17th March 2020
Dear Parent(s)
Re: COVID-19
I am sorry to contact you twice in one day, but the rapidly changing situation of the COVID-19 virus requires me to share the following important news with all of you. Due to the level of staff absence that I already know is going to impact the school tomorrow, Wednesday, 18th March 2020, it will be necessary to restrict the Year Groups that attend. The school will remain open for all students in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13, but students from Years 7, 8 and 9 will need to remain at home.
It is with great regret that from Wednesday, 18th March 2020 students in our youngest Years will have to remain at home. We have on this occasion prioritised students from our GCSE and A Level Years to maintain their attendance at school, we are aware that students in these Year Groups are very anxious about their forthcoming examinations.
Staff will be setting tasks for Years 7, 8 and 9 to complete at home via Firefly. My Deputy Principal, Mr Hyde has recently sent a separate email, which details how to access all of the online resources and how students can contact their teachers. Students from all Year Groups should take careful note of this, as it would be our intention to rotate which Year Groups attend school and I anticipate that fuller school closures may well be forced upon us by the Government in due course.
I will continue to review the situation on a daily basis and will, if possible, bring Year Groups back into school as the timetable and staffing levels permit. Thank you for your support and understanding at this very challenging time for us as a community.
Yours faithfully
Mr Phil Grundy
Principal
17th March 2020
Dear Parent(s)
Re: COVID-19
As you will be aware of the growing impact of the COVID 19 virus upon our nation, and obviously this has an impact upon the Highams Park School community as well. To date we have been able to maintain educational provision for all of our seven Year Groups, 7 to 13 but with the ramping up of the Government’s methods of containment and social distancing it will not be possible in the near future for Highams Park School to stay open for all Year Groups.
We will review this on a daily basis in response to staff absence, and will do our utmost to prioritise teaching for those Year Groups closest to their GCSE or A Level examinations. As soon as a firm decision has been made as to which Year Groups will be effected, I will notify you via parent mail and post an updated message on the website.
I am sure that you appreciate the tension that exists between staff wishing to cooperate with the Government’s desire to keep schools open, but also needing to follow the individual guidance with regard to their own health and that of their families. I am aware from the notifications received from parents that all of you are also juggling the same issues within your families. I include for ease of reference the new guidance on social distancing that was issued yesterday.
In addition to confirming opening arrangements for each Year Group, we will also circulate guidance on how students and parents can access work remotely, if they are instructed to stay at home. There are already a wealth of resources that are available for students to access via Firefly, I would encourage them to make use of these. However, it is not possible for staff to set individual work for students currently self-isolating, as they are engaged with delivering lessons for those students still present at school.
When/if it becomes necessary for us to close the school for particular Year Groups, teachers who remain in good health will aim to set specific tasks for classes via Firefly. Could I suggest that each of you check with your child that they understand how to log onto Firefly. My Deputy Principal, Mr Hyde will be sending updated information on how to do this later on today.
Many thanks for your continued support and understanding at this challenging time.
Yours faithfully
Mr Phil Grundy
Principal
