COVID-19 Update – Letter from the Headteacher

2nd October, 2020

Dear Parents/Carers,

We are now at the end of our fifth week back at school and feel very fortunate that we have not had to send any Year groups home following an outbreak. Thank you for all you are doing to follow the rules; our school/home partnership is contributing to everyone being safe.

Please can I emphasise our COVID rules:

· Follow all the hand hygiene rules – we ask students to sanitize regularly

· Wipe down work areas following a teaching session

· Follow start and end times

· Use zoned areas and zoned toilets

· No physical interaction

· Wear a face covering in corridors or busy spaces

The last bullet point has, until now, been a recommendation. However, after evaluating a wet lunchtime, where corridors were busier than usual, and students could not go outside, Governors have decided to make face coverings compulsory in busy spaces like corridors. Please can you support us in this decision as it is made in order to try to minimise risk. Most students will also need to wear masks in their daily lives so we think we should be training them for this in school. This rule will be in place from Monday 5th October, 2020.

If you can, please supply your son/daughter with a reusable mask. If this is not possible then we have disposable ones at school. Please can you also outline to them why mask wearing can protect others. If your son/daughter has a medical issue that means a face covering would be difficult then please can you put this in writing so we can support them in this.

Our School behaviour policy has been amended to reflect this new rule and a copy of this is now on our school website. Any deliberate non-compliance will be viewed as a COVID Breach and could result in an exclusion. However, I want to stress that I am not expecting non-compliance as the students have been excellent in following most COVID requests.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns and I hope you and your family keep well and safe.

Yours faithfully

Mrs Jennifer Ford

(Headteacher)