To quote Captain Sir Tom Moore, The sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away. At Deanshanger this week, we have had quite a gathering of clouds, and it has been making school life more challenging than normal. Like you, we are looking forward to the sunshine!

With a large group of children (and their families) testing positive for COVID and our highest amount of staff absence yet, it has been quite a week!  Since I have been one of the staff unwell this week, I must say a huge thank you to every single member of staff for continuing to make everything go as well as possible. Mrs Webb, alongside SLT, Mrs Godwin and the whole team, has capable navigated the choppy waters - thank you. Thank you for all your well wishes too. Like other staff, I can't wait to be back in once I get the all important two consecutive days of negative tests as per the updated guidance.

Covid continues to have a real impact on our school and community, just as it does nationally and internationally. The amount of cases this week is high and something that we are monitoring very carefully and with a measured response.  Please continue to keep a very close eye on your children for any symptoms. The latest government guidance, January 20th 2022, can be found here. 

In school, we continue to follow the government guidance in terms of classroom ventilation, good hand hygiene, sanitising cleans and following the advice re testing and self-isolating. Although face coverings are no longer mandatory in some settings, as a staff, we have decided to continue wearing them in shared inside spaces for the time being and review this regularly. 

Mask wearing in children in something that a few of you have called the school office about today. There is no statutory requirement for your children to do this at all and indeed mask wearing in younger children comes with mixed reviews and many pros and cons. If you feel it would support your child's anxiety, then of course they're welcome to wear one, but otherwise, we would not expect your child to wear a mask; this is shared with safety and wellbeing in mind.

Sending very best wishes to everyone struggling with COVID and other illnesses at this time. Try to keep strong and smiling.