In preparation for your child returning to school after lockdown may I suggest that you take time to
prepare your child for some changes to the normal school day. (See other resources for guidance.)
Below is a list of points you may wish to consider.
Talk to your child, create an excitement about returning to school. Emphasise the positive aspects
of seeing their friends, teachers, assistants and learning in a new classroom. We are super excited about seeing them!
Explain that some school routines may be different. E.g. staggered lunches and playtimes, regular hand washing, parents will leave and collect pupils at the gate (except Nursery and Primary One) and won’t be accompanying them to classrooms at the start of the school year. Please explain that this is for everyone’s safety, but it also shows how mature we think they are and that we trust them.
Discuss the now familiar habit of seeing people wearing a mask or visor. There will be occasions in school where adults may be wearing some level of PPE. It is a perfectly common sight for them around shops and the towns. We will explain this to them too.
https://www.facebook.com/BelfastTrust/videos/1802088136599599
Reassure your child and address any doubts and anxieties they may have. Keep us in the loop.
All adults in school will be available to help and support the children in whatever way they can, so that
they can settle easily and happily into school life again adopting and accepting our new norms.
Discuss and practice good hygiene habits. i.e. toileting and washing hands, sneezing, blowing nose,
using a tissue or sneezing and coughing into the elbow.
Discuss, explain and practice the importance of giving everyone their own personal space and
reasons for non-contact play at present.
When on school premises all adults are instructed to adhere to all current Government and PHA
guidance on social distancing, hand sanitising and wearing of masks.
If your child is feeling unwell or showing any symptoms associated with Covid-19, please do not
send your child to school, and contact your GP.
Emphasise that just because we may have to do some things differently, does not mean it will be difficult.
All this information will be sensitively reinforced on your child’s return to school, but what you do in
advance will also support what we all desire; a much longed for return to school where everyone, pupils
and adults are safe and happy. These basic measures really do matter so that everyone in our school
community stays protected from Covid-19.
It remains important that we all work together in order to mitigate the risks involved as we steer our way
through these very strange times.
Kind regards,
Kevin O'Neill
Principal
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