Letter regarding changes to start of term - Important information 31/12/2020

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope you have all had a safe and enjoyable Christmas period. Following the Government’s announcement yesterday regarding schools, I wanted to update you on what this means for students at Sewell Park.

The delayed start to term for students, and remote learning provision, is to allow schools the opportunity to make the logistical arrangements, and staffing of, the planned mass testing of staff and students in secondary schools.

For the week beginning 4th January, only students who are children of critical workers or classified as vulnerable students will be able to attend school. If you have not done so already, please could you inform us if you are intending to take up this provision by emailing office@sewellpark.org.

Those students who are attending school will enter through their designated entry gate and should attend in full school uniform. The students will then follow the remote learning provision during the day.

During this week, students in Years 7 to 10 will have remote learning available to them on Google Classroom by teaching staff, linked to recall and revision of key topics covered so far this academic year. Year 11, from Tuesday 5th January, will have a live lesson from their teacher to set the context to their learning. This will be followed on the fourth lesson, by a review of the week's learning. All resources and links will be on Google Classroom. On Tuesday 5th January, each form tutor will run an online meeting with their form group to check in with them and provide information where we can.

Any students who are eligible for Free School Meals will be able to collect their lunch between 12 and 12.30 pm from the school. They should enter from the St Clements Hill gate (near the Chestnut Nursery) and will collect from the ‘grab and go’ canteen window. They will then be required to go straight home.

We will communicate directly with any students who have a public examination this week, for example, for BTEC Music, regarding the arrangements for these. The Government has stated that they are still going ahead as planned.

The current plans from the Government are that from the week commencing 11th January, Year 11 should be attending school, with all other year groups attending in full by 18th January. This time is designed to allow us to be in a position to have each year group tested prior to their return to school. Currently, we are, together with Boudica Schools Trust, working out the plans for this and I will write to you early next week with the full details. I know many of you will have questions and concerns regarding the process and what is being reported in the news, but I would ask that you wait until I write to you with the full details regarding this.

I hope you and your families have a safe end to the holiday and that 2021 is a positive one for us all.

Best wishes,

David Day

Headteacher