We are writing to give you more information about events this term and changes to some of our protocols around managing Covid and other updates.

Playground Updates
Many parents will have noticed that our new playground equipment and outside classroom is now successfully installed and is looking rather wonderful. We are very pleased with the results and trust that our pupils will enjoy them for many years to come. In order to make sure that everything is used safely and that we look after the new items and spaces, we have put in some rules of use which parents need to know about and help us enforce especially at the beginning and end of the school day as follows:
- Trim Trail on the grass
We appreciate it is very tempting to start playing and climbing here, including toddlers and siblings, but we ask that you do not allow your children to play here at the beginning and end of the day. Pupils in Lower and Middle school will have lots of opportunity to play here at lunch times and break times. In time we hope to put bark down so that the trim trail can still  be used even when the grass area is a bit wet.
- Outside Classroom/Octagon
Children and parents are welcome to use this seating area before and after school but please ensure that children and toddlers do not stand or walk on the seats or climb and hang on the struts at any time. This space will be used by various classes throughout the week and is a great addition to our learning facilities and break times.

Managing Covid in school
As you are aware, guidance has changed about testing and isolation across the UK. At CFS we will be largely following the Department for Education guidance which you can find HERE and on our school website. The following is a practical summary:
1. There is no routine LFT testing any longer and no test kits available from school.
2. If your child feels unwell with cold-like symptoms (a runny nose or a new cough or a temperature - for full list of symptoms see HERE), they should stay home until they are well enough to be in school. As always, children with a temperature should not be in school. Our general guidance is that the early stages of a respiratory infection is more infectious for others and also the child will feel the most unwell. It is good for children and especially younger children to stay home for a couple of days even if they just have a bad cold. 
3. If your child does test positive for Covid either because the doctor has told you to do a test, or because you have bought one yourselves, then your child should stay home for 3 days and return to school when they feel well enough to be at school.You no longer need to wait for a negative test result-provided your child feels well, they can return to school. 
4. If an adult (staff or volunteer) has symptoms and is not well enough to be at school including new symptoms of a respiratory infection, they should inform their line manager, the school office (email: info@cfschool.org.uk) and the headteacher and stay home until they feel better.  If an adult tests positive for Covid, they should stay home for 5 days and take extra precautions  for up to 5 days around known vulnerable people.  

Dates for your diary (also see the diary page on the website)
Last week we sent out the term dates for next year and reminded parents about the upcoming RSE parent forums for all parents on 23rd May (2.00 - 3.30pm) and 24th May (7.30 - 9.15pm). Please do consider coming to either the afternoon or the evening as we trust they will be valuable in giving you specific insight about how Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is delivered at CFS from Reception to year 11.

Other dates for this term include

• Monday 16th May: Reach a Hand of Friendship - bring an item of baby/child clothing to donate 
• Friday 27th May: Ice Creams on the yard at 3.30 - 4.00pm in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. A 50p donation per icecream will be gratefully received. 
• Wednesday 15th June, 2.00 - 3.30pm: Year 3 to 4 transition Parent Forum for all parents in Year 3 
• Monday 27th June, 9.00am: Leavers assembly for the whole school; parents welcome
• Wednesday 29th June: (Time to be confirmed) Lower School and Middle School parents evening
• Monday 4th July 7.30pm: Celebration evening for all parents and pupils in year 8
• Monday 11th July: (time to be confirmed) Upper School parents evening
• Wednesday 13th July: whole School Sports Day at Liverpool College, with the first races starting at approximately 1.00pm Exact timings will be confirmed nearer to the time
• Friday 15th July: Last day of term including final assembly at 9.00am (parents welcome). Please note that we will be having an early finish at approximately 12.00pm on that day.
• Class trips will take place throughout this term and teachers will communicate separately about those. We would also like to confirm that the residential trip to Min-Y-Don in September will take place from 26th to the 30th September 2023 - and will be for years 7 and 8 only.

 

Please remember our year 11 pupils in your prayers during the coming exam season.  GCSE exams start on 16th May for year 11 and on 15th May for our year 10 pupils who are taking GCSE RS a year early.  

Finally, a reminder that we have a number of vacancies for September, and a part-time Learning Support Assistant (LSA) post for immediate start. These can all  be found HERE on the school website.