Latest News
Welcome to the News section of the website. I hope you find it interesting and useful in keeping you informed of the many events that happen in Victoria Park School.
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Halloween Extended Closure
Wed 14 Oct 202014 October 2020.
Halloween Extended Closure
Dear Parents,
You will have heard the news by now that the NI Executive has taken steps to try to reduce the increasing surge of corona cases. This includes closing the schools for an extended Halloween holiday. This is an extra week’s holiday, not a blended / home learning week as we had expected.
Pupils will therefore finish school this Friday 16th October at their staggered finishing times.
Unfortunately, we will have to postpone the planned parent interviews until later in November.
Classes which have already been off self-isolating must continue to adhere to this and should not leave home until the end of this period.
P4 Room 8 and P7 Room 14, isolation is up to and including Tuesday 20th October.
P2 Room 4 isolation is up to and including Thursday 22nd October.
P3 room 5 will be advised separately as soon as we have results of a test pending in that class.
I have cancelled the staff training days planned for November so all pupils should return to school on Monday 2nd November at their staggered starting times.
Please be reminded that whole school flu vaccinations are still planned to go ahead on Thursday 5th November.
Please continue to keep safe and follow the additional restrictions imposed upon us for this period.
Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this.
Take care,
Mrs A. Gourley.
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Parent Teacher Interviews
Mon 05 Oct 2020Dear Parents,
Due to the rapid increase in positive Covid-19 cases, we have been advised by Public Health not to hold face to face parent interviews in the school building and will therefore have to postpone the planned interviews which were to take place next week, 12th to 16th October. All children will therefore remain in school until normal staggered finishing times next week.
The staff are keen to discuss your child’s progress, as well as reviewing targets for children on individual education plans. We also wish to accommodate separated parents having a joint meeting, as well as meetings which may require an interpreter so we want to review the best format in which to carry these out. This may be via telephone or online video-conferencing.
To allow us to set this up and to allocate appropriate time slots for you, we will postpone the meetings for one week until 19th to 23rd October. All children will therefore finish early all of that final week before Halloween. (staggered finishes will be in place)
Should any further restrictions or lockdowns be imposed between now and then, we would still hope to carry out these meetings.
Further information on the interview format, staggered finishing times and choosing a suitable interview slot will follow within the next day or two.
Kind regards,
Mrs A. Gourley. -
Thursday Early Closures
Fri 11 Sep 202011 September 2020.
Dear Parents,
I have strict procedures in place to keep the children safely in their class bubbles. To maintain this, no other staff are allowed in the rooms and this includes Key stage one staff who normally release Key stage two for their planning, preparation and marking. To allow this non-contact time to happen, I will be sending the P4 to P7 year groups home one hour earlier on Thursday for the foreseeable future. The whole school will therefore finish on Thursday at the same Friday staggered times. This will begin on Thursday 17th September 2020.
This additional time is also to allow my cleaners into the rooms to carry out the additional cleaning they are required to do. I have bought a “fogger” machine which sanitises a complete room and we plan to do each class once a week so this will let us ensure every class is cleaned as thoroughly as we can.
Thank you for your support and understanding and my apologies if this causes any additional inconvenience for collection of the children.
Yours faithfully,
A. Gourley
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Letter to Parents from Chief Medical Officer
Thu 10 Sep 2020Dear Parent/Carer,
Please follow this link for an important letter and information to parents from Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael McBride.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTER AND INFORMATION
Kind regards,
A Gourley
Principal
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Education Restart
Tue 18 Aug 2020Education Restart
Dear Parents
You will be aware that the Education Minister announced that social distancing has been relaxed to allow all pupils to return to school fulltime from 1st September. To allow this to happen, mitigating actions and procedures must be put in place to ensure the safety of all children and staff.
On 13 August “New School Day – Reopening Schools Guidance” was issued to outline the practicalities of a safe return for pupils and staff.
There is a lot of detail here in my letter, but all of the measures are important and are set out to try to reassure you of the safety measures being out in place before your children return.
