St. Peter's Catholic College

covid 19 study

Download here: March Reopening

1st March 2021

Dear Parent/Carer

Following the recent letter from our CEO to inform you about the full opening of schools from the 8th March, I now write to you to confirm our plans at St Peter’s Catholic College.

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your continued support as you have juggled your own home working with your child’s home schooling. Winter seemed long but spring is upon us representing a renewed hope and a time where we can look forward to warmer days and now, importantly, welcoming our pupils back.

This letter will outline important information about how your child will return to school and what measures will be in place to keep pupils and staff safe. As always we will be vigilant and cautious with all of the decisions we make.

Phased opening

School on site testing

The Government has announced that all pupils should be offered three Covid tests at school using Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs). The testing is taking place initially in the main hall and it involves a gentle self swab of the nose. Pupils will be guided throughout each step of the process by trained staff. Testing is voluntary but strongly encouraged, and you will have received the link for the consent form to be completed to confirm your child is to be tested or not. Pupils in that year group will return to school the following day following their first negative test result. Parents will receive a text or email notification the same day if the result is negative and a phone call if the test is positive. Your child would then need to isolate following government guidance, along with pupils who have been recognised as a close contact.

Home test kits

Once pupils have been tested three times at school, they will be provided with home test kits for regular testing. Pupils will be supplied with LFD test kits to self swab and test themselves twice a week at home.

Pupils must report their result to NHS Test and Trace as soon as the test is completed either online or by telephone as per the instructions in the home test kit. Positive results must be reported to Mrs Garthwaite via telephone. Pupils with a positive LFD test result will need to self-isolate in line with the stay-at-home guidance.
They will also need to arrange a lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result if the test was done at home.

No child will participate in testing unless we have received positive confirmation of consent from their parent or carer and the child him/herself is happy to participate on the day of the test. Rapid testing is primarily to help identify and to flag asymptomatic cases which then require immediate self-isolation; but it is not fully accurate and so we must still remain vigilant for any symptoms, to then self-isolate, and to seek PCR testing via the NHS.

Return to school

The time of the school day from Monday 8th March will return to 8.25am – 2.35pm.
School Transport will resume as normal from this date.

However, to allow for the testing programme to be conducted the return for all pupils will be a staged approach. The first test will be staggered across the day to ensure we support the pupils during the process. Pupils must arrive for the very start of their scheduled time and will return home immediately after the first test and will not be expected to wear uniform.

The information below is a summary of the return dates for each year group. The second and third tests will be 3-5 days after each test but these will take place within the normal school day.

This will mean by Friday 12th March all pupils with negative test results will have returned to full time curriculum in school.

Lessons during the week commencing 8th March will be a variety of live lessons and google classroom lessons to accommodate the testing programme but all pupils are expected to log in to lessons when they are not in school for their test appointment.

All other arrangements prior to January will remain the same for pupils such as the multi way system in school, year group bubbles, staggered timing within the school day, uniform and behaviour expectations.

Provision for the key worker and vulnerable pupils who have attended school during the lockdown period will continue to attend school.

Pupil well being

We are fully aware that the return to school will result in a variety of emotions for our young people. We have staggered the process of the return to provide the full pastoral support and wraparound care that is needed for each individual. Pupils will receive time with their tutor, assemblies on return from the Head of School and we will direct pupils to the well being section on our school website. The inclusion team will be in touch to support enhanced transition across the week for the SEND pupils. However, if you feel your child does require further support reintegrating please contact the relevant Director of Progress.

Precautions and face coverings

The government has now recommended that face coverings should be worn in classrooms as well as in corridors and communal areas. However, this does not apply in situations where a face covering would impact on the ability to take part in exercise such as PE. We would appreciate your support in ensuring your child continues to bring a face covering to school.

We will continue to take precautions in line with DFE guidance such as:
• ensuring everyone at the school cleans their hands more often than usual
• ensuring good respiratory hygiene, by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach
• enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces more often
• minimising contact and maintaining distance where possible

You must not send your child to school if they have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or if you have someone in your household who does. We would ask parents and carers to support us by engaging with the NHS Test and Trace process so that cases can be identified and action taken.
Behaviour

Pupils are reminded that they are to wear full uniform on their first full day return to school. Pupils must also arrive fully equipped with their school planner, equipment for lessons and any work that they have completed on paper to hand in to their teachers.

Attendance

On the return to school, school attendance will be mandatory. This means that the legal duty on parents of children of compulsory school age will apply. It is vital that children return to school as quickly as possible for their educational progress, wellbeing and wider development.

Where shielding advice remains in place for your child, it is important that you communicate this information to Ms Mitchinson so we can ensure remote learning continues. We would ask for evidence from your child’s doctor or other medical professional, to support this requirement.

Free school meal entitlement

Pupils will receive their free school meal entitlement when they return to school full time. From the week commencing 8th March, if your child requires a packed lunch until they return please notify Mrs Robinson.

Examinations for Y11 pupils

We will send separate correspondence to all Y11 parents updating you on the plans for grading in due course. However, we ask that all pupils continue to complete all work they are set by their teachers as this will contribute significantly to their summer grades.
We are looking forward to the return of all of our pupils. Thank you once again for the commitment and support you have shared during these challenging times. If you require further information please contact by telephone on 01642 453462 or email [email protected].

Yours sincerely

Mr M Burns, Executive Headteacher Mrs S Garthwaite, Head of School

Website Questionnaire to Parents and Carers March 2021

You can find this information here: Screening Letter to Parents

NPCAT Parent and Carer Update September 2020