School Re-Opening Arrangements

Dear parent/guardian

Following last week's revised publication of the 'New School Day guidance' by DENI we can now confirm the arrangements for returning to the Christian Brothers' Primary School.

The new guidance states that there is no longer a need to implement social distancing rules for children in Primary schools. Instead primary school children will return to full time education with a 'protective bubble' strategy implemented as a key mitigating action.

A class will act as a single consistent group /bubble, with minimal prolonged interaction with other classes within the school. Each class, their teacher and assistant will constitute a 'protective bubble'.

Children will remain in their groups throughout the day including playtime and lunchtime with their teachers and assistants supervising them. Lunches will be eaten in the classrooms with their teacher and assistant. A simplified menu from the school meals service will be available for pupils who are entitled to a free school meal and will be available from Tuesday 1st September.

These meals will be served in the school dining hall where the children will remain in their bubble. As usual, please provide a healthy snack for breaktime in disposable packaging.

Primary/Rang 7's will return to school on Monday 24th August (from 9-00-12 noon). School doors will be open from 8-45a.m. No pupil should be in school or yards before this time.

Mr Smyth's Primary 6 class last year … will be going to Mr Doyle's Primary 7.

Mr Mc Neice's Primary 6 class last year… will be going to Mrs Mc Anerney's Primary 7.

Mr A Black's Rang 6 last year …will be going to Mr S Galvin's Rang 7.

Mr Doyle's class… will enter the school through the main entrance of the Top Block.

Mrs Mc Anerney's class … should enter through the entrance at the Main School Hall.

Mr Galvin's class should go straight to his classroom .

New Primary/Rang 1's will be having their Induction next week. Only one parent should accompany their child to keep contact minimal.

Primary/Rang 2, Primary/Rang 3, Primary/Rang4, Primary/Rang 5, Primary /Rang 6 will return to school on Tuesday 1st September.

Below is the class that each of these classes will return to.

Last year's.....

Miss Moran's P1 will go to Miss C Breen P2

Mrs L McAuley P1 will go to Mrs S Morris P2

Miss E Shields R1 will go to Mrs L McGrath R2

Miss C Breen P2 will go to Mrs J Mackle P3

Miss C McParland P2 will go to Mrs C Turley P3

Mrs C Hurl R2 will go to Mrs O Mullen R3

Mrs C Turley P3 will go to Miss S Breen P4

Mrs J Mackle P3 will go to Miss C Loughran P4

Mrs O Mullen R3 will go to Miss D Kennedy R 4

Miss C Loughran P4 will go to Mr S Quinn P5

Miss S Breen P4 will go to Mr M Lavelle P5

Miss D Kennedy R4 will go to Mr R McWilliams R5

Mr M Lavelle P5 will go to Mr N Smyth P6

Mr S Quinn P5 will go to Mr K McNiece P6

Mr R McWilliams R5 will go to Mr A Black R6

In order to reduce the risk of infection of Covid19 the following measures will be implemented.

• Pupils will enter the school building through the outside door closest to their classroom.
• Staff will be positioned at the doors with hand sanitiser to spray pupil's hands and to direct them to their classroom. Entrance to the school is between 8-45 and 9-15a.m.
• Pupils and parents will not congregate at the school entrances. Please arrive at the correct time to collect your child.
• Pupils will be asked to wash/sanitise their hands throughout the day.
• Pupils may bring their own bottle of sanitiser/tissues in a disposable bag.
• Pupils may bring in a school bag to carry reading books etc. but please keep these items to a minimum. Lunch boxes are also permitted.
• Pupils are NOT required to wear face coverings.
• Parents are asked not to enter the school building at any time unless invited by the class teacher or the principal.
• If parents have a concern, please phone the office, leave a message and the teacher will get back to you.
• Parents are asked to adhere to social distancing at all times when in the school grounds.

For the next three weeks the 'New School Day' will be as follows:

All Pupils will be enter the school from 8:45am to 9:15am

Nursery pupils will go home at 11am for the 1st 2 weeks and the 12noon until further notice

P/R1 will go home at 12noon for the 1st 3 weeks.

P/R2 & P/R3 will go home at 1:30 for the 1st 3 weeks.

P/R4 & P/R5 will go home at 2:15 for the 1st £ weeks

P/R6 & P/R7 will go home at 2:30 for the 1st 3 weeks.

ASD/LSC pupils will go home at the time of their respective year-groups.  

There will be no extended school programme- i.e. no breakfast club, no after school club and no after school activities.

These times and extended schools clubs will be reviewed after 3 weeks.

I appreciate that it has been a very difficult and anxious time for families. I am extremely grateful for the way you engaged with the school during lockdown, thus enabling your children to continue their education. Hopefully as the year progresses school will begin to look more normal. In the meantime, I can assure you that all staff in C.B.S. will have your child's physical safety and emotional well being as their priority as we take these first steps towards resuming a full school life.

Thank you for your continued co-operation.

Nial Smyth - Principal