Arrangements for the return to school in January 2021

Dear Parents and Carers,

Firstly, I hope that you and your families are well and are continuing to remain healthy during this extended challenging period caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

If your child tests positive for Covid-19 in the period Friday 18^th – Thursday 24^th December, please inform the school by completing the online form on the school’s website (link at foot of this letter).

You will have seen in the media in the last 24 hours that the government have made very late changes to the guidance given to schools regarding the beginning of the new term in January 2021. A link to the full guidance can be found at the foot of this letter.

As a result of the guidance issued by the DfE on the evening of 17^th December, I can confirm that the arrangements for The Radclyffe School will be as follows.

For the week Monday 4^th – Friday 8^th January 2021:

All Year 11 students must attend school as normal from Monday to Friday for face-to-face teaching. Our learners in that year group have three days of PPE exams during this week and it is crucial that they come into school each day to sit these exams and participate in regular lessons.
Students in Years 7-10 who are categorised as ‘vulnerable’ or who are the children of key workers may attend school during that week if their parents or carers request this. Parents/carers who are key workers and wish their child to attend during this week must complete an online form (see link at the foot of this letter).
All other students in Years 7-10 should remain at home for the entire week and access remote learning. Updated resources, including recorded lessons, will be available on the ‘Frog’ section of the school website. This can be accessed by your child in the usual way using their regular login details. Paper packs of resources will also be sent if requested by families.

From Monday 11^th January 2021 onwards:

All students in all year groups must attend school full-time in the normal manner and follow their regular timetable and curriculum.

All secondary schools have been requested by the government to draw up plans to prepare to become a Covid-19 testing centre. It is the government’s aspiration that students and staff should be tested in school on a periodic basis and also tested daily for several days if they are found to be a contact of a confirmed positive case.

Our school has started the process of planning and preparing to deliver such testing but this is currently at a very early stage. We are awaiting further guidance and information from both the local authority and the government before any actions are taken. Please be assured that we will continue to communicate with you and provide much more detail regarding this and that no children at the school will be tested unless their parents or carers give their specific consent for this.

I am sorry that I cannot provide any further information at this time but as outlined above we are awaiting further guidance on how the testing system will operate in practice. I also apologise in advance for the disruption that the phased start to the new term will bring.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support of the school and your child’s education. On behalf of the staff and governors of the school, I wish you all a very happy Christmas break and hope that you have the chance to spend quality family time together with your loved ones.

We look forward to welcoming your children safely back to school in January.

With best wishes,

Mr Cregg