School provision 18th January to 29th January 2021
Please see the letter below from Gaynor Davies. This means that we are extending school provision until 29th January 2021.
The Critical Worker list now has an additional category which takes effect from Monday 18th January 2021, so please check the list below the letter to see if you now qualify for school provision between the 18th and 29th January 2021.
See how to apply at the bottom of this email.
Letter from Gaynor Davies
" Dear parent/carer
This morning the First Minister announced further changes for schools in Wales. The key elements are summarised as follows:
• All children, with the exception of high priority vulnerable learners and the children of critical workers, will continue to access remote learning until the 29th of January. If rates of infection have not reduced by this time, schools will continue with remote learning until the February half-term break.
• Only high priority vulnerable children and the children of critical workers will have access to on-site education in schools along with learners undertaking essential exams and assessments until the 29th of January (or until the February half term if rates remain high).
• Schools are not more unsafe now or pose a higher risk for teachers and children. However, the new variant of Covid-19 is far more infectious and is leading to increased numbers of people falling ill and being hospitalised.
• For GCSE, AS and A level learners, a decision has been made to cancel the spring term assessments that were planned to take place between 22th February and 23rd April. Revised assessment arrangements for the award of these qualifications in summer 2021 will be put in place shortly and further information will follow in due course.
• Special school staff that provide intimate personal care for children with complex medical needs will be included as part of the priority list for vaccination to ensure that the most vulnerable are kept safe.
From the Monday the 18th of January, schools will continue to provide education for the children of critical workers on school sites. Eligibility has changed slightly and will only include the following groups of workers:
• Health and social care workers (including care home staff).
• Public safety (emergency workers) and national security workers.
• Education and childcare workers.
• Food and other necessary goods workers (please note this is an additional category)
If you have explored all possible childcare options and genuinely have no other alternative and have to work, then please advise the school by Monday the 11th of your requirements for the week commencing the 18th of January. The current legislation only requires one parent to work in one of these outlined areas of work to access school based education.
Arrangements for high priority vulnerable learners will remain unchanged.
Please note, that places will be capped to ensure the health and safety of your child and school staff during this concerning period. The safest place for your child currently is at home but if essential, your school can provide education for vulnerable learners and the children of identified critical workers in school. Where demand for places exceeds supply, requests will be prioritised based on need. If you have any concerns or exceptional circumstances, please raise these directly with your child’s school. On-site provision is for education and not childcare, as school staff still have a responsibility to deliver education remotely to all children throughout the school day. In addition to this, they will continue to provide remote wellbeing support for those that require this.
Thank you for your continued patience and for supporting your child’s learning during these very challenging times.
Many thanks
Gaynor
Gaynor Davies
Director of Education and Inclusion Services
Cyfarwyddwr Addysg a Gwasanaethau Cynhwysiant
Ty Trevithick, Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF45 4UQ "
Updated Critical Worker Identification
Health and social care workers
All NHS and social care staff, including:
• doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other health and social care workers including volunteers organisations involved with patient discharge, transport and hospital transfers
• the administration, support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector including those third sector workers in an NHS or care setting
• those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributors of medicines, and medical and personal protective equipment
• NHS Blood and Transplant frontline staff (blood donation staff, specialist nurses for organ donation, staff running therapeutic apheresis services in NHS hospitals)
• those providing ancillary support to NHS workers (such as hotel accommodation for NHS staff)
Public safety (emergency workers) and national security workers
• British Transport Police and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Fire and Rescue Service employees (including support staff)
• Ministry of Defence civilians, contractors and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of critical defence and national security outputs and critical to the response to the coronavirus pandemic), including defence medical staff
• National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas
• police and support staff
• staff of organisations required in the national security aspects of water in Wales
Education and childcare workers
• all workers in childcare settings (to include day nurseries, creches, childminders, play groups, Cylch Meithrin, after school clubs and holidays clubs)
• Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) lecturers
• social workers
• specialist education professionals,
• support staff on site at schools, FE and HE settings such as catering, cleaners, caretakers, maintenance staff all those involved in schools/FE/HE institutions to operate
• teaching staff
• learning support staff
• Work Based Learning trainers and assessors
• Youth workers
Food and other necessary goods workers
Critical personnel in the production and distribution of food, drink and essential goods, including but not limited to:
• those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery such as, but not limited to:
o abattoir workers
o fishers (crewed vessels)
o farmers
o milk processors
o food retailers, manufacturers, distributors
o storage (inc. cold & hub)
o food animal vets
• individuals that support the production, testing and front facing services of the food industry such as engineering or maintenance roles, quality control, food testing and customer relations
• those critical to the provision of other essential goods, such as medical supply chain and distribution workers, including community pharmacy and testing, and veterinary medicine in food producing and public health roles
• workers critical to the continuity of essential movement and storage of goods such as collection and delivery drivers, agricultural merchants and haulers
• essential agriculture services i.e. sheep shearers, foot trimmers, sheep dippers, supply chains
How to apply for school provision from 18th to 29th Janaury 2021
To apply for school provision for the period 18th January to 29th January 2021, please email admin.pontyclunprimary@rctcbc.gov.uk by 12noon on Wednesday 13th January 2021 with the following details:
Child(rens) name:
Class / year group:
Provision required (days and dates):
Breakfast Club (Please note this is liable to change depending on numbers and advice):
School Dinner:
Occupation:
Shift Pattern:
Line manager contact details:
Partner's Occupation:
We will let you know the outcome of your request on Thursday 14th January by no later than 5pm. Please keep an eye on your parentmails.
Stay safe