Dear Parents and Carers
I am writing to update you with our plans to welcome all students back to school from Monday 8th March 2021.
We have updated our ‘Exceptional Arrangements for the Academic Year 2020-21’ booklet, which was first issued in September so that you are fully aware of the changes that we have in place from March 8th onwards. I would be very grateful if you could read through this booklet with your child, so they know what to expect over the coming weeks.
Academic Year 2020-21 – Exceptional Arrangements Updated March 2021 [PDF]
Changes that are new include:
- Students will return to the classroom following a series of negative Asymptomatic Tests for Coronavirus:
- Students will receive three Asymptomatic Tests for Coronavirus on the school site, each one within 3-5 days of the previous test
- Students will then be given Home Testing kits, which they are to take twice weekly and the results reported to NHS Track and Trace and to the school
- Face coverings will be worn by students and staff in all situations where social distancing cannot be maintained until Easter 2021; this now includes classrooms as well as busy corridors and large gatherings (e.g., refectories (if not eating) and commutes)
- Each Year Group has a designated entrance point to the school buildings
- Our afterschool LEAP sessions and pre-school Breakfast Club will recommence form Monday 15th March 2021
We will write separately inviting your child to their first test. For the majority of students, their first day back in the classroom will start after their first negative test result. The exception is for students in Year 11 to Year 13, who are asked to attend their test on Friday 5th March and then to come to school as normal on Monday 8th March. All students will continue to learn remotely until their first Covid-19 test session is completed as below:
| Test Date and Time | Year Group |
|---|---|
| Friday 5th March from 8:30am | Year 11 (go home after testing and return to school as normal on Monday 8th March) |
| Friday 5th March from 11:25am | Year 13 (go home after testing and return to school as normal on Monday 8th March) |
| Friday 5th March from 1:55pm | Year 12 (go home after testing and return to school as normal on Monday 8th March) |
| Tuesday 9th March from 8.30am | Year 7 (go to lessons after negative result) |
| Tuesday 9th March from 1.00pm | Year 10 (go to lessons after negative result) |
| Wednesday 10th March from 8:30am | Year 8 (go to lessons after negative result) |
| Wednesday 10th March from 1.00pm | Year 9 (go to lessons after negative result) |
I know some students are feeling apprehensive about taking the test, so Isabella in Year 10 and I made a short video to explain the procedure.
Any students who are not undergoing testing will need to come to school at the same starting date as their Year Group and follow their timetable.
In many ways, this return to school is very similar to our ‘Back to School’ that we had in September with a real focus on routines and expectations. For many of our students it has been a while since they came to school and some of the rules and routines may have been
forgotten! We want our first interaction with every one of our students to be positive. Please help your child have a positive start by making sure that they come to school complying with our School Uniform and expectations, as detailed in the Booklet.
If you have any questions or queries about the return to school, please contact your son or daughter’s Director of Achievement. I am hoping that students will now remain in our care at school for the remainder of the Academic Year as there are many excellent events scheduled for the Summer Term that serve to remind us that school is so much more than just a place of learning.
I hope you are all keeping well.
Yours sincerely
Emma Yates
