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Academy Re-Opening – September 2020

Friday 28 August 2020

Dear Parents/Carers

ACADEMY RE-OPENING – SEPTEMBER 2020

I wrote to you on 13th July 2020 to outline our responses to the COVID-19 crisis and the systems of controls we are implementing to ensure students can return safely to the Academy this September.  In summary these systems are:

  1. If your child(ren) have symptoms of Covid-19, (e.g. temperature above 37.8oc, new persistent cough, change/loss of smell and/or taste), please ensure you keep your child(ren) at home and request a COVID-19 test.
  2. Students will be requested to wash/sanitise their hands frequently.
  3. Students will be encouraged to follow good respiratory hygiene using the ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ methodology.
  4. There will be enhanced cleaning across the Academy site.
  5. Contact between Year Group bubbles will be minimised by staggering arrival, break, lunch and exit times (details of staggered times can be found in the letter dated 13th July). We have also had to move to Year Group tutor groups for the foreseeable future.
  6. We have adapted movement around the Academy to include one-way systems, following a ‘Keep Left, Keep Moving, Keep Apart’ approach etc.
  7. All desks are facing the front of the classroom and have a 2m exclusion zone around all staff at all times.
  8. Changing rooms will not be used, therefore, students are to wear PE kit to the Academy on the days they have PE on their timetable.
  9. All students must arrive and exit through the main gate on Memorial Road. This means the gates leading to The Barton and Rangers Walk will remain closed at all times

With regard to face masks, we are not encouraging the wearing of face masks at this time. Our area has one of the lowest transmission rates, our site lends itself to outdoor spaces being used and there is a greater risk to misuse of masks. If this guidance changes at any time we will of course communicate this to you.

In order to help your child(ren) to settle back into the Academy, and to provide you with some additional reassurance, we have produced an information video outlining some of these measures mentioned above; we recommend you watch this with your child(ren) ahead of returning to the Academy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ObSWT-Cgs&feature=youtu.be

As communicated to you earlier in July, there are different start dates for different Year Groups.  These are as follows:

  • Year 7 – Thursday 3rd September 2020
  • Year 11 – Friday 4th September 2020
  • Years 8, 9 and 10 – Monday 7th September 2020

(Please check the staggered start time for your child’s Year Group on the letter dated 13th July)

We are delighted to be welcoming all the students back to the Academy but it is essential that students follow the guidelines outlined in this letter, the previous letter and the information video.

Finally, I want to remind you of our high expectations around attendance, punctuality, uniform and behaviour. These are essential for students to have routine and structure and ensure their learning is maximised at all times.

If you have any concerns about your child returning to the Academy in September please do contact us.

Yours sincerely

Mr S T Kneller | Academy Principal