COVID-19
Dr Dog says catch your sneeze on your sleeve, do not pick your nose, wash your hands.
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Updated Guidance on National Restrictions for Education and Childcare Settings
'System of controls’ Updated March 2021.
Actions for Early Years and Childcare Providers during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:
Please click on the link below to read the government advice for Early Years Settings.
Pippa Pop-ins Reopening Facts
Last Updated 19th May 2020
We appreciate this is a very worrying time for all and understandably Parents have many questions regarding the current global situation and how this affects their child’s education. We hope the following FAQs will help answer your queries.
- When is Pippa Pop-ins reopening?
As per Government instruction, we are preparing to open the Nursery on 1st June. If there are any changes to this, we will inform Parents.
- Why is Pippa Pop-ins reopening?
We are opening in accordance with Government instructions. The Government are keen to get children back into formal education and we are looking forward to welcoming the children back to Nursery.
The Department of Education has provided the following information on this topic.
“The Government wants to get all children back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn and we know how important it is for their wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers. Children returning to childcare settings in greater numbers will also allow more families to return to work”. Source: gov.uk
- Where can I find information about your return to school plan and risk assessment?
https://www.pippapopins.com/return-to-school-covid-19/
The Government have advised that “there is high scientific confidence that children of all ages have less severe symptoms if they contract Coronavirus (COVID-19). Young children are less likely to become unwell if they are infected with Coronavirus (COVID-19).” Source: gov.uk
- Do I need to send my child into Nursery week commencing 1st June?
We appreciate that you will need to make the right decision for your family and we are not expecting Parents to inform us at this stage, if their child will be in Nursery, week commencing 1st June. It is something that families may wish to continuously revaluate and update us on accordingly.
- If I decide not to send my child to Pippa Pop-ins during the Summer Term, will I receive a credit for the school fees?
Once Pippa Pop-ins reopens, the school fees will become payable. Unfortunately, we cannot credit sessions that are not attended following this date.
- Will the children be socially distancing?
Keeping young children at a social distance, will not be possible.
The Department of Education has provided the following information on this topic.
“We know that, unlike older children and adults, Early Years aged children cannot be expected to remain 2 meters apart from each other and staff. In deciding to bring more children back to Early Years settings, the Government has taken this into account”. Source: gov.uk
- When are you refunding/crediting the school fees due to the forced closure?
Credits/refunds are currently being prepared and you will receive a separate update once these have been organised. It is our intention to refund, end of Summer Term leavers within the next few weeks.
- Is Pippa Pop-ins changing their Summer Term dates?
Yes. The Summer Term is due to commence on 1st June and will run until Friday 14th August.
(This will make our Summer Term 2020, 2 weeks and 3 days shorter than previously stated).
- Why are the Summer Term dates changing?
The new term has been created to enable the children to benefit from the maximum amount of schooling prior to the end of the academic year. We also have many parents who are reliant on a Nursery School, so that they can return to work. It should be noted that Pippa Pop-ins needs to preserve the stability and high standards of their Nursery Schools. Whilst our teachers have been furloughed, we have ‘topped up’ their salaries to ensure that they are paid in full. Our admin and maintenance team also remain on their full salary and we continue to pay our rents and contracts.
Some Nursery Settings chose to charge a reduced fee whilst they were closed. We are not charging school fees during this period, however we have changed our term dates and extended the Summer Term by 3 weeks.
The children have lost 7 weeks and 3 days teaching, due to the forced COVID-19 closure. By amending the Term Dates, we will have reduced this by 3 weeks. The total lost teaching weeks therefore being 4 weeks and 3 days (the refund period).
- Are the new term dates optional?
Our new dates are now confirmed and are therefore not optional.
We will not be crediting sessions to those wishing to finish the term prior to 14th August.
- When did you provide information about the Summer Term dates changing and did you consult with parents?
Since 19th March we have been communicating with Parents that we were intending to change our term dates, with the Summer Term 2020 ending on Friday 14th August. We have taken into consideration representation from those parents whom communicated with us.
Information regarding these changes to our Summer Term dates were included in letters sent on 19th March, 23rd March, 3rd April and 15th May.
- If my child does not attend in August, will I receive a refund?
Once Pippa Pop-ins reopens, the school fees will become payable. Unfortunately, we cannot credit sessions that are not attended following this date.
- Will the 14 day quarantine period affect our child, if we travel overseas?
In accordance to Foreign and Common Wealth Office advice, we do not expect many of our families to be travelling overseas this summer. Should anybody travel overseas and the Government imposes a 14-day quarantine period, all families would have to adhere to it.
- My child is in Transition (final year) and is moving to their Pre-Prep School in the Autumn Term. How will they be prepared for this?
Pippa Pop-ins works very closely with the Pre-Prep schools the children will be attending. We pass on records regarding the child and family, together with their updated Tapestry files. We will be using the last few weeks of the Summer Term to make the final preparations for your child’s entry into their new school.