Dear Parent/Carer
I am sure you will have all seen the government’s announcement last night about the planned re-opening of schools for all students from Monday 8 March 2021. As we digest the finer intricacies of the government’s guidance, we wanted to get in touch as soon as possible to reassure you of the basic principles around the re-opening.
The major national headlines are:
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- All students will return to school from Monday 8 March.
- All students are strongly advised to engage with weekly lateral flow testing (the initial tests will be carried out in school and subsequent tests undertaken at home).
- All staff are strongly advised to engage with weekly lateral flow testing at home.
- All students and staff should wear face coverings inside school buildings (this will relate to travel in corridors and during lesson times).
We obviously have a lot of guidance to interpret and logistical organisation to put in place, therefore we will be in touch by Friday of this week with the full and exact details of what the return to school will look like for your children.
Whilst the government have afforded phased returns in order to allow for the testing of students, we are planning to conduct student testing on site over Thursday 4, Friday 5, Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March 2021. By working extended hours and throughout the weekend it will allow the whole school to return to face-to-face teaching on Monday 8 March.
In order for us to schedule lateral flow testing appointments, below is a revised consent form which must be completed by 9.00am on Thursday 25 February. This form incorporates the updated government advice around implications of any positive lateral flow testing and replaces the previous form that some of you have completed. Please complete one of these for each child you have in school. Once we receive this consent we will then be able to schedule student test appointments for the testing period mentioned above.
Whilst the advice around testing from the government is not legally required I must state that, in order to protect all of the staff and students in school as much as possible, and arguably more importantly to keep local transmission and infection levels low, I must implore you to work with us and agree to the testing protocol.
We understand that everyone is desperate to be back at the earliest opportunity and hope you can support the school with this plan by ensuring that you meet the deadline of the consent form and that your child attends the test on the scheduled day/time.
Yours sincerely
Mr S Huntington and Mr M Jones
Executive Principal and Senior Vice Principal