This week in the trust…

By Kirsty Laing12th February 2021

Exciting news!

We are not yet an XP trust school but it won’t be long now. Therefore, the trust have invited us to be a part of their ‘This Week in the Trust (TWITT)’ video collection. A very exciting way for Carcroft to end a very busy half term…

We are proud to be working with the XP Trust and it’s lovely to be a part of this fabulous weekly showcase. Can you spot anyone from CPS?

This will become a weekly event and will be posted on our website every Friday afternoon. Not only does this go out to our school, this goes out to all XP schools so your child’s beautiful work really is on show across the whole of Doncaster. Amazing! 🙌 Proud of you all 🤩

https://youtu.be/WtXaXe7XvAs

Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank you for your support and patience this half term. Unlike the media suggests, CPS is very much open this term and has been since our return in January. Our staff are juggling around 220 pupils onsite daily and a further 90 at home. I am extremely proud of each and everyone of them. They’ve done a fabulous job! However, we are also extremely grateful to our parents who are supporting our remote learners, ensuring that they are online and submitting work daily. We know it’s not been an easy task for you. Your resilience and patience has been amazing- thank you so much for this. Ensure you get plenty of rest next week too as you deserve it.

I’m now signing off from what has been a tiring half term but I’m signing off feeling incredibly proud of our community once again.

Stay safe everyone.

See you all back on Monday 22nd February either on-site or online.

Miss Laing

Covid Winter Grant

By Michelle Wilcox12th February 2021

Parents of children eligible for Free School Meals can apply for help towards their energy costs (gas & electric) through the Covid Winter Grant.

Many parents have already applied and received an award but many others have not.

Duplicate applications are not permitted but if anyone has not yet applied they can find more information and apply using this link;

https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/doitonline/apply-for-a-covid-winter-grant

Staffing Update…

By Kirsty Laing8th February 2021

Dear Parents/Carers,

I am just writing with a couple of staffing updates….

Firstly, I just wanted to take this opportunity to let parents know that I will be taking some time away from school later this year as my partner, Lewis and I are expecting our first baby at the end of June.

By June, Carcroft will have joined the XP Trust group of schools and the school will be overseen by the Executive Team, however, our four Assistant Headteachers will run the school on a day to day basis and will meet weekly with the Trust in order to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Miss Whitehead, Mrs Fox, Mr Longley and Mr Tucker will have worked together as a team since September under my leadership and I am confident that the school will continue to move forward on its journey of improvement under their leadership alongside the support of the trust. I also plan on keeping in touch throughout my maternity leave in order to ensure that I am up to speed for when I return. We are currently working on the staffing structure and will ensure that parents are informed as soon as we finalise our leadership structure for September. I just wanted to let parents know now, as it might be a bit of a shock for some parents/children when they return later in the term and I have suddenly grown in size….

Finally, on another note, I would like to say farewell to Ms Thorpe in Year 1 as she embarks on a new venture after 9 years at Carcroft. Thank you for your dedication to the school and good luck for the future Ms Thorpe.

Regards,

Miss Laing

Headteacher

 

 

The NEW Friday Learning Offer at CPS

By Kirsty Laing7th February 2021

Dear Parents/Carers,

As you are aware, from this Friday, our school site will only be open to pupils eligible for a critical worker place (until all pupils return later in the term).

If you applied for a critical worker place via the Google Form and HAVE NOT heard from us, this means that you are eligible and your child has a place.

Mrs Lythe or Mr Tucker may have contacted you if you applied for a place but did not meet the criteria for a place to discuss the reason why your application was not successful.

Therefore, if you have applied and have not heard anything, children are to arrive outside the main reception area at 8.30am.

However, when we first sent the letter, there was an error regarding finish time, Friday FINISH TIME WILL BE 1pm and NOT 1.30pm as originally stated. However, if this causes a problem, please do not hesitate to contact the school office and we will do our best to help.

To summarise:

Friday start time for critical worker pupils is: 8.30am

Friday finish time for critical worker pupils is: 1:00pm

We have put together a letter which outlines the rationale behind us limiting our numbers on a Friday and what the learning offer will look like for both critical worker pupils and those working remotely as this will look slightly different to our Monday to Thursday offer.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11O7y6DB92mZgqp7R6_E2LpjC2Z8a77tDzCn8A9Xm8SE/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you for your continued support,

Miss Laing

Children’s Mental Health Week

By Helen Lythe4th February 2021

  2021’s theme is Express Yourself 

This week is children’s mental health week so on Friday 5th February we would love to see our children, parents and staff expressing themselves in their favourite outfit.

That might be, non uniform, a fancy dress costume or their favourite football top.

In the children’s crews they will be talking about how to express themselves.

Check out this link for more information Children’s Mental Health Week 2021

Crew Fox Closed

By Helen Lythe4th February 2021

04.02.2021

Dear Parent/Carer, 

I would like to inform you that a pupil in Crew Fox has unfortunately tested positive for Coronavirus on Thursday 4th February. This bubble is now closed. 

The pupils’ symptoms started on Wednesday 3rd February. Following government guidance all pupils and staff that have been to school MUST self isolate. 

Please ensure your children self isolate and DO NOT leave their house at any time during the 10 days self isolation. The isolation will end on 13th February. All pupils and staff can return to school on Monday 22nd February. 

Mrs Fox will be in touch regarding online learning.

I am sure you will join me in wishing the pupil a speedy recovery.  Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this difficult time. 

Stay safe.

Mrs Lythe

 

Crew Gerrard and Kent

By Helen Lythe3rd February 2021

03.02.2021

Advice for Child to Self-Isolate for 10 Days 

Dear Parents / Carers, 

As you are aware, at the request of the Department for Education (DFE), we have introduced Lateral Flow Testing of staff to keep everybody in our school as safe as possible.

Unfortunately, a staff member has had a positive result following the use of a Lateral Flow Test and will therefore now take a PCR test to confirm this as a positive case of Covid-19.  Until the result is received and in accordance with DFE guidance, any child who has close contact with the affected staff member must isolate immediately.

Your child has been identified as having had close contact with the member of staff and will therefore need to isolate until the PCR results are returned.

Should the result of the PCR test of the staff member return as a negative result then your child will be able to return to school if they have been accessing in-school learning.  We will inform you of any changes via text and email.

Should the result of the PCR test of the staff member return as a positive your child will need to continue their isolation until the 10 days have finished. 

Please note that other members of your household can continue normal activities provided your child does not develop symptoms within the 10 day self-isolation period.

We are asking you to do this to reduce the further spread of COVID 19 to others in the community and to support the NHS.

It is unfortunate that we are unable to have those children that have been in Crew Kent and Gerrard in school until further notice. 

Furthermore, their class teachers will be available to support with online learning.  We would like children to check-in everyday as part of our safeguarding procedures.  Children should be familiar with this process however should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your continued support during this difficult time.

Stay safe.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Lythe

School Business Manager

We plan to open…

By Kirsty Laing2nd February 2021

We plan to be open for those pupils who have been attending school tomorrow and will be continuing as normal with remote learning for pupils at home.

Thank you for your patience today. We’ve loved seeing your photos. See you tomorrow either in school or on Google Classroom.