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Headteacher's update:  Friday 25 September 2020

Dear Parent or Carer
 

• Tier 2 schooling

• The past week

• Powerful Knowledge Projects

• Reading resources
   

Tier 2 schooling

The government has designated four tiers of provision in secondary schools linked to the wider public health situation. We are currently operating at Tier 1; meaning that all students are in school but subject to enhanced health measures such as the wearing of face masks and being confined to year groups during the school day. 

Under Tier 2 rules, schools will have to implement a rota system, with students alternating between studying in-school and at home. The public health situation is such that I think it very likely the government will require schools to move to Tier 2 provision, though I cannot know when. 

I wrote to you last week to reassure you that the School has robust plans in place for Tier 2 provision. The School website has been updated with an Information Pack that sets out those plans in much greater detail. (Please see the link to the Tier 2 Guidance below this letter.)  I would strongly encourage you to read through that information pack carefully and to discuss it with your child. We will reinforce those plans in school. 

For now, I would ask that you note that the School will close at 12.30pm on Tuesday, 6 October in order to allow teachers and other colleagues time to do further work in departments to plan for Tier 2. The early close will not apply to students in Year 11. The School will also teach a full day of online lessons on Friday, 16 October, the last day before half term holidays, in order to prepare students for the practical realities of Tier 2 provision. This will apply to students in all year groups.

I am of course reluctant to create more disruption by closing the School even for a short time, but I hope parents will understand the need to fully prepare for an extended period of blended learning. 

The past week

Students have continued to  improve and to impress. Our young people have done a much, much better job observing health measures in the past week. First thing in the morning and around meal times, almost all students had face masks; at least half wore them without having to be reminded; and perhaps another third put them on quickly and without fuss once they were reminded. I would like to thank parents for their support in what is a really crucial step in keeping students safe.

What’s more, my senior colleagues and I have collectively spent several dozen hours over the past two weeks checking on the learning taking place in classrooms, observing teachers, talking to students and checking their work. There is a calm, purposeful atmosphere in lessons with almost all students working hard almost all the of the time. 

Powerful Knowledge Projects

A week ago, we asked students in Years 8 and 9, who started or completed a project during the Lockdown, to notify the school of the status of that project. The school is subject to many competing priorities and cannot delay any longer the process of marking and rewarding those students whose project are already complete. I therefore respectfully ask that if your child intends to submit a completed project they do so by Friday, 2 October, at the latest. I cannot guarantee that we will be able to mark projects submitted after this date. 

Reading resources

The School website has been updated with information and resources designed to support parents in encouraging their children to read. There is compelling evidence that regular, age-appropriate reading outside of school contributes more to young people’s academic success than any other single factor. I’d like to thank Mr. Surridge and his colleagues in the English Department for producing Reading at TCSED. 

Thank you for your continued support and kind regards.

Mr. A. Crossman
Headteacher