This continues to be an exceptionally difficult time for many people and all of us in school are really looking forward to welcoming back those who are returning to school, albeit in a limited way, and are continuing to support those who aren’t able to return at the moment.
On 22 June, we will be widening our opening to Year 10 students, subject to Lancashire County Council and the government indicating that this is safe to do so, and to Year 12 on 29 June. In planning for their return, we have carefully considered all the relevant government guidance and advice from Lancashire County Council. Key documents from the Department for Education have included Guidance for secondary school provision from 15 June 2020 and Guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings.
Based on this advice and guidance we have tried to formulate plans which we feel will support students learning in a safe, purposeful learning environment. I am fully aware that the experience in school will be far from ideal, but is an important first step in a gradual, measured process that will eventually see all students return.
This letter tries to explain the arrangements for the return of Year 10 students and whilst I recognise this only applies to this year group, it may be of interest to all parents. There will be a separate letter to Year 12 parents shortly. The information is grouped under the following headings:
- Safety of our staff and students, and their families
- Which Year 10 students should attend – this includes a link to a survey that must be completed by all Year 10 parents
- Plan for Year 10
- Arrival to and departure from school
- Our expectations of students
- School uniform
- What to do if someone in the household exhibits Covid-19 symptoms
- Safety of staff, students and families
The safety of our students and staff, and their families is of paramount importance. We have produced a detailed risk assessment, which has been verified by Lancashire County Council. We have had up to 25 key worker children/ those deemed vulnerable in school every week, since 20 March. The guidance allows us to widen school opening up to a quarter of our Year 10 and Year 12 students each day. Key worker children, Year 10 and Year 12 will have different start and end times and will be accommodated in different buildings. We have made every effort to ensure arrangements are in place to ensure students are as safe as possible whilst on the school site and social distancing can be maintained. Clearly, the students will have their part to play in this. The arrangements for Year 10 are included in this letter and the risk assessment we have carried will be available on our school website in the next couple of days.
- Who should attend
All students in Year 10 are eligible to attend school from 22 June, (subject to certain conditions outlined on the survey to be completed by all Year 10 parents) but only on specific days/at specific times as per the government guidance. All Year 10 parents must complete a survey by 17 June to let us know whether or not your child will be returning to school. The survey can be found here . If your child is not attending, we need to inform the government as to the reason for the absence. The survey requires you to identify the specific set of circumstances / categories from the list provided. This is to allow us to make specific arrangements in school and will also form part of a statutory return to the Department for Education. We hope that we can welcome the overwhelming majority of our Year 10 students back to school and our arrangements are designed to accommodate all students.
- Plan for Year 10
The government guidance is clear in that only 25% of eligible students are allowed in school at any one time and they must remain in the same consistent group throughout the entire day. On the day that students are in school, they will be placed in small groups and will have three 1 ½ hour lessons in English, maths and science. Due to the need to have a safe and socially distanced environment, breaks and lunches also have to be controlled and students will remain in their designated group; these social times will look very different to normal. We recognise this will be challenging for all concerned and we hope that students and parents understand why these measures are being put in place.
There will be no food served before school or at break and if students would like a snack at breaktime, they must bring this with them. We are encouraging students to bring packed lunches, however, a ‘grab bag’ will be available that will include a sandwich, drink and snack (such as fruit or a biscuit). Students can order these in the morning and there will be a set price for these that will be deducted from their account. Students can also order a ‘drink only’ in the morning for collection at lunch time, however, we strongly advise that students bring a full water bottle with them as water fountains will not be in operation.
