School remains OPEN 17.03.2020
17th March 2020
Dear Parents and Carers
We are receiving a number of enquiries as to why we are not closing the College for all pupils due to the coronavirus outbreak. The situation is changing rapidly, but we must follow Department for Education Advice, which states that ‘No education or children’s social care setting should close unless advised to do so by Public Health England… Decisions on future advice to education or children’s social care settings will be taken based on the latest and best scientific evidence, which at this stage suggests children are a lower risk group.’
We have a number of staff who are pregnant, self-isolating because they are in vulnerable health groups, or because they are affected by the instruction for people to self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their household has symptoms. This level of absence, beyond staff sickness which we can normally cover, means that we have no option but to limit pupil numbers in school.
Our aim is to continue to deliver the highest-possible quality of learning for our pupils. By asking one year-group to work at home on a given day, we can use the staff made free to cover lessons for the remaining pupils in school, so that they continue to be taught by subject specialists as much as possible. This is preferable to using agency supply teachers who are in very short supply. It also means that we can cover all necessary out-of-lesson supervision in order to maintain health and safety. Cleaning of the school site is a very high priority.
We will keep you informed about future plans as they evolve, and thank you for your understanding at this anxious and difficult time.
Yours sincerely
Claire Coates
Principal
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