Dear Parent/Carer

You will no doubt be aware that it has been announced that all students will return to school from Monday 8th March; we are so excited to be seeing everyone again! The challenge will be around onsite testing. Please be patient as we plan how best to manage this. The Government has given us the opportunity to have a staged reopening from 8th March to carry out the testing. Further details will follow later in the week.

The operational arrangements of the school will remain as they did in the Autumn Term.

Testing is voluntary but, for the safety of all, we are encouraging as many students as possible to participate. If you have not yet given consent for your child, please complete their details on this form.

Please note that we have postponed the INSET Day previously set for Tuesday March 9th.

Additional Measures –  Headlines

  • All schools are expected to reopen to all pupils on March 8, but it is understood schools will be given some flexibility to bring pupils back in stages to enable them to cope with testing requirements.
  • The department has said pupils returning to secondary schools will be tested three times on-site and then once at home in the first two weeks back. After that, they will be expected to be tested twice weekly at home.
  • There will be no tests for primary school pupils, though staff will continue to have to test themselves at home twice a week.
  • Schools will receive additional testing kits for both on-site and home.
  • Staff and students in secondary schools are advised to wear face coverings in all areas, including classrooms, where social distancing cannot be maintained and as a temporary extra measure.
  • Extending the use of face coverings to classrooms is a temporary measure until Easter, and as with all measures the government will keep it under review.
  • Public Health England continues to advise that the existing range of safety measures in place in education settings remains appropriate – including bubble groups, staggering start and finish times, increasing ventilation and hygiene, regular testing and maintaining distance between adults where possible.

    • I hope that we can all play our part in keeping our community safe and by doing so, we will enjoy the freedoms laid out in the “roadmap” on 21st June and be able to hug our families once more. Please look out for the letter later in the week.

    M J Serridge