Lateral Flow Device Testing   

The government has requested that schools test students prior to starting face-to-face teaching this September. The intended benefits are clear. We will be able to identify those students, who are positive, but asymptomatic before they have been able to pass the disease onto others. Therefore, on return, all students were offered two rapid tests on site and these will continue throughout September (at least).  

This test is voluntary, however Public Health England strongly advises that all students and staff participate and as such, we encourage all parents/carers to work with us to keep our community as safe as possible for all.  

We must have parental consent to provide the test to your son/daughter, to administer and to use their data in the recording of the result.  If you give consent, please complete the following consent form by clicking this link https://forms.gle/fU6E3vF8t5KTCcbC7    

If the lateral flow test is positive, a member of staff will call to advise parents. In this case, the child may be required to go home.   

Mixing and ‘Bubbles’  

It is no longer a recommendation to keep children in consistent groups (‘bubbles’). This means that we will not need to use ‘bubbles’ in school from this Autumn term.   

As well as enabling flexibility in curriculum delivery, this means that face-to-face assemblies have resumed, and we no longer need to make alternative arrangements to avoid mixing at lunchtime.   

Face Coverings  

Face coverings are no longer a requirement for pupils, staff and visitors either in classrooms or in communal areas.  

Self-isolation  

Individuals are not required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, and any of the following apply:  

• they are fully vaccinated  
• they are below the age of 18 years and 6 months  
• they have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial  
• they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons  

Staff who do not need to isolate, and children and young people aged under 18 years 6 months who usually attend school, and have been identified as a close contact, should continue to attend school as normal. They do not need to wear a face covering within the school, but it is expected and recommended that these are worn when travelling on public or dedicated transport.   

Remote Education   

School attendance is mandatory for all students of compulsory school age.  However, in the event that a student or adult has to self-isolate, we will support them to teach/learn from home if they are well enough to do so.  Until further notice, cameras are turned on at the start of the day to ensure that student, teachers, staff, and leaders can access teaching/learning/monitoring. 

Control Measures  

We will continue to:  

1. Ensure good hygiene for everyone  
2. Maintain appropriate cleaning regimes  
3. Keep occupied spaces well ventilated  
4. Minimise face-to-face drop-ins and visits to the classroom by having access to the lesson remotely 
5. Follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19

Successes from previous lockdown (March 2020 & January 2021)

Since March, the school provided a successful model, which included: 

• Engagement and communication with parents calls/Facebook/emails/texts/website/letters 
• Using different mediums to communicate to meet all needs of all parents – videos/leaflets etc. 
• Daily video calls for ALL staff including those shielding 
• Home learning adapted following feedback from parental feedback 
• Support and engagement from all staff 
• Easter provision for children falling behind with their studies  
•  Provided laptops to those families in need 
• All students were contacted regarding their home learning/learning packs etc. 
• All families were contacted when they had not attended their remote learning lessons  
•  Communication to staff via a new text messaging service set up during lockdown 
•  Whole School videos created for events, including parents evenings 
• Individual year group messages/videos sent out to parent mail 
•  Home learning packs sent out to all students on a weekly basis to ensure they were accessing the curriculum 
• A curriculum which focused on academic studies and student well-being 

Identified possible school specific scenarios  

• Individual children who are waiting to be tested or isolating with a confirmed case of COVID. 
• A partial lockdown involving bubbles of children. 
•  A longer term whole school lockdown. 
• Key worker/vulnerable pupils in school only. 
•  Short term staff absence 
•  Long term staff absence

Identified possible national scenarios 

1. “stay at home” order, where schools, colleges and universities would stay open and all other businesses and establishments would go in to a short-term lockdown. 
2. Full National Lockdown. 
3. Phased return as a result of a ‘roadmap‘. 

The need for Flexibility of Learning: 

We realise that the circumstances that cause our school to close will affect families in a number of ways. In our planning and expectations, we are aware of the need for flexibility from all sides. 

For example: 

• Parents may be trying to work from home so access to technology as a family may be limited; 
• Parents may have two or more children trying to access technology and need to prioritise the needs of young people studying towards GCSE accreditation; 
•  Teachers may be trying to manage their home situation and the learning of their own children; 
• Systems may not always function as they should. An understanding of, and willingness to adapt to these difficulties on all sides is essential for success. 

Expectation Management

We believe that it is in the best interests of our students that we continue to provide structured support to the best of our ability. It must be noted that the work students engage in during a period of closure will be part of our current planning and so cannot be considered as optional. This is our childrens’ education and we cannot afford for them to miss out on any further learning time. In addition, we need to consider the impact of COVID-19 on the well-being/mental health of our students, in particular, the requirement to prevent anxiety and depression and encourage physical activity where possible. Students and parents should consider the arrangements as set out in this document as highly recommended. 

