Hi all

We are sending all our best of wishes in what we know continues to be challenging times.

We know that there is confusion and uncertainty about schools and plans for the future.

in terms of the current position, we want to re-affirm that we are highly committed to supporting our families that have their children at home and also the pupils who are attending school (linked to Key Workers and most vulnerable needing support for safe-guarding). For the pupils who are in school, current provision has many measures in place to try to reduce the risks of transmission of COVID 19. We have worked with local Public Health and Health and Safety within a risk assessment that does limit the numbers of pupils we have on site and the way in which we work with pupils.

The government has produced guidance for mainstream schools with the aim that some set year groups will gp back to school. The government outlined certain conditions that need to be met for this to happen and issued guidance to the mainstream schools to help them prepare for this. The mainstream schools have to ensure they consider and minimise risks. The guidance is clear that parents do not have to send their children at this stage into school with no fines or loss of place.

We know our parents are keen to know what the position is for special schools. There is no requirement for all pupils with an EHCP to be in school and the government has made some changes to the law in relation to EHCP's as a temporary measure due to this situation. Special schools have been asked to consider how to increase their numbers over time with consideration for how to minimise transmission of COVID 19. Further Government guidance to support this process for special schools has NOT yet been issued. We are hoping to receive this before the end of this month.

In the meantime, we are working hard to explore what could be put in place going forward and we will then review when we receive the guidance from the government. We will have support from local Health and Safety and Public Health and the Local Authority. This will clearly take some time but only because all of us have the interests of the pupils, their families and staff at the heart of all we do.

We do not at this stage therefore have any more definite information but would like to reassure all of our commitment.

In the meantime, teachers will continue to be in regular contact with our families. We have put on some more things on the Home Work page that  families may find useful.

Sending all our best of wishes

The Bridge School