follow the advice provided when your child receives their test result

 

Further formation on Test, Trace, Protect can be found here https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

Further information on symptoms and self-isolation can be found here https://gov.wales/symptoms-and-self-isolation-contact-tracing

For general information on COVID-19 https://gov.wales/protect-yourself-others-coronavirus

The COVID-19 online symptom checker can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do https://gov.wales/check-if-you-need-coronavirus-medical-help

 

With best wishes,

Ms. J. Beaumont – Headteacher