Apologies for writing to you on New Year’s Eve, but I know that you would want to know what yesterday’s announcement in the House of Commons means for our school.

As the London Borough of Sutton is in a Tier 4 area (described as ‘stay at home’ by the government) schools are to have significant reductions to the number of students in their buildings. The exception next week is for students whose families work in critical services (defined here) and students with EHCPs or a vulnerability. At the moment, the government are not making longer range decisions as they want to see what the most up to date information is about the prevalence of COVID-19 within each local area.

However, despite schools being asked not to have students in next week we are not closed. We will continue to supply learning for students in all year groups and maintain contact with families to check that the learning can be accessed. We will also be supporting our students in Year 11 and 13 as a priority, given they have GCSE and A Level exams this summer.

Please find below a summary of the first two weeks of this term. 

Planning days: Monday 4^th and Tuesday 5^th January

Monday 4^th January was already planned to be an INSET day. Staff will spend this day, and Tuesday 5^th January term planning the curriculum for the next eight school days. We will also be working through the testing arrangements and undertaking staff training when the COVID-19 testing equipment arrives. The Department for Education have notified schools that these materials will start arriving from Monday 4^th January. 

Online learning: Wednesday 6^th January onwards

Online learning for all year groups will start from Wednesday morning. There has been some talk in the press about secondary students having at least a further week of holidays but I want students to stay in touch with their learning and I firmly believe that this is better for their wellbeing. And I write this as the dad of two school aged children with me at home this morning. One has been reading and drawing since 7.00am, while the other emerged from his bed rather later, but I believe that they both have an entitlement to learning when term starts. 

Instructions about how to access each child’s online learning will be sent out during Tuesday 5^th January. These will include the names of key staff that students in each year group should contact if there are any issues logging in or accessing the materials. Under the current plans this will be in place for students in Years 7 to 10 and Year 12 until the end of Friday 15^th January. 

Year 11 and Year 13 return to school from Monday 11^th January

From Monday 11^th January, students in Year 11 and Year 13 will be allowed to return to school and learn in person. This will allow the school to prioritise the learning of the two public exam year groups while also managing the mass testing for students and staff in the second week of term.  

Free school meals continue

While students learn from home in the first fortnight we will ensure that families entitled to free school meals receive the value of the free school meal allowance. We will send a text out directly to those families affected and make arrangements for the two weeks of vouchers to be sent out in one go.

Mass COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic staff and students 

The government announced that schools should start their testing in the week beginning Monday 11^th January. This makes good sense, giving schools the chance to make proper arrangements. One of the things I am considering is offering the test to all staff who want it first, so we can have a run through of the process and take any learning from this. 

I will write to families separately about this as next week gets underway. This will include a schedule so that families can make any childcare arrangements as soon as possible. As I wrote earlier this week, I do think the mass testing is a good idea and I certainly will be taking part. If you could complete this online form here to let us know your intention that will speed up the process significantly.

I am sure there will be further updates as next week begins, but I will try to make this the final Greenshaw letter of 2020!

In summary: online learning for all from Wednesday 6^th January onwards; Year 11 and Year 13 return from Monday 11^th January; and please complete the form about COVID-19 testing as soon as possible.

Thank you all for your support, especially over the last nine months. I hope we all have a smoother and more straightforward 2021. Wishing you all a very happy and safe new year.

Mr House, Headteacher

New Year image courtesy of callmetak @ www.freepik.com

I hope you have had a good time over the last week since school finished. I did say I would write to you in the middle of the holidays to confirm arrangements for next term. 

The contents of this letter are correct and accurate at the time of writing but this can, of course, change with little notice. As of today, and my writing of this letter, this is the picture for the start of term.

Students in Years 11 and 13 – in school from Tuesday 5^th January

We are very keen that students in these two age groups, given that they are in examination years, have as much contact with their teachers as possible. This is also the view of the Department for Education so students in these two year groups will return at the start of term, Tuesday 5^th January. They should use the normal entry points (Year 13 through the SRC and Year 11 through the main entrance) at their normal start times.

Students in Years 7-10 and 12 – remote learning from Tuesday 5^th January

In the middle of December, it was announced that students in Years 7-10 and 12 would start the term learning from home. This means that their learning will be hosted on Frog, the website we use for homework as well as lots of subject content. We have heard nothing to the contrary, so as it currently stands students in Years 7-10 and Year 12 will start their learning from home from Tuesday 5^th January. Their first day scheduled for learning in school will be Monday 11^th January 2021. 

We will communicate with families and students on Monday 4^th January to explain how they will find their learning and what the expectations of them are. This will mean that a day before their term starts we will send out an explanation of what students are to complete and how we will support them. 

Like the previous school closures, we will be offering provision for students whose family are key workers or have significant SEND needs. Please e-mail info@greenshaw.co.uk by midday on Thursday 31^st December to allow us to plan staffing for this. Please include the student's name, year group, and parental occupation.

Testing of asymptomatic students and staff in January

At the very end of last term it was announced that schools would be asked to host mass testing of asymptomatic students. Students with COVID-19 symptoms, or those that are contacts with cases, should not be in school and be using testing processes outside of school. However, estimates suggest that around one third of COVID-19 cases are entirely asymptomatic. An asymptomatic case (child or adult) would be potentially spreading the disease but be entirely unaware. 

As things currently stand we are prepared and ready to host the testing activity, but schools do not have all that is required to get it up and running in the first week back. This may well change, and at little notice. Later this week we will issue a consent document that needs returning. The exact date of any testing capacity going live is uncertain, but we would like to be well prepared if something happens at short notice. There have been many questions raised in this discussion about testing for COVID-19 being hosted in schools but I think these are the two most important ones at this point.

