Dear Parents

Thank you to those parents who have emailed me detailing your concerns about the staffing issues we have had in our Y4 class.

Since the beginning of Mrs Gwyther’s absence, we have striven to provide as much continuity as possible with the teachers we have employed in room 6.

I appreciate that there have been a significant number of supply teachers employed, but during the autumn term we simply have not been able to ensure consistency of staffing.

This is due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic across all schools in Shropshire. With so many schools requiring cover for teachers self-isolating, the supply agencies simply have not had enough employees to cover the required demand.

This, together with the issue of only been in the position to employ cover on a short-term basis, as is often the case with long term sickness absence, has severely hampered our ability to provide consistent supply cover of the right calibre for the year four class.

In the New Year, when the children return on the 5^th January, I am happy to inform you that Mrs Glover will be continuing after Christmas starting on Wednesday 5^th January. The timetable will then be:

• January 5^th, 6^th and 7^th – Mrs Glover
• Mondays and Tuesdays from 10^th January – Mrs Glover
• Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays – Mr Rory Bremner.

Mr Bremner is a fantastic teacher who has worked at Pontesbury many times over many years. I am delighted he is available to teach our wonderful year 4 children.

This arrangement will continue for as long as necessary until Mrs Gwyther returns. If necessary, this will continue until the end of the academic year.

I am very aware that there is a rumour circulating amongst the year four parents that we will be having a TA re-shuffle in the New Year.

Consistency, when the year has already been so disruptive, is vital for all our children, but especially so for those in year four.

I therefore inform you that, whilst there may be adjustments to TA deployment across the school, Mrs Green will be continuing to provide TA support in room 6.

I would like to thank you all for your continued support, especially considering how very challenging this year has been.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Mr Langford