The day that your child is expected in school has been determined by their maths set. Below is a list of classes and I would ask you to look through this with your child to ensure they know which day to attend.
| MONDAY | |
| I POPULATION MATHS | STUDENTS TO ATTEND BY SURNAME |
| Set 1 – Mr Young | A – LEE |
| Set 2 – Miss Rhodes | A – K |
| Set 3 – Mr Mason | A – F |
| Set 4 – Mr Sherrington | A – J |
| Set 5 – Mr Slinger | A – H |
| TUESDAY | |
| I POPULATION MATHS | STUDENTS TO ATTEND BY SURNAME |
| Set 1 – Mr Young | LEO – W |
| Set 2 – Miss Rhodes | M – Y |
| Set 3 – Mr Mason | H – W |
| Set 4 – Mr Sherrington | K – Y |
| Set 5 – Mr Slinger | K – W |
| WEDNESDAY | |
| P POPULATION MATHS | STUDENTS TO ATTEND BY SURNAME |
| Set 1 – Mr Sherrington | A – HAC |
| Set 2 – Miss Taylor | A – MAC |
| Set 3 – Mr Maycock | A – H |
| Set 4 – Mr Slinger | A – G |
| Set 5 – Mrs Piggott | B – F |
| THURSDAY | |
| P POPULATION MATHS | STUDENTS TO ATTEND BY SURNAME |
| Set 1 – Mr Sherrington | HAR – Y |
| Set 2 – Miss Taylor | MAR – Y |
| Set 3 – Mr Maycock | J – W |
| Set 4 – Mr Slinger | H – W |
| Set 5 – Mrs Piggott | G – P |
- Arrival to and departure from school
In line with government guidelines, we have thought carefully about the arrangements for start and end times of the school day and staggered the timings to avoid any ‘bottle necks’ that may have otherwise occurred. The government have also encouraged schools to consider the travel arrangements and wherever possible, students are asked to avoid the use of public transport. Please note that under current guidelines, anyone who wishes to use public transport must wear a face covering.
Students should not arrive before 8:45am and no later than 9:00am. On arrival, students should report to the school gym where they will be seated in a socially distanced fashion before being escorted to their classroom. School will finish at around 2:30pm with each class being dismissed a minute apart to allow them to exit safely. Students are expected to adhere to the social distancing rules at all times, including to and from school.
- Our expectations of students
The schools ‘Eight Expectations’ still apply to all students, at all times and the current situation means that positive attitudes and a willingness to follow all instructions will be more important than ever. There are some very specific rules and considerations that will allow the school to operate in a safe and orderly manner. All students:
- must do everything they can to remain 2 metres away from anyone else
- should arrive on time and leave the school site promptly
- should wash their hands regularly and use the hand sanitisers where appropriate
- should bring their own equipment as we cannot loan items in the current climate
- are strongly advised to bring a full water bottle
- should cooperate with members of staff at all times
- School uniform
Having considered the merits of all possible options regarding dress code, we have made the decision that all Year 10 students should wear full school uniform and feel that this minimises some of the issues that would arise. We understand that at this time of year and in the light of the current situation, this may present some difficulties and we will work with any family where this is an issue. We really appreciate your continued support and understanding in this matter.
- Guidance on what to do if a member of your household develops Covid-19 symptoms
It essential that all members of our school community follow all the relevant advice to ensure they are minimising risk to themselves, their peers, members of school staff and all their respective families. It is important that all members of our school community are aware that the following are the most evident symptoms of Covid-19:
- a new continuous cough
- a high temperature
- a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
A member of your household has symptoms of Covid-19.
If a household member (not your child) develops symptoms they should request a test and self-isolate for 7 days. All other members of the household should self-isolate for 14 days. Both measures are from the date the symptoms were first detected. If a test returns negative, then the household can return to normal life. If the test returns positive and your child reaches the end of 14 days without symptoms they can then return to normal life.
Your child has symptoms of Covid-19.
If your child develops symptoms you should request a test for them, and they should begin self-isolation for 7 days. The rest of your household should begin a 14-day period of self-isolation. Please inform us if this is the situation. We will inform those your child has come into contact with as it is recommended that if they also develop symptoms, they should self-isolate and request a test. If your child’s test is negative, they can return to normal life. If your child’s test is positive the rest of their class will be contacted and advised to self-isolate for 14 days.
Your child develops Covid-19 symptoms in school.
If this is the case, they will be isolated, and you will be contacted to come and collect them. They will remain supervised by a member of staff.
The full guidance for households with possible or confirmed Covid-19 infections is available here.
As always, if you have any questions about the contents of this letter, please contact me.