22nd June 2026
Due to the extreme heat forecast this week, we have reviewed our provision and put a number of adaptations in place to ensure we keep all children safe and comfortable. Please read the following information carefully, as it includes changes to the school day and Nursery arrangements.
Changes to the School Day (Reception to Year 6)
School will open at 8:00am on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Wednesday: School will close at 12:00 noon.
Thursday and Friday: School will close at 1:30pm.
We strongly encourage parents to collect their children at these earlier times for safety reasons. However, for families unable to do so, we will supervise children in school with low‑demand activities until 3:15pm.
There will be no extra-curricular after school clubs running at all this week due to the extreme heat.
After School Club (Wraparound Care) will still run for those who have booked and still require it.
Lunch Arrangements
On Wednesday, we will provide a 'take‑out' cold lunch for:
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Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children who wish to take one home with them
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Pupils in receipt of free school meals who wish to take one home with them
Additional Heat‑Safety Adaptations Throughout the Week (Tuesday-Friday)
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Water bottles kept on tables
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Water prompts every 30 minutes
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Earlier break time
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Adapted lunchtimes (packed lunches in classrooms, short periods in the forest area)
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Low‑demand lessons
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No vigorous PE or outdoor activities
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PE kits worn all week
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No whole‑school assemblies
Nursery adjustments
From Wednesday to Friday, Nursery will be open from 8.30am to 12:30pm. Nursery will not be open in the afternoon on these days.
Lunch Arrangements for Nursery
Children booked in for school lunches will have these before they leave at 12.30pm. On Wednesday, we will provide a cold lunch instead of a roast dinner.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to keep everyone safe during this period of extreme heat.
In the event of the need to close the school in the morning, the site manager will contact the headteacher if the site is unsafe and the headteacher will contact the Chair of Governors, and a decision as to whether school closure is necessary or not.
We will make every effort to keep the school open but the health and safety of the pupils and staff will remain paramount. We have to consider the safety of the school grounds as well as the ability of staff to travel to work safely.
If the decision is to close, the headteacher will:
- inform staff and parents by email and/or text by 7.15am
- the deputy headteacher will post the closure news on the school website and the school Facebook page
- the headteacher will post the closure information on the Essex emergency school closures website which is updated at 6pm every day
In the event of the necessity to close the school part way through a day, the headteacher will:
- inform parents by email and/or text
- office staff will phone parents not on the system
- the headteacher will arrange for staff to supervise any children who cannot be collected by parents
Power cut
If there is a loss of power we will inform parents by email and/or text message.