Start of term January 2021
- Details
- Written by Debbie Shallcross
Week Beginning: Monday 4th January
- All year groups will now be remote learning from home – the school will provide remote lessons and learning accessed via Show My Homework in the usual way
- Exams and ‘warm up’ sessions for those Y10-13 involved will continue as planned with some additional ‘warm up’ sessions – see below. School uniform as usual please.
- The school will also provide supervision for those vulnerable students and children of keyworkers who need to be in school whilst they access their remote lessons and learning materials. School uniform as usual please.
- Y11 and Y13 return for face to face teaching, other year groups remain remote.
- Keyworker children and vulnerable students continue as 1st week.
- All students return for face to face teaching.
This delay to the return to school is to allow the school to plan for the proposed rapid testing programme designed to reduce the spread of Covid-19 by identifying asymptomatic cases quickly and minimising disruption. We will be planning how this will be staffed, accommodated and resourced so we will keep you updated with details in due course.
Testing Programme in school
During the first week of term, we will be working out a plan to carry out the proposed testing programme. The extent of the testing we are able to accommodate will depend on a number of factors, including staffing and resourcing. We will initially be focusing on a plan to test staff and Y11 and Y13 students to minimise further disruption to teaching and exam groups. Testing is voluntary and a letter will follow next week, asking parents and carers for consent for their child to be tested, with further details. A simple guide to the swab test is included here.
The testing workforce will be made up of school staff and volunteers and training will be provided for all those involved. The Lateral Flow Device tests are simple to use and young people swab themselves, with a trained person supervising them in appropriate PPE. Tests are then processed and recorded by the testing workforce. They produce a result in around 30 minutes. We would be hugely grateful for any support with running this valuable programme, even for volunteers able to offer a few hours a week, which will help our young people resume their education without the level of disruption that they have been having to endure.
If any parent or carer or member of our community would be willing to volunteer to be part of the testing workforce, please contact the school for more details, by emailing your name, contact details and availability to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
BTEC EXAMS
BTEC unit exams will still go ahead as planned. Every candidate has already received a personalised timetable and all information is on the exams page of the website. Here is the summary:
Date | Subject | Unit | Year Group | Start Time |
Wed 6th Jan | Business | Developing a Marketing Campaign | Y12 | 9.30 am |
Wed 6th Jan | Health and Social Care | Enquiries into Current Research | Y13 | 9.30 am |
Wed 6th Jan | Sport | Fitness Training | Y13 | 9.30 am |
Thu 7th Jan | Art | Critical and Contextual Studies | Y12 | 9.30 am |
Fri 8th Jan | Business | Principles of Management | Y13 | 9.30 am |
Fri 8th Jan | Travel and Tourism | UK Travel and Tourism Sector | Y10/11 | 9.30 am |
Fri 8th Jan | Health and Social Care | Human Lifespan | Y12/Y13 | 1.30 pm |
There are a number of ‘warm up’ or revision sessions planned. Students involved will need to come in to school and go directly to their warm up room at the appropriate times as follows:
Warms Ups /Revision Sessions
Date | Subject | Unit | Year Group | Room | Start Time |
Mon 4th Jan | Sport | Fitness Training | Year 13 | M6/7 | 9.15 am (until 11.15 am) |
Wed 6th Jan | Business | Developing a marketing campaign | Year 12 | B8 | 8.30 am |
Wed 6th Jan | Sport | Fitness Training | Year 13 | W2 | 8.30 am |
Wed 6th Jan | Travel and Tourism inc. technical pathway | Revision session | Year 10 | B2 | 2.15 pm (until 4.30 pm) |
Thurs 7th Jan | Art | Critical and Contextual Studies | Year 12 | B8 | 8.30 am |
Thurs 7th Jan | Travel and Tourism inc. technical pathway | Revision session | Year 11 | B2 | 1.15 pm (until 3.15pm) |
Fri 8th Jan | Business | Principles of Management | Year 13 | B8 | 8.30 am |
Fri 8th Jan | Travel and Tourism inc. technical pathway | UK Travel and Tourism sector | Year 10 | B2 | 8.30 am |
Fri 8th Jan | Travel and Tourism inc. technical pathway | UK Travel and Tourism sector | Year 11 | B5 | 8.30 am |
Fri 8th Jan | Health and Social Care | Human Lifespan Development | Year 12 | W4 | 10.45 am |
Any questions or concerns relating to exams during the break should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Vulnerable Students and Children of Keyworkers
We need to plan the staffing for any vulnerable and keyworker students attending for the first week as teaching staff will already be fully occupied in teaching either face to face or remote lessons. To help us with this if your child falls into either category and needs to attend school, please message us using MyEd as soon as possible with your child’s name, form and which days (from 4th Jan to 15th Jan 2021) your child will need to be in school and whether they will be buying food/drinks from the canteen. This group will be based in the IT Plaza in the red building as before and should go directly there at their usual arrival time. Students will need to bring headphones to plug in to the computers to listen to their remote lessons individually to avoid disturbing other students in the room who will all be accessing different lessons. Students should be in their normal school uniform.
Once again, we appreciate your patience and understanding and we will do all we can to ensure things go as smoothly as possible.
I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope that 2021 brings all in our community health, happiness and hope for more positive times ahead.
With best wishes to you all
Vicky Willis
Headteacher