Following our email last week about updated guidance from Liverpool City Council and our local public health about face masks and also reducing end of term activities, we are emailing to update you about the decisions we have made at school about modifying some of our arrangements in keeping with the spirit of the guidance. It is worth pointing out here that the nature of the guidance has changed in recent weeks and a lot more emphasis is put on schools deciding which risks they feel they can reasonably mitigate and which are too difficult to manage sensibly or whether in fact the activity is not particularly socially helpful. However, all events and activities are under regular review and I apologise in advance if we have to cancel or further modify an event either because of significant increase of local transmission or because we have had positive cases at school.

Parents Evenings:
We are going ahead with these as previously advertised. Tuesday 29th June for Lower and Middle School parents evenings from 4.00pm to 8.00pm, and Wednesday 14th July for Upper School.  For Middle School, we ask that only one parent attends and please try not to bring your children with you if at all possible, though we recognise this is difficult for the early evening slots.  If children do need to come to the Middle School evening, they MUST stay with you at all times. There is a separate letter for the Lower School parents evening. Both parents and staff will be wearing masks for these appointments and are asked to maintain distancing. 

Community Picnic: 1st July 
Unfortunately we have had to cancel this event as easing of restrictions have been delayed and national regulations only allow gatherings of up to 30 outdoors. We are very sorry indeed to cancel this opportunity for socialising as we have all really missed seeing each other. We will work towards planning another similar event in the new academic year.

The School Play: Little Women
We  have also had to modify the number of performances and the audience seating for this event. It will now only be open to parents and close family of cast and crew over two nights, which are Thursday 8th and Friday 9th July, with limited seating and full Covid measures in place. Additionally, however, we are very pleased to have negotiated a paid-for digital license which will enable all our community to view a filmed version of the production on our school website over one weekend in the school holiday. We will let you know exactly which weekend this will be.

Unfortunately, parents are not allowed to film any of the live performances, or download a copy of the website video due to copyright restrictions.

However, we do trust that this arrangement will go some way towards lessening the disappointment of not being able to come to in-person performances. Years 6 to 11 pupils and their teachers will watch their own matinee performance on Wednesday 7th July in the afternoon, but as the production is 3 hours in length, we are not extending this to younger years, though of course anyone can watch the filmed version on the website (on the specified weekend only) as already mentioned. 

At this juncture, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the production team, headed up by Mr. Farrington, for bringing this event to fruition in a very challenging year, and also to express my appreciation to all our staff for being so thoughtful and accommodating in supporting this event. The play has brought a real focus for our Upper School pupils at a time when so much of their social and extra curricular experiences have been diminished. The pupils themselves have worked very hard and I know that they have really appreciated the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of ‘Little Women’.  And of course as ever, the costume department  have produced the most extraordinary creations for the cast to enjoy wearing and for viewers to admire. Everyone involved in producing costumes, helping with logistics and constructing the magnificent set has given their time generously and freely and we are most grateful for their commitment to our pupils and community.  

We have of course accrued some costs which we would normally partially recover through sales of tickets. However, this will not be possible this year, so if any parents or friends would like to make a specific financial contribution to this event, we will be taking up a collection on the evenings of the performance or you can give by bank transfer towards covering licensing fees, professional lighting hire, and production costs. Finally, just to let you know that we will be writing separately to parents of cast and crew to allocate them seating on the evenings of the performance, and we will also let everyone know when the filmed production will be available for viewing online. 

Please do continue to pray for us at school. We are planning to continue with all the trips planned as things stand at the moment. However, I am sure you are aware that community infection rates are increasing significantly in Liverpool day by day. Please continue to do twice weekly testing and be very vigilant about symptoms. If anyone in your household tests positive, the whole household must isolate for 10 days and inform us at school by email info@cfschool.org.uk