Latest News

• Covid-19 update 20 March 2020

  Fri 20 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents / Carers,

  It is with great pride and much sadness that Lakeside closed its doors to pupils today at 3.30. As I walked around the school today, there was still a buzz for learning, games being played and happy voices. Staff are still smiling and enjoying being with your children, possibly for the last time this year. Today, I am a very proud headteacher! Proud of my staff, proud of my families and most of all, proud of our children!

  Primary Purpose of Closure of Schools

  Nick Batchelor, director of education, wrote to schools last night:

  “The primary purpose of the exceptional decisions taken this week to close schools for statutory education, is to support the government approach to the reduction of the spread of the virus.”

  School will be closed to all pupils on Monday, other than those children of keyworkers who have no alternative child care. The reason for this is to stop the spread of the virus. Backing up the health care system is the main priority and keeping the numbers of children in child care as low as possible is important to minimise the risk of spreading infection.

  Key Worker arrangements

  Following County Guidelines issued today, in the first instance we will have to look at delivering provision and supervision for children whose parents or carers work in Health & Social Care or the Emergency Services (Ambulance, Fire & Rescue, and Police). It has been made clear we must focus on these groups first to ensure that they can continue to do the essential work required to stop the spread of COVID-19, to care for the sick and to protect the public. It may well be that the category of key workers is broadened later on but we need to keep this small initially until we get a clearer picture of the level of need.

  The provision will be strictly for children where at least one parent/carer is a key worker and there is no other adult available to look after the children.

  The provision is expected to be in Lakeside in the first instance, however, the local authority will be moving towards using Hub Schools by the end of the week. Those schools have not been identified yet, so we will let you know as this arrangement becomes clear in due course.

  In order for us to ascertain how many pupils this may concern, please click on the link below and complete the survey monkey to tell us your child’s name, your job details and working commitments. To help the local authority and Welsh Government plan the support system for “key workers”, we have been asked to gather certain information from parents of children attending Lakeside. As a matter of urgency, please click on the link below and fill in the Survey Monkey form.

  Please note that we are gathering this data for the purpose of information the local authority and Welsh Government to help with service design and provision. That data will be downloaded from Survey Monkey and stored on the schools secure server. We will then delete the Survey Monkey questionnaire and the data held on their platform. Your data will then be provided to the local authority and, by them to the Welsh Government. This makes the school a data processor in terms of the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. If you do not consent to your data being used as described, you are free to not complete the form but this may impact on you access to key worker support if you require it.

  We will continue to share information and advice as we receive it.

  Please note that completing the survey doesn’t guarantee you a place, it just gives us an indication of numbers of keyworkers with a childcare need

  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/keyworkersurveylakeside

  Free School Meal Arrangements

  The local authority is providing grab bags for free school meals children. They will initially be available for pick up from Lakeside by parents / carers. We will inform you on Monday of the time these are to be collected.

  Home Learning

  The school website will have weekly planning with links available on the class page. These will be available on the Friday for the week ahead. Children in KS2 will be able to access work on HWB, where they can also keep in contact with the teachers; younger children have had packs sent home as well. Pupils have all taken a new exercise book home to record their work. These are still available to be picked up next week.

  And Finally…

  Arguing with your children to do homework is not what anyone needs right now. Take turns reading. Read them your favourite book. Do a puzzle, build a fort, bake, watch TV together, paint, get the Lego out and build together, set up a tent in your living room and camp out. Look at photos of when you were a child. In other words … Don’t stress about them forgetting, or home schooling them. Just spend time together. Your children won’t learn much if they are feeling stressed. Though this is a scary time, enjoy spending time with your children and family.

  At the end of an exhausting week, please can I thank you for all of your support, dedication and kindness at this time. Please, please keep in touch, look after each other! Remember, I am here and the team are here for you all.

  Best wishes and keep safe,

  Rachel Mitchell

  rmitchell@cardiff.gov.uk

• Year 6 Leaver's Hoodies

  Thu 19 Mar 2020

  As a result of this difficult situation, we are unable to organise the leaver's hoodies for the current year 6 pupils. We have contacted YC Sports and they are happy to take on the orders directly from yourselves. They will be NAVY hoodies and will have all of the year 6 pupils names printed on the back in the shape of 20.

  YC Sports will need a minimum order of 40 hoodies to go ahead. If you look on YC Sports website, you will be able to order there and pay them directly. You will be informed when they are completed and can collect direct from the shop. The website will also give you the 'order by' date. Orders after this time will not be able to be printed due to the costs involved.

  Please allow YCs a couple of days to set up the order template on their website. The size chart attachment can be found in the "uniform" section of this website.

