An Important Update from Mrs Webster to all Clare Mount Families
5th June 2020
To: All Parents
Dear Parents/Carers
I hope you and your family are well. As we return for the second half of the summer term I just wanted to update you with our arrangements and plans. Next week is the eleventh week of home learning and I remain grateful to you for supporting us in completing whatever activities you can with your child. Government guidance says that from 15th June it is safe for some students in secondary schools to return. We know from this announcement that some pupils will not attend for the rest of this academic year. In accordance with the guidance and results from the questionnaire, we are aiming to invite small groups of students to attend each day throughout this half term; however, we understand if you have chosen to keep your child safe at home until September.
I would like to thank those of you who have replied to the questionnaire regarding your intention to send your child into school. I have assumed that anyone who did not reply to the questionnaire does not intend to send your child back until September 2020. I know you will all appreciate planning has been done in order to bring students back safely and you will therefore understand why last minute decisions would compromise our plans. Those who are choosing not to return just yet, will continue to be contacted by Form Tutors and Heads of Year and work will continue to be made available.
Information will be on the website next week so students can look at what school looks like now as it is a little different from when they last saw it.
- Strict social distancing arrangements will be in place at all times to comply with the Covid-19 requirements. There are 2m markers on the floors to help with putting social distancing measures in place and I would be grateful if you could work with your child to understand the 2m rule and practice at home.
- Pupils attending will be required to bring their own lunch in packaging that is disposable; those who normally have a school lunch will be offered a sandwich from a cold selection.
- There will be an expectation that the students wash their hands regularly and make use of hand sanitiser while they are in school; bottles will be placed in each room.
- There can be no sharing of equipment
- Students will be expected to wear clean clothes daily and attend in school uniform.
- Water fountains will be turned off and therefore we advise students to bring a bottle to school. We will ensure they can either purchase bottled water or refill safely from tap water.
- There will be very little movement around school as it is important not to share spaces. Teachers will come to teach in the one classroom where your child is.
- There will be no team games eg football, until social distancing measures are relaxed and equipment will be minimal; due to cleaning rules.
- The yard/Muga/Field has been divided into year group areas so year groups will be using their own areas and not mixing with others.
- Transport is proving difficult as, at present for social distancing safety, only two students are allowed on a bus therefore if parents / carers can drop off at the school gate this will be preferable.
Home learning for all students is still being encouraged and fully supported with activities added regularly to our website, being emailed out or hard copies being sent to those with no internet access. Teachers of Year 10 students have now set up their classes on Google Classroom; many students are engaging regularly with the work being provided. Please ensure that your child has accessed their classes using their Clare Mount email address and inform their Form Tutor of any difficulties. Year 10 students should all have received Revision Guides and workbooks delivered to your doorstep; again to support them in continuing with their learning at home.
Year 11 and Sixth Form leavers will be contacted regularly this half term by Mrs Cooper-Shone, Mrs Neill and Mrs Magnall to ensure all are prepared for moving onto their next placement and provide reassurance and support should it be needed, if any of our students are feeling anxious. Please contact via email if you need any extra input to what has been offered and we will assist where necessary.
We are making every effort to try and keep our school safe in line with current health and safety guidance. Parents dropping off and collecting will be asked to do so at the school gate and not enter the site. We would also ask parents /carers to telephone or email school during this period as reception will not be open to visitors.
We ask that parents / carers are always contactable in the light of government’s ‘Test and Trace’ approach should a member of our school community become ill. The guidance states ‘Where a setting has a positive case, Public Health England will advise the appropriate course of action, and the relevant group of people with whom the individual has mixed closely should be sent home and self-isolate for 14 days’.
Looking ahead to September 2020
At this moment in time we are unclear as to what will happen in September; I am sure that in the context of daily Government briefings, this will come as no surprise. While we all hope for a total return to normality, at present the prospect of this for September seems very unlikely. Over the next few weeks as the Covid-19 situation evolves and hopefully improves, we expect guidance to schools to follow. If we continue to be in the position of ‘social distancing’ in September 2020, in order to ensure safety of staff and students and prevent the spread of the virus to the community, we will create a timetable with all students attending in reduced numbers on set days each week. Our concern will be to provide as much specific support as possible to as many students as possible.
As I am sure we are all aware, there is considerable uncertainty in terms of how things will evolve. As a school we will continue to think ahead and plan as best we can so that we are able to come up with solutions that are in the best interests of all our students and staff.
Over the next few days we will finalise the plans for this half term and if you have requested your child’s return to school, we will be in touch to let you know, which day (s) your child’s ‘bubble’ will be attending and the timings of that day.
If in the meantime you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s Head of Year who will be more than happy to help.
Take good care of yourselves and your family.
Very best wishes,
K. Webster
Kim Webster.
Headteacher.
