FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Does my child have to attend?

Yes. High levels of school attendance are really important, especially in these exceptional times. We hope that having studied the details of our plans you will see how much care and attention we have given it, and you will agree it is a measured and sensible approach that makes school as safe as it can be.

Can my child wear a face mask?

Yes. New guidance issued to schools on 27th August and announced in the media on 26th August states that "From 1st September new advice will apply to the use of face coverings by staff and pupils in school years 7 or above." This guidance tells us that "In areas of local intervention, face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils in secondary schools and colleges when moving around, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain. Nationwide, schools and colleges will have the discretion to require face coverings... if they believe that is right in their particular circumstances." Prior to term starting, Pinner is not an area of local intervention, and consequently our school guidance on face coverings has not changed. Students and staff may wear face coverings if they choose to do so.

Please be aware that previous Government Guidance warns that face coverings can be a transmission risk. The guidance states: "Pupils must be instructed not to touch the front of their face covering during use or when removing them. They must wash their hands immediately on arrival (as is the case for all pupils), dispose of temporary face coverings in a covered bin or place reusable face coverings in a plastic bag they can take home with them, and then wash their hands again before heading to their classroom." Please discuss this with your child if they will be wearing a mask.

Will children be social distancing?

Current guidelines tell us that we should minimise contact between students by creating year group bubbles, rather than social distancing in classrooms. This means we can have 30 students in a class. Social distancing at other times wherever possible is, however, recommended by the government guidance and our arrangements seek to allow this wherever possible. Please talk to your child about using their common sense to maintain social distance wherever possible to keep themselves and others as safe as possible.

As you have staggered the start of the day, my children arrive at different times. What can I do?

Staggering the start of the school day is designed to reduce the number of students arriving in school at any one time. We know this is not ideal, but we want to keep our community safe. As much as possible, we would like students to arrive 5-10 minutes before the start of their first lesson. Where that is not possible, please ask your child to talk to their form tutor about where they can wait safely before school starts.

Does my child need to wear school uniform?

Yes. Students must meet our usual high expectations; to be smartly presented and wear full school uniform and school shoes. Usual school expectations apply regarding all aspects of appearance. Students should wear PE kit on days they have PE lessons, as the changing rooms will be closed. Here is a link to our Uniform Policy: https://www.pinnerhighschool.org/attachments/download.asp?file=1332&type=pdf Please ensure your child adheres to this at all times. Shops stocking our uniform are taking bookings, and their contact details are here: https://www.pinnerhighschool.org/page/?title=Uniform&pid=25

What should my child bring with them to school?

Your child needs to be self sufficient. They should bring everything they will need while in school including (but not limited to) pens, pencils, ruler, paper, calculator, a water bottle and a padlock for a locker. Students will need to bring in pair of 'plug in' headphones (not bluetooth or wireless) as these cannot be shared at the moment. They should bring a school bag as normal.

What if a child feels ill at school?

Please keep your child at home if they are unwell. If anyone falls ill at school with Covid-19 symptoms, they will be isolated and parents will be asked to collect them urgently.

What happens if someone tests positive for Covid-19?

If this occurs we will contact the Public Health authorities and take their advice. If your child or someone they live with tests positive, please inform us immediately.

Can I come on site to drop something off for my child?

No. Visitors are restricted at the moment to reduce the numbers on site. We want to help with your questions, but please contact us by phone or email rather than in person.

Will lunch be served?

Food will be available at break and lunch time. The range of foods is very similar to our usual menu and range. Students will have their own year group servery and space to eat, to maintain distinct zones. The year group pages give you these locations. Students can bring their own lunch if they prefer, which they will also eat in the year group bubble.

Will there be any change to Sixth Form provision?

Our Sixth Form plans are developing really well. We will be ready to open in September 2021. Mr. Stump, our Founding Head of Sixth Form has already joined our team. You can read more about him on our main school website, under the new Sixth Form tab. Our Virtual Sixth Form Open Event is taking place on 10th November.

How will you be running Parents Events

We value close relationships with our families. At the moment guidelines do not allow us to have 'face to face' sessions with with parents, so these events will run virtually for the time being. The Year 9 parents event on 21st and 22nd October is a virtual event.

Will my child have access to the Library?

We very much value our culture of reading at Pinner High School. The library space is being refurbished from November-March 2021. The library is now virtual, and runs through a dedicated website: https://sites.google.com/pinnerhighschool.org/phslibrary/home

Will music lessons be taking place?

We are not able to have onsite Musical instrument lessons at the moment. We value the significant contribution music makes to our community, and we regret this very much. We look forward to restarting this as soon as we safely can. Families are still able to access Musical instrument lessons through Harrow Music Service through Zoom lessons after school and at weekends by contacting Harrow Music Service directly. Please email us on info@pinnerhighschool.org if you would like to be put in touch with them.

Will sports clubs be taking place?

Sports England guidelines do not currently allow us to play contact sports. This restricts what we can offer so we will not be running after school sports for at least the first month of term, and will review any changes to the guidelines after this, hoping to restart as soon as we possibly can. PE lessons have been adapted to adhere to these guidelines.

Further information

DfE Helpline

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687

Opening hours:

8am to 6pm – Monday to Friday

10am to 4pm – Saturday and Sunday

Handwashing advice

It is essential that everyone washes their hands more often, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside).

The latest guidance and video on hand washing can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public