   

• COVID-19 Update 19 March 2020

  Thu 19 Mar 2020

  Dear Parent’s / Carers,

  What a week this has been! Can I firstly thank you all for the many kind messages we have received. Your understanding in these difficult times has meant a lot. I feel that we are all in the same boat and are living hour by hour and waiting for the next update.

  As it stands at the moment, we are awaiting further guidance from the local authority as to what the picture next week will look like. The media is suggesting that there will be child care available (of sorts) for Key Workers. We have had no further guidance on this as yet but will endeavour to let you know as soon as information is available.

  I am aware that year 6 pupils may be experiencing their last day in primary school tomorrow as they may not return if this difficult situation doesn’t resolve by July. This is heartbreaking, but beyond our control. On this basis, I am going to suggest that they treat tomorrow as the last day of the year. Pupils (who are well) are welcome to bring shirts to school to be signed by staff and their peers in case they are not able to do it later on. (They will, of course, be welcomed back gladly if this situations ends sooner!) YC Sports has kindly offered to coordinate the Leavers Hoodies (see separate parent mail) as school will not be able to be the conduit for giving these out to children.

  On behalf of the whole staff, we thank you again for all your support; keep healthy and keep safe!

  Best wishes,

  Rachel Mitchell

  Headteacher

• COVID-19 Update 18 March 2020

  Wed 18 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents / Carers,

   

  Following the Welsh Education Minister’s  announcement this afternoon, Lakeside Primary School will close to pupils at 3.30pm on Friday 20 March, bringing forward the Easter Holiday by 2 weeks. No return date has been specified.

   

  Staff have been busy this week preparing home working packs for children. This will include:

  • An individual year group letter explaining the plans for each year group
  • An exercise book for children to work in
  • Planning and activities will be set weekly on the school website (class page)
  • Children in KS2 can access their Google Classroom where staff will put activities on a weekly basis

  I would like to thank you all very much for all your help and cooperation in these most difficult of times. I really appreciate the messages you have sent in, thanking staff for all they are doing.

   

  I would also like to extend a huge thank you at this point to our wonderful cleaning staff who have worked diligently at this time to keep school as clean as possible for the children and staff to be safe. The children today have been making thank you cards to show their appreciation to Val, Ruby, Paul and Louise. Amazing team – well done!

   

  Best wishes,

  Rachel Mitchell

  Headteacher

  Lakeside Primary School

• Coronavirus information to parents 17.03.2020

  Tue 17 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents / Carers,

  Firstly, I would like to thank you all for your support in following Public Health Wales guidelines and your cooperation in collecting children from school if they become unwell. Following the governments address yesterday, the advice from health states that anyone with a high temperature (above 37.7 degrees) or a new persistent cough should self-isolate for 14 days. In addition to this, anyone who lives with that person should also self-isolate for 14 days. I would kindly ask that you follow this for the well-being of all pupils and staff.

  Please refer to PUBLIC HEALTH WALES https://phw.nhs.wales for the latest updates.

  Staff are working tirelessly to ensure that there will be continued learning provision for your children in the event of school closures and are setting up online resources through Hwb and the school website class pages. There will be more information on this shortly. I would like to thank staff for their efforts in difficult circumstances in keeping school life as normal as possible for the children.

  I have spoken with many of you on the gate and in emails and tried to answer as best as I can any worries or concerns you may have. The school’s position is to look to the guidance of Public Health Wales for advice and this updates on a daily basis. That said, you have to do what you think is right for your own families and your own situation and I respect any decision you make about self-isolation, particularly if you have medical vulnerabilities within your homes.

  We are already implementing a number of additional measures to minimize the risk of Coronavirus spreading.

  Handwashing

  Children are washing their hands on a regular basis throughout the school day. Children continue to use the same soap for washing their hands that we have used for a number of years and we are continually checking our stocks of soap, paper towels to ensure we have enough at all times. However, if you wish to provide hand cream for your child if they are suffering with dry or cracked skin, please feel free to send this in to school clearly labelled with your child’s name and class.

  Restricted access to the school site

  We have restricted access to the school to essential visitors only to reduce the footfall. If you need to contact us please ring the school office on 029 2020767050 or email us at lakesideprimary@cardiff.gov.uk

  Use of the school halls

  We will not be holding assemblies in the halls until further notice to reduce the number of children sitting together in one place at any one time.

  Cleaning procedures

  We will continue to carry out increased cleaning procedures throughout the school on a daily basis.

  Home learning

  Should school closures be enforced, we now have plans in place to provide home learning activities/tasks through the school website and Google classrooms. Separate information will be sent home with your child on this.

  We appreciate these are very troubling times and you may feel uneasy about continuing to send your children to school when the government has asked people generally to avoid gatherings and crowded places. If anything changes relating to any of the above information, or we receive any new updates, we will, of course, let everyone know but until then we have our continuity plans in place and it is business as usual.

