Ballymoney Model Integrated Primary School

In line with the request by the Department of Education we are endeavouring to provide provision for key workers from Monday 23rd March. We are eager to help as much as possible, but the main challenge will be social distancing.  Following Public Health Agency guidelines, we are advised to keep everyone 2 metres apart. Within school children are naturally drawn to interact and play together so this is going to be very difficult particularly for a full day. Another problem is the toilets as this is a shared space and we don’t have enough toilets to allocate a specific toilet for each child. We are desperately waiting for further advice on how to deal with these problems from the Department of Education and the Education Authority. In the meantime, we can only do our best. 

Please note  

• School opening times – 8.45am - 3pm 
• Children attending will wear their own clothing rather than school uniform, please also remember to bring a warm coat for outside. 
• Children must bring their own break and water bottle. 
• We will be providing childcare duties rather than teaching. 
• You MUST NOT send your child if they display any symptoms of the virus, or indeed, if any member of your household displays symptoms. 
• If your child become unwell, we will ring parents and ask that they come immediately to collect their child from school.    
• To try and limit the number of children and adults within the building in line with social distancing guidelines, please endeavour to only use the key worker provision if this is your last resort. 

The staff in the school kitchen told me that they would be in school on Monday 23rd March, but I have received no official information about this. This may be for just one day or from now on. 

I am hoping to know more on Monday and will create a further form for parents to book in for Tuesday 24th – Friday 27th March.  

In order to ensure the correct ratio of staff all children of key workers need to be booked in. We cannot accept any child that is not booked in. 

If not enough staff are available to safely operate the school opening on any day during this situation, then you will be informed, and school will be closed until staff levels rise again. 

This is a very ongoing situation and when I know more, I will let parents know. 

Mrs Jamison