We know you’ve seen in the news that schools may partially reopen on 15th June for year 10 only, this will allow pupils to get some face-to-face contact with teachers to support their home learning through bespoke and personalised tutorials. We will be operating a sealed system of very small numbers of students returning in the first instance called ‘bubbles’ in line with government guidance. Those year 10 students not on site will have access to bespoke online tutorials with members of staff meeting the criteria set out in the guidelines.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/reopening-schools-and-other-educational-settings-from-1-june

There are currently no plans to open the school to other year groups prior to September. These year groups will continue to be provided with online learning provision on a fortnightly basis.

It has been a very unsettling time for us all, but rest assured that we are doing everything we can to make sure we are ready to receive invited year 10 students back into the school in a safe and cautious manner. Safety of students and staff remain central to our plans.  

We are currently working with the LA, other Headteachers of secondary schools, and our staff team developing an action plan that we’ll share with you as soon as possible so you know what the school’s reopening will look like in practice. Precautions we currently have in place include but are not limited to:

• Limiting class sizes to no more than 8 students per teaching ‘bubble’ These students will be invited in according to need but will not include friendship groups in our rationale.
• Keeping to social distancing rules for all students and staff
• Staggering break times, and entrance times for invited students
• Different entrances for each allocated ‘bubble’
• Increased cleaning, including a deep clean to take place on a Friday leaving 72 hours before the site is accessed again
• Additional mobile handwashing and soap units at entrance points
• Lunch being delivered to classrooms to reduce contact, cross contamination and movement across the site.
• Use of hand sanitsers in each room
• No cross socialisation between small group ‘bubbles’
• Reduction of operation to reduce times where our students are using public transport, in collaboration with local schools and minimising travel during peak times.
• Specific toilet facilities/ handwashing for each allocated group on site
• Temperature checks for students on arrival 
• Keeping pupils and staff with coronavirus symptoms at home

If your child is clinically extremely vulnerable, or living with someone who is in this group, they should not come back to school and should continue home learning. If your child is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable), you should follow medical advice to decide if they should come back to school.

We want to reassure you that we’re not going to be pressuring any pupil to come into school. Neither will their attendance be followed up in the usual manner. We’ll keep you updated with all our preparations for making sure the school is as safe as possible,.

In the meantime, the school is still open only for vulnerable pupils and the children of critical workers. The site remains closed to the public, families and other students not prebooked in. We know some employers will be encouraging you to return to work, but we’re not in a position at present to extend places to other pupils until we receive further government guidance.

We will continue communicating with you as required and please do continue contacting us if we can help in any way. 

Wishing you safety and good health at this time.