We have been made aware of a new app called Sendit that carries a 17+ age requirement.

Users can ask questions to their followers and get anonymous messages in return. However, if you’d like to find out who sent the response, you can choose to do so by paying a fee. We are concerned about the inappropriate content that our young people could be exposed to.

This link has some good information if that could be attached.

https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/news-blogs/what-is-sendit/

Dear parents / carers,

I just wanted to end the half term with a quick update for you on the schools fundraising this week.
CFA Chocolate Bingo: it was lovely to see the school community coming together again after our periods of isolation and cancellation. We had a lovely evening which was very well supported by pupils and parents and raised over £500.

Provisional plans for a CFA quiz in the summer term, further details to follow.

DEC Turkey Syria Earthquake Appeal: The hot chocolate and biscuits has been as popular as ever with the students and very well supported with donations from parents; this has raised £539.54. We have some supplies of hot chocolate which we will use to support the Red Nose (non uniform) Day on Friday 17th March.

7R also carried out a bake sale in aid of the Turkey/Syria Earthquake Appeal and raised a total of £65.58 for the charity.

Project Sunflower, Seeds for Ukraine: we have a good sized box of donated flower and vegetable seeds which will be leaving for Ukraine on Saturday.

Hope House: the Valentine Hamper Raffle raised £40 for Hope House.

I think the overwhelming support for our fundraising activities just highlights what a kind and caring school community we have and I thank you for your support with this.

I wish you and your families a happy and restful half term break and look forward to welcoming the students back on Monday 27th February.

Yours sincerely
Dr Jane Tinker
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers

Plans for 1st March 2023 – NEU (National Education Union)

This is an early communication to share with you the plans to manage the industrial action being taken by the National Education Union on the 1st March 2023, having reviewed the likely staffing position on that date. I will update you on the Monday, after half term, of any changes but wanted to give you advance warning so that you can plan accordingly.

School will be closed for pupils in years 7 and 8 on Wednesday 1st March.

We will be offering places in school for our vulnerable children and children of critical workers, who will be able to complete online learning tasks. To book a place for pupils in Year 7 and Year 8 please email CriticalKeyWorker@corbetschool.net with the pupil name and form by 8.30am on Monday 27th February. We aim to minimise the impact on learning, as much as possible, and year 7 and 8 teachers who are in school will be setting work on Satchel:One for pupils to complete. Pupils in Year 7 and 8 will need to check Satchel at the start of each lesson to see if they have any work to complete. Staff not taking industrial action will be able to respond to messages on Satchel during their timetabled lesson.

Year 9, 10 and 11 will be in school as normal on this day, and they will follow their normal timetable. We may need to make adjustments, on the day, due to unexpected staff absences but will aim to run the timetable as normal. As a contingency, could all pupils please bring their PE kit into school and ensure that they have a book with them to read.

School transport will run as normal.

Thank you for your understanding and support; we will do our very best to make sure that the 1st March runs as smoothly as possible. We will write to you with further information regarding the future strikes over the coming weeks.

On another note, thank you for all of the hot chocolate donations, we have made £300 so far and I am hoping that we might reach £500 by the end of the week; your support and generosity is very much appreciated. I hope that you have a lovely, restful half term.

Yours sincerely

Dr Jane Tinker
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers

As you may be aware from media headlines, the number of young people choosing to use vape devices has increased, including in the Shropshire and the wider, local area. Sadly, we have also had reports of a small number of pupils bringing these items into school.

This is a concern to us as a school, due to potential immediate dangers and side effects, as well as the unknown long-term health risks.  We continue to educate students on these risks through Assemblies and PSHE sessions and wish to draw your attention to the following website, designed to support young people, parents and carers, if they regularly use a vape device.

https://teen.smokefree.gov/quit-vaping

It is illegal for stores to sell vaping products to under 18s.  Worryingly, we have become aware that some children are attempting to buy vapes in Shrewsbury and then sell them onto friends.

The following links will take you to a BBC article showing the characteristics of legal and illegal equipment and to Trading Standards where any shops selling to underage children can be reported.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64319417

Mr Hartshorn, Acting Assistant Head, took an assembly last year, outlining the school’s approach to students who bring these devices into school.  Our stance is clear; such devices must not be brought or used on site, and there will be serious sanctions for those who do so.

We very much appreciate your support and would ask you to please discuss our concerns with your child/children, highlighting the health issues around vaping and the potential consequences of vaping in school.

Kind regards

Dr Tinker
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers

Plans for 1st February 2023 – NEU (National Education Union)

As a follow up to the communication yesterday about the industrial action of the National Education Union on the 1st February 2023 and having reviewed the likely staffing position tomorrow, again this morning, I would like to confirm the arrangements for tomorrow. I apologies for the lateness of this but I’m sure you understand it has been an emerging picture.

School will be closed tomorrow for pupils in years 9 and 10.

We will be offering places in school for our vulnerable children and children of critical workers, who will be able to complete online learning tasks. To book a place for pupils in Year 9 and Year 10 please email CriticalKeyWorker@corbetschool.net with the pupil’s name and form by 8.30am on Wednesday 1st February. We aim to minimise the impact on learning, as much as possible, and year 9 and 10 teachers who are in school will be setting work on Satchel:One for pupils to complete. Pupils in Year 9 and 10 will need to check Satchel at the start of each lesson to see if they have any work to complete. Staff not taking industrial action will be able to respond to messages on Satchel during their timetabled lesson.

Year 7, 8 and 11 will be in school as normal on this day, and they will follow their normal timetable. We may need to make adjustments, on the day, due to unexpected staff absences but will aim to run the timetable as normally, as possible. As a contingency, could all pupils please bring their PE kit and reading book into school.
School transport will run as normal.

Thank you for your understanding and support; we will do our very best to make sure that tomorrow runs as smoothly as possible. We will write to you with further information regarding the future strikes over the coming weeks.

Yours sincerely

Dr Jane Tinker
Headteacher

Proposed industrial action Wednesday 1^st February 2023

As you are probably aware the NEU intends to call upon its members to take part in industrial action consisting of strike action on Wednesday 1^st February.  The school are constantly reviewing the staffing situation.  At this stage we intend to be fully open but this situation could change subject to staff absence.  The school are fully committed to giving as much notice as possible.

As a contingency we would ask that ALL students bring their PE kit on Wednesday.

If the situation changes, we will advise you as soon as possible.

Kind regards,
Dr Jane Tinker,
​Headteacher