March 2021

Opening

Monday 8th March: Years 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13

Tuesday 9th March: Year 8

Following the Prime Minister's announcement, I can confirm that the school will reopen to all students from Monday, 8 March 2021.

From the 8 March we will offer pupils testing at an on-site ATS, once consent has been given. Testing and return of pupils will be phased during the first week to manage the number of pupils passing through the test site at any one time (with remote learning in place until the year group is brought back).

Students will have 3 tests in the Academy, 3 to 5 days apart. After these tests students will be given tests that they will complete at home. The DfE has given us the flexibility to consider how best to deliver testing on a phased basis from 8 March, depending on our circumstances and local arrangements, but that we should prioritise vulnerable children and children of critical workers, and year groups 10 to 13. Please note that students will be exempt from taking a test for 90 days after a previous positive test result.

Our students will then return to face-to-face education following their first negative test result. Pupils not undergoing testing should attend school in line with their return arrangements.

Testing is voluntary; however, we would encourage everyone to participate in the asymptomatic testing programme to help break transmission links by identifying those who may be carrying the virus unknowingly. If consent is provided, pupils will be asked to self-swab at the on-site ATS and after 30 minutes they should be informed of their results.

Over the next two weeks, we will continue to deliver on-site provision for the children of critical workers and for vulnerable children. Our remote learning provision will continue for all other students.

Throughout this period, we will prepare for the wider reopening. We will work carefully through the government guidance to ensure that all controls are in place in order to ensure a safe environment for all.

Once the academy reopens on 8 March, we will continue to manage the school in year group bubbles. This will ensure that we are able to limit how many contacts each student has and in the event of a positive case will enable us to only have to instruct a smaller number of students to self-isolate.

Much of your son/daughter’s provision will remain unchanged from that experienced at the end of 2020. Any changes in light of revised government guidance will be communicated to you shortly.

The wider reopening of schools is a positive step forward in the country’s response to COVID-19. Once school reopens, all students (with the exception of those instructed to shield) will be expected to attend. As a result, our live online provision will not be provided in the way that it currently is.

It is important that we all work together to prepare all children for a positive return to school including organising your child’s uniform, planner and equipment, and re-establishing morning routines to ensure punctual arrival at school.

Parents/Carers are reminded not to send their child to the school if any member of the household is displaying Covid-19 symptoms and is awaiting a test result.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection#symptoms

Arrival at the Academy

In order to maintain social distancing in the Academy, groups of students will be arriving at the Academy at different times, as well as using different entrances. Your child should only arrive at the Academy at the time that they have been allocated. We would also ask that you support the Academy in maintaining government guidance on social distancing by not gathering at the entrance or exit when you drop off or pick up your child and reinforce to them that social distancing is also required travelling both to and from the Academy.

Throughout March the arrival entrance and time following the first negative test will be the same the the Autumn term.

Year 7 will arrive through Main Reception for a 08:25 start and a 14:30 finish.

Year 8 will arrive through Student Reception for a 08:25 start and a 14:30 finish.

Year 9 will arrive through Student Reception for a 08:45 start and a 14:50 finish.

Year 10 will arrive through the back gates for a 08:25 start and a 14:30 finish.

Year 11 will arrive through the back gates for a 08:45 start and a 14:50 finish.

Travelling to the Academy by bike

The bike shed will be open for the safe storage of bikes. Students should use their own lock and remember to wear a helmet.

Travelling by Public Transport

The guidance on face coverings has changed, it will be mandatory to wear a face covering on public transport from 15th June 2020. Please use this link for further government guidance on face covering on public transport: https://extranet.dft.gov.uk/safer-transport-campaign/ . Extra bins have been provided in the Academy and are clearly marked for students to dispose of their PPE safely.

Face Coverings

Face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained. Face coverings do not need to be worn by pupils when outdoors on the premises.

In addition, face coverings should be worn in classrooms or during activities unless social distancing can be maintained.

This does not apply in situations where wearing a face covering would impact on the ability to take part in exercise or strenuous activity, for example in PE lessons.