Charlton School

Dear Parent/Carer

Over the half-term holiday the Government finally released guidance for secondary schools on the wider reopening of the schools, to provide some face to face contact for Year 10 students to supplement the remote education they are doing, which will remain the predominant mode of education for them during this term.

It is vital for the protection of others that any students or staff who are unwell with coronavirus symptoms, or who have someone in their household who has symptoms, does not attend school and follows the NHS guidance below:

Do not leave home if you or someone you live with has any of the following:

• a high temperature
• a new, continuous cough
• a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste

Check the NHS website if you have symptoms

If you or someone in household has the symptoms above, they should get tested for the Coronavirus, further guidance can be found below on testing.  You should inform the school immediately about any symptoms and the outcome of the test should be shared with the school, as soon as possible, once it is known.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/ask-for-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/

The Government have put strict measures in place that limit the amount of students we can have in the building, with no more than 25% of Year 10 allowed in the building at any one time, no more than half of students in a class, not having a different set of students in a morning and afternoon, and limiting the amount of different mixed groups of students who attend.

Attached is our plan that meets the criteria of the Government guidance and yet still provides an opportunity for students to have face to face contact with a teacher from every subject they study before the summer holiday.

You will see we are bringing students into school in their form groups to limit the number of mixed groups in school.  These will then be split further, depending on the subject on the timetable on that day.  They will remain with the same smaller groups for core subjects and have specific groups for their Humanities, MFL and option A and B subjects.

In the plan you will see the Week Commencing on the left hand side, starting with the 15^th June.  In that week, 10.1 and 10.2 will attend on Monday and Friday, 10.3 and 10.4 on Tuesday, 10.5 and 10.6 on Wednesday and 10.7 and 10.8 on Thursday.  All form groups have one day per week, plus one Friday in the four weeks.  The days to attend differ each week to ensure students see staff in every subject area.

Monday will see students having sessions with their Option C and D subjects (History, Geography, French, German or their non-MFL option), Tuesday will be their Option A and B subjects, Wednesday English language and Literature, Thursday Science and Friday Maths and Science.

Prior to this commencing on Monday 15^th June, you and your child will receive a call from their tutor to explain the process further.  If you have made a decision to not send your child back to school prior to the summer holiday, please call our attendance team by 3.30pm on Tuesday 9^th June, 01952 386800 ext 1, to inform us of this and for what reason. We have to report this to the Department for Education; for example, your child or a family member is classed as extremely vulnerable. Further guidance on this can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings#shielded-and-clinically-vulnerable-children-and-young-people

In addition to the phone call, and prior to the students returning to school, we ask that they complete an Emotional Health and Wellbeing survey. Information regarding this will be sent separately and it is important all students complete this survey by Friday 12th June. Targeted support will be offered to those who may need extra help transitioning back to school, based on their survey outcomes. Students will be contacted on an individual basis if additional support is required.

The plan we have in place enables the school to practise social distancing in line with the measures the Government is asking everyone to adopt in public and in workplaces, including keeping students and staff 2 metres apart from each other, where possible.  It is imperative that students follow the daily procedures below; students who breach these and create undue risk for others will not be invited back into school.

Daily Procedures

• Students to arrive on site no earlier than 9.50am and proceed immediately to the back gate on the lower car park, it is non-uniform, but clothing and footwear must be appropriate for a school environment
• Students are encouraged to walk to school, if this is not possible please drop off and pick up students only, there should be no parking on the school site
• Parents and carers are not permitted to enter the school building
• Students will be registered on the gate and asked to use hand sanitiser before being lined up in their class, whilst maintaining social distancing
• Students will be walked to their class where they will remain for the two-hour morning session (hand sanitiser will be available on entry to the classroom)
• Students will be allocated a seat in the class and must remain in this seat to not jeopardise social distancing and risk the safety of others
• Students must bring a drink and all the necessary school equipment/stationery, as this cannot be borrowed
• At lunch, students will be supervised on the ground floor and must maintain social distancing throughout, only two students will be allowed to sit on a table
• Students who are entitled to free school meals can order a grab bag consisting of a sandwich, snack and drink on arrival to school in the morning, all other students will need to bring their own lunch as food is not being served
• At the end of lunch, students will return to the courts where they will line up in their classes and be escorted to their room where they are to remain for the afternoon session
• At the end of the school day (2.30pm) students are to immediately leave the school site, via the back gates
• Whilst in school, students are required to follow the building management plan, this will include one-way systems in the corridors and on the stairs, failure to follow this will jeopardise their place in school

We believe the plan in place will add value to the students’ learning, whilst supporting the home study taking place.  If you have any queries, please discuss these initially through the conversation with your child’s form tutor, who will seek further clarification and respond, if necessary.

You can view a copy of our re-opening plan, LCT risk assessment and addendums to our behaviour and first aid plans, at the following location on our school website:

http://charlton.uk.com/parent-student-information/covid-19-information

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation during this challenging time, we very much look forward to having your child back in school with us.

Yours faithfully

Mr A McNaughton

Principal