Thank you to all of our parents who have been extremely patient with the school during this time. As you can imagine, with limited guidance and with the wellbeing of all of our children and staff at the heart of our current planning there has been much to do. 

We've had a number of families request a more regularly use of filmed/ live lessons. We are currently working with our staff to establish this - first with year 10 in line with guidance, but also, as time progresses, with other year groups as our resource allows. We will keep you updated on this. Please continue to bear with us. 

The school is currently in the process of locking down the first 3 'teaching bubbles'. The site is currently undergoing significant adjustment. On twitter we have shared the images showing some of this work:

-installation of plastic screens in the LRC, the reception area and the canteen for when it comes back into use.

-additional mobile hand washing units which are peddle operated and are placed in front of exits and entry points.

-increased signage in place 

-established one way system across the school 

-sealed and separate areas for all bubbles and school staff

-we will provide bottled water and lunch in classrooms for all students to reduce movement across the school 

-we will provide new books and all equipment on desks so there is no sharing of equipment

-entrance and exit points will only be staffed during the allocated times of entry. 

-the school site remains locked down with no access to students other than their 'bubble' area. 

-Our risk assessment for opening has been submitted to the local authority ensuring that we have mitigated as far as is practicable the risks of re-opening. 

Over the next 5 weeks of this term, we will ensure that every year 10 student has some face to face, bespoke tutorial time with teaching staff. This will be a combination of on-site teaching and online booked times across all lessons. We have contacted a number of parents today who have confirmed that they are not comfortable currently sending their daughters in. We respect this stance and recognise that it is a valid choice given some of the confusion around statistics being shared. You will not be sanctioned in any way around attendance at this time. 

Students and staff will find the school much changed, and whilst we are cautiously re-opening next week, we have a very clear commitment to reduce where we can instances of interaction and increase social distancing measures.  The safety and welfare of our school community remain our key cornerstone with planning. 

 When students arrive they will be requested to queue at a 2m distance while a non-contact temperature check is taken and recorded. We will ask them to wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds prior to entry. 

We have worked in collaboration with Grieg City and Highgate Wood Schools with our times of operation to ensure that large groups of students from local schools are not utilising public transport at the same time, or it is greatly reduced. We have avoided TFL issued peak times. We would encourage students to walk or cycle or be dropped off by car at the correct times.

Following advice released by the independent SAGE group, we are recommending that students (and staff) arrive in non-school uniform and that they fully change clothes each day, washing clothes at a minimum 60 wash. This is following information that the viral load can survive on fabrics for some time. Students must have their lanyards - this will identify them on public transport and confirm their journeys are essential to tfl staff. 

We will continue to share further information and updates with you via our website, twitter and through groupcall. 

The school is very aware that continued and lengthy isolation has a huge impact on the mental wellbeing of all within a family unit. We have continued to offer, and have increased for September, our counselling and welfare offer for your daughter. Please contact us if this is of interest for you. We will be reaching out to other year groups in due course. In the interim, and following responses from our student survey undertaken last term, you should find a change in the amount of work we are posting. We have also returned to a fortnightly cycle in line with our usual school timetable. This week we have placed across all year groups some reading on Black Lives Matter. Please do support engagement and conversation around this movement. 

Finally - you've made it to the end! Please take a look at the following petition if you wish to support it. Free travel for under 18's is set to be discontinued from September the 1st 2020. https://www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-suspended-children-s-free-bus-pass?recruiter=269110866&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_medium=whatsapp&recruited_by_id=b898f421-15ea-4ec6-8c7a-b4a739783014&utm_content=washarecopy_22349107_en-GB%3Av9