Newsflash – Friday 16th October 2020

16 Oct 2020

Message from Mr Marshall

Important information – Continuation of learning during the COVID situation

No doubt you will all be aware from the press and social media that the number of COVID cases is rising across the country, particularly in the North. Whilst I am relieved that we have not suffered in the way that other schools have, we must all be prepared for the possibility that students may have to work from home at some point over the next few weeks and months. As happened with students in Year 10 last week, any confirmed pupil case in school will mean that all contacts of the affected student will have to self-isolate at home.

Clearly, this is an unsatisfactory situation but it is very important to understand that learning does not stop during such a situation. Teachers are working incredibly hard to provide lessons, live and recorded, that students can access via Microsoft Teams in such an event. Such lessons are not optional and I need your help in ensuring that students understand that being sent home to isolate is not the same as the lockdown situation we faced in the spring. Teachers set work for every lesson, or invite the students to join in via Teams and there is no excuse for non-engagement. We continue to work hard to provide ICT resources for families who may need it and can make provision for any child who needs it.

The situation currently is changing rapidly, if we receive information of a confirmed case at the weekend, we may be contacting families to tell them not to send students in the following week and it is vital to understand that learning does not stop – the children have already missed far too much education and we cannot lose another minute.