The full 70-page document can be viewed on the DE website- deni.org.uk
The measures advised by DE are as follows:
- Symptoms. Children displaying a temperature, cough or any symptoms should not be
sent to school. Should symptoms be displayed during the day, you will be contacted to collect your child immediately at the front door of the school.
School must be advised immediately if someone within the family household begins to display symptoms or has received a positive test result. Public Health isolation advice must be followed and children kept at home for the period advised.
- Protective Bubbles.
Protective bubbles will be used to split pupils into a consistent group / groups as far as is practicable. In Victoria Park, it is envisaged that a class will act as a single bubble with minimal prolonged interaction with other classes.
It is anticipated that schools will not be able to maintain bubbles during break and lunchtimes. Staggered breaks will take place to allow an outdoor year group bubble which will remain in their own area of the playground.
Hot meals will be provided in the School Dining hall. A third staggered sitting will take place. Two year group bubbles will be in the dining hall at any time but each class will remain in their own socially distanced rows. Year groups will not mix. Packed lunches will also go to the dining hall to eat their lunches and remain in their class bubble.
- Social Distancing.
Social distancing remains in place between adults at 2m and, as far as practicable, between pupils and adults.
- Hygiene and Hands.
Children will wash hands thoroughly on arrival at school in their own cloakrooms. Children must queue behind each and wash hands before entering the classroom. This will be repeated throughout the day. The importance of good respiratory hygiene should be discussed with your child and should follow the “Catch it, bin it, kill it” approach.
- Face Masks.
It is not recommended for children under 13 to wear face masks or PPE. Face coverings should not be worn by those who may not be able to handle them as directed nor by pupils with special educational needs who may become distressed.
Staff have been advised to wear masks and / or visors in adult to adult meetings or where 2m distancing is not possible. Staff who have underlying health issues and some pupils may wish to wear them during the school day and this is acceptable.
- Staggered start and finishing times.
To limit the numbers in the school grounds and avoid mass gatherings in playgrounds or around school area, pupils will arrive and leave at designated times. All pupils should go straight to their rooms via their outside doors. If they are late, they go directly to classroom doors – no children will be admitted via the front door.
Social distancing must be observed by all adults and children around the school grounds.
Additional signage will be evident as reminders inside and around the school grounds.
If your child must be accompanied to school, only one adult per family should bring them into the school area.
Where there are siblings, we ask that they arrive at the later slot together but all pupils must finish at their allocated time.
Doors will open 15 minutes before the designated starting time. Children should not be sent before this time.
Starting time
Finishing time
Mon - Thurs
Finishing time
Friday
P1
9.30am
Follow individual programme already issued
P2
9.00am
2.00pm
1.50pm
P3
9.10am
2.10pm
2.00pm
P4
9.00am
3.00pm
2.00pm
P5
9.10am
3.10pm
2.10pm
P6
9.20am
3.20pm
2.20pm
P7
9.20am
3.20pm
2.20pm
As before, P1-P3 should be collected by one adult, directly from their classroom door. P4-P7 will be brought round in their line to the green gate and parents should collect from there. Children should not be called out of their line before being dismissed by their teacher at the front gate.
- Access to school building.
Parents cannot enter the school building. If you need to speak to a teacher, please ring the school office and the teacher will be advised to ring you at the end of their lessons. Alternatively, you may email the teacher and they will respond during school hours.
Please do not go to the school office unless it is absolutely necessary. Staff will not be able to accept items from you to be delivered to your child’s class. Money or notes should be given in class directly by your child.
One person at a time may enter the school to speak at the office. Others should queue 2m apart at the front and not enter until hall is clear. Hands should be sanitised before entering, using sanitising stands provided.
- Money
Loose money cannot be accepted. All money should be sealed in a school money pouch and given to the class teacher. Pouches can be purchased at the school office (£2). To reduce the handling of money, cheques will be accepted - made payable to “Victoria Park PS”.
Fruit and milk will begin on 1st September. Bills will follow on return.
- Pupils’ Stationery.
