Charlton School

Wednesday 14^th April

Dear Parent / Carer,

I hope you are all having an enjoyable break and where possible you have taken some time off together to enjoy the loosening of the restrictions?

As we look forward to returning next week the DfE have confirmed that face coverings should continue to be worn in school, including in classrooms, except when to where a face covering would impact on the ability to take part in exercise or strenuous activity, for example in PE lessons.

There was a notable drop off towards the end of the spring term of students bringing their own masks to school. This measure will remain in place until at least 17^th May and I seek your assistance in providing a face covering for your child every day they are in school; we have a very limited supply of masks and cannot continue to provide the number of masks we were having to on a daily basis.

You will recall from my letters prior to Easter, we have all been requested to continue to test twice weekly using lateral flow tests over the holiday.  Please ensure, at the very least, all students are tested either Sunday night or Monday morning prior to their return to school.

Results should be logged at the following site:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2s8TOK9SpUy44yMVeXcKukUVAPHX4pVNshvCJ8oFcsFURDIzVEQzM0pFNlBTR1VZUVBNMkE5QVRPQi4u

Should the outcome of the test be positive, in addition to the above, please call the school at your earliest convenience (01952 386800) and send an email to covid@charlton.uk.com, this email will be checked periodically out of school hours.

The positive outcome will also need to be reported online to the NHS or by calling the number in the test kit instructions.

After Easter, we expect all students to return in full school uniform, including shoes or Charlton PE kit only, on the days they have PE.  There should be no other items of clothing, for example hoodies or sweatshirts, except for an outdoor coat being worn to school.

Nonessential retail reopened on 12^th April.  Bakers and Sons, our uniform providers have reopened and are operating during their usual opening hours, there is no need to book an appointment.   You can still purchase uniform online at https://www.bakerandsonschoolwear.co.uk/product-category/your-school/charlton-school/.   We also have a good stock of high-quality uniform available through our school clothes bank.  Please contact reception to access this in the summer term.

We would also like to remind parents and students about our jewellery, hairstyle and make-up policies:

• Jewellery is not permitted except for one pair of small gold or silver studs earrings worn in the ear lobe. Other piercings are not allowed.
• Cosmetics, other than a discreet amount, should not be worn. Eyebrows should be natural and not tinted.
• Nail varnish and nail extensions are not allowed in school.
• Excessive hairstyles, hair extensions or hair wraps, shaved patterns, panels or lines, non-natural hair colour and false eyelashes are not permitted.

Please find further details about uniform and our expectations on our school website, http://charlton.uk.com/parent-student-information/uniform.  Please do consider the above in preparation for our return to school.

We have also seen an increase in the use of earphones in school, in particular, the airpod wireless type.  If earphones are seen being used in school, these will be treated the same as a mobile device and they will be confiscated. The first time, the student will be able to collect at the end of the day, if confiscated again, parents will need to collect.

With the return of Mrs Edwards to car park duty, the end of term was more pleasant for all of our site users.  Just a polite reminder to parents who collect children by car after school, please park in a bay whilst waiting for your child, not down the centre of the one-way loop.  If you use community roads local to school to pick up your child, please remain respectful to residents and their properties.

We return to school on Monday 19^th April, Year 11 please set your alarms – they need to arrive and enter school via the back gates at the earlier time of 8.40am and go to their tutor period.  Their school day will finish at 2.50pm, all other Year groups are the same time for starts and finishes.   

Please continue to abide by the coronavirus restrictions in place, we are seeing good reductions in cases locally, and remember to conduct a lateral flow test prior to a return to school.

Yours faithfully,

Mr A McNaughton

Principal