FAQ 1: Does my child had to have had a test to return to school?

I think, on balance, that testing as many staff and students as possible is a good idea. Although statistically students of school age are at hugely reduced risk from COVID-19, positive cases can transmit the virus to others who might be at much higher risk. So knowing this would make our school, our families and the wider community safer. But a student does not have to have a test before returning to school.

FAQ 2: Can I decide that I don’t want my child to have a test at school?

Yes. As I’ve said I think wide scale testing is a good idea that could reduce COVID-19 numbers, in turn making things safer for those individuals vulnerable to the infection. But when the consent form is sent out later this week one of the questions will be whether families wish their child to take part. This is a family decision.  

So I hope this letter keeps you in the picture. It would be really helpful if you could look out for the e-mail with detail of the consent form (it will be an online form, so no need for printing off) later this week. Finally, should there be any government announcement at the end of this week I will write to you to explain what it means for our school. In the meantime, I hope that you can continue to enjoy the holiday period. Wishing you all the very best.

Mr House, Headteacher

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End of autumn term: Thursday 17th December (3.00pm)

Well we’ve made it. Autumn term 2020 is finished. I am so proud of our school and its achievements in the toughest of terms I have known in the 26 years I have worked in schools. But the highlights are everywhere as I walk around the school at work in the classrooms and playgrounds of our school. And sometimes even beyond the school site.

On Wednesday morning I watched as some of our Year 7 students put cards through the letterboxes of houses along Grennell Road, wishing them – as our neighbours – a merry Christmas. The cards had been quarantined for 72 hours and the students wore plastic gloves to ensure there was no risk of infection. Even despite the strangeness of these necessary additional measures what shone through was human beings’ capacity for kindness, almost regardless of the challenges.

Earlier this month over 200 of our students took the time to create Christmas cards that have since been delivered to care homes in the community around Sutton. The time taken to design and produce their own cards was another example that, in the oddest of times our students have shown that they have the capacity to bring warmth and kindness to others. In a world where sanitiser and face masks have been recent additions, the timeless human qualities of care and kindness also continue to be present.  

COVID positive test updates

I really hope that it is not the case, but if your child has a confirmed case of COVID during the holiday period please let us know. Depending on the dates of the test and the onset of symptoms, even though we are on holidays, we might need to contact other students or staff. Please send an e-mail to covid19@greenshaw.co.uk and include: details of symptoms; date of symptom onset; medical advice sought; date last attended school; and date of positive test. The e-mail account will be monitored daily until the end of Wednesday 23^rd December.

Support while school is closed

At Greenshaw we work closely with a variety of agencies including the London Borough of Sutton, volunteer groups and the NHS. Please be aware that our website has many signposts to support agencies in the section ‘Care & Support’ as needed. In addition, we have put together a leaflet with some useful information, attached here.

January start of term

School is due to open on Tuesday 5^th January. We will follow the same start times as this term and each year group should enter via the same gate they have used this term. You may have heard on the news that schools are being asked to support COVID testing next term. I am fully supportive of this as it has the potential to mean that far fewer students and staff that will need to self-isolate because they have been contacts of a positive case. It will bring its own challenges and the plans for this are being considered over the Christmas break so I will share information with you when I know it.

In the unlikely case of there being a last minute government decision that affects our school start date, I will share that with you. My intention is not to communicate with families too much over the coming holiday, but if there is any change to our January plans I aim to let you know details during the second week of the holidays. 

So thank you all for your backing this year. I have received a number of really supportive messages throughout the term, and particularly the last week as the end of term approached. As a parent myself I recognise the quandary of sending our children into school when the conditions are unlike anything in the past. However, our attendance has been high and our students have played their full part in keeping themselves safe. I thank them and you for that.

So all it remains for me to do is wish you all a restful, safe and happy Christmas break. See you in 2021.

Nick House, Headteacher

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Last day of school – Thursday 17th December

Posted Friday 11th December (4.00pm)

This morning started for me on the Year 7 and Year 9 gate, seeing all of our students file in and dutifully sanisiting their hands before putting on their face masks. Thank you to families for being supportive in making sure that our students now all bring their own face covering in. Schools have had no additional budget for any of the additional purchases related to COVID-19, so to no longer need to supply spare face masks on the door each morning is a real help. Thank you. 

During period 1, I visited Year 7 students listening to a violin recital, Year 8 studentspils doing their repeat bleep test in PE (to see any improvement from earlier in the term) and Year 9 practising the imperfect tense in their French lesson. Even as we move close to the end of a long term, our students are upbeat and there was a delightful moment I found in a GCSE science lesson. The class were understanding the difference between weight and mass, and the teacher was sharing a personal moment. The illustration the teacher used was that he might have put on mass from buying a chocolate bar from the newsagent after work yesterday but that he would lose weight if he was on the moon. The class certainly enjoyed his example and seemed to fully understand the principle.

Is online learning for the last week a possibility?

The Department for Education has instructed all schools not to move to online learning. Put simply, schools are not allowed to. Where local schools, in Sutton or other authorities have moved to online learning that has been because the schools have had high levels of COVID-19 prevalence. Public Health England have decided that it is more important to break the chain of infection than keep the school open.

If you think it would be a preferable decision for students to learn online from home next week then please of course express this to officials at the DfE. Unfortunately, schools in England are not allowed to make this choice, even if they think that home learning might be a sensible decision for the last week of term.

