To: Parents/Guardians of pupils in Year 8-10
Dear Parent/Guardian
As confirmed by the Minister of Education yesterday, schools are closed to pupils from Monday 23 March. However, the Minister also indicated that schools will remain open for those pupils in Years 8, 9 and 10 whose parents are considered key workers (outlined below).
It is vitally important that we are aware how many children of key workers will be attending school on Monday in order to ensure that appropriate supervision is in place. To that end I ask that you inform school by 3.30 pm today if your son/daughter will be attending – either by telephone 90428780 or by email info@sullivanupper.holywood.ni.sch.uk
The aim is to keep the number of pupils coming into schools to a minimum. For children attending in this circumstance supervision will be in place 8.30-3.30 and full school uniform should be worn. School meal will be available. Normal timetable will not be followed and we will endeavour to consider appropriate distancing.
I fully appreciate the need to support parents in their vital role and your children will be cared for in school.
Yours sincerely
C J W Peel Headmaster
Key Workers:
“Key workers are those who are maintaining essential public services during the Covid-19 response. The definition of key worker will be flexible and dependant on the circumstance and requirements over the course of this critical period. There will be flexibility shown on the definition of key workers to ensure all those who need support receive it. The list is not prescriptive. However, to give some guidance the following outlines the broad categories of what would be defined as a key worker:
• 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)
• Other workers essential to delivering key public services
• Key national and local government including those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response.”