Dear parent / carer,

I thought that I would provide you with a very quick update today following the announcement last night of a national lockdown and a stay at home order.  The indication is that schools will stay closed for most pupils until February half term.

Firstly, we will update Year 11 and their parents as we know more about what may happen to the exams in the summer and about mock exams too.  I know that Mr Simms and Mr Hartshorn will be in touch this week about tutoring and all Year 11 pupils must be logging into their Satchel:One account by 8.45am each day to enable them to access their work and the links to their Zoom lessons.

As stated in my last letter we will be running Zoom lessons as timetabled to enable face-to-face support for all pupils and I have just checked lesson monitor and so far attendance has been excellent.   Please keep up this excellent work and please feel free to phone school if you are experiencing any ICT difficulties and we will do our best to help.  The timetable will be reviewed over the next few days as I would like to build in some time for our pupils with their tutors and some wellbeing drop in sessions too.  It might be that we make some minor changes to lesson start times as we no longer need a split lunch arrangement in school but I will confirm the detail once it has been finalised.

A reminder that school is now only open to the following groups of pupils:

During the period of national lockdown, schools and colleges should only allow vulnerable children and the children of critical workers to attend. Children with at least one parent or carer who is listed as a critical worker are eligible for a school place.

I would ask that any pupil who can stay safely at home does so in line with the stay at home guidance issued on Monday evening.

I will update you as and when I know more and I thank you for your patience and support.

With best wishes to you and your families,

Jane Tinker
Headteacher

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

End of Autumn Term, 3.20pm Friday 18th December. Pupils return Tuesday, 5th January 2021

We are very disappointed not to be able to host our annual GCSE Certificates and Awards Evening for the class of 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions.  This is always a great evening to celebrate success and wish the year group a fond farewell.  We are very frustrated not to be able to host this event for this particular group of pupils.  This year, it is necessary for each ex-pupil to collect their GCSE certificates and awards where relevant in person from the school.

The arrangements for collection are as follows:

• Only ex-pupils are permitted to collect their documents
• Collection is only available on Tuesday 15^th December 2020
• Arrive exclusively between any of the following times:
  • 9am – 10am
  • 30am – 12.30pm
  • 30pm – 5.30pm
• Report to the school reception and observe social distancing
• Hand sanitise on entering the building
• Wear a face mask whilst on the school site
• Sign to confirm receipt of documents
• Please do not park on the school carpark as we have very little parking capacity

In line with the archiving policy, certificates not collected will be securely retained in school for 12 months and then confidentially destroyed.  Exam boards do not reissue certificates as a rule; Individuals will be required to apply directly to exam boards for statements of grades and pay the appropriate fee where relevant.

Should you require any further information, please email exams@corbetschool.net.

Yours sincerely

Mr G Simms
Assistant Head – Teaching & Learning

Dear Parents / Guardians

Re: Winter Financial Support – Free School Meal Vouchers

Many people’s financial circumstances have changed due to the pandemic and a lot of people won’t realise they are now entitled to claim support that they weren’t entitled to before.

You may be eligible for free school meals, which if claimed quickly will also entitle you to vouchers over the winter holiday period.

It takes a few minutes to check your eligibility and apply for this extra support. To do this please click on the following link.  https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/free-school-meals/

If you apply by Thursday 10^th December, and your application is confirmed, you will receive a winter voucher worth £30 per child to help you over the two school week holidays.

This voucher will be valid at a range of local supermarkets

If you are already registered for free school meals, you will automatically receive the winter voucher which will be sent to the priority email registered with school.

If you are notified that your application has been confirmed it would be helpful if you would also email julia.kear@corbetschool.net so that we know to expect your confirmation from the local authority.

Yours faithfully

Keith Rendell
Business Manager