Year 10 bubble learning at home

The way we have structured the school since we returned in September has been that we have kept year groups within ‘bubbles’. In real terms this has meant that students from different year groups have had no extended contact with any other year. It also means that if there are several cases in a short amount of time we can isolate students within that year group. As of today, Year 10 students only will continue their learning from home. That single year group has had more positive tests over a week or so than any other year and I am always balancing the safety of students and staff alongside keeping students in school.

So this will be my final Friday letter of 2020 – a year that many of us will be keen to see the back of. Thank you for the support and trust you have put in us as a school. This has been an unbelievably challenging time but the importance of people being kind to each other, even more so at this testing time, has been more vital than ever. I wish you all a safe weekend and look forward to the last four school days of 2020 next week. 

Mr House, Headteacher

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Change to term dates – last day of school Thursday 17th December

Posted Thursday 10th December (11.00am)

During this very unusual term I have taken to writing to families at the end of each Friday of the week. However, the government announced something during this week that families would want to know about as soon as possible.

You may well have seen already on national news that the Department for Education has suggested schools take an INSET day next Friday, 18th December. This means that term will end next week on Thursday 17th December. We will finish at the normal staggered finish times from 14:40 onwards. This means that Friday 18^th December will not be a school day for students. 

I apologise for the lack of notice, but this was only shared with schools this week. I do think this is a sensible decision from the DfE that recognises the pressures that schools have been under, and that the work continues even when the students are not in the building. I hope that a full week’s notice of this change is enough for families to make any changes needed.

Thank you for your support with attendance, and deciding when your child should not come in.

As every week since the start of September, thank you for your support this week. Thank you for sending your child into school when they are well. Even yesterday, the attendance rate of Greenshaw students was 95.2% – when the average rate of attendance at schools in England, in normal times, is 94.5%. 

Thank you as well for keeping any children at home if they – or a family member – exhibits any of the three COVID-19 symptoms: high temperature (particularly hot on the back or chest); a loss of the sense of taste or smell; or a new or continuous cough (coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours).

If you are in doubt, please contact us. While we cannot give medical advice, if you let us know the situation we can decide whether this should be recorded as ‘self-isolation’ while you get medical advice. Any student self-isolating will not have their time out of school recorded as absence, so it would not affect their personal attendance record. So, if you are at all unsure, please ring us.

Wishing you all the best for a restful weekend when it arrives. 

Mr House, Headteacher

(Image: Freepik - macrovector)

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News about GCSEs and A Levels in 2021: Friday 4th December (3.30pm)

The government has made some welcome announcements about this summer’s exams. They suggested that teachers will get advance notice of the topics that will come up in the exams and that the grades awarded will be similar to those this year. This, in conjunction with the delaying of exams by three weeks next summer, should support our students to do well in 2021.

At the end of my Year 13 lesson yesterday afternoon some students asked what these changes would actually mean. At present, schools have not been given the details of these changes and certainly subject departments do not know which topics are yet to come up in the exams. 

I think this is a difficult decision for the Department for Education, and exam boards, to know when the best time to release this information is. The risk with schools knowing the precise exam topics too early in Year 11 and Year 13 is that students and staff will focus only on these areas, neglecting every other area of the exam specification. I know it is difficult to remember this, but students should be studying subjects in school to develop their broader knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Albert Einstein, a pretty intelligent thinker about the wider world beyond just science, wrote that:

“Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”

So for me, I hope that our Year 11 and Year 13 students continue to think deeply about their subjects over the coming months, and that the detail about the topics that will come up in the summer gets released when students have finished their courses. I’m hoping that the timing of the topic information allows our students to be successful in their exams, as well as wiser about the wider world. 

Thank you for the continued parental support

As we approach the end of term I would like to thank families for sending their children into school so regularly. However, I need to remind all families – even with ten days to go – that if they have any COVID-19 symptoms students should not be attending school. Please ring us and discuss the situation. If a student is self-isolating this is not marked against their attendance as long as we know this is the reason for their absence. 

Wishing you all the best for restful weekends.

Mr House, Headteacher

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An update from Mr House: Friday 27th November 2020 (4.00pm)

Another great week for attendance – on two days this week we’ve had over 96% attendance which is little short of astonishing. Thank you for showing such confidence in the systems we’ve had in place at Greenshaw this term and sending your children in so regularly. Having such consistent attendance is really supporting their learning, helping the gaps from ‘lockdown’ being made up for our students.

The new model for parents’ evenings

Last night we experimented with our first online parents’ evening. It seemed to go very smoothly for the vast majority of staff and families. We are not using Zoom or any other online software that you might have used over the last nine months. Instead, the parents’ evening scheduling software has five minute slots, along with an on screen timer that shows the remaining time in the appointment. 

Of the many things I have learned this term, one is that comparing what we do now with what it used to be isn’t a helpful way to review what we are doing now. A different way to think about it is whether the event adds something that we wouldn’t be able to do. So while an online parents’ event is unlike a traditional evening, I think it definitely allows communication with a range of teachers over a couple of hours or so. We are aware of a couple of technical issues with families’ technology so will give clear information each time about the minimum need for the updated web browser to support the programme.

When the parents’ evening for your child’s year group is coming up, our school office team will contact you to explain how to make appointments and log on that evening. The next year group is is Year 10 on Thursday 10th December.

Winter dress code for students continues

It has generally been milder this week, although this morning the cold had definitely snapped as I met Year 7 students on the gate. Earlier in the week, far fewer students have chosen to keep their coats on. Some bubbles remain very warm, such as the classroom that our Year 8 students occupy. However, I am very happy for students to keep their coats on in the classroom if they wish to, given that we continue to have windows and doors open to have maximal airflow and ventilation. I would not want our efforts to reduce COVID infection to inadvertently result in students getting other infections such as colds, especially as we run up towards the Christmas break.