Arrangements for Hand washing & sanitising 

• Hand sanitising dispensers have been installed at appropriate points around the school site.  
• All Students, staff and visitors are to use hand sanitiser on arrival.   
• Staff will remind students to wash hands / use sanitiser regularly. This will include, on entering buildings, at the start of lessons 1,3 and 5, before and after eating and throughout the day.   
• If a student has a skin condition which is exacerbated by the use of hand sanitiser, parents are required to inform us of this and a Health Care Plan would be drawn up.    
• All staff and pupils must follow good respiratory hygiene procedures, using the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach, which we are familiar with at school.   

Pastoral Care  

• Regular well-being prepare student for school and alleviate any anxieties post covid-19.   
• Our Pastors and our Education Director provide support throughout the year.   

Our Well-being and Recovery Curriculum are also use to: 

• Create a safe environment and learning space for both pupils and staff; 
• Monitor students wellbeing (face-to face and remote), especially if concerns have been raised about their wellbeing,  
• Acknowledge loss, trauma and bereavement and support pupils in their recovery; 
• Re-build relationships; 
• Re-engage our pupils in their learning; 
• Strengthen the resilience that we know both staff and pupils have (demonstrated during online lessons); 
• Assist and support pupils and staff in their well-being; 
• Create an environment where pupils can express themselves freely and be supported; 

Remote Teaching and Learning

Teaching Staff will:

• Familiarise themselves with our learning platform (Google Classroom) and ensure they have IT access from home. They will inform staff if they do not have IT/internet access; 
• Turn cameras on at the start of the day so that leaders and students can access the classroom remotely if they need to;
• Ensure their subject has access to extensive online resources including e-learning; 
• Share teaching and activities with their class through Google Classroom; 
• Continue teaching in line with current, extensive planning that is already in place throughout the school and adapted for the needs of pupils within the class context; 
• Plan a range of activities and where possible they will not require the use of a digital device. There is an expectation that approximately 50% of lessons will take place via Google Meet and 50% will take place via Google Classroom. This will be monitored by senior staff to ensure we are meeting the needs of our students. 
• Refer to learning packs to prevent excessive time spent online; 
• Accept the fact that learning remotely will be more difficult, so tasks will be set in smaller steps to allow for this; 
• Adhere to the after school and lunchtime intervention timetable, unless directed by the Headteacher to modify these sessions. 
• Keep in contact with children through Google platform for safeguarding reasons; 
• Not teach on a 1-2-1 basis for safeguarding reasons; 
• Reply to messages, set work and give feedback on activities during the normal teaching hours 8.30 am – 5:00pm. There is an expectation that all emails will be responded to in 24 hours; 
• Acknowledge and feedback on all work where necessary; 
•  Allow flexibility in the completion of activities, understanding that the circumstances leading to our closure will affect families in a number of ways; 
•  Take regular breaks away from the computer or iPad to engage in other professional duties as much as circumstances allow; 
• If unwell themselves, be covered by another staff member for the sharing of activities (see cover timetable);  
• Contact parents and children if work is not completed or to a satisfactory standard. If the work does not improve within one week, refer this to the faculty leader and senior staff; 
• Set homework according to the homework timetable, unless directed differently by the Assistant Headteacher; 
• Deliver detailed and well planned PSHE and well-being lessons as directed by the Pastoral Leader; 
• Register students each morning and afternoon registration and each lesson. 
• report missing students to senior staff. 

Children will: 

• Be assured that wellbeing is at the forefront of our thoughts and the need for children to take regular breaks, get fresh air, exercise and maintain a reasonable balance between online engagement and offline activities; 
• Have access to learning remotely if they are unable to attend school face-to-face 
• Be given several days to complete a task to allow for sharing of devices within the family 
• Read daily, either independently or with an adult for at least 30 minutes 
•  Consider using the school closure time to learn a new skill, follow their own interests to discover more about the world around us or just be creative. 
• Make every attempt to complete work set by the teacher and communicate with the teacher before hand if this is not practical for any reason. 
• Make every attempt to catch up on any work they have missed 

Parents will: 

• Ensure their child has access to IT and the internet. If this is not feasible, to communicate with the school until this matter is resolved.  This can be done using the IT access form. 
• Encourage their child to access and engage with posts/emails from their teacher 
• Know they can continue to contact their class teacher or Senior Leadership Team (SLT) as normal through the schools email system. 
• Check their child’s completed work each day and encourage the progress that is being made; 
• Be mindful of mental well-being of both themselves and their child and encourage their child to take regular breaks, play games, get fresh air and relax.