Dear Parents and Carers
The staff have welcomed a small number of children this week but I repeat this advice for
everyone concerned:
“Principle 1: If at all possible for your children to be at home, then they should be”.
In addition, there is the phrase: “…and every child who can safely be cared for at home should be”.
To the parents of children at school
The parents for whom a child’s place has been allocated at school, should stay at home if they can.
Amid one of the Prime Minister’s recent addresses, Dr. Stephen Powis of NHS England said, ‘Your
action now, could save someone’s life.’ What a message to hear! Please listen to him. The message
to ‘STAY AT HOME’ was also delivered incredibly powerfully and emotionally by NHS staff at a
Respiratory Unit in Belfast. I urge you to find that online and I’d be astonished if you weren’t moved.
Our NHS staff are putting their own lives at risk (doctors and nurses have died looking after us all
btw), and in the video they plead with society at large to ‘STAY AT HOME’. This is serious …so please
stay at home if you can. Thank you to those parents who have already done so! And thank you to
those parents who were allocated a place but decided to keep their child at home. Good on you!
To our staff at school: Thank you so much!
I want to pay tribute to our excellent St Mary Magdalene’s staff for putting themselves on the line
too. If we’re completely honest, we want to stay at home too! But we are here, doing our duty for
our society at this most unusual time, as requested, so our wonderful key workers can do their
crucial work and our society can continue to function.
To the parents of children at home: Thank you so much!
Thank you for the many sacrifices you are making. Some people’s jobs are challenged and some jobs
have been lost. You have all our empathy if this has happened to you. I wish you well in your selfisolation and your efforts to educate your child. Please just do what you can with what our teachers
are providing. I also hope you appreciate the job your child’s teacher does every day. This is not an
easy job… and I think you may well soon agree.
To the children at home: A personal message from Mrs Parkinson
Listen to your parents! They are in charge and I don’t want to hear reports of poor behaviour when
we return after all this! Please don’t ask if you can play out with your friends. I can’t believe I’m
asking you ‘not’ to ask that question… but I am! It’s really important to stay inside because that’s
what the doctors are saying. I’m so sorry! But your teachers will be so pleased when they hear of
your excellent behaviour and the excellent efforts you are making in your learning. So well done in
advance for all your efforts and thank you for trying so hard! We know this isn’t easy.
To our NHS: Thank you so much!
We understand you will get busier if we don’t listen and stay at home. We understand you are trying
to save our lives and we appreciate you so much. At school, we are trying to support you, by
encouraging people to stay at home and be socially distant so that you don’t have to look after us.
Thank you for being amazing!
And finally…
Please stay as safe as you can; avoid infection by following the Government’s self-isolation advice
and if you can, STAY AT HOME. I extend my hope that any ‘shopping’ selfishness is replaced with
toilet roll kindness as we continue on this national challenge together. I’ve heard fantastic stories of
selfless action too which makes me proud of my society. Please be kinder to each other! And keep
smiling, keep calm …and carry on!
God Bless,
Bridget Parkinson (Headteacher)