In light of the coronavirus situation and in order to minimise the risk of infection, we are asking all children to please provide the following items which will be kept in school for each child’s use. (All items are available in Poundland or similar store).
Please send items labelled with your child’s name to school in a disposable bag and they will be kept in children’s trays.
- 2 HB pencils
- White rubber
- Sharpener
- Colouring pencils or crayons
- Glue stick
- 30cm Ruler
- Whiteboard pens
- Highlighters
- Blue Berol Handwriting pens (P6 and P7 only). No ballpens please.
- Small individual hand sanitiser.
- Tissues
Packed lunches should be brought in disposable plastic bags.
Pencil cases, P1-P3 book bags nor P4-P7 school bags should be brought into school.
- Moving Around School.
Movement around the school will be reduced. Corridors will be divided to ensure single file movement in one direction.
- Classroom Layout.
Classrooms will be laid out with all pupils facing forward to reduce the risk of virus transmission. Spacing will be left, as far as possible between desks. Pupils will remain at their designated desk.
- Ventilation.
Opening of doors and windows will be encouraged to increase natural ventilation.
- Cleaning.
All cleaning will be carried out in line with PHA guidance. Routine cleaning takes place daily and regular cleaning of door handles, desk tops, etc will take place throughout the day.
- Pupil Behaviour
Any pupil who wilfully refuses to adhere to arrangements of social distancing or deliberately coughs or spits at pupils or staff, putting them at risk, will be excluded immediately.
- Contingency Plans.
Schools have been advised to contingency plan for the delivery of remote learning in the event of local or whole school closures, or should a class or group of pupils need to self-isolate.
Additional Measures put in place in Victoria Park to enhance safety:
- Money
Loose money cannot be accepted. All money should be sealed in a school money pouch and given to the class teacher. Pouches can be purchased at the school office (£2). To reduce the handling of money, cheques will be accepted - made payable to “Victoria Park PS”.
Fruit and milk will begin on 1st September. Bills will follow on return.
- Holidays – children who have been on holidays or travelled abroad to an area on the Government quarantine list must not return to school before the end of the recommended quarantine period. School should be advised of the quarantine and country visited.
- Sanitising areas will be available around the school.
- Where possible, outdoor activities and lessons will be encouraged.
- PE will take place outdoor only. PE shoes should be brought in a plastic bag, named, and will remain in school. PE kits will not be required yet.
- No Assembly, after school clubs, swimming or educational visits will take place.
- School Library will remain closed and reading books will not be sent home.
- As reading books, shared textbooks and resources cannot be used, homework will not begin yet. However, advice will be issued re the continued use of the Bug Club online reading scheme and Maths with Parents programme.
- Staff administering First Aid will be required to wear full PPE.
- Small screens or visors may be used by special needs staff working with individual children or small groups.
- Temperature checks may become necessary.
- Covid 19 testing is readily available for all school staff, if required.
Further measures will be put in place if required or advised by Public Health
At Victoria Park we will follow the guidance issued by the Education Minister. No one can remove completely the risk or worry that we all have at this time. We move from a long period of absence and social distancing into a new normal for us and our children altogether in one classroom. We are all in unknown territory. Please be assured that my team and I will endeavour to put in place every measure that we can to keep your child, your family, my staff and our families safe.
This is a very long list of rules and measures but it is important that these are adhered to by everyone to keep us safe and your continued patience and support is always appreciated. Please ring school if you have any concerns that you wish to discuss.
Kind regards,
Mrs A. Gourley.
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Return to School Update
Tue 11 Aug 2020I hope you received my letter last week regarding returning to school, but in light of the Minister’s announcement on Thursday, there are a few changes. I’m now in a position to confirm that all pupils will be returning full-time from 1st September.
P7 will still return as outlined for 2 days, half classes for the week of 24th August, groups as outlined below. P1 will follow the small group induction days as already sent to parents in June.
Many of the points highlighted re staggered start and finish times, uniform, stationery and no clubs will still apply.
