21/03/2020

Torfaen’s approach to Child Care for Key Workers in Schools

Government advice is clear and we should all adhere to the following key principles:

1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
3. Parents should not rely for childcare from those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

See schools below and locations for Free School Meals

We can stay safe and get through this together by:

Supporting our community in providing childcare for key workers to the best of our ability and where there is no viable alternative.

Support pre-school childcare:

We are working very closely with all providers in the sector to ensure existing provision continues to be available.

We are ensuring that all existing childcare provision based on school sites remains open even if the school itself is closed.

Support for Primary Aged Children:

From Tuesday 24^th March, eligible parents/ carers will be able to take their primary aged children to one of the following schools:

• Blaenavon World Heritage Primary, Middle Coed Cae Road, Blaenavon, NP4 9AW
• George Street Primary School, Wainfelin Road, Pontypool, NP4 6BX
• Llantarnam Primary School, Llantarnam Road, Cwmbran, NP44 3XB
• Blenheim Road Community Primary School, Blenheim Road, St Dials, Cwmbran, NP44 4SZ

From Tuesday 24^th March, eligible parents of mainstream school children who are currently in Reception to Year 6, can come to whichever one of these schools is nearest their home in Torfaen.

You should not bring any child children who, based on government advice, should be self-isolating or socially distancing.

Support for Secondary Aged Children:

From Tuesday 24^th March, eligible parents/ carers will be able to take their secondary aged children (pupils currently in year 7,8,9 and 10) to:

• Croesyceiliog Secondary School, Woodland Road, Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran, NP44 2YB

Eligibility for the primary and secondary support is:

• Single parents who are employed as specific key workers
• Where both parents are employed as specific key workers

Due to the limited capacity of schools, initially places will only be considered for the following key worker groups:

• Health Care staff
• Social Care staff and Care Home Staff – you will be individually notified if you can access support
• Police, Fire and Armed forces personnel

Once there is a clear picture of the demand and availability of places, other key worker groups will be considered and further details will be made available in the coming days.

Please note:

• The schools will be open from 8 am and will close at 6 pm.
• Parents / carers must bring official photographic identification with them to initially register their children and every day when they drop their children off – failure to do so will mean we will not be able to accept your children that day.
• You will be asked to complete an initial registration for every child where we will ask you to share information with us that will ensure we can keep your child safe. Please be aware this process may take some time but you will only to do it once.
• You will be asked to nominate a minimum of two people who can pick your child up – in case you cannot. Please ensure anyone you nominate has photographic identification that is government issued like a driving license or a passport, warrant card, NHS photo id.
• Children will not need to bring food with them unless they have specialist dietary requirements – free breakfast, lunch and snacks will be available.
• You will need to bring your child to school yourself as pupil transport will not be available for these sites.
• Schools will not be delivering formal learning but are operating a childcare facility.
• Anybody with symptoms of Coronavirus – a persistent cough and/or high temperature – must not enter any of the premises we are using, and anybody that displays symptoms during the day will need to leave/be collected.

Further details for cover over the Easter Holidays will be available shortly.

Support for Pupils at Crownbridge, the Pupil Referral Unit and those attending Special Needs Resource Bases in Torfaen

We intend to continue to open all of our specialist provision for pupils from Tuesday 24^th March who are currently enrolled and who are well enough and wish to attend.  Your school will be in touch to confirm arrangements with you, including transport details and opening times. We will not be admitting any new children to these schools for the time being.

Feeding children who are entitled to Free School Meals.

We will continue to provide 'grab and go' lunch for pupils who receive free school meals and we're preparing 4000 packed lunches which will be distributed to the following venues for pick up from 1pm:

• Woodland Road Social Centre
• CoStar, St Dials
• Thornhill Community Centre
• Blaenavon Town Council Offices
• Garnsychan Partnership
• Trac 2 Office, Trevethin
• Abersychan Hall
• Zion Hill Community Centre
• White Hut, Coed Eva
• Henllys Community Hall
• Panteg House
• Greenmeadow and St Dials Hall
• Llanyrafon Church
• TOGS, New Inn
• St Albans RC High School
• Court Farm and Oakfield Community Centre
• Mount Pleasant Hall, Pontnewydd
• Ponthir (venue to be confirmed Sunday morning)
• CCYP - CHANGED TO MOUNT PLEASANT HALL

Supporting teaching and learning via on line resources

This support will come from each pupil’s individual school for the moment.

Checking on our most vulnerable children as frequently as possible

There are a wide range of children which fall into a vulnerable group category. School staff and other key partners will work together to ensure our most vulnerable children are contacted so that we know that they are safe and well during this challenging time.

Preparing Information for GCSE, AS and A level qualifications

Our secondary schools are awaiting key information from Qualifications Wales to instruct teachers on how they will go about determining GCSE, AS and A level grades. The details of this have not been shared to date.