On that note, the first few Christmas lights are appearing outside houses along Grennell Road, and even the odd Christmas tree can be seen in front rooms. In my family I am currently resisting quite some pressure to start Christmas decorations, even before December has begun! I wish you good luck with whatever decisions you are currently debating as a family, and hope that you have a restful weekend. 

Mr House, Headteacher

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Thank you : An update from Mr House
Friday 20th November (3.30pm)

Thank you for your ongoing support. Attendance has been strong again this week, 95.5% against the national average in non-COVID times of 94.5%. I think this is remarkable – and definitely the best thing for our students. I know I am repeating myself, but I feel I need to say this every week, however:

If a family member (parent, sibling or anybody else living in the family home) is presenting with COVID symptoms then students should stay at home while the family member has a test. Please ring us to let us know and we will mark your child as self-isolating, which will not count against their attendance.

Coats as necessary

It has been a decidedly colder week and some students have appreciated keeping their coats on. However, even with doors and windows open some of our classrooms have remained very hot, particularly in the Year 8 bubble. Other year bubbles (Sixth Form and Year 11, for example) have definitely valued keeping their outdoor coats on. 

Adjustment to timings of the school day – Wednesdays

One of the things that has kept school open and running so well has been brilliant rates of student and staff attendance. Greenshaw staff have been brilliant in supporting the re-opening of schools and this has taken huge effort and increased levels of work. But don’t take that from me – take it from Ofsted.

Ofsted have visited just under 400 schools across the country since September and published a report last week, available online if you Google it. It included phrases like, “Leaders stated that teachers are tired and exhausted, and workload has increased.” I would say that is also the case at Greenshaw but we are blessed with a dedicated group of staff, teaching and non-teaching. 

I do not take this for granted however and want to protect it over the dark last few weeks of this term, and the start of next term. From Wednesday 25th November until 10th February (the last four weeks of this term and the first half of the spring term) we will still teach the same quantity of lessons but end school after the fourth period.

Students will have the same subjects in the same order, so there will be no change in their curriculum experience. For those that have free school meals they will have their cards credited by morning break so they will still be able to take their food in school on a Wednesday. The timings are here. They will maintain the ‘bubbles’ with each year group leaving from a different exit at staggered times. 

13:00	Years 7 and 8 leave school
13:10	Years 9, 12 and 13 leave school
13:20	Years 10 and 11 leave school

SEND message

Finally from me this week, please see the newsletter  here from the Sutton Education Partnership, of which our school is a part. It contains information about SEND in the local area and contains a number of useful updates about developments in Sutton.

Thank you for all of your support this week - have great weekends.

Nick House, Headteacher

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The end of our first week back: Friday 6th November (4.30pm) 

It has been a great return this week. The chilly November mornings have been a wintry backdrop for conversations with our students and made for a very positive coming back into school. The adoption of face coverings by students has been excellent. On the very, very rare occasion I have met a student leaving a classroom without a mask they have looked horrified that they have forgotten, and immediately rectified it. 

After five full days of face covering at Greenshaw, I can absolutely say that I feel proud of our community, and how our students and staff are taking their responsibility to protect others so seriously. 

In classrooms, the focus has been exemplary. I walked around school today, seeing over 80 classes at work, including students: considering beach reclamation; counting electrons; critiquing Andy Warhol paintings; speaking Spanish together as a whole class; rushing to volunteer to read aloud from a play script. Of particular joy was a group of Year 13 further mathematicians absolutely loving their subject, and laughing together as they undertook undergraduate level mathematics. It has certainly been a great start to the new term. 

Parents’ evenings – arrangements for this year 

It was always going to be a challenge getting traditional parents’ evenings in place even before the restrictions that were introduced across the country yesterday. However we are determined to keep the contact between home and school as much as possible. We have purchased a piece of software that allows teachers and families to talk online in their appointment schedule. I hope this will go some way to making sure that we all stay in touch. 

The schedule of dates is below and is also available on our website. We will contact families for each year group as the year goes on with the joining details.

Early closure, Wednesday 11th November 

I hope that families will recall that before half term I wrote to explain that next Wednesday we will need to close school early to accommodate a small group of children who will sit the Sutton Eligibility Test. The details of the closing times for each year group are here. Thanks for your support with this one off inconvenience. 

 

 

Vacancy for parent governor 

We currently have a vacancy for a parent governor on our governing body. Please find attached an outline of the post, as well as an overview of what the role includes. Should you have any questions about the role, please contact Laura Marchese, clerk to the governors at lmarchese@greenshawlearningtrust.co.uk. 

Wishing you all the best for a restful weekend. 

Nick House, Headteacher

Date	Year Group
Thursday 15th October 2020	Year 13 Academic Review
Thursday 26th November 2020	Year 11 (first evening)
Thursday 10th December 2020	Year 10
Thursday 14th January 2021	Year 8
Thursday 28th January 2021	Year 12
Thursday 4th February 2021	Year 7
Thursday 4th March 2021	Year 9
Thursday 25th March 2021	Year 11 (second evening)
Thursday 22nd April 2021	Year 13

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Welcome back on Wednesday 4th November

Posted Tuesday 3rd November (10.00am)

I hope you and your children have had had a good break, despite what has generally been pretty wet and dismal weather. We ended last half term on a high, with great attendance and lots of positive achievements from our students. We also got all of our Year 11 and 13 students through mock exams to help us identify the next parts of their respective courses we should be focusing on.

In the context of this great half term, the weekend news about the new national restrictions may well give families a moment of reflection.

