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Student Return

March 2021 - Notice for Parents and Carers

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement to reopen schools, we are looking forward to welcoming your child back during the week commencing 8th March.

COVID-19 Testing
The government has asked all secondary schools to make arrangements for all students, where permission has been given, to undertake a series of three COVID-19 lateral flow tests at school as we return to face-to-face teaching. The government is allowing schools to use time before March 8th to start this testing process.
We will be completing Covid-19 testing of all registered students on the following days:

First test: either Monday 1 st or Tuesday 2nd March
Second test: either Thursday 4th or Friday 5th March
Third test: either Monday 8th or Tuesday 9th March

There will be a booking system in place for each year group, using the Parents Evening Booking System, and you will be sent the appropriate link and instructions for this on Thursday 25th February.

Government guidelines state that there should be 3 to 5 days between tests, so please book dates in either of the two following combinations:

First test: Monday 1 st, second test: Thursday 4th, third test: Monday 8th March
Or
First test: Tuesday 2nd, second test: Friday 5th, third test: Tuesday 9th March

Students must only be on site for their appointment on these days, and must then return immediately back to their home – the national lockdown is still in place. They may be accompanied by one adult to the school but must not travel in friendship groups. The testing should take around 5 minutes, and each year group will be allocated a particular venue within the school.

Students must not attend their appointment or come onto school site if they have any Covid-19 symptoms: new, continuous dry cough; high temperature; loss or change to sense of smell or taste. If they have any of these symptoms, please arrange for a test at your local testing site.

In order to accommodate this massive undertaking, we will be suspending the majority of live lessons from the end of Friday 26th February. Teachers will set tasks to be completed which may include use of Oak Academy lessons, videos, recorded lessons, tasks to complete on paper, etc.

The alternative to this approach would be to test students once they are back in school which will cause considerable disruption to face to face lessons and I am sure you will agree that this would be significantly less desirable.

Normal attendance at school will begin on Wednesday 10th March. Students must attend in their full school uniform (or PE uniform, plus blazer, if they have PE) from this date. If you require new items of uniform, please order online, and collect prior to 10th March, at:
https://www.springwoodhighschool.co.uk/page/?title=School+Shop&pid=155

All students must have a face covering with them, and this must be worn at all times apart from when eating, during PE or on the fields at break and lunchtime. All measures that were in place before Christmas remain, including the one way system, sanitising hands on entry and exit of classrooms, and seating plans in lessons. It is the government’s expectation that all students return to school, unless they themselves currently have a shielding letter. If this is the case, please supply a copy to the relevant Year Manager.

If you have been loaned IT equipment this can remain at home for now. We will give you notice of when this should be returned but this is likely to be May at the earliest.

Once again, we are looking forward to welcoming all of the students back to the classrooms. Thank you for all of your support since January in keeping the children engaged with their learning at home.

Mr A Johnson
Executive Headteacher