Wisbech Grammar worked hard to prepare the school, ready for the return of Kindergarten, Reception, and Prep 6 on 1 June. Our focus has been on ensuring that staff, children, and families feel confident and reassured by the measures we have put in place. Support and Teaching staff worked tirelessly through the half term to make the environment as inviting as it could be under the circumstances.
Teachers also prepared videos for parents and children to show them what the School would look like when they returned on Monday 1 June. The first week has been exceptionally well received by pupils and their families and teachers have been thrilled with the positive feedback so far.
“My daughter has been really anxious about returning with school being different to normal but after watching your video several times she is actually now excited to be returning. In particular, she loved the number spots going into school, that she will have her own tray, and will be able to have lunch on a picnic blanket! We have also been able to talk about you having to wear a mask at times etc. and she was fine with this. Over the past week she has been asking lots of questions but this weekend she hasn’t asked any and I think the video has given her some reassurance of what school will be like. I’m sure there will still be lots of challenges ahead but I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to do this as it has certainly helped a great deal for us preparing our daughter to come back”. Parent of Reception pupil
“I am so proud of how well the children have observed the social distancing rules and it was an absolute delight to see them in school, smiling, after 10 weeks at home. Many parents commented on how happy their child had been at the end of their day and was looking forward to coming in again”. Keryn Neaves, Senior Deputy Head of Prep School
The School has implemented COVID-19 control measures by following the 5 main risk areas that the Government advised schools to focus on.
- Minimising contact with unwell people. We are temperature screening all staff and pupils. Staff have access to PPE equipment and there are smaller groups of staff and children; each group staying in their own teaching bubble.
- Cleaning hands. Pupils are being encouraged to wash hands regularly and use the hand gel in their section of the School.
- Catch it, kill it, bin it. This advice is something that the school encourages at any time, particularly during this Covid outbreak.
- The school is being cleaned on a rota during the days and evenings, and our cleaning and maintenance team have been focused on cleaning the sections of the school that are being used by the bubbles. Every night these areas are also being sprayed with a virucidal fogger which offers an extra layer of protection to every surface in those areas.
- Minimising contact and mixing with others. Alongside our pupil groups being separated, the children are being given their own personal equipment to use and where helpful, can also bring in their own items from home.
The biggest challenge was always going to be the younger children in Early Years but we have certainly underestimated their resilience and understanding of how they need to behave in School. Mrs Oram, our Reception teacher, summed this up beautifully; “I’ve had an incredible few days with the children and I am so amazed and proud of all them. They have adapted so quickly to the new classroom environment and been so happy to be back at school playing and interacting together and yet apart. It was truly humbling to realise how adaptable and resilient such young children can be and I feel privileged to be able to spend my day teaching and caring for such wonderful children”