VILLAGE PRIMARY SCHOOLS RE-OPEN

    June 16, 2020 in News
    More pupils at Long Wittenham and Clifton Hampden Primary schools are returning to the classroom. Clifton Hampden is taking reception Year 1 pupils and Year 6 including pupils from the families of key workers including vulnerable children. Long Wittenham school is however taking only Year 1 children at the moment along with the children of key workers but is reviewing the position to ensure the safety of all children and staff. The government has had to do a U-turn on plans for all primary schools to return before the end of term because they were “not feasible”. The practical difficulties for old schools like Long Wittenham and Clifton Hampden – built in Victorian times – make schooling difficult under the new emergency guidelines. Schools face challenges in re-arranging classrooms for small groups of no more than 15 pupils, setting up one-way systems and arranging segregated breaks and lunch-times. Drop-off and pick up times are staggered. Children are encouraged to wash their hands regularly but keeping early years children the recommended two-metre social distancing is difficult. To ease the problems for schools facing capacity problems, education authorities may have to consider hiring outside facilities such as town, village halls, sports centres and libraries. Nationally there was a fragmented return for primary school children. Parents have concerns about the danger of children being exposed to the virus although children are considered to be at a reduced risk. Parents have been told that returning children to school was not compulsory and that education authorities would not fine them for keeping children at home. There are fears too that secondary schools facing capacity problems may not be able to return in September. Some children are being educated at home but not all families have or can afford computers. The head teacher of Long Wittenham primary school Alison Bellingham said a plan was in place to gradually open for other year groups but this would be under constant review to ensure the health and safety of all staff and pupils. She said: “My plan to welcome pupils back is in place and the health and safety of everyone lies at the heart of any decisions made. Teaching staff are not in school because we are operating a rota system, Parents are at liberty to make their own minds up at this stage and I fully respect that. It is a difficult time for everyone.” The head of Clifton Hampden School Lisa Horton said: “We like many schools are finding it difficult to accommodate all pupils because we have an old building and space is at a premium. Parents have responded well to the return and as confidence grows we expect more children to return.” Speaking about the pandemic at the government’s daily briefing on June 10 the chief medical adviser Chris Whitty warned: “We are not at the end but in the middle of it.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “The pandemic figures in the UK are improving but we have a long way to go.”

    PARISH COUNCIL EGM – 19 April 2017

    April 19, 2017 in Announcements, News

    CH&B PC open meeting 25 May 2016

    May 17, 2016 in Announcements, News
    All residents are invited to the annual open meeting at the village hall on Wednesday 25 May. (more…)

    Synergy Variety Group coming to the Village Hall

    November 09, 2015 in News
    The Didcot-based Synergy Variety Group is coming to Clifton Hampden Village Hall on 28 November. They'll be performing an evening of fun and frivolity in aid of our church, St Michael and All Angels. Tickets are available from the Post Office.

    Village Plan published!

    November 07, 2015 in News
    The Clifton Hampden and Burcot Village Plan has been published in all its finery. You can view or download it on the Village Business page or click here to go to it directly. On the Village Business page you will also find the TopLine (key) questionnaire results.

    Gravel group shows true grit

    May 30, 2015 in Announcements, News
    Bachport's Giles Baxter gave an excellent update on the battle against the proposed gravel pit at the village open meeting. You can see the presentation slides on the Council Business page along with a summary in the open meeting minutes.

    Open meeting opens minds

    May 30, 2015 in Announcements, News
    The village open meeting minutes are now available. From the recreation ground to the village hall, the bronze age to fusion future, the WI and speeding, villagers were brought up to date with all the activities currently going on in, around and for the parish. There were were presentations from the chairman, Chris Neill, as well as on traffic, the gravel campaign, the tennis and cricket clubs, the science centre, the school, the scouts, and more. The full minutes and notes from the meeting can also be viewed on the Council Business page.

    Cricket match and barbecue

    May 19, 2015 in Announcements, News
    Clifton Hampden's next home game is this Saturday, 23 May, against a mystery team of all stars (ok, it's "a touring side from Gloucestershire" apparently). More importantly, there's going to be a barbecue. Which means beer and stuff. Mainly beer. The bit that's not the cricket (beer, barbecue, stuff) kicks of at 1pm. They would like to know numbers so, if interested, please email: ourvillageplan@gmail.com.  

    Annual village open meeting

    May 19, 2015 in Announcements, News
    Wednesday 20 May 2015 at 7.30 (Drinks from 7.00) CH&B Parish Council invites you to have your say and hear from the various groups in the parish. These include brief updates from BACHPORT, the village plan questionnaire, the recreation ground and more.

    Behind the barricades

    August 15, 2014 in News
    Clifton Hampden and Burcot are besieged by all sorts of nonsense at the moment; we’re having to man the barricades against the gravel extraction application for a start. The ones in the picture above are most welcome, however. They represent progress, you see, because BT fibre is coming to town. This means superfast broadband – well, faster than we’ve got anyway. Two months ago, Openreach (BT’s wholesale operation) installed a new distribution point – for the technically minded, this is a grey slab covering a hole in the ground – next to the existing green BT cabinet outside the school. Now they are putting in the foundations for the new fibre cabinet; a visible sign that Clifton Hampden is set to have zippy broadband speeds by the end of the year, the promised deadline. The “ready for service” date also applies to Burcot, who will have their own cabinet. When FTTC becomes operational, residents’ actual speeds will depend on the distance they live from their new cabinet since this part of the connection will still be copper wire. Even so, even at 1,000 metres, down- and upload rates (24 and 8 Mbps respectively) will be considerably faster than at present. Those less then 100 metres from the cabinet will be shooting for the moon. The accelerated project has been funded by Oxfordshire County Council as we would normally be fry so small as to receive FTTC (Fibre To The Cabinet) shortly before the end of the century or the second coming, whichever is sooner.