Good afternoon.

I hope you and your families are keeping well during these difficult times.  Thank you for all you are doing to help us keep the school running as effectively as it can, under Covid-19 restrictions.  Attendance is very strong, and I appreciate your swift communication, if your child is not able to attend.

In line with the today’s government-revised restrictions, we will be making these changes to our Risk Assessment, from Monday 9th November:

• Face coverings - these are now mandatory in communal areas inside the school building, where 2-metre social distancing cannot be so effectively maintained, and when year-group bubbles are more prone to inadvertent mixing. 
• This means that, from Monday, face coverings should be worn by adults and students when moving around inside the school buildings, but outside of classrooms.  This includes only the following areas: all corridors, staircases, toilet areas, the dining room and Reception. When coming into school for a meeting, please wear your face covering, until you are seated and able to maintain a 2-metre distance.   
• Any adult who cannot wear a face covering on medical grounds, or the parent of a child who cannot wear a face covering on medical grounds, should contact the Headteacher. 
• Disposable face coverings will be sold from Reception at cost price – 10p – for those students who find themselves without a face covering. 
• Any student not complying with this measure will be managed in line with our normal behaviour systems.
• Extra-curricular activities after school – unfortunately, these enrichment activities are to be suspended until 2nd December.  This will include sporting clubs and Baking Club.  However, in line with DfE guidance, any after-school intervention sessions for Year 11 or Year 10, Media Studies for Year 9 and Homework Club will continue.
• Children in the Clinically Vulnerable Group (CEV) -  more evidence has emerged that shows there is a very low risk of children becoming very unwell from COVID-19, even for children with existing health conditions. Most children originally identified as clinically extremely vulnerable no longer need to shield. If parents are concerned about their child attending school, despite the DfE guidance, they are advised to contact the child's GP or specialist clinician, if they have not already done so, to understand whether their child should still be classed as clinically extremely vulnerable and still need to shield. We will require written confirmation from the medical professional, if a child has been advised to shield whilst these restrictions are in place.
• The DfE guidance states, that students who are not in the CEV group themselves, but who are living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, should continue to attend school.

I will update the Risk Assessment to include these changes, and make it available on the school’s website.

Best wishes, Paula Hearle