Dear Parents/Carers,
Our Year 5 and 6 pupils have been invited to attend and participate in Medway’s Music Associations Carol Festival on Tuesday 30th November 2021 at Rochester Cathedral. The children have been working hard to practice their carols in class to perform in the Cathedral on the day.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Medway Music Association (MMA) and Rochester Cathedral colleagues have made the decision not to hold a congregation to ensure maximum safety of children and staff and so sadly, you will not be able to go and watch your children in the Cathedral as you would have previously. Due to the absence of a congregation this year, MMA will be undertaking an audio recording of the Carol Festival. Although the absence of a congregation is in some respects disappointing, we have no doubt that it will be the safest option for pupils and staff. MMA hopes that by sharing any recordings from the Carol Festival this will enable many more people, friends and family, to enjoy the children’s performance.
This is a whole day event with the children leaving school by minibus. This means that we will need all of the Year 5 and 6 children to arrive in school on the 30th by 8.30am. We will be using two minibuses to transport the children to the event and need to arrive for a prompt 10:30am start. The service will finish at 3pm, with the children returning to school by minibus, however, parents are welcome to pick the children up straight from the Cathedral at 3pm. Parents will be able to collect their children from outside the main doors of the cathedral.
Due to limited space on our minibus, we will need to make a few trips back to school from the Cathedral. Therefore, If you are planning to pick your child up from school, a separate letter will be sent to you with a time to collect your child and this may mean that your child will not return to school until after 4pm. Please can you state on the attached slip whether you will be collecting your child from the Cathedral at 3pm so that we can wait to meet you outside at the end of the event.
If we can please ask for a contribution of £2 for your child to attend the Carol service which can be paid via Parent Mail. Children will also need to bring a packed lunch to school on this day to take with them to the Cathedral. If your child usually has free school meals or pays for a school meal, a packed lunch will be provided for them.
Please can you complete the attached slip and return to the school office by Thursday 25th November.
Kind Regards,
Miss Goldfinch
