Please see the message below to parents/carers about the COVID-19 vaccine from Buckinghamshire Council’s Public Health team:
 
There are lots of questions about the COVID-19 vaccine so we are sharing information about where you can find out more, especially about how safe and effective the current vaccines are.
 
At the moment the following people can get a COVID-19 vaccine and you should contact your GP to get an appointment if you are in one of the following groups:
 

• Anyone who is aged 50 and over
• People who work in health and social care
• People who live or work in a care home
• Anyone who is the main carer for someone at high risk from COVID-19
• People with a learning disability
• People with medical conditions meaning they’re more at risk from COVID-19

 
All schools are in close contact with Buckinghamshire Councils’ Public Health team. The team wants people to be aware of the following facts about the COVID-19 vaccine:
 

• The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and offers the best possible protection against COVID-19, which carries significant health risks
• Both vaccines currently in use in the UK have been through rigorous safety checks – the same as all other vaccines and medicines approved for use in the UK
• Adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine are extremely rare. Tens of millions of UK citizens have now had a vaccine dose and there is no evidence to suggest any link to blood clots or any other serious health condition
• The World Health Organisation advocates the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as does the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which has said there was ‘no indication’ the jab causes blood clots
• Sometimes you might see false claims about vaccine safety on social media. Please make sure that any information you read about vaccines is from a reliable source such as the NHS website
• If you need any further reassurance then please read the latest response from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which approves all medicines for use in the UK, including the COVID-19 vaccine. You can also read more about the COVID-19 vaccine on the NHS website.

 
Please do take up the offer of your vaccine when it’s your turn, as the risks presented by COVID-19 are far greater than that of any vaccine.
​

D​ear Parents/Guardians,

While we are waiting on the responses from PGL about many of the questions we have posed regarding logistics of the upcoming trip, please find a kit list and menu below to give you an idea of what to expect should the trip go ahead.

Children need to have a case with wheels - there is a walk from where the coach drops us to our cabins.  Your child will be responsible for their own case.

Please, please send your child with at least 2 pairs of old trainers.  If one pair gets wet they will need the spare!  And please remind your child that it is not a fashion parade, the trainers need to be old and cheap. Please see the kit list below with what you will need to pack: 

Please see the menu PGL have provided us for the week of the trip below;

On Friday the government updated their guidance and residential trips will now be allowed from 17th May (as long as rates of covid remain low).
We have discussed the situation with PGL and they hope not to charge for any child who does not go (excluding the £50 deposit) if the parent notifies the school before Tuesday, 20th April 2021.
PGL have put in place measures to help control the spread of the virus and we will do everything we can to keep our children in a ‘bubble’ and safe. However, as you know, there are no guarantees with this virus and so it is really important that it is your choice to send your child.
Once we have an idea of how many parents would still like their child to go on the trip, we can confirm with PGL that it is still viable to run the trip. We need to have a reply from EVERY PARENT by Tuesday 20th April to allow time to discuss any refunds with PGL.
Please could you fill in the form below to indicate if you would like to withdraw your child from the trip, or if you are happy for your child to go.
To send your child on this trip we need you to agree that you will not send your child if they are displaying any signs of illness on departure day and that you will collect your child, if they become ill or if your child has been in close contact with a suspected case of Covid, as quickly as possible from the PGL site in Sussex (approximately 90 miles from Iver).


Miss Digweed

As you probably already know, everyone working in primary schools and Early Years settings is testing twice a week for COVID-19 to help keep the school community safe. While nursery and primary school pupils do not have to be tested, other members of their households can access regular testing and we urge you to do so - every case we can pick up and isolate helps to stop the virus spreading and ultimately keeps us all safer.

Anyone with a child at a primary school can get tested regularly by attending one of the four rapid test sites in Buckinghamshire, or you can go and collect test kits to do yourself at home. If it’s hard for you to go to a site, you can have test kits posted out to you – all the details are on the government’s website at:
​www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

Thank you so much for playing your part in the fight against COVID-19. For more local information about COVID-19 and to find the locations of the Buckinghamshire rapid test sites, you can go to the Buckinghamshire Council website at: 
​www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus


Simon James
Service Director – Education
Buckinghamshire Council

​We are able to make some changes to Earlybirds and Bluebells Clubs after the Easter holidays.

We are only providing childcare for children whose parents have no other means of childcare

• To reduce the number of children mixing we are going to continue to keep the children in their year group bubbles.
• Places must be booked by the Friday, of the week prior to the childcare being needed.
• If you need a place in breakfast club or after-school club for the same week then a £2 late charge will be applied as we will need to adjust staffing accordingly.
• We are able to take bookings via our online booking form again. Please note, the form responses are timestamped so we will be you will not be charged extra for bookings submitted on the Friday evening.