We have worked very hard over half term to ensure that all of the measures already in place have been re-established ready for our students' return on Wednesday 4^th November, at their normal start times. As the government announced on Saturday, schools will remain open and the measures we have been asked to put in place (regular hand washing, year groups restricted to particular zones of the school, staggered break and lunch times, face covering in communal areas) will continue as before.  

As I have said previously, I think schools are the best places for young people to be for their welfare as well as their education. I certainly can’t predict the national situation going forwards so would emphasise that each week schools are able to be open is a really great opportunity for our children. We look forward to hearing about their half term breaks, seeing them back and helping them understand the world a little better through their learning each week. Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support. 

Nick House, Headteacher

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An update from Mr House: Friday 23rd October (5.00pm)

Thank you for your support since September. We have completed a full half term in a very positive way, despite the challenges and many issues that have been thrown at us. One of the things that parents have queried with me has been whether there will be any substantial changes to arrangements next half term. The way that the ‘bubbles’ have worked this term will be maintained and you can reassure your child/ren that there is no variation in what they have got used to this half term.

There are two important items I need you to be aware of before we close this afternoon.

Important: if your child has a confirmed COVID case over half term

I really hope that it is not the case, but if your child has a confirmed case of COVID during the holiday period please let us know. Depending on the dates of the test and the onset of symptoms, even though we are on holidays, we might need to contact other students or staff. Please send an e-mail to covid19@greenshaw.co.uk and include: details of symptoms; date of symptom onset; medical advice sought; date last attended school; date of positive test.

Face covering – please ensure your child brings their own

The students were brilliant with face covering on Wednesday. We gave a few out on the door but the vast majority were fully prepared and all wore them absolutely appropriately in corridors. On Thursday morning we had to supply more masks as the number of students without them went up. I need to let families know that schools are not receiving any additional budget for the purchase of items relating to the COVID situation. If we have to give out significant numbers of masks it will reduce our spend on other areas of the school so please support us in ensuring you organise your child. 

Next half term starts on Wednesday 4th November at the normal start times for each year group and the gate they have used this half term. As ever, any celebrations or concerns you would want to share, please e-mail me at nhouse@greenshaw.co.uk.  I hope that students have a restful break and recharge over the week and a half.

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Face coverings: Tuesday 20th October (2.00pm)

You will know how delighted I have been by the huge efforts of students, families and staff to get school up and running this term. What we have achieved so far has been really impressive and, as far as I know, there are no plans for schools to be closed any time soon.

However, in light of London being placed into ‘Tier 2’ of national health rating there has been a change to guidance for secondary schools about face covering. The Department for Education (DfE) have released the following:

… face coverings should be worn by adults (staff and visitors) and students when moving around indoors, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain. [1]

The DfE suggest that there is no requirement to wear face coverings in classrooms as there are other protective factors in place. They also state that face coverings are not required outside.

So please send your child in from Wednesday 21^st October with a plain dark face covering. They should also have a small sealable plastic bag to store the mask in securely.

We do have spares, so nobody should miss school because they are not able to bring in their own mask or sealable bag. However, it would really help our school budget if families were able to supply the face covering and bag for their child.

As long as it is safe, school is the best place for our young people to be. School offers social opportunities not available in the home. It also provides the escape that reading, languages, arts, sport, science and so much else offers while of course broadening the mind. And I write this as the father of two school-aged children, one of whom was negatively affected by their prolonged absence from school. I think this change from the DfE is proportionate and will enable schools to stay open and safe.

Please see the Frequently Asked Questions below, but please do e-mail me in person at nhouse@greenshaw.co.uk if you have any concerns or there is something you would wish me to know. 

Frequently asked questions about face coverings

What is the science behind this DfE change?

Coronavirus (COVID-19) usually spreads by droplets from coughs, sneezes and speaking. These droplets can also be picked up from surfaces, if you touch a surface and then your face without washing your hands first. This is why social distancing, regular hand hygiene, and covering coughs and sneezes is so important in controlling the spread of the virus.[2]

The best available scientific evidence is that, when used correctly, wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of coronavirus droplets in certain circumstances, helping to protect others. Because face coverings are mainly intended to protect others, not the wearer, from coronavirus (COVID-19) they are not a replacement for social distancing and regular hand washing. 

How will this be explained to my child?

Tomorrow morning in morning tutor time, Mr House will explain the reasons over Google Meet to every classroom. He will also explain when the coverings are needed, and when students and staff can choose to remove them. This poster will be visible in each classroom and on corridors.
 

 

Why does the requirement not include classrooms?

The DfE states: “…it will not usually be necessary to wear face coverings in the classroom, where protective measures already mean the risks are lower, and they may inhibit teaching and learning.”[3]

My child has always worn face coverings. Does anything change now?

No. If any student – or staff member – has worn a mask previously they should continue to do so.

Are there any medical exemptions?

If your child has a health or disability reason for not wearing a mask please let us know. We would not want any student or staff member to feel uncomfortable about this. Please e-mail the details to Sarah Richards at srichards@greenshaw.co.uk. If you would rather discuss this with a member of your Year team or SEND teacher, then please contact them directly. 

Why do the masks have to be plain and dark?

We don’t want the masks to be a distraction from learning. Our students have lost enough learning time over the last nine months – every minute in the classroom should be about learning.

Why do children need a plastic bag?

Face coverings need to be safely stored when they have been removed. This means placing them into a small sealable bag (like ones that sandwiches can be put into). 

Where will my child need to wear the face covering?

Inside in communal areas – which means mainly corridors and lunch queues. This will include the Sixth Form Resource Centre. While students are eating they need not have their face coverings on, similar to regulations around cafes. Face coverings are not needed outdoors. For example, if students are waiting for the gates to open or at break or lunch in the playground, face coverings are not needed.

