As we approach the start of returning to school we have booked access to an exciting motivational and wellbeing speaker to inspire you all into a fresh start on return to school. This event is from 12.30 – 2.30 on Wednesday 3rd March.
To access this event Vimeo https://vimeo.com/event/745671/1350943098
or
YouTube https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_t2bw5lA3MY&feature=youtu.be
Lessons will therefore stop after lesson 4, which will finish at 12.30 rather than the normal 12.40. At 12.30 you are all to attend this live stream event.
On Friday 5th March teachers will be spending time reviewing the work you have completed in lockdown and entering your engagement grades as well as planning for your return to school. Students should spend time organising resources and work ready for a return to school during the week beginning the 8th of March.
Our testing centre schedules can be found here. Consent for LFD testing is still significantly lower than hoped, with 1 in 4 lower school parents/carers not yet consenting:
Year | Consented (%) | Not consented |
| Year 7 | 67.5% | 54 |
Year 8 | 77.7% | 37 |
Year 9 | 73.2% | 49 |
Year 10 | 73.3% | 44 |
Year 11 | 74.4% | 41 |
Lower School | 73.2% | 225 |
| Sixth Form | 79.7% | 24 |
The rationale for testing in school is to give students the experience of self-administered throat/nasal swabbing, so that after 3 supported experiences they will be able to manage the 2 home testing kits per week they will be provided with. It is important to note that support does not involve anyone other than the person being tested doing the swabbing. In school testing centres, ‘support’ means that students will receive advice as to how to carry out the swabbing effectively, and the sample extraction and LFD test will be carried out and processed by trained staff.
The first day back for consenting students will be a COVID-19 LFD testing day. Whilst these students will follow their normal timetable, they will have reorientation lessons to get them back into the idea of face to face teaching. Formal lessons will begin the following day. Please find a copy of the student PowerPoint presentation here. Your child’s Form Tutor will be going through this during tutor periods this week in preparation for school re-opening. Students whose parents/carers have not consented for them to be tested need not return until the following day when formal lessons begin:
| Year(s) | Testing Day | Lesson Return Day |
| 12/13 | Friday 5/3/21 | Monday 8/3/21 |
| 11 | Monday 8/3/21 | Tuesday 9/3/21 |
| 10 | Tuesday 9/3/21 | Wednesday 10/3/21 |
| 9 | Wednesday 10/3/21 | Thursday 11/3/21 |
| 8 | Thursday 11/3/21 | Friday 12/3/21 |
| 7 | Friday 12/3/21 | Monday 15/3/21 |
If you have not consented for your child to be COVID-19 LFD tested, please do not send them into school until their ‘Lesson Return Day’ date in the table above. Parents/carers who wish to consent but have not yet done so can complete the consent form here. You do not need to fill the form in more than once.
Our schedule involves all consenting lower school students being tested weekly for 3 weeks, (11 – Monday; 10 – Tuesday; 9 – Wednesday; 8 – Thursday; 7 – Friday) with supported testing being offered on 2 final occasions on Tuesday 31 March and Thursday 1 April, for those still struggling with home testing. The sixth form will be tested on Friday 5 March and then 2 further times before and after school, over the following 6 school days. Students will be asked to attend the centre in tutor groups, with half of the group attending at one time. The time of attendance is given in the schedule, and for lower school students will be the same day and time each week.