Dear Parents/ Carers

I write in regards to our contingency planning: lockdown arrangements in place in the case of confirmed COVID-19 cases within the school community.

• In the event of a national, or local, complete school lockdown, work will be provided online via Show My Homework (SMHW), Google Classroom and our other online platforms, supplemented by Teams lessons for all year groups.
• In the event of a year group ‘bubble’ lockdown, work will be provided online via SMHW, Google Classroom and our other online platforms, supplemented by Teams lessons for that particular year group(s).
• In the event of a class/form group self-isolating, work will be provided online via SMHW, Google Classroom and our other online platforms. Some Teams lessons may also be possible.
• In the event of individual pupils self-isolating, work will be provided via SMHW, Google classroom and our other online platforms, and also distributed by the pastoral assistants.

The feedback during the latter half of the Summer term was that 4 or 5 hours per day on MS Teams was too much for many children. Teams lessons in partial or complete lockdown will follow the current three lessons per day, for approximately one hour each, starting at 9am, 11am and 1:30pm. The remaining time during the day will be for children to undertake exercise, directed study, household chores, revision and homework completion.

Teams lessons will be led by the class teacher and, where possible, moderated by an additional member of teaching or support staff. As we will now have seven year groups (as opposed to five during the Summer lockdown) and we may have individual year groups working from home, we will retain the current timetable rather than transition into a new, specific homeworking timetable.

Some timetable changes may be implemented to assist departments in proving full coverage, possibly including a 3pm to 4pm lesson in some subjects.

Staff who are self-isolating, and are fit and able, will set work and conduct Teams lessons wherever possible. Staff who are unwell will not be expected to conduct Teams lessons. In the event of other schools’ or nurseries’ full or partial closures, staff may need to care for their own children at home. In these situations work will be set for students and, wherever possible and practicable, staff will conduct Teams lessons.

If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 they must remain at home. Please let your child’s tutor and Head of Year know via email as soon as possible if your child is at home with symptoms. All members of the household must then isolate for 14 days, or until a negative test result for the symptomatic child is received.

If you or your children receive a positive test result you must inform school immediately via email to your child’s form tutor, Head of Year and to the school office. Please mark the message as URGENT.

Thank you for your messages of support since school reopened. It has been an especially busy time for all adapting to the changes in place. School is a little different this year, but, as we hoped, still the same in so many ways, including fish and chips today.

Yours faithfully

D J Gray
Headteacher