Return to School

Thank you to all those who completed the questionnaire, indicating your choices on a return to school.  Around two thirds of our parents responded.

As you can imagine, we have had an extremely busy week, compiling information and beginning to prepare for our school to re-open to pupils, from June 29^th.  An awful lot of advice and guidance has been released this week; and we are in the process of cross-checking our proposed plans against this advice.  Once final clarity has been given, we will be looking to share our plans with you (obviously, as soon as possible).  Thank you ever so much for your patience!

We have however, had some updates that we are able to share with you at this point:

• I am sorry to say; we have been notified by the local authority, that no nursery pupils (either pre Nursery or main Nursery), will be invited back to school before September.  This is a local authority principle, and will apply to all schools across Swansea.
• All pupils, from Reception to Year 6, will have some opportunity to return to school, to ‘check in’ with their class teachers.  This will be in a very different capacity to what school was like in March, as there must be no more than one third of the school population, on the school premises at any one time.

As stated above, we will be sharing information with you, as early as we can.  We are fully aware that many children and parents are going to be very anxious about the return – and we want to give you as much time as possible, to mentally and physically prepare.  We will do all we can to support you all (not just the children) through the transition taking place over the coming weeks.

Emergency Childcare Hub

The Emergency Childcare Hub, which we have been running at Bishopston Comprehensive since we closed our school building in March, will now return to Mayals. 

As of Monday, the provision will run (as it did in Bishopston) to provide emergency childcare for our key worker parents / carers.  We have been asked to reiterate the message, that this provision should only be used as a ‘last resort’.

Our Childcare Hub will operate at Mayals until the end of term (Friday July 24^th).  However, from June 29^th, when other children return to school, the arrangements will change.  The full changes are not yet clear, however we do know that the provision will only operate within school hours (i.e. 8.30am to 3.30pm).  Again, as soon as we have further guidance, we will let you know.

Food Bank

Thank you to all our families, who have generously kept supporting the food bank throughout this crisis. 

Donations continue to be accepted, and can be dropped off to the Holy Cross Church, next to our school.

Thank you again, in advance.

Newsletters / Information

Just a quick reminder that all our school newsletters and information can be found on our school website. 

Should you have misplaced an email, or would like to check what has been sent out – all correspondence can be found by following this link: https://www.mayalsprimary.co.uk/stream/news/full/1/-/

Keeping in Contact

With all that is going on, school staff thought it would be nice to try and catch up with our children and families.  Over the past week, our staff have begun to make telephone contact.  The staff have said that it has been lovely to speak to the children and parents.  We hope that it has been helpful?!   

It is our aim to speak to all our families before the end of next week – and then continue the process, as we move forward.  

If you would rather not receive the call, then please notify either Mrs Edwards (EdwardsK125@Hwbcymru.net) or Mrs Clay (ClayC2@Hwbcymru.net).

Sumdog

Finally, I would like to congratulate everyone that completed the 1000 questions, in this week’s Swansea Sumdog Competition.  1000 questions is no mean feat!

Across schools in Swansea, over 750 pupils participated.  We had five children, who managed to get into the top 50 on the leaderboard – a fantastic effort!!

Congratulations to Morgan Sambrook (who finished 17^th out of 750), Solomon Baker (28^th), Sam Karimbeik (36^th), Jacob Peters (45^th), and Conn Atkinson (49^th). 

We will organise a prize for each of you, and get it to you in the post.  Well done all!!