Start of term arrangements

Introduction from Headteacher

Dear Parents, Carers and Families

We are very much looking forward to welcoming all students back at the start of next term. It has been lovely to see most of them for a tutor group meeting over the last few weeks.

It was clear from meeting students that they were eager to get back, but also keen to follow preventative measures to stop the spread of coronavirus. They will be washing their hands frequently, and they will be keeping apart from one another as much as possible in class and as they move about the site. They have been asked to isolate immediately if they experience coronavirus symptoms. Full details on the new rules will be published for students and families at the start of term following any updates in government guidance. The school’s full risk assessment will be published on the website at the end of this week following approval by governors.

The important thing that families can do now is to ensure that students have the right equipment for school. We will be working hard to reduce the amount of sharing of equipment that goes on between students. Each student having their own equipment, such as a calculator, is a simple and essential step in supporting us all to reduce coronavirus transmission. Our required personal equipment list is included with this letter.

It includes a specification for an appropriate personal laptop device for accessing online learning. These devices are less expensive than full laptops, but are appropriate for students who are accessing remote provision. Students will ideally have their own personal device to work on at home. They only work effectively with a good Wi-Fi connection.

We would encourage all families, where this has not already happened, to prioritise sourcing a device and good Wi-Fi over the summer, in advance of any possible school closures in the autumn and winter. We are actively in touch with families who have told us that they need support in this. If you also need support, please do get in touch. We are now recommending that students should own a suitable laptop before they own a mobile phone. Under the new circumstances, we believe that this is now a greater priority.

Any family wishing to donate money to support our efforts to ensure that all children at the school have access to reliable IT at home can make a donation via the school website. Those wishing to donate hardware should contact the school directly.

The start of term arrangements are as follows:

• Before term starts, on Tuesday 1 September, Y7 students will be invited to attend for a morning or afternoon session, which will involve organising their biometric access to the school canteen. It will be a fun chance to move about the school without any other year groups there, and to meet students in Y7 from their own and other tutor groups. Families will receive more details from Annie Parkin, Director of Learning (KS3), in the week beginning 24 August.
• On the first day of term, Thursday 3 September, Y7, 11 and 12 will be in for a usual day. Y7 will arrive by 8:25am for their first session at 8:30am. Y11 and 12 will arrive at the new start time of 8:45am for their first session at 8:50am.
• Y13 students will come in for 1:1 meetings.
• Students in Y8, 9 & 10 will come in from 1:50pm for afternoon sessions with their tutors and year teams from 2:05pm. They will receive their timetables and attend important assemblies.
• On the second day of term, Friday 4 September, Y7 and 11 arrive at the new normal times (Y7 at 8:25am for 8:30am tutor time, Y11 at 8:45am for 8:50am lessons).
  They will have a normal school day.
• Y13 will arrive at 9:45am for assembly at 9:50am.
• Y8, 9, 10 & 12 will come in from 10:50am to be in lessons by 11:15am along with everyone else.
• Term will now be fully underway.

Students are being asked to arrive and depart by different gates at different times as follows:

• Y7 students (by 8:25am) and Y10 students (by 8:45am) should arrive via the gate on Burghley Rd, and will depart (and can be collected) via the gate on Ingestre Rd
  (Y7 from 3:05pm and Y10 from 3:25pm);
• Y8 and 9 students should arrive (by 8:25am from Monday 7 September) and depart (and can be collected) via the gate on Churchill Rd (from 3:05pm);
• Y11, 12 and 13 students should arrive (by 8:45am) and depart via the gate on Burghley Rd (from 3:25pm).

They will be asked to wash their hands on arrival and on departure.

The school is currently undergoing a large scale IT upgrade to facilitate, amongst other things, the roll out of Office 365. From Monday 20 July, the school’s emails and telephones will be largely unavailable for a period of 2 weeks. The info@ and transition@ email addresses will continue to be monitored remotely at this time.

I would like to finish by thanking you for all of your support and engagement with the school during the period of school closure. The school is well placed to move forward in September. I wish you and your family all the very best for a restful summer break, and look forward to seeing everyone again in September. 

Yours sincerely,

Nicholas John
Headteacher

Variations to the Timing of the School Day and Start of Term Arrangements 
Autumn term 2020

* For students in Y12 & 13, period 5 is taught online and accessed remotely from home.

Arrival and departure gates
Autumn term 2020

Equipment list

• Equipment list 2020 21 PDF

Term Dates 2020-21

(190 student days + 5 INSET days)

Autumn Term 2020

(70 student days + 3 INSET days)

INSET day: Wednesday 2 September
First student day: Thursday 3 September
INSET day: Friday 25 September
Half Term: Monday 26 – Friday 30 October
INSET day: Friday 27 November
Last day: Friday 18 December

Spring Term 2021

(57 student days +1 INSET Day)

INSET day: Monday 4 January
First day: Tuesday 5 January 
Half Term: Monday 15 – Friday 19 February
Last day: Wednesday 31 March

Summer Term 2021

(63 student days + 1 INSET day)

First student day: Monday 19 April
May Bank Holiday: Monday 3 May 
Half Term: Monday 31 May – Friday 4 June
INSET day: Monday 7 June
Last day: Friday 23 July