COVID-19 Update

We know that as parents/carers you will have listened to the announcement by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, on the 10 May 2020. The announcement has answered some, but also raised many, questions and some concerns for parents/carers and colleagues from our early year’s settings, schools and colleges. Colleagues from the local area are meeting with representatives to listen to the concerns to make sure they are taken into account when planning for the return of our children and young people.

We would like to reassure you that the safety of our children, young people and staff is our primary and main concern. The announcement stated that there is an expectation from Central Government that Early Years settings, Reception, Year 1, and Year 6 children will be in school following the May school holidays, and also that those within secondary schools who have exams next year (current Year 10/12) will have some face to face contact.

As a local area we are clear that we need to take stock of this announcement. We need to make sure that any way forward is safe for everyone within our schools. At this point it is clear that any return for children and young people will not look the same as before Covid-19. The pandemic has changed things for us all both in the short and longer term. There will need to be consideration of how we best support children and young people through this period, and this focus will not be solely academic.

The Covid-19 period has brought with it stress, uncertainty and anxiety for us all, including our children. We need to make sure any return to settings, schools and colleges is safe for children’s physical and emotional well-being.

We will be working in partnership with Early Years settings, School Leaders, from both primary and secondary including academies, Colleges and our Parent/Carer groups throughout this period, to formulate a measured response to the announcement.

We will publish further information on the Council websites and the local offer as soon as we can and we will keep you updated as regularly as we can. We hope that we can reassure you we will be working together to ensure the well-being of Stockport residents.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please email: school.enquiries@stockport.gov.uk and we will respond as soon as we can. Our Parent Carer Forum (PACTS) are also available to support individual families, email info@PACTStockport.co.uk.

 

Safety and well-being is and always will be paramount in our decision making for our wider Stockport community.

Chris Mcloughlin - Director of Childrens Services

Paul McDowell - Chair Primary Consortium

Julie Kersh - Chair of Primary Consortium

Keith Turmeau – Chair of Secondary Consortium

Rob Metcalfe - Chair of Special Schools Consortium

Danny Pearson - Principle Aquinas College

Sherann Hillman & Paul Harper, PACTS