What do I do if my child can’t find their face mask before they leave? Or if they leave it on the bus? 

Don’t worry – we will have spares at the gate for each year group. We know that life is complicated and families have many things to remember each morning. If the same student did forget their face covering several times in the same week we might ring the family to ask for their support in helping their child to organise themselves.

Nick House, Headteacher 

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Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions
Wednesday 16th September (5.30pm)

Over the last day or so there have been a number of questions about schools and their response to Covid-19, most specifically, about what happens if there is a positive Coronavirus case. Speaking with parents, I have created a list of ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ 

Are schools set up differently to when Year 6 and Year 10 returned in June?

Some of the things schools were able to put in place in June and July (very small classes, maintaining 2 metre distancing within the classroom) are not possible when all students return full time. The Department for Education (DfE) required schools to return this year with all of their students and full time. I wrote to families in July about what we are doing (year groups having their lessons in limited areas of the site, staggered start times and entry points, emphasis on hand hygiene, additional cleaning). If you are a new parent to the school, or do not recall the details of the letter, it is on the school website here. Look for the letter dated Thursday 16th July. 

So what does the word ‘bubble’ mean in secondary schools from September?

A ‘bubble’ describes how in most secondary schools' students in each year group are kept separate from all other year groups. They will not spend social time or learning time with other year groups. Most secondary schools have created ‘zones’ where lessons happen for particular year groups. The teachers are mobile, while students remain in the same classroom, or the group of rooms allocated to that year group. We have done this at Greenshaw High School, and included separate playground space and separate eating arrangements for year groups. 

What happens in schools if a case is confirmed?

Schools will contact their local Health Protection Team. In the meantime, schools apply the DfE guidance to create a ‘track and trace’ activity in school. At Greenshaw, all staff have seating plans for each of their groups so we can see where the student has sat in the room. As a precaution, we double check with the teacher if s/he has changed the plan very recently so we can ensure that it is an accurate record of where students have sat. Schools will also speak with the student to identify their travel arrangements to school and their social contact at break and lunch.

The DfE give the following instruction[1] to schools when considering who should be sent home if there is a positive COVID-19 case reported to schools.

Schools must send home those people who have been in close contact with the person who has tested positive, advising them to self-isolate for 14 days since they were last in close contact with that person when they were infectious. Close contact means:

• direct close contacts - face to face contact with an infected individual for any length of time, within 1 metre, including being coughed on, a face to face conversation, or unprotected physical contact (skin-to-skin)
• proximity contacts - extended close contact (within 1 to 2 metres for more than 15 minutes) with an infected individual travelling in a small vehicle, like a car, with an infected person

Might a whole year group be sent home if there is a confirmed COVID-19 case?

This is possible, and there have been examples of this in Sutton this term, in both primary and secondary schools. There have also been instances where this has not happened. This decision will be made in conjunction with the South London Health Protection Team (SLHPT). However if there is a confirmed COVID19 case we will always apply the DfE ‘close contact’ definition while we wait support from SLHPT.

What do I do if my child has Covid-19 symptoms?

If your child has any of the Coronavirus symptoms (a high temperature, a continuous cough or a loss or change in sense of smell or taste) you should arrange for them to be tested for Coronavirus. Please let the school know if this is the case.

Your child should stay at home and the rest of the household should self-isolate whilst you wait the result of the test. No student with Coronavirus symptoms should attend school. 

More detail about the symptoms, testing, social distancing and related issues can be found on the dedicated part of the NHS website here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.

We’ve done it. The first full week has been completed with average student attendance at Greenshaw High School of over 97%. This is even higher than the national average attendance – in normal times – so I want to extend a massive thank you for having the confidence to send your children back to school. I thought I’d share with you some snapshots of my week from the privileged view of headteacher, going in and out of lessons.

On Tuesday I went into a Year 10 class studying science. They were in a standard classroom as part of the Year 10 bubble’s zone, not in a lab as previously. Despite this, the students were entirely engaged and asking the teacher really considered and technical questions about bacteria. There was absolute fascination from the class in the teacher’s explanation and you could have heard a pin drop.

Yesterday, I went around ‘morning maths’ (an additional maths practice session that all Year 11 students have first thing in the morning). Every student in the year was absorbed, practising maths with absolute focus. At 8:30 in the morning!

Today, I popped into a Year 7 group considering the concept of ‘trust’, having first read a demanding broadsheet article about this idea. The class was writing at length in their journals, explaining their own thoughts on whether ‘trust’ is a generally on the rise in contemporary society or not. 

Each of these was a brilliant moment, and there are many more besides. What shone through was how our children appreciate being back in school and having the opportunities of a full school-based education once more. I am not complacent about the future and cannot predict what might happen. But I can assure you that this week our students have been all the better for being back in school, both academically and socially. 

Two really important pieces of information now that I need you to be aware of. 

1) Grennell Road will be closed off from next week
Not all families may be aware, but from Monday 14th September Grennell Road will not be a through road. There will be bollards fixed at the bottom of the hill (just after Edinburgh Road) preventing vehicles from coming up the hill, neither will it allow cars and vans to proceed towards the town centre along Grennell Road. This is part of a national scheme to make roads around schools safer and traffic free. Sutton Council is branding this as ‘Safer, active, greener streets for Sutton’, which I think describes its ambitions really well.

This is critical for the small group of families that drive up to the school gates and drop off their child. I have always stated that driving into Grennell Road at peak times is dangerous and deeply unhelpful for the rest of our school. If you feel you must drive to school, then please stay well away from Grennell Road and arrange a pick up spot with your child some distance away.

