September Update

Dear Parents/Carers

I hope this letter finds you and your family safe and well.

As you are doubtless aware, the Government recently announced their plans for the return of all students from the start of September.  We have worked through the lengthy guidance that accompanied the announcement in order to plan the logistics for reopening safely.  Whilst we await further guidance on 11th August, and recognise we may have to adapt our plans at this time, the key points to note at this time are:

  • All students in all year groups will return in September
  • Tuesday 1st September is a Staff training day – students are not expected to attend school
  • Wednesday 2nd September is a Staff preparation day – students are not expected to attend school
  • Thursday 3rd September is an Induction Day for Years 7, 12 and 13 only – no other year groups are expected to attend school
  • Friday 4th September is an Induction Day for Years 8, 9, 10 & 11.  Years 7, 12 and 13 will also be expected to attend school
  • Students are expected to return in full school uniform and will be required to comply with our dress code expectations, including jewellery, hair colour and make-up. Please see below our uniform guidance
  • We will deliver Bromfords’ usual curriculum; we will address the needs of individual students requiring catch-up through targeted intervention work and support
  • All students are to follow their usual timetable which will be issued on their Induction Day
  • Some subjects will have specific constraints based on national guidance.
  • PE will not be delivering any contact sports lessons until these are advised by Government as an example
  • Extra-curricular activities will not run in the first three weeks to give chance to assess their viability
  • All local Headteachers have agreed to postpone interschool competitions in the first half term and reassess at a later date
  • In practical subjects where equipment is shared between students, a full cleaning and hygiene routine will be in place to reduce risks of transfer
  • We will deliver the curriculum through lessons in school plus our normal home learning timetable
  • Students will have a staggered start and end time for different year groups as well as different lunchtimes, and students will enter the school via different entry points. Details of this will be communicated fully before the start of term
  • Year groups will be in a ‘bubble’ and separated from other ‘bubbles’, this is likely to be at all times other than lesson changeovers when classes will move collectively, under supervision, but at the same time
  • We are returning to our pre-lockdown expectations regarding attendance in line with national guidance
  • The only Covid-19 reason for authorised absence is if you are following clinical or public health advice to keep your child out of school. This will no longer include shielding
  • The site will have changed and there will be specific guidance issued around movement and routines around the school buildings. This will include one-way systems and how to queue when this is necessary
  • We would ask all parents to consider the possibility of providing packed lunch for their children where possible to help alleviate the considerable constraints we are working with at lunch times
  • The canteen will not be serving food at break time, however students will be able to eat any food/snacks they have brought in at this time
  • The breakfast provision will run as usual, but with social distancing protocols in place
  • Students will need to wash their hands regularly and use the sanitiser stations situated at all entry and exit points to each block, and in each classroom
  • Students need to follow ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ advice for coughs and sneezes
  • We will have enhanced and more frequent cleaning of the site and facilities during the school day.

We recognise that we are dealing with young people who may be anxious about returning to school. We also realise that those same young people have the capacity to understand and take responsibility for their own actions in terms of keeping themselves and others safe in the current difficult climate. Our expectations have been adapted in light of the current pandemic and I would urge you to read our updated Behaviour Policy on the school’s website. We will always try to use encouragement and reminders of positive ways to behave rather than seek to sanction students, but at this time there will be severe sanctions for any student who compromises the safety measures we have put in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all members of our school community. 

We will spend a significant amount of time with students in the first days in September explaining expectations and the adaptations to site, doing our best to support students in addressing the anxieties raised in the last few months, but I would also urge all parents/carers to begin the process of listening to and offering reassurance to our young people.

The Government also issues and regularly updates guidance for parents and carers regarding the return to schooling in September. The link is below:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/education-and-childcare

I wish you a pleasant and safe summer break and look forward to being able to meet you all when we are back in session in September.Yours faithfully

Mr Neil Dunn

Headteacher