Plans for School Reopening 8th March 2021- Letter from Headteacher

26 Jan 2021

26 February 2021

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Dear Parent

I am writing to you to outline our plans for the re-opening of school from 8^th March 2021 and also explain how we will deliver the asymptomatic Covid-19 testing for students. As you can imagine, this is a complex process and I very much appreciate you taking the time to read through all of this detailed information carefully.

As you may be aware, schools have been asked to test students 3 times with each test taking place 3-5 days apart. Although students should not officially start returning to lessons until 8^th March, the DFE have now made it clear that we can begin testing students before that date in order to make the initial process more manageable. In addition to that, schools have been given the flexibility to “stagger” the return of students in the first full week back in order to deliver the testing as well as restart face-to-face teaching in the building again.

So, below is the outline schedule of how we propose to return the students to full-time lessons in school, whilst at the same time fulfilling our obligations to test them 3 times over the course of that period. As you will see, students will return to physical lessons gradually starting with Years 10 and 11 on Tuesday 9 March but remote-education will continue to be available for all year groups right up until Monday 15 March which is the first day when all year groups will be back in school together. So, from Monday 15 March inclusive, all students in all year groups will be back in school full-time.

On their first day back in school, students should go to the usual classroom for whatever lesson they have on their timetable for that day.

Following on from this letter, you will soon receive individual appointment slots for your child’s separate tests with additional information about how this process will work. Students will not have to wear uniform on the day of their test but will need to arrive on time and go straight to the sports hall where all of the testing will take place.

Please therefore, look closely at the following schedule and make sure your child is also aware of the process: 

Please note that in the second week (above),on those specific days where your son or daughter is scheduled to have a covid test there will be no live-lessons provided for them. This is partly to release staff to support with the testing regime but also because the student’s learning will be disrupted by their appointment in school. However, there will still be work set for them to complete either based on pre-recorded materials or other resources and platforms such as Show My Homework. Individual teachers will contact them to let them know how to access the appropriate work for that day.

In addition, on Friday 5 March staff will be coming into school to receive their initial Covid tests so there will be no live-lessons for any students on that day either. However, as above, work will still be set for all students and for all of their lessons (there just won’t be any live element on that day).

Other Information

Consent Forms: If for any reason you have not yet completed the Covid testing consent form which was emailed to you and can also be found on our website, it is now extremely urgent that you do so. The link is here:

Attendance: The DFE have made it clear that from 8 March 2021, attendance will once again become mandatory for all students.

Safety: While current restrictions remain in-place we will continue with all of the additional safety measures which were introduced in September. This includes keeping the students in their year-group bubbles with separate breaks and lunchtimes.

Timings: These will therefore revert to those that we introduced at the start of the year:

Face Masks: You may have seen that the government have suggested that for the time-being, staff and students should now also wear face-masks in classrooms whenever social-distancing is not possible (previously they were only mandatory in corridors and other communal areas). Please make your child aware that this will therefore be the expectation when they return to school. All students should bring their own face-mask to wear each day to reduce costs and wastage.

Laptops: As remote-education will no longer be required we need to recall all of the laptops which have been issued to students to support them with their learning during lockdown. Aside from the legal obligations, it is important that we do this as quickly as possible since we have plans to use them to continue using some of the new technologies that have been so successful in the classroom. We also hope to be able to offer some of our older students the possibility of borrowing a device to support them with their studies at home in the preparation for GCSE exams. So, if your child has been loaned a laptop by the school, please could you ensure that they either bring it back with them at the following times (after which they will no longer need it):

Year 7: when they attend school for their second test on Wednesday 10 March

Years 8 and 9: when they attend school for their third test on Friday 12 March

Years 10 and 11: when they attend school for their third test on Thursday 11 March

Or, if you prefer – a parent or other family member may return the device to school’s main reception in the week beginning Monday 15 March but by Friday 19 March at the latest please.

Important: before you or your child returns their laptop, please ensure that they save all of their work onto the “One-Drive” so that we still have access to it when they return to school.

Home-Testing

From week-beginning 15 march, parents will be able to request home-testing kits on a weekly basis to test their own children. We will share further details of how this system will work at a later date.

That is hopefully everything you need to know at this stage, however, if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact the school in the normal way. Rest-assured, I am looking forward to seeing your children back in school very soon and I am sure you are too after the many challenges of home-schooling!

Yours Sincerely,

Mr S  Bowhay

Headteacher