We will be working more fully on the practicalities when the further guidance is published by the Education Minister later this week. I will then contact you with finalised plans w/c 17th August.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this period of uncertainty.
If you have any specific queries, the school office will be open from 17th August.
Enjoy the rest of your break.
Kind regards,
Andrea Gourley.
P7 groups
Room 13 Mrs McKnight.
Monday 24th & Tues 25th August. Alphabetical surnames: Bailie - Gorman.
Thursday 27th & Friday 28th August. Alphabetical surnames: Greenaway - Smith.
Room 14 Mr Ryden.
Monday 24th & Tues 25th August. Alphabetical surnames: Ayre - Gilmore
Thursday 27th & Friday 28th August. Alphabetical surnames: Hanratty – Wilson.
P7 pupils will attend, in school uniform, 9.00-2.00pm on all above days.
All P7s must bring a packed lunch, in a disposable plastic bag. Hot meals cannot be provided until 1st September.
Free school meals cannot be provided as EA have made lunch payments to parents up to 31st August. FSM will begin from 1st September.
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Return to School Arrangements
Tue 04 Aug 20204 August 2020.
Dear Parents,
As we move into August, our summer holiday begins to near an end and return to school becomes closer. Unfortunately, we still remain uncertain as to the safety of a full return but recent news suggests that the Education Minister intends to ask the NI Executive to advise a full time return for all pupils by removing social distancing. However, this has not yet been confirmed.
Until then, I still have to assume social distancing remains in place and therefore part time / blended learning for all pupils may remain in September.
As outlined in my June letter, P7 will return part time from week of 24th August, 2 days per week. From 1st September, P2-P6 will also return to 2 days in school, 3 days online.
P1 have already received their individual programme of return.
Returning to school after almost 6 months will be a challenging time for everyone and so, pastoral care and settling back in safely will be an essential part of our initial return. The part time return will focus on pastoral and social elements rather than a plunge straight back into the full curriculum, as well as learning the new COVID-19 protocols required within and around school.
If covid19 remains under control and Minister Weir removes social distancing to allow a full return, we will then begin a gradual move from induction to full time schooling as soon as it is safe and our children are ready. This may be in the second to third week in September.
Returning will bring many new routines for our children, parents and staff. Details of new protocols will follow before school starts regarding the staggered drop off and collection times, hygiene procedures and social distancing around the school building and grounds. Packed lunches only will be allowed with all children eating at their desks. These will be provided for children on free school meals. There will be limited movement around the school and year groups will remain in their own “bubbles” with staggered separate year group breaks and lunchtimes.
Before the end of next week, I will inform you of your child’s induction days for attending school for the first weeks, starting and finishing times and equipment required. I also hope to have received some further information from the Dept. of Education.
Until then, please go ahead preparing for the school return including buying uniform - all children will return wearing normal full September uniform.
You can avail of the Eastside Partnership’s School Uniform Recycling Scheme. You can “click and collect” at their online shop on the ESP website from this week.
All children will also require their own stationery items which should be labelled and placed in a plastic bag. They will be put in plastic folders in school which can be wiped. These will remain in school and should not be used or shared with any other children. No pencil cases, book bags or school bags will be used for a while yet.
A list of equipment will be sent with next week’s information.
I apologise for not being able to give more precise information at present but I know you appreciate this is still a fluid situation with hopes of reduction of the spread of Covid19 as well as fears of a new spike. There is no hidden information being issued to schools by DE and I am receiving news as you do on tv.
A safe return for our children is the aim for all of us and together we will arrange a gradual resettling which brings our pupils back to Victoria Park feeling confident and safe.
Kind regards
Andrea Gourley.
Summary of information issued.
All pupils will return wearing normal full school uniform.
Stationary equipment should be brought in a plastic bag and left in school.
No pencil cases, book bags or school bags.
Packed lunches only, brought in a plastic bag. (FSM provided in school)
No after school clubs or Waiting Club will take place.
Assemblies, swimming or educational visits will not take place yet.
Only outdoor PE lessons will take place.
Week beginning Monday 24th August
P7 return. Full days.