 
Costs:
Breakfast Club:
£7.00 (or £9.00 if booked the same week)
 
After School Club:
£3.50 (or £5.50 if booked the same week)

This year's Big Pedal, the UK's largest inter-school Cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting challenge, will be taking place between 19th to 30th April and we are all invited to take part!
This year, the challenge is fronted by Dame Sarah Storey, British Paralympian and 38-time world champion in cycling and swimming.
The Big Pedal will see young people across the UK compete with one another to make the most journeys by cycling, walking, scooting or using a wheelchair. Let's get healthy and help reduce pollution with less car journeys!

To find out more, head to the Sustrans Big Pedal website: 
www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/projects/uk-wide/schools/sustrans-big-pedal/

​Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are hoping to go ahead with the 4-night residential visit to the Windmill Hill near Hailsham, Sussex from Monday 18th October – Friday 22nd October 2021. The visit includes a full programme of activities and is similar to those we have run in the past. The group will be accompanied by teaching staff from the school and fully qualified instructors at the centre supervise each activity. The cost will include travel to and from the PGL centre and full board while they are away. Whilst the trip is not essential for curriculum purposes, it provides an excellent opportunity for children to extend their learning and to refine their personal and social skills. A meeting for parents giving detailed arrangements will be held nearer the time.
The Year 6 residential trip is at beginning of the year to allow children to bond with their new teacher ready for the remainder of Year 6. It is also an opportunity for teachers to identify different strengths in children that we can build on throughout the year.

We would like to offer you a final chance to send your child and we need to confirm the numbers of pupils who would like to attend. Therefore, for the visit to take place a payment of £410.00 per child is required. If you have not already paid your deposit please pay a non-refundable deposit of £50.00 via School Money in order to secure a place by 31st March 2021. The full cost must be paid by monthly instalments of £60 a month (for 6 months) via School Money from April 2021 and fully settled by 30th September 2021, although we would appreciate it if payments could be made as early as possible. Cash and cheques will also be accepted. Cheques should be made payable to Buckinghamshire Council Receipts Account. If you receive Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance or Child Tax Credit (not entitled to Working Tax Credit and with an income below £16040pa) please feel free to contact us if there are any difficulties involving the cost. Payments may also be made in more frequent smaller amounts but the balance must be settled by the end September.

Only a limited number of places are available and we ask that deposits are paid no later than 31st March 2021 to avoid disappointment.

Payments: £410 total
Non-refundable Deposit of £50 by 1st April
Six Monthly payments of £60 starting on 1/4/21 until 1/9/21 via School Money

Yours sincerely,

Mr P Clifford

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

When we return to school next week, we will only have 3 and a ½ weeks left to the Easter holidays and so we need to think about uniform.
I feel we need to use common sense when thinking about uniform!  At the moment things are difficult for most families and therefore, spending money on uniform is not sensible.  So here are my thoughts on the exciting topic of uniform!

• It is likely that you will have uniform that your child has grown out of so please pass it on.  If you don’t know anyone who needs it, please bring it in this week and we will find a home for it

• If you are in need of uniform, please call us as we do have some pre-loved things already

• Up to the Easter holidays children can wear a mixture of their own clothes and uniform.  If your child is going to do this, then please make sure that it is sensible clothes they put as it is not a fashion parade! The most important thing for us is that the children are in school and get back into a routine; it’s not going to be if they have the correct uniform!
• After the Easter holidays (hopefully the weather will be lovely) the children will be in their Summer uniform. 
• Plain black trainers are much more sensible than school shoes so please don’t buy expensive shoes
• If you are having problems, please call us and we will do our best to help

Yours sincerely,

Miss Digweed

This term's Parent/Teacher Appointments will all be held over video call through the SchoolCloud website, here are the instructions for logging on to your appointment:

1. Go to https://ivervillage.schoolcloud.co.uk/   This is the same website where you booked your appointment.
2. Log in with your details/child's details.
3. Your appointments should appear on the first page, wait for the teacher to 'let you in' to the video call. A timer should appear at the top of the page to let you know when your next appointment is. 

Please log in to the website at least 5 minutes before your appointment, if you have any problems, please call the school reception on 01753 653 059.

Don't forget about Safer Internet Day today! Have a look at the video below about Internet safety and recognising false information, don't get caught out!