Dear Parents
COVID-19
I wanted to write to you all, to provide an update on how we at Highams Park School are starting to forge plans for a phased re-opening of the school at some point in the future. Any wider re-opening will initially only be for some students and will not replace online learning, but rather compliment it.
It is extremely frustrating when commencing this letter, to know that I will fall short of my desire to set out clear plans for each Year Group with specific dates for return. To provide such confirmation at this present time is sadly, just not possible.
As you are no doubt aware, the Government has requested that schools start to make plans “to offer some face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of Year 10 and Year 12 students who are due to take key exams next year.” Within this document the Government stresses that: “This will not be a return to full timetables or pupils back in school full-time, rather some support to supplement pupils’ remote education.”
It is of huge frustration to all of the staff at Highams Park School, that it is currently not possible to open the school, and that students are being deprived of the education and interaction upon which they thrive. It is apparent to all who listen to the press and news headlines that there are several conflicting views with regards, to what the correct approach is to take to the wider opening of schools. Politicians, Medical Experts, Union leaders, Parents’ Groups, Teachers and Head Teachers have all been vocal in expressing the conflicting views that schools should open as quickly as possible, while others champion keeping them firmly shut!
We are all aware from the press of the huge diversity of opinion that exists with regards to the re-opening of schools in general, but having recently met with the school trustees, I can confirm the following with regards to Highams Park School.
- The School is currently only open to students whose parents are Key Workers, who are unable to find other suitable childcare. Please note that this provision is not ‘school as normal’ for these students, students are supervised as they complete the online work that is set on Firefly.
- Highams Park School will only open to more students, when I school trustees and I are confident that it is as safe as possible, for the students and staff to do so.
- Whilst we have emerging plans as to how the requested “face-to-face contact” with Year 10 and Year 12 students may be achieved, these plans are being developed and checked as discussion commences, with both teaching unions and parents.
- The press speculation that secondary schools will be open from the 1st June 2020 is not true, Highams Park School will remain closed. The 1st June 2020 is the date by which the Government will confirm, whether their criteria has been met for any further relaxation of enforced school closures.
- To date the Government have not yet published the promised guidance that should be used to plan for the re-opening of secondary schools. Whilst we have some emerging plans, and we have already commenced preparations for students’ return, e.g. social distancing markings being placed on the floor in areas of high footfall and setting up classrooms, to adhere to the currently required 2 metre social distancing. It will be necessary to compare our preparations to those required within the awaited document.
- When a wider opening of the school is believed possible, it is envisaged that it will commence with Year 12 students in order to scrutinise arrangements with our oldest and most mature students, to ensure that all planned social distancing measures operate smoothly, before considering extending the provision to include Year 10 students.
- The way in which the school might be re-opened remains under discussion and when it commences, it will be a strictly limited resumption and sadly, will not reflect a normal school timetable.
In setting out the points above, I am very much aware that before you are able to consider whether you would send your child back to school for the ‘face-to-face contact’ with their teachers and some of their classmates, you would wish to have much more information about how the provision will be organised, to base your decision upon.
Whilst the plan is to prioritise inviting Years 10 and 12 students into school initially, we would like to have the views of all parents captured within the survey, so we will send this to you all. The survey will be circulated via Firefly and will help us to gather your views that in turn will help us plan towards the return that we all wish to achieve, whilst keeping the safety of your children paramount.
It will not surprise you to learn, that any provision is entirely dependent upon the availability of school staff to be able to teach and safely supervise your children. We are currently linking with our workforce to establish their health and availability.
As suggested at the start of the letter, I am sorry that I cannot at this time be more specific with details, but please be assured that colleagues are working tirelessly behind the scenes, to review the evidence and guidance, and then put in place the measures required, to ensure that the desired return to school will be able to be achieved safely for everyone's benefit.
I will write to you all again as soon as any more definite plans emerge, in the meantime, I would like to thank you all for your patience and the support that I know you will be continuing to provide for your children as they continue to work through the material provided for home study.
Yours faithfully
Phil Grundy
Principal
On behalf of Highams Park Academy Trustees