The vast, vast majority of our students walk to school, either from their homes or from local bus stops. Increasing numbers also choose to cycle to school. For children to be able to walk and cycle more safely into school should be a great thing for our students. Please support all of us by not driving into Grennell Road at all.

2) Covid-19 symptoms: schools have been asked to share this update from ‘NHS Test and Trace’
To ensure we identify those with coronavirus while avoiding a huge increase in demand for tests from people without coronavirus symptoms, we ask that you recommend to your students and staff who feel unwell, that they get tested if:

• They develop one or more of the main coronavirus symptoms: a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or the loss or change of their sense of taste or smell; or
• They are recommended to get tested by a healthcare provider (e.g. GP or nurse).

If a student or staff member develops one or more of the main coronavirus symptoms described above, only they should be tested. There is no need for their households to have a test, unless they are also symptomatic.  

Unless a student or staff member has one of the three main coronavirus symptoms, they should only be tested if instructed otherwise by the local authority, health protection team or their GP. As schools and colleges across England return, students may feel unwell for example with a sore throat, stomach upset or a headache. These students don’t need to book a test but may need to stay off school and seek medical advice through their GP or pharmacist as usual.

So that concludes the first full week since lockdown that has seen all of our students in. I hope you all have restful weekends and enjoy reconnecting with the children that you saw endlessly for the previous five months but who you might have missed, a little, over the last five days. 

Nick House, Headteacher

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Friday 4th September (5.00pm)

I want to write to you to say how proud I am of the staff and students of our school. For the first two days the staff have had to take on so much new information and prepare for working in a really different way to what they have been used to. Then over the following two days our students have returned in huge numbers, looking brilliantly smart and fully ready for learning. I have visited many lessons and tutor sessions and been blown away by how keen the students are to get back and their entirely positive attitude.

Wearing PE kit all (All years)

For students in Year 7 to 11, I can confirm that if they have a PE lesson that day they should arrive in school changed and ready in their full Greenshaw PE kit. Students do not need to bring their uniform (shirt, tie, jumper etc.) as they will stay in their PE kit all day for their lessons. This is to avoid using the changing rooms and means we are able to keep PE on the timetable for all years.

Reading books are needed for all students in Year 7, 8 and 9

For students in Years 7, 8 and 9 we will be running ‘DEAR’ sessions each day, which stands for ‘Drop Everything and Read’. As I wrote to you on Tuesday, please make sure that your child has a reading book that is something they will enjoy, and is a sustained work of fiction or non-fiction that is age-appropriate in content and should be of genuine interest to the child. For students in Year 7 they should bring back in their copy of The House with Chicken Legs that we gave them as welcome gift when they joined us yesterday.

Finally, can I remind parents of what we all know, but I will re-state this repeatedly across the term. Please do not send your child to school if they are displaying any one of the three coronavirus symptoms.

The NHS website gives further detail, explaining that the coughing symptom is a new and continuous one – which they define as coughing a lot for more than an hour, or having three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. The high temperature is explained by the NHS web page as feeling hot to touch on the chest or back and it adds that you do not need to measure your temperature. The third symptom is a loss or change to the sense of smell or taste. 

It is very important that all of us are aware of the coronavirus symptoms and work hard to keep all of us safe. And I say that as a parent, not just a teacher. I sent my two children back to school this week with mixed emotions of trepidation and relief which I am sure you may recognise.

So we’ve made it successfully through the first few days of term. If there is anything you want to ask or share with me, then always feel free to contact me at nhouse@greenshaw.co.uk. In the meantime, I hope you have great weekends.

Nick House, Headteacher

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Tuesday 1st September (8.00am): Return to school

Today is the first day that all staff are back in school since mid-March and we are hard at work, making sure everything is ready for later this week. This week is about all students receiving an induction and knowing more about how school will operate this term. Next week is about trying to get all students in school and for them to develop increasing confidence in the arrangements.

I have made a brief video message for students and families that is available above. Hopefully it reassures by giving some additional information. 

Face coverings

As I wrote to you last week, we are very happy that if families would like their child to wear face masks then they can do so. The requirements are that the mask must be dark and plain (without any marking, logo etc.) and that the student carries a sealable plastic bag for safe storage of the mask when removed.

In addition, staff will be wearing visors in heavily occupied areas such as corridors and full classrooms. Both of these decisions will be reviewed periodically and are subject to change, depending on the local situation. 

What do families need to know?

• Arrival in school: One of the key parts of schools’ re-opening this September is that groups of students should make less contact with other groups than in normal times. Arrival times and entry gates are listed on the school website here. I am sure you will already have looked at these, but we have made some small changes so please check over the next two days.
• School uniform: Students in Years 7 to 11 should wear full uniform as usual. The requirements are listed here.
• Equipment: We are not able to run the school stationery shop in the same way we have done previously so it will be really important that students bring in the full equipment for learning. That list is also available on the website here.  
• Reading books: In addition, all students in Years 7 to 9 will need to bring in a reading book from Monday 7^th September. Students in these year groups will remain in their classrooms for a large part of their week while teachers move to them which will mean that they have five minutes several times a day that they will be reading. The books brought should be a sustained work of fiction or non-fiction, be age-appropriate in content and complexity and be of genuine interest to the child. 

So, we stand on the verge of a full return to school. The purpose of this week is to get staff back in, then students, to receive an induction and a clear sense of what school will be like. The purpose of the second week is to develop students’ confidence and start to re-focus on their learning. I am very confident in our planning and the quality of our staff and students but should you have any concerns then please contact me at nhouse@greenshaw.co.uk. 

