26/3/20 – Latest updates on Care Provision
The school remains open for children of ‘Critical Workers’ and the ‘Vulnerable’, however we do ask that your child stays at home unless it is an absolutely essential they attend school. We must all work together to protect everyone, this includes our students, our staff and the whole population.
We are now using the 6th Form building. We are asking that:
- Where possible students are provided with a snack for break time and a pack-up for lunchtime.
- They do NOT have to wear school uniform.
- Students who qualify to attend must attend for the full school day
- The school will run at the usual times Monday to Friday, with registration beginning at 8:50am
- Students need to bring to school the following: Reading book, Basic equipment (e.g. pens and pencils) and PE kit
- School will finish at 3.10pm
- Normal school rules and expectations apply
- Students attending school will not be set additional homework, but will have access to all their work on ‘Google Classrooms’.
- No after school clubs will run
You need to inform the school of the days that you want your child to attend. You can do this by:
- Clicking here and completing the ‘School Care Form’.
- Phoning the school and explaining when you require the provision.
Please remember that you should only send your child to school it is absolutely essential.
23/3/20 – Latest updates on Care Provision
The Government changed its response to the Coronavirus and said
“The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
When we reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, we will reduce the spread of the infection. That is why the government is now (23 March 2020) introducing three new measures.
- Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes
- Closing non-essential shops and community spaces
- Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public
The school remains open for children of ‘Critical Workers’ and the ‘Vulnerable’, however we do ask that your child stays at home unless it is an absolutely essential they attend school. We must all work together to protect everyone, this includes our students, our staff and the whole population.
CLICK HERE to read the governments guidance in full.
23/3/20 – School is closed for all students except for those whose parents are a ‘Critical Worker’ or are Vulnerable
When the government closed schools with effect of 20th March 2020, they asked that schools stay open to provide care for the child of ‘Critical Workers’ and the vulnerable. The Government have said (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision)
As a country, we all need to do what we can to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
That is why the government has given clear guidance on self-isolation, household isolation and social distancing. The most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
It is important to underline that schools remain safe places for children. However, the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.
Schools are, therefore, being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children – children who are classed as ‘vulnerable’ by the government and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.
Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, those on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be. Please support our staff by only using these facilities should you need to.
Please, therefore, follow these key principles:
- If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be
- If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them as explained below.
- Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
- Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision:
- All those working the health and social caresector
- All those working in Education and childcare
- Key public services (including those essential the justice system, those responsible for management of the deceased and charities)
- Local and national government (this only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services)
- Food and other necessary goods (this includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods)
- Public safety and national security
- Transport (this includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response)
- Utilities, communication and financial services
If workers think they fall within the critical categories above they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.
If you believe your child is entitled to attend school because you are a ‘Critical Worker’ and/or your child is officially classified as a ‘vulnerable’ child and it is NOT at all possible for children to be at home.
You need to inform the school of the days that you want your child to attend. You can do this by:
- Clicking here and completing the ‘School Care Form’.
- Phoning the school and explaining when you require the provision.
Please note you may be asked to prove if you are a ‘Critical Worker’.
Below is an explanation of how the school initially plan to provide these sessions:
- Students who qualify to attend must attend for the full school day
- The school will run at the usual times Monday to Friday, with registration beginning at 8:50am
- Students will have a ‘normal’ school day, with registration starting at 8.50am in the Main Hall, followed by 5 sessions, break and lunch. Students will be able to pay for lunch in the normal manner.
- Students need to bring to school the following: Reading book, Basic equipment (e.g. pens and pencils) and PE kit
- School run buses will be running as normal, although please note service buses may be on a reduced service
- School will finish at 3.10pm
- Normal school rules and expectations apply
- Students should attend school in full school uniform
- Students attending school will not be set additional homework, but will have access to all of our ‘Learning from Home’ resources
- No after school clubs will run
