As you can imagine there have been additional risk assessments made and adaptations made to ensure that the school is as safe as it possibly can be. Our risk assessments have been shared with staff and our Governing body and follow the format suggested by the Local Authority and follow the guidance from Public Health England.

In accordance with this it is important to make the following clear:

• No student should come to school if they display symptoms of COVID-19. These are a new continuous cough, a high temperature and/or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia) – if your child has any of these symptoms, we recommend you arrange for them to have a test as soon as possible (at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119) If your child or any member of your household displays symptoms please follow the government guidance for this: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
• Students should wash their hands frequently and use the available hand sanitiser whenever indicated. This practice remains the most effective method to prevent the spread of the virus
• Students (and staff) should use tissues where possible to catch germs from sneezes or coughs. We want all members of our community to follow the ‘catch it, kill it, bin it’ approach. Students should bring tissues into school with them where possible.
• Students should follow social distancing expectations as far as possible at all times and reminders and measures are in place to support this.
• Parents should not come onto the school site unless they have a pre-arranged appointment with a member of staff.
• If a student becomes unwell and displays any symptoms of COVID-19, parents/carers will be contacted immediately and the student will be isolated in a room reserved for this purpose.
• If your child has been defined as ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ they should NOT come into school at this time. Please check the guidance on shielding and vulnerable groups if this applies to your child or any member of your household. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

We have amended our Behaviour Policy in light of the restrictions on our current activities and provision. We ask that all students read and accept the requirements and implications of our Behaviour Policy. We know how keen our students are to be back in school and we would not want to remove this option from any student however it is absolutely essential that all students behave in ways that support the provision in school and respect the rules around safety and social distancing.

Next steps and arrangements

As previously explained our provision is for 3 lessons for two days a week. Each student has been allocated to a ‘bubble’ (which has been emailed to you) that as far as possible mirrors the provision in their timetable. They may or may not have their lessons with a teacher that would normally teach them, but the lesson will be taught by a subject specialist and will be appropriate to the students in the room.

Each bubble has been assigned a separate entrance to the site, a designated classroom, an assigned member of the Senior Leadership team, a designated toilet and break zone. Different bubbles must not mix and will leave school at staggered intervals to help avoid this. On arrival students should line up at their entrance, following the marks on the floor to ensure social distancing is applied. Students will then have their temperature taken, before the group is escorted to their classroom. (Any student who displays a temperature will be removed to our designated room and parent/carers contacted.) Students will be allocated to a specific desk which will have a pack containing all of the relevant equipment that they will need. This shouldremain on the desk and not be taken home. This desk will only be used by the specified student and no other use will be made of the room throughout the week. All rooms have been set up to support social distancing rules. Students will have a break which will be supervised in a zone distanced from other
bubbles. The three teachers who will be teaching will swap during the course of
the morning with the teacher desk cleared at each point.

Transport

Ideally students should walk or cycle to school wherever possible. We will provide further details of bus services which are running, however there is still a lack of clarity around this. The government advice however is that public transport should only be used where necessary. As usual if parents are dropping students off by car we would urge that this is not in the immediate vicinity of the school and not inthe staff car park. This is especially important as students will be lining up in the car park to use the alternate entrances. We would remind parents and students that the measures in place are designed to avoid students grouping together and mingling which would further spread the virus.

Practicalities

Students should arrive at 8.45am and proceed immediately to their designated meeting point and entrance.(Please see map and photograph below for your bubble).

Students should wear school uniform, however we understand that some students may have out-grown this and be unable to purchase replacements. If this is the case a parental note explaining the missing item will be fine, but students should endeavour to wear their uniform as fully as possible.

Students should bring in as little as possible to school. The only essential items would be a full water-bottle, tissues and any snacks that they wish to have at break. Food will not be available to purchase and students will not have access to the water fountains, due to potential interactions between bubbles, so it is important that students bring with them everything that they need.

Students should read and ensure that they understand the attached guidance on their ‘bubble’ and the Behaviour Policy. Any questions or queries should be raised as soon as possible.

If your child is unwell or absent from school on a day that they have been scheduled to be with us, we would ask that you follow the normal absence procedures and notify the school of the reason for absence.

Students will be dismissed from site at the following times and should not congregate after this time:

• Orange bubble – 12.25     
• Blue bubble– 12.30
• Red bubble– 12.35
• Green bubble– 12.40

I apologise for the length of this email, but I hope that between this and the attached information you and your child will be able to make a positive, safe and enjoyable return to school. As a staff we are really looking forward to welcoming our students back. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries.

Yours in Christ, Imogen Senior