Principal's Letter, 18 December 2020

New Government Guidance

If you have not already read my letter emailed to you earlier today about the new guidance the government issued last night relating to home learning for most year 7-10 students the first week of term, please do so. It contains a lot of vital information. If you have any queries, please get in touch.

Good-bye

We have said a fond farewell today to Miss Lockwood who has provided a dedicated service to the maths department over the last few years. We are very grateful to her for all her hard work and send her our very best wishes.

Newsletter

Our latest newsletter is available. Click https://www.ormistonsixvillagesacademy.co.uk/newsletter to view it.

School fundraiser

Thank you to all of you who purchased raffle tickets for the draw which took place on Tuesday. The list of winners is in the newsletter. We are very grateful for your support which will benefit the maths and science departments.

Year 11 Parents’ Consultation – 21st January 2021

Due to the current Covid restrictions, the Year 11 Parents’ Consultation will take place virtually using the video link on our appointment booking system. I used the system for my daughter’s recent parents’ consultation and can vouch that it is very user friendly. The booking system will go live on Friday 8th January at 4pm. In the meantime, please make a note of the date in your diaries.

Parents’ Forum

I will be reintroducing Parent Forum meetings next term. The first one will be held virtually on Thursday 28th January, 6pm on Microsoft Teams. The foci of the meeting will be Assessment and Reporting, and PSHE. I will issue the link to the meeting nearer the time, but would really like to have as many parents as possible join the meeting to share your views and support the development of the academy in these areas. Please make a note of the date.

Reminder: new Covid reporting email address – [email protected]

As outlined last week, there is now a dedicated email address for reporting Covid symptoms, self-isolation and/or Covid test taking and subsequent results. I am required to continue monitoring any symptoms that may arise among our stakeholders during the Christmas break.

  • If your child tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace and notify the academy via the above email.
  • For the first 6 days after teaching ends, if a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school, the school is asked to assist in identifying close contacts and advising self-isolation, as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school. Please therefore notify the academy via the above email.

Where pupils are required to self-isolate due to contact with a positive case after the first 6 days following the end of term, schools do not need to be informed about their absence until the first day of the new term, via the above email, but please feel free to email at any time.

If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from the nhs.uk website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/. If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, or they are worsening you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://111.nhs.uk/ or by phoning 111.

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

  • a new continuous cough
  • a high temperature
  • a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

Please remember to:

  • wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
  • use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
  • wash your hands as soon as you get home
  • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
  • put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards.

Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Thank you

As the autumn term and 2020 draw to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your unfailing support this year. It has, without a doubt, been a very different and challenging year for all of us. Your children have risen to the challenges Covid 19 has brought and are a credit to you.

I feel that the measures in place around the academy have been successful and am delighted that we close the academy this afternoon without any of your children testing positive for Covid. I am in very regular contact with the area headteachers and therefore I know that we are quite unique in that position. May I therefore urge you to remind your children of the restrictions relating to the current Tier in this area to ensure that they stay safe during the break and are fit and well to resume learning on 5th January.

I wish you all a safe, happy and peaceful Christmas break.

Mr P Slaughter, Principal