Dear Parent/Carer
I am sure that the news of the staggered return to school in January has not escaped you, the email came through to me at 18.26 last night and we have worked very quickly to try to get the arrangements out to you as soon as possible today. At this stage, I do not have any further information about the testing programme and so cannot give any information about this at all. I would like to reassure parents that we will be in touch with them during the week beginning 4th January with any updates on this. I would ask that parents do not contact us about testing unless their questions are not answered in the information we will send out in the new year and to reassure them that no child will be tested unless parental consent has been given.
This is the guidance we are working to for the staggered start:
In these schools with secondary-age pupils, vulnerable children, the children of critical workers and pupils in exam year groups (primarily years 11 and 13) are expected to access on-site education provision from each school’s advertised first day of term and should be prioritised for testing. All other pupils should not attend that week and must be provided with remote education until 11 January when they should return to school and resume face-to-face attendance. Pupils will not need to have had a test in order to return to school on 11 January.
• The timetable will run as normal this week, but PE lessons will not take place in line with the guidance.
• Year 11 will attend as they were expecting, and they will do their Mock Exams.
• Year 7-10 will access Zoom lessons at the normal time on their timetable – a 40-minute lesson with a little follow up work.
All links will be on Satchel:One. Tier 2 guidance must be followed at all other times.
• To enable extra time for teachers to prepare for the day we will not have tutor time on Zoom.
• Children of critical workers and all vulnerable pupils must attend school, they will attend tutor time with their tutor and be registered as normal. They will attend their lessons as normal with their teacher in their usual classroom and will be in the Zoom lesson using the screen in the classroom. The teacher will teach the pupils at home putting the Zoom lesson on their board for any pupils in the classroom.
• The buses will run AS NORMAL.
• All pupils back in school for face-to-face education on 11 January.
• Pupils in school will need to wear their school uniform. Pupils at home will not need to wear their uniform but must be following the Zoom guidance issued to parents.
If you consider that you are a critical worker and you cannot safely care for your child at home, please email: criticalworker@corbetschool.net with the following information:
Your name, your employer and your job title
Your child’s name and tutor group
Please do not send your child to school unless you receive email confirmation that we are expecting them – all requests must be emailed to the address above by 8.30am on Monday 4th January 2021. Parents will be contacted during that day to confirm their child can attend school. If they are attending school, it must be for the full week Tuesday-Friday 9th January 2021.
Please be reassured that we will answer any questions you have on Monday 4th January and I hope that you have all the information you need for now.
Could I also reassure you that I have spoken to all the pupils in school today in a whole school assembly about the arrangements outlined above.
May I remind you about my previous letter if your child tests positive for Covid-19 where symptoms developed within 48 hours of attending school and wish you a lovely Christmas break.
Best wishes
Dr Jane Tinker
Headteacher
