Covid 19 Lifting of Restrictions

                                                                                          St Patrick’s Primary School

                                                                                             22 Feddan Road

Mullanaskea

Enniskillen

BT74 4FD

Telephone No: 028 66 326539                                                                        

Email: info@mullanaskea.enniskillen.ni.sch.uk

Principal:   Dr. L. O’Neill                                                          3/3/’22

Dear Parent,

I believe it is now timely to return to school routines which were in place pre-COVID 19.  Our society is returning to a level of normality, and therefore, I believe that the school should attempt to reflect this normality. The children have been apart from each other for a significant amount of time.  Being in class bubbles has prevented assemblies, play times together, canteen times etc.  However, this was necessary to protect everyone through the worst of times.

I want to congratulate the robust and accommodating way in which the children have coped with this and I also want to thank you for supporting all our efforts to combat COVID 19 in order to keep our school and the community as safe as possible.  This is a united and strong school community.  It has witnessed many difficulties over the years.  Together, we have done our best for the young, the elderly, the vulnerable and indeed everyone.  COVID 19 has not been eradicated, and indeed, it will likely be something with which we have to live and manage. 

I plan to restore most original practices on Monday 14^th March 2022.  This will give us all time to practise the changes with the children and to also allow you and our staff to be in a state of readiness for the changes.  Please see the changes below:

Car Parks:  The car parking situation will change.  The original parking arrangement for parents will return to where the staff car park is at present.  Staff car parking will return to the one located opposite the school which you currently use.

Morning Routines:  School will start for all children at 9am.  Staff supervision will be in place from 8:45am (as was always the case pre-COVID 19). If you have a P.1. or a P.2. child, you may park in the car park and safely walk your child to his/her classroom door.  If you are in the category where you have a young P.1. or P.2. child and you also have older children; please walk all of your children in the same direction until you reach the main school door.  At this point, your older child (P.4. – P.7.) will leave you and he/she will walk around the path to his/her own classroom door (child will enter school via own classroom door).  You will continue towards the P.1. /P.2. doors with your P.1. /P.2. child, where you will drop him/her off into the safe hands of the classroom teacher/classroom assistant.  P.3. children will walk in the direction of their classroom passing the P.1.  door. There should be no need to accompany your P.3. child to his/her classroom door. If your child/children are P.3.- P.7. (and you do not have P.1.- P.2. children), please drive up to the main school door and drop your child/children off at the main school door, and he/she/they will be directed by our staff to walk around the paths to his/her classroom door.  We have practised this routine with all of the children.

Evening Routines:  School will end at 3pm for P.3.- P.7. children.  If your child does not travel by bus, please collect your child/children from the assembly hall door as was the practice before COVID 19 regulations.  For P.1. and P.2. children, the school day will end at 2pm (as was always the case pre-COVID 19).  Please park your car in the car park and walk over to collect your young child for 2pm from his/her classroom door.  

Hygiene:  As awful as the COVID 19 situation is, one of the positives is an awareness of better hygiene.  When the children come into school in the morning we will still expect the children to wash their hands and use hand sanitiser.  COVID 19 is still around but this practice also supports with the prevention of all germs.  This practice will continue throughout the day e.g. before eating etc.

Face Masks:  All visitors, including parents, must wear a face mask on entry into the school building.

Assemblies:  Friday weekly assemblies will be restored for all children.

Break Times:  Children will be able to mix in the playgrounds.

Lunch Times:  Children will eat together in the canteen and also mix in the playgrounds.

Child with Positive COVID 19 Diagnosis:  There will be no change to this routine.  If your child has a positive test for COVID 19, he/she must not come to school.  You still need to inform the school of the positive diagnosis and your child needs to engage in self-isolation in line with PHA guidelines. 

(Please note that over the next week we will be practising all of these routines with the children to be ready for the changeover on 14^th March 2022.  I am very aware that the young P.1., P.2. and by and large the P.3. children, have not experienced these routines.  Therefore, we will practise and ease the children in very gently).

Car Parking/Driving Through School Grounds:   In line with all the guidelines that I have issued in relation to car parking/driving through school grounds, I ask you to maintain this vigilance.  Therefore, please be patient, drive very slowly and park safely.  Please do not park on bus lanes.  There are three identified families with parking arrangements.  Signs will be in place so that you know not to use these areas.  However, vigilance needs to be exercised at all times, but with the above changes, I urge you to be even more vigilant.  Please remember that a couple of extra minutes being delayed is a safer option than rushing and possibly causing an accident.  It is a school where young children, elderly grandparents etc. are circulating through. Please be on alert.

Again, I want to thank you for your patience and support over the past number of years.  It has not been easy to run a school with COVID 19 ever present.  It has been made easier with your co-operation and I wish to thank each one of you, grandparents, baby sitters and of course the children.  I also want to pay tribute to the staff who have had to adjust to changes to make the situation work.  They have had to adapt their teaching styles and continue working as front line workers at all times.  Often, they were very frightened but they kept going.  To our teachers, our classroom assistants, Claire, Aidan, Bea and Alice I say thank you.

If there are any changes to these arrangements, I will inform you immediately. 

My Very Best Wishes to You all,

Ms. O’Neill.

Chair of Board of Governors: Rev. Fr. J. Halton                  Child Protection Governor: Mrs. Selina Wright

Designator Teacher of Child Protection: Mrs. C O’Connor            Deputy Designated Teacher of Child Protection: Ms. O’Neill