  Supporting the Lakeside Community

  We have decided (with the aid of the PTA), to ask for any donations of the following or similar items to help those families who are vulnerable especially at this time to provide for their children.

  Items which we think would be well received are the following:

   

  Breakfast cereals	Tea
  Rice	Tinned meats
  Pasta	Snacks
  Sponge puddings	Long life milk
  Long life fruit juice	Tinned potatoes
  Tinned tomatoes	Tinned fish
  Jam	Baked beans
  Tinned rice pudding	Tinned veg
  Long life custard	Chocolate
  Soap

   

  Please bring any items you can spare into the main office where we will gather and deliver to families at the end of the week/ beginning of next week.

   

  Finally, please look after each other in the coming days and weeks. Thank carefully about who is in our Lakeside Community that may need support and help.

  Best wishes,

  Rachel Mitchell

• COVID-19 update Monday 16 March 2020

  Mon 16 Mar 2020

  The situation at 16 March 2020 is:-

  • School is open to pupils
  • Visitors to school have been cancelled where possible
  • After School Clubs are still on
  • Music tuition is cancelled
  • NIAC sports is cancelled

  The school website will be updated as and when information is available to us and following guidance and advice from Welsh Government.

• COVID-19

  Mon 16 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents / Carers,

  Further to the Welsh Government Advice for schools that came out recently, our focus in the coming weeks will be taking appropriate measures to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our pupils, staff, parents and community and for the continuation of learning. To minimise the risk of exposure to COVID 19 and to ensure the school is a safe environment the following measures will be put in place from today until further guidance from the Welsh Government.

  Schools are currently remaining open. If this changes, we will contact you via Parentmail, the School website, Facebook and Twitter. Please check these channels of communication regularly. As soon as we are aware of any changes we will let you know as promptly as we can; we are guided by Welsh Government in this situation.

  Additional measures in school:

  • Pupils, staff and visitors will be reminded of the importance of good hygiene techniques including regular and thorough hand washing
  • We have employed one of the cleaners to work at lunchtime to replenish soaps, wipe down door handles, taps etc

  School events:

  • PTA ball is postponed until the autumn term

  • Year 1 assembly will be postponed
  • Reception class assembly will be postponed
  • Nursery Easter bonnet parade will be cancelled
  • Parents evening will be postponed. We are considering other methods of communicating your child's progress with you
  • Individual school trips will be considered on a case by case basis and in accordance with Welsh Government guidance
  • Dragonflies and after school clubs will run as usual as long as the school is open
  • Sports fixtures will be cancelled
  • Y5&6 PE at UWIC will be cancelled and activities done in school

  Illness:

  • Parents are asked to ensure that any child with a cough that is new or persistent should be kept at home to self-isolate for 7 days. This same request is also being made of staff
  • In the event of staff sickness, you may find your child is taught by a different member of staff
  • If pupils start to feel unwell at school and present with a new cough or a high temperature then we will contact parents immediately and await parent collection. We ask that you pick up your child promptly if asked to do so
  • Visitors are being asked not to visit the school if they feel unwell in any way, or have been in contact with anyone who exhibits any symptoms

  Should the UK Government enforce school closures our teaching staff are preparing to support learning from home using the website, HWB and Google classroom where appropriate. Staff are preparing topic / projects that children can work on at home if they would like to do some independent learning.

  We will continue to follow and monitor advice from Public Health Wales. Current advice can be found through the link below:-

  https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/

  Thank you for your support and understanding. I am aware that many parents may be anxious, please do not hesitate to contact me if you are worried.

  As I am sure you will appreciate, we are currently dealing with a complex and rapidly changing situation. Our first priority will always be the health and safety of the pupils and staff in our school.

  This is an entirely unprecedented situation and we are following official advice from the Government and PHW. This advice is being added to on a daily basis and we are monitoring and responding to that as it is published. This official advice will underpin all the actions we take.

  Whilst I appreciate that there will be a wide range of different views about how we should be responding and what actions should be taken, I hope you will appreciate that the school is duty bound to follow the official advice from government.

  The situation may well change over the coming days and weeks as the Government issues further advice and guidance. We will communicate these with you – please ensure that we have your up to date contact numbers / email address.

  Best wishes

  Rachel Mitchell

• Coronavirus

  Fri 13 Mar 2020
  The advice from Public Health Wales regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) as of 13th March is that you should stay at home for 7 days if you have either:

  • a high temperature
  • a new continuous cough

   

  The latest information, list of symptoms and full advice can be found on Public Health Wales website using the link below:

   

  https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/

   

   

  Information on how to reduce the risk of spreading Coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found in the link below:

   

  https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/how-to-reduce-the-risk-of-catching-or-spreading-coronavirus/