Principal's Letter, 26 February 2021

Further to yesterday’s letter, I am writing to outline arrangements for the return of students to school from Monday 8th March.

To allow for a sensitive and reassuring return to school for our students, who may feel apprehensive about returning, and to allow for the initial testing of each student to be conducted, there will be a staggered return to school as follows:

Monday 8th March – Years 10 and 11
Tuesday 9th March – Year 7
Wednesday 10th March – Year 8
Thursday 11th March – Year 9

If they are unable to be cared for safely at home, vulnerable and critical worker children who are currently attending site may continue to do so until their year group returns, at which time they will join their year group bubble. Remote learning will continue to be set for students who are off site pending the return of their year group to school.

We are aware that the lockdown period has been especially difficult for some families. Do let us know via your child’s tutor if your family has been affected to ensure that we can support your child with making the best possible return to school.

Testing
As each year group returns, the asymptomatic testing will be conducted. Students will be taught and based in an allocated classroom until their negative test result has been recorded. Once the testing is complete, students will be allowed to circulate within their year group bubble for lessons and during social times as usual.

In the event of a positive test in school, the student will be placed in our dedicated medical room, parents contacted and asked to collect their child immediately. At that point, the usual self-isolation will be required. Currently, the government guidelines are that a PCR test is not required following a positive lateral flow test at our test site.

I am sure at this stage in the pandemic that no reminders are necessary of self-isolation guidelines or Covid 19 symptoms, but please contact the academy if you have any queries. Should your child or any other family member show any symptoms they must not attend school.

Transport
The buses will run as usual. Students are asked to sanitise before boarding a bus and again on exit from the bus. Masks must be worn throughout the journey, unless your child is exempt on health grounds. Students are also required to sit in their year group bubble. Students not adhering to the mask wearing, which is required by law, will be sanctioned. Repeated breach of the measures in place to protect public health may lead to a fixed term exclusion and/or ban from the bus.

Canteen
The canteen will be open as usual and the year group queue and key stage bubble system introduced in September will be maintained. Please top up your child’s account electronically.

After School Clubs
Clubs will resume on Monday 15th March and a schedule of available clubs will be issued in due course.

General Notices:

World Book Day
Please enjoy and share with your child the newsletter below. There are a number of quizzes inside.

National Careers Week: 1st March – 6th March
Next week is National Careers Week in which we encourage all students to consider what their next steps might be when they leave Ormiston Six Villages Academy. All week, teachers will be dedicating parts of their lessons to Careers and Further Education asking students to think about why the subjects they study are useful for the world of work and linking them to videos showcasing career paths that link to each subject. Two useful links that students can use to research jobs relating to subjects are:

Students will have a ‘tutor time’ activity to complete each day. These tasks take between 5 and 15 minutes to complete and will help them to consider the different types of work currently available to them when they leave education. Ideally this can be done between 8.20am and 8.40am each day but can be done during breaks in lessons too. For a preview of the tutor activities please click one of the following links:

Please keep your eyes on the Satchel One Notice Board where we will be sharing information each day about different areas of work and further education. If you have any questions or enquiries during the week, please contact Mr Marsh on [email protected].

Finally, we look forward to reopening fully and welcoming your children back to school. The government have clearly stated that full student attendance at school is required to resume. I realise that we are still living in worrying times, but would assure you that all our measures, which have so far been very successful, remain in place.

Your support and appreciation of our efforts during lockdown, communicated to me in various forms, has been greatly appreciated by our staff.

Mr P Slaughter, Principal

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