FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES RE: EASTER BREAK

Sent on behalf of Tolis Vouyioukas, Corporate Director, Children’s Services Directorate

Dear Colleagues,

We are extremely grateful to our schools who have chosen to stay open during the Easter break; yet again this is an excellent example of our family of schools volunteering to go above and beyond during this challenging time. Thank you!

During our daily teleconference with our Headteacher Partnership representatives today, we have discussed the issue of Bank Holidays, as we recognise that this has been a question that many of you have understandably raised. The group have come to the conclusion that closing on Good Friday and Easter Monday is the right thing to do for our teaching staff so that they have an opportunity to spend time with their families which we understand is very much needed at this time.

Nevertheless, we also recognise that it is ultimately for individual Headteachers to make their own decision in conjunction with their senior leadership teams and Chairs of Governors based on the circumstances of their own school (including the demand of their key worker parents and the offers to work from their staff).

We are also mindful that our NHS colleagues will continue to work over this period and in order for us to provide a place for the children of those workers we are looking to facilitate a small number of clusters of schools which are located near to the main hospital sites in Buckinghamshire.

To enable us to support our schools over the Easter period we are asking that you inform us of the following:

• Please indicate how many NHS key worker children you have within your existing school roll and would be requiring support over the Bank Holiday period.

• Please indicate how many staff you may have who would be willing to volunteer to work over the two bank holidays either in their own school or within another within their locality area.

• Please indicate if you would like to be part of a cluster of schools who would collaborate to provide support for key worker and vulnerable children (initially for the Easter break). We are, however, keen to explore this model for a more sustained period in order to alleviate some of the pressures that some of your schools are experiencing.

Please submit your responses to the three points above to sis@buckinghamshire.gov.uk by no later than midday on Thursday 2nd April.

With thanks for your ongoing support and extraordinary efforts at this time.

Please take good care.

Tolis Vouyioukas
Corporate Director
Children’s Services Directorate
Buckinghamshire Council

01296 383 104

tolis.vouyioukas@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury HP19 8FF