Dear Parent/ Carer,
Thank you all for your incredible support at the beginning of the Spring Term, it is appreciated by us all as a team of staff. I am writing with the latest key updates following developments in recent days.
Firstly, in line with all Alternative Provision schools in the city, we remain physically open to all children of keyworkers and students classed as “vulnerable”, hours for this provision are our normal school hours of 9.15am-3.15pm Monday-Thursday and 9.15am-2pm on Friday with breakfast, break and lunch provided free of charge to all students as normal. We also remain open for new admissions from partner schools and baseline testing for students about to start with us.
If you have requested that your child works from home at present, you will already be aware that our remote learning plan has quickly kicked into action since the national lockdown has been imposed. Every single family has now received a home visit from a member of staff since the start of term and the physical work packs we have delivered supplement the online learning programme we have put in place. Please rest assured that our pastoral and safeguarding support for all students and families remain as robust as ever; if there are any issues we can help with, including any around IT access, let us know. If your child is in receipt of Free School Meals and you would like us to provide a food parcel for you, please contact our Assistant Principal Charlotte Poynton at [email protected].
I am sure you have heard by now that the government confirmed this week that students will not be sitting GCSEs this summer. The Education Secretary has advised that he will consult with OFQUAL next week on how to fairly award all students with a grade to ensure they can progress to the next stage of their lives. We will provide further updates as soon as we receive them but can assure all Year 11 students that we will support them in every way we need to!
Finally, I would like to finish by reassuring you that safety continues to be our top priority in all areas of our work. We are therefore pleased to update that having undertaken the necessary training, we are beginning “lateral flow” Coronavirus testing for staff as well as small groups of students attending school in the week commencing Monday 11th January. It is important that all parents/carers return the stamped addressed envelope we have delivered to homes to us with the completed consent from enclosed so that we can proceed with this. An electronic copy of the form is available on the news section of our website should you need one.
As always, please also feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] if there are any further questions I can assist with in any way regarding this letter.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Wakefield
Principal