Covid-19 Friday 20 March
20 March 2020
Dear Parents
Ref : Covid-19
Yesterday evening the Education Minister issued a letter to schools which outlined that all schools will be open from Monday 23rd March 2020 only to the children of parents whose jobs are critical to the Covid-19 response and who would otherwise have no option but to stay at home to ensure safe supervision of their children.
We, as a school, are here to support our key workers and families at this time of national crisis. Where possible, alternative childcare arrangements for your child should be sought first, as this will help keep the number of adults and children to a minimum and enable us to adhere to the recent guidance on social distancing.
We are also concerned for the health of your child and indeed our own staff. Therefore, if your child is unwell (or any other household member) you must follow the guidance issued by the Public Health Authority and self-isolate your household for two weeks.
I am sure you appreciate it is important we have an indication as to how many children from key workers may be in attendance from Monday. This will help us ensure there are adequate levels of supervision.
With this in mind, if you are an IDENTIFIED KEY WORKER, please make contact with me via email (info@ballyhenryns.glengormley.ni.sch.uk) by 5pm on Sunday 22nd March. The email should state your child’s name, a contact telephone number, an email address and the reason for need.
POINTS OF GUIDANCE
A list of key workers, issued by the Department of Education is listed below, children who do not fall into these groups must remain at home.
If you have a key worker out of the house but have another adult at home, your child should remain at home and not be brought into school.
I must emphasise that this may change if staff are no longer available due to illness or self-isolation.
As a school we are trying to provide leadership, support and care to all our key workers. I ask parents/carers to return this spirit by following the guidelines attached.
Kind regards
L Pollock
Princpal
KEY WORKERS ISSUED BY MINISTER OF EDUCATION
- Health and Social Care. This includes doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, home carers and staff required to maintain our health and social care sector.
- Education and childcare. This includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who will remain active during the Covid-19 response.
- Public safety and national security. This includes civilians and officers in the police (including key contractors), Fire and Rescue Service, prison service and other national security roles.
- Transport. This will include those keeping air, water, road and rail transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response.
- Utilities and Communication. This includes staff needed for oil, gas, electricity and water (including sewage) and primary industry supplies, to continue during the Covid-19 response, as well as key staff in telecommunications, post and delivery, services and waste disposal.
- Food and other necessary goods. This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution and sale, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (e.g hygiene, medical etc).
- Key national and local government including those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response.