Nick House, Headteacher

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Thursday 27th August (6.00pm)
Update on face coverings in school

Following the government change in advice about face coverings yesterday, I have met with school governors, senior members of the Greenshaw Learning Trust and union representatives. I have also taken into account the views of family members who have e-mailed me and risk assessments we have undertaken with individual staff members.

The London Borough of Sutton has an incredibly low rate of Covid-19 infection and transmission. As a school we have put in place a significant number of precautions to minimise risk, as outlined in previous correspondence to you and available on the website. Therefore, in line with the above government guidance, we will not be making the wearing of masks mandatory in any area of the school. 

However, I absolutely recognise that some students will feel more comfortable wearing a face mask in the corridors and/or in the classroom and I am very happy for them to do so. Any student wearing a mask will need to carry a sealable plastic bag so that when removed (at lunch time, in PE lessons etc.) it will be safely stored. Please note that masks must be plain in appearance, no logos or motifs, and must be worn appropriately and sensibly. Any student intentionally misusing a mask will be required to take it off.  

I will of course review this decision in light of any updated government guidance and changes in the local situation. I know that this has been an area of anxiety for some families and I hope this gives reassurance.

Nick House, Headteacher

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Wednesday 26th August (10.00)
Government announcement on face coverings in schools

Many of you will be aware that late last night the government reviewed their guidance to secondary schools about face covering. The guidance for schools that has been in place through the summer had suggested that face covering was not necessary and even suggested some negative features of face covering. With a week or so until schools return there is clearly now some movement. 

I am meeting with the Chair of Governors tomorrow morning to confirm our approach as a school and I am also working closely with senior staff at the Greenshaw Learning Trust. I will update families as soon as possible, hopefully by the end of Thursday 27^th August and am confident that this will give reassurance to those of you concerned about this.

I want to reiterate the messages I sent out on Monday: we are really looking forwards to welcoming our students back next week and any changes we are advised to make, even at this late point, will be absorbed and enhance our plans. 

Nick House, Headteacher

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Monday 17th August (5.00pm)
A Level results update

This afternoon’s announcement, that students will receive their Centre Assessed Grades rather than the one that was centrally awarded broadly looks like very good news. It is my understanding that, in the handful of cases, where students received a higher grade in their results on Thursday morning then they can retain that. So students should not be fearful about this decision. 

What is less clear, is whether a student has missed out on a university place because of lower than expected grades, that have been improved this afternoon, whether those universities will have spaces still available for this September. It is absolutely crucial that any student whose ‘Centre Assessed Grades’ (the ones we shared with our students on Thursday at 10.00am) now mean they met the terms of the university they wished to study at this autumn makes contact with the admissions officers at that university. I fear that some may have filled their allocation of spaces for this year but only the admissions officers working on each course will know the absolute detail of this.

We will continue to monitor the situation and advise those students we have been working closely with since Thursday morning. Please stay in touch with the sixth form team if you have any queries.

Mr House, Headteacher

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Thursday 13th August (14.45pm)
A Level results at Greenshaw High School

As the dust begins to settle on a very unusual A Levels results day, students and staff at Greenshaw High School are starting to get an increasingly clear sense of today’s news.

Overall, the number of A Level passes at A*-A rose to 27%, as well as increasing at both A*-B and A*-C. So, despite the significant national issues, a number of our students received very pleasing results: Fardeen achieved 4 A* passes; Sophie and Tobi are heading to Oxford University and Hollie is off to Cambridge University in the autumn. 

All students received the grades awarded by the exam boards at 8.00am. We also shared the ‘centre assessed grades’ (those grades that teachers had been asked to propose following evaluation of any coursework, classwork, mock exams and other relevant evidence) with all of our Year 13 students this morning. This allowed each student to fully understand their situation, particularly if considering university places or needing to speak with admissions officers. All of our Year 13 students also have access to their mock grades from their school reports on our managed learning environment, Frog.

The sixth form team has been talking with students to celebrate their many achievements, as well as support them with any concerns. 

Miss Lisa Buchanan, Assistant Headteacher in charge of Greenshaw Sixth Form, said, “We continue to support students this afternoon, tomorrow and next week. Although the headlines are generally positive, we are determined that all of our students will receive the support they would always get, regardless of the Covid-19 situation.”

So, at the end of a turbulent week for sixth form students across the country, today’s grades, for many, bring closure. Not just for this week, but right back to that day in March when it was announced that A Level examinations would not be taking place this year.

We wish the very best to all of our students in the next chapter of their careers and thank all of the staff and families that have supported, encouraged and inspired the Year 13 of 2020 to navigate these uncertain times so effectively. Upwards and onwards from here.

Mr House, Headteacher

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Wednesday 12^th August (11.30am)

As all parents and Year 13 students will be absolutely aware, there have been some unsettling news stories this week about tomorrow’s impending A Level results. I was as surprised as any of you to hear talk of ‘mock exam grades’ being floated last night, 36 hours before our hard working students can find out their results. In the light of this, I hope the outline below gives clarity on what the next steps are and reassures all involved that we have steps in place to support all of our students, for both celebration and advice.

I cannot promise that the information I will outline below might not change, but at the time of writing it is correct. I hope students and families will find this helpful and I remain firmly confident that in the vast majority of cases ‘the system’ will work fairly. Where we see that it has not tomorrow morning we will work on behalf of our students in all ways possible. Here is the timeline for tomorrow:

Thursday 13^th August

8.00am

• Students will receive their A Level, AS Level and EPQ results via Frog. These will be the actual grades that the exam boards have awarded following the process that has been outlined in the news. There is a summary here.
• At the same time, UCAS will update students’ university applications. There is often high levels of traffic on their website so students may need to log in more than once.

10.00am

• Students will be able to see their ‘centre assