North Down Primary Principals’ Group

20^th March 2020

Yesterday evening the Minister for Education in Northern Ireland, Peter Weir MLA, made a statement outlining that all schools will close on Friday 20^th March.

Schools have been requested to provide a childcare facility with a skeleton staff for children of identified key workers. However, the statement left school principals with numerous questions and we have sought urgent clarification. As a result, schools need time to plan for this provision and therefore every primary school in the North Down Area will be closed to all pupils on Monday.

While we wish to support you and your families at this difficult time, we need to ensure that

the provision of childcare does not increase the risk of infection for either your children or our staff.

It is vitally important that schools have an indication of how many children meet the criteria outlined below. Parents who have not already contacted Mrs Stitt should contact school by 11am on Monday morning outlining how they meet the criteria, if they wish to be considered for the offer of a place. This can be by emailing the attached application form to lbell433@c2kni.net

Before contacting school – Points to Consider:

• A list of key workers, issued by the Department of Education, is listed overleaf. Only children with BOTH parents working as key workers and both parents out at work at the same time should consider attending school. In single parent families, the individual parent MUST be a key worker.
• If possible, alternative childcare arrangements should be sought before deciding to send your child to school. For example, with other family members, friends etc. Please try and use schools as a last resort. This is to try and limit the number of children and adults together in a small space in line with recent social distancing guidance.
• Children attending will be required to wear school uniform. Please be advised that schools will be performing childcare duties, rather than teaching.

Once key information has been gathered and decisions made, only families with an offer of a place should attend the school. It could potentially be impossible to accept the number of families who may apply for provision, given the extensive nature of the Minister’s keyworker list. Schools will be in contact with parents requesting places early next week.

Yours sincerely

NORTH DOWN PRIMARY PRINCIPALS’ GROUP

LIST OF KEY WORKERS AS OUTLINED ON DOCUMENTATION ISSUED TO SCHOOLS ON 19^TH MARCH 2020

Please work with us to ensure that schools operate with a limited number of children and staff

• 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.
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  APPLICATION FOR CHILDCARE SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN OF KEY WORKERS

   

  New applications (other than those who have already contacted PPS):- Please email your response by 11am on Monday 23^rd March, with the following information included

   

   

  Children’s Names and class

   

    ------------------------------

   

    ------------------------------

   

   --------------------------------

   

  KEY WORKER ROLES

   

  Parent One _______________________

   

  Parent Two ________________________

   

  Alternatively, please confirm your key worker role as a single parent ________________________

   

  If possible, please note any particular considerations the school should be aware of if we need to manage who can access this offer of childcare support. 

   

   

  __________________________________________________________________________________

   

  We STRONGLY underline the fact that, given the timeframe, this provision will not be in place for Monday 23^rd March.