Group A Monday and Tuesday.
Group B Thursday and Friday
Monday 31st August
School is closed for bank holiday.
Tuesday 1st September
P2 to P6 return to school. Full days.
P2-P7 induction days:
Group A Tuesday and Wednesday.
Group B Thursday and Friday.
Staggered start and finishing times will apply.
Tuesday 1st September
P1 follow individual return in small groups-already advised by letter.
Week beginning Monday 7th September
P2-P7:
Group A Monday and Tuesday.
Group B Thursday and Friday.
3 days’ online home learning.
This pattern will continue unless social distancing is removed for schools by the NI Executive and it is possible to move safely to fulltime, 5 days a week.
Staggered start and finishing times will continue.
Week beginning Monday 14th September
As above.
Staggered start and finishing times will continue.
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Return to School
Wed 24 Jun 2020Return to School September 2020.
24 June 2020.
Dear Parents,
I’m sure you have found it hard to keep track of what the situation will be for your children returning to school in September. I issued some brief information relating to this in the June newsletter last week, which I hope you received, but within 24 hours, it was already out of date as the Education Minister amended information and dates again.
In school, I have already been put measures in place for our children returning. Following last week’s guidance, I set up a classroom which ensured 2m distancing for all children. As in all primary schools, we have shared double desks, so one child will sit at each desk 2m apart and the teacher safely distanced too. This obviously means only 15 children can be accommodated and we would be looking at a part time week in school, supplemented with home learning. This is not ideal, but as a school, we must follow the guidance issued for the safety of the children and staff.
Last Friday’s new advice to reduce to 1m distancing really just added more confusion and ministers promised full returns for all children in many schools, which at the minute I could not guarantee in Victoria Park. This guidance does not really alter our set up in our classrooms as we still only have 15 double desks and the only way for all children to come in is to sit side by side and this does not give 1m distancing.
Unfortunately, I do not have 14 spare classrooms for the other half of each class to return at once. I don’t have furniture for the other 200 children, nor 14 extra teachers to accommodate half classes in church halls, orange halls or similar around the area. I have however looked at the possibility of using our library, dining hall and Sydenham room to see if I could accommodate some more children safely within the school building. This still doesn’t allow me to bring all children in but possibly prioritising older pupils for a full return first.
It is hard to envisage what the covid19 infection rate could be by September and we are all hoping it will have reduced as close to zero as possible. In this situation, it may be safe for all children to return and I couldn’t imagine anything better than to see all of our children coming back to Victoria Park and returning to some form of normality!
At this stage, I cannot give you any definite answers or promises other than that P7 will return on week beginning Monday 24th August and P2 to P6 will return from 1st September. As outlined above, I cannot confirm that this be in part or fulltime classes. New P1s will follow the usual small group return and will receive their starting days and times for the first 4 weeks by email this week.
I will have a range of measures in place to ensure social distancing within the grounds, including staggered start and finishing times, increased hygiene and hand washing procedures, enhanced cleaning, clear signage and reminders, restriction of visitors inside the school, postponement of swimming, assemblies, large gatherings and after school clubs, review of school dinners which can be delivered safely, probably to classrooms, and one way systems in the school building.
The situation will probably continue to change over the summer months. Please continue to prepare for a return to school by buying school uniform, PE kits and all of the normal routines you do over the summer. Personal equipment, P4-P7 schoolbags, P1 to P3 Book bags and stationery items may not be used initially as we may have to limit things coming to and from school, but hopefully within a short period, children may be able to resume using their own belongings.
I will continue to monitor the situation closely between now and August and to put in place every measure that I can to ensure that as many of our children can return as possible, but only to a safe environment and one that you are content to send your child in to. Before the return, I will inform you of the numbers of children coming in, groupings and starting dates, staggered starting times and all other protocols required around the school.
I appreciate that some of the measures I will be required to put in place may cause inconvenience to many families and make childcare arrangements difficult but I know you will be as patient and supportive of our school and our staff as you always are, and we will work together to get everyone back safely to Victoria Park as quickly as we can.
