Dear Parents and Carers

Plans for returning to school from 8^th March

I hope that this letter finds you and your family well.  We have missed all of our students so much and are really looking forward to seeing them back during the week of 8^th March.  This letter is to ensure that as families you have all of the information that you need for the coming couple of weeks. 

You will all have seen the news and read the news over the last week.  The Department for Education has tasked us with doing a number of things over the next 2 weeks:

• Welcoming all of our students back to face-to face teaching from Monday 8^th March with all of the school population back by Monday 15^th
• To send consent forms out to you all to complete for the testing process to identify asymptomatic students before their return to keep all of us as safe as possible.
• To provide a testing centre on site to ensure that 3 tests are given to students 3-5days apart.
• To distribute lateral flow tests to students for after this period of 3 tests to administer at home. To do the same for all staff.
• To not refuse education for any family who does not wish to give consent.
• To ensure that every child returns and that attendance for all is high and followed up where it is not.
• To update the Covid Risk Assessment to ensure that all 1570 students and 220 staff are safe, and all of their families following the Public Health England and DfE guidance.
• To provide welfare support for those students who need it.
• To start after school enrichment activities as a matter of urgency within risk assessment guidelines.
• To ensure that in school provision for the students who have been coming in for their Key Worker place remains whilst carrying out the testing and return for all.

What follows is our response to this.

When does my child return to school?

 

Year Group	When does their 1st test take place? By appointment.  Arrive at the appointment time and leave straight after it.	When do they come back for face-to-face teaching?	When will their 2nd and 3rd tests take place? During their lessons they will be collected.  They will return to their lesson if negative.
Y12 and Y13	Monday 8th March	Tuesday 9th March	Thursday 11th March Tuesday 16th March
Y11	Monday 8th March	Tuesday 9th March	Thursday 11th March Tuesday 16th March
Y10	Tuesday 9th March	Wednesday 10th March	Friday 12th March Wednesday 17th March
Y9	Tuesday 9th March	Wednesday 10th March	Friday 12th March Wednesday 17th March
Y8	Wednesday 10th March	Thursday 11th March	Monday 15th March Thursday 18th March
Y7	Wednesday 10th March	Thursday 11th March	Monday 15th March Thursday 18th March.
My child has been in school throughout lockdown, accessing the Key Worker provision	They will be tested in school on Friday 5th March	Monday 8th March.  They will follow their normal timetable and go to their normal lesson and classroom from this day.	In line with their own year groups.

All children at Beckfoot Oakbank will be back to face- face teaching in school by Thursday 11^th March.

 

What will my child need to do from now until they are back in for face-to-face teaching?

Teachers will still be setting learning in the same way that we have been doing since Christmas -Live lessons which are in your child’s Microsoft Teams Calendar.   There are some exceptions.  In order for us to be ready to receive students back into school from Monday 8^th March and for the rest of the week, Friday 5^th March will be a ‘no-live lessons day’.  Your child will still have their work set for this day and uploaded onto Teams, most likely as set work or a voiced over PowerPoint.  If they are stuck on anything they need to ask their teachers when they see them during the week beginning 8^th March.  The same will be true on the day that your child’s year group have their mass testing.  So for example, if your child is in Y7, on Wednesday 10^th March when their year group is coming in throughout the day for mass testing, there will be no live lessons but work will still be set as above.

 

Where do a go for my test?

You will receive your test one appointment time via MyEd. You do not need to come into school in your uniform on the day of your first test.  Please arrive at school via the main drive or the bus bay path and go straight to the front entrance of the Sports Centre.  We are not allowed to grant access via the car park on Ingrow lane.  Your child must not go into the main school building.  The Test centre is in the dance studio which is to the right of the Sports Centre main entrance. They will be in and out within 5-10 mins.  If parents are bringing students for their test you may come down the drive to drop them off and wait by the Captain Tom Moore Centre building which is an overspill car park and wait for them but please do not get out of your car. Please return the consent form for testing by Wednesday 3^rd March midday.

When children are back in school

 

Face Masks.

This is new.  Following Public Heath England rules, from Monday 8^th March every child in every classroom, corridor and shared indoor area like the dining room must wear a face mask, except for when eating.  They do not have to wear a face mask if they are outside in the morning waiting to come in or if they are outside at break or lunchtime. If your child is exempt, please ensure that we know either via the office email address or via their Year Team Leader and they will be provided with an orange lanyard which they must wear at all times.  All staff must wear them in the same locations as above unless they are in their classroom and remain behind their ‘line’, which is 2m away from the students.  Please send your child to school every day with a face mask and a spare one in their bag.  You can buy one via Parent Pay if you need to.

 

Windows and doors.

Classroom windows and classroom doors will be open following the risk assessment to ensure that the school is well ventilated at all times.  Please ensure that your child has a school jumper; they can also wear a long-sleeved thermal underneath their polo shirt underneath their jumper if they want to in order to keep warm.  We should not be able to see it.  Hoodies under school jumpers, or wearing coats inside, are not allowed.

 

School uniform

Please refer to the school website or planner for the uniform expectations.  If you need any help with anything, including access to a school jumper or the right school shoes, please email the office email address or let the Year Team Leader know.  Trainers are only to be worn in PE lessons.  Thank you for your support with this.  Anyone who needs help with uniform please just say.  Please bring your PE kit on the day that you normally have PE ready to get changed into it as normal.

 

Time to arrive at school from their first face-to-face day.

This is the same as it was from September.  Each year group has a designated entrance and exit.   Please remind your child to line up in tutor groups and be there at the following staggered start times:  Y12 and Y13 – 8.20/ Y11 - 8:20 / Y10 - 8:25 / Y9 - 8:35 / Y8 - 8:30 / Y7 - 8:25. 

 

The Risk Assessment.

Please refer to the school website home page for the risk assessment.  Students will remain in Year Group bubbles but seating plans in classrooms and behaviours at break and luchtimes and before and after school will be taken into account in order to help identify close contacts.

 

Attendance, Enrichment Activities and Rewards.

We are so happy to be welcoming back all students from March 8th, and we're really keen that everyone can make the most of the opportunities in school: the chance to be back learning face-to-face with our specialist subject teachers; the chance to take part in extra-curricular sports and clubs; and the chance to spend time interacting with friends they've not seen since before Christmas!  All students will begin the new term with 100% attendance (provided they are here on day 1!) and will receive an Easter egg and a ticket in our special prize draw if they have maintained 100% until March 26^th when we break for Easter.   Obviously self-isolation due to Covid will not affect students' attendance, so they needn't worry.  We will be monitoring attendance closely and will make contact to offer support where students and families are struggling to get back into the routine of daily school attendance.  

We know that many of our students have really missed their extra-curricular activities, and while they are waiting for activities to start up again outside of school, we will be offering lots of sports and other clubs, from March 15th, and throughout the next term.  Look out for more information on the website and through the My Ed app.

 

Student wellbeing

We have a designated wellbeing team in school.  If you or your child need some additional support at this time please just email safe@oakbank.org.uk. Your child’s Form Tutor, year Team Leader and teachers will also all be keeping a close eye on your child.  Please talk to one of them if you need anything at all.

 

Awarding of Exam Grades for Y11 and Y13 students.

Further letters will follow in the coming days for families of Y11 and Y13 students giving more detailed information about what your child can expect between now and August 2021.  We are here with you, and for you, all of the way.

 

No question is a silly question.  Please just ask either via MyEd or via the school office email address on this letter.  With very best wishes to you all.  See you soon students!

 

Tina Smith

Headteacher

 

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