We have closed the school for two days for a deep clean. This is an extremely cautious approach taken in light of information we received recently regarding a link between a child at Yattendon and a family in another school who have been affected by COVID-19. Following the government announcement on Wednesday 18th March, this means that the school will remain shut for most pupils until further notice. However, from Monday the school will be open for the children of key workers. The government will be confirming who this includes and we will send you a message when we know. We will be sending out further information about home learning by the end of the week. Please accept our apologies for the short notice regarding our closure. Please continue to follow advice issued about social distancing to protect your families as much as possible. When we hear anything about school reopening, we will let you know in the usual ways. If you have access to a parent Whatsapp group or Facebook page, please help us by spreading this news to our community. Thank you very much. Best wishes, Guy Perkins

We have carried out a review of school-based events and have now cancelled or postponed:

 ‘Come Dine’ until further notice (to be re-scheduled)

 Sporting fixtures involving other schools

 Parent/carer invitations to class assemblies this term (to be re-scheduled)

 Parent consultation (due in the last week of term and rescheduled for the summer term)

 Home-Learning Exhibition

It has proven extremely difficult to choose a criteria for deciding whether or not to cancel/postpone events. I have decided that events where there is sustained, close contact between children/staff and a number of adults (or children from other schools) would be affected. The Easter egg hunt has now (sadly) been cancelled also.

It is great to have a good relationship between schools across Horley. We particularly value our relationship with our close neighbour Horley Infant School. However, things are about to get nasty! We have heard via the Horley grapevine that war has been declared over the Tesco Community "Bags of Help" (Blue Token) scheme, with both Yattendon and Horley Infant School selected to take part from April to June.

Whilst I would hope that most parents consider their child’s head teacher to uphold the values that are dear to them, the gloves are now off! Mr Walters has asked for a battle… and a battle he shall have! Please make sure you do not leave Tesco without a (legal) raid on their blue token pot (please practice your best - desperate, pleading - face in front of a mirror). We cannot take this challenge sitting down! We will keep it friendly, of course, but we will take no prisoners! By the way, we are raising funds for an emergency defibrillator to be fitted outside the school.