Our children and staff have worked hard over the past three months in very trying conditions and new “parent-home-teachers” have probably had a few stressful days of lessons, but please take the time now to have a rest and enjoy some holiday time together outside, or if you have the chance, around Northern Ireland. All of our children will be in the same boat of catching up, academically and emotionally, and we’ll return with renewed energy and enthusiasm to begin to do this in the new term.
Take care,
Mrs A. Gourley.
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P1 PLACES SEPTEMBER 2020
Tue 21 Apr 2020P1 PLACES SEPTEMBER 2020
All schools have received an email from EA with the following details in relation to placement letters for our children moving to P1 in September 2020.
‘Given the uncertainty of the current situation, EA has made arrangements to prepare and issue notification of placement letters for P1 and Pre - School Stage 1 to parents for receipt on 29 April 2020.
The letter will outline the application outcome, provide information on the appeals process and link to the EA website for more information.
As it is possible, due to Covid-19, that some post may take longer to deliver than usual, the Citizen Portal will be opened on Wednesday 29 April and parents / guardians who had applied online can log in to view their child’s pre-school/P1 (target age Stage 1) placements. Guidance on how to log in and access placement offers will be accessible on the EA website.
The letter will not include information about start dates, induction meetings etc, this will be communicated directly by the school at a later date when they are able.’
Therefore, EA are contacting the parents about admissions and placements. Parents should receive a letter from the EA on Wednesday 29th April offering a P1 place for September, but there is a chance that postal services could be delayed so the online portal will also be opened up parents to check applications. If you have received information from EA to say that you have a place in Victoria Park, parents should email the school office – dmccabe346@c2kni.net as soon as possible after receiving confirmation to inform that they are accepting/not-accepting their place.
Kind Regards
Mrs Gourley
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Letter from Mrs Gourley 27/3/20
Fri 27 Mar 2020Hello everyone,
We’re at the end of our first week. I hope you’re all continuing to keep well and not finding the Home Learning too stressful-yet! As a staff, we’re all still well, thankfully, and keeping safe. These are very strange and challenging times for us. I’m sure some of the children are finding this difficult as most need the daily routines and structure of school. Parents, you too have been thrown in the deep end with home learning.
P6, those considering AQE, we would have been starting our tests this week. Please keep trying to get as many of the practice papers done as you can, balancing this between the Revision activities on the website and practice at completing papers, aiming to reduce the time given as you go along.
As we come to the weekend, make sure to take a break. As these days all roll into one, we must keep perspective of weekends and take time to have a break from learning - pupils and parents. Try, whilst keeping within our current restrictions, to do something a little different as a family this weekend, even in a safe area of your local park as your daily exercise, to give the children in your immediate home, a break and some fresh air.
Please, be careful that the time spent in front of screens and play-stations does not rocket! Set a daily limit on this.
At the minute, it’s probably a bit of a novelty doing the Home Learning for pupils, but it will be challenging for many as times goes on. For those pupils who attend Victoria, she should already have been in contact with you this week and will continue to do so. If others begin to find days ahead difficult, contact us, as we have other outlets that we can refer you to, to try and support you and our children through this.
Next Friday is the start of the Easter holiday fortnight. Please take a break for these two weeks and enjoy the holiday period as much as you can. It’s certainly not the Easter we were looking forward to.
My staff will not be sending work for these two weeks. They will however, work on a day or two, again, as we’d planned, to prepare ahead and have the next week of work ready to be uploaded for Monday 20th April, what should have been our return to school date. This is your return to Home Learning date.
I’ve really enjoyed seeing your photos of your activities at home this week. Keep them coming! They really do cheer us up and the staff miss the one to one contact with the children too. Most of us are in the same boat as you, at home, struggling to keep children in, learning and occupied, so we know how stressful this is.
As we seem to be approaching a time where this virus may increase rapidly, I hope you continue to keep safe and well. Keep up all of the communication with us, and with friends and family that you can.
Take care,
Andrea Gourley.