Dear Parent/Carer

I want to begin by thanking you for actively supporting your children and the school over the last few months. The return to “normal” school has been welcomed by staff and students but it has not been without its challenges. There have been times when bursts of infections have led to 1 in 4 teaching staff being absent with similar levels amongst support staff. Despite this, the school community has worked together to continue delivering high quality education for every child. We have had a strong engagement with the vaccination program and students have responded well to wearing face masks in communal areas. This has meant that we are currently experiencing fairly low levels of COVID within the school population. We would very much like it to remain so as much as possible in the future. Please support us in 3 ways. Firstly, please regularly test at home; secondly, please send your child to school for a lateral flow test when we return in January as explained below and lastly, please send your child to school with sufficient face coverings to last the day. We have a small supply available but this will be exhausted soon without your support. We believe that there will also be a second vaccination for students at some point in January and we will share more information as we have it.

As a staff, we have been focused on understanding the impact of the last few months on our students and adjusting our curriculum and pastoral work to meet their needs. Classroom learning is strong with a positive atmosphere and a clear appetite to learn from many students. We know a small number are finding school more challenging than usual and we will support where needed and challenge where necessary. School feels a lot more like it should after such a significant period of disruption. There have been a number of positive and enjoyable events going on round school with Anti-bullying week, Black History month, Mental Health Awareness week and Children in Need being supported across the school. You can also see some amazing work from our Art students on show at the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery until February. Careers interviews have been really well attended, and the PHSE programme has been resumed with projects to support students’ health and wellbeing in the pipeline. We have also enjoyed rewarding students for all the things they do and well over 75 gift vouchers and 225 selection boxes are being distributed as rewards.

We have been very happy to support the local foodbank with parcels and if you could use some support over the Christmas break, please use this link for more information https://zink.org.uk/.

You can also find some really useful information from DCC about access to the household support fund through the link below.

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/adult-care-and-wellbeing/benefits-debt-and-legal-matters/managing-money-and-debt/household-support-fund/household-support-fund.aspx

We expect school to re-open school as planned in January and for formal examinations to take place for Y11 and Y13 in the summer. We have put together a comprehensive plan to support catch up across the school and are investing a significant amount of money and staffing capacity into delivering something really special. However, you can be confident that we have comprehensive contingency plans in place to tackle whatever emerges over the next few months.

End of term arrangements

We will close slightly early on Wednesday 22^nd December at 2.20pm to allow staff to prepare spaces and remote learning to support the testing process.

January return and testing arrangements

As you will know we have been asked to test all students once before they return to lessons in January. I would like to amend our testing process to return as many students to face to face learning as soon as possible after the break. We are prioritising year 13 and year 11 first, followed by  other students who have formal examinations during the week of 10^th January.

We will re-open early on the 7^th to accommodate testing for some sixth form and then begin testing Y11 on Monday 10^th. Once a student has returned a negative test result, they can remain on site and go straight to face to face teaching. Those students who have a 2.50pm testing slot will begin face to face teaching the next day.  Students should remain at home where they will be provided with remote learning until their testing slot. Students should attend their testing slot in full uniform ready for their scheduled lessons unless they have a 2.50pm slot when they can attend in non-uniform. This schedule will allow most students to return to face-to-face learning much sooner than previously with everyone safely tested and back in a classroom by Wednesday afternoon.

Students should arrive at the Temple Road entrance for their testing slot. Please do not send your child any earlier as we will not be able to allow them on site until the correct time.

The full schedule is laid out below:

	Test date	Test Time	Return to face to face learning	Remote learning dates
13BKY	FRI 7TH JAN	9.50am	MON 10TH JAN
13WRD	FRI 7TH JAN	10.05am	MON 10TH JAN
13WRG	FRI 7TH JAN	10.20am	MON 10TH JAN
12BAR	FRI 7TH JAN	10.35am	MON 10TH JAN
12PKD	FRI 7TH JAN	10.50am	MON 10TH JAN
12BTE	FRI 7TH JAN	11.20am	MON 10TH JAN
12WGN	FRI 7th JAN	11.40am	MON 10TH JAN
11BKR	MON 10TH JAN	8.50am	MON 10TH JAN
11WWH	MON 10TH JAN	9.20am	MON 10TH JAN
11WTH	MON 10TH JAN	9.50am	MON 10TH JAN
11BTS	MON 10TH JAN	10.20am	MON 10TH JAN
11SCS	MON 10TH JAN	10.50am	MON 10TH JAN
11NCL	MON 10TH JAN	11.20am	MON 10TH JAN
10RWN	MON 10TH JAN	11.50am	MON 10TH JAN
10SFD	MON 10TH JAN	12.20pm	MON 10TH JAN
10BMY	MON 10TH JAN	12.50pm	MON 10TH JAN
10GFN	MON 10TH JAN	1.20pm	MON 10TH JAN
10GLP	MON 10TH JAN	1.50pm	MON 10TH JAN
10MTN	MON 10TH JAN	2.20pm	MON 10TH JAN
10ISC	MON 10TH JAN	2.50pm	TUE 11TH JAN
7HWD	TUE 11TH JAN	8.50am	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
7CPY	TUE 11TH JAN	9.20am	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
7DPT	TUE 11TH JAN	9.50am	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
7FWL	TUE 11TH JAN	10.20am	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
7HWR	TUE 11TH JAN	10.50am	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
7JON	TUE 11TH JAN	11.20am	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
9MRY	TUE 11TH JAN	11.50am	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
9LKT	TUE 11TH JAN	12.20pm	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
9RDY	TUE 11TH JAN	12.50pm	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
9BDN	TUE 11TH JAN	1.20pm	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
9WOD	TUE 11TH JAN	1.50pm	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
9GRR	TUE 11TH JAN	2.20pm	TUE 11TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
9EDG	TUE 11TH JAN	2.50pm	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH JAN
8AUS	WED 12TH JAN	8.50am	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH / TUE 11TH JAN
8CHE	WED 12TH JAN	9.20am	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH / TUE 11TH JAN
8HTR	WED 12TH JAN	9.50am	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH / TUE 11TH JAN
8MDN	WED 12TH JAN	10.20am	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH / TUE 11TH JAN
8JNS	WED 12TH JAN	10.50am	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH / TUE 11TH JAN
8BTH	WED 12TH JAN	11.20am	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH / TUE 11TH JAN
8SMK	WED 12TH JAN	11.50am	WED 12TH JAN	MON 10TH / TUE 11TH JAN

 

Special message 9LKT / 9RDY. These groups will be tested during the school lunch break and will not have access to the dinner hall. Please ensure they have eaten before they attend for their test. Thank you for your support with this.

In the meantime, I would like to wish you and your families a very happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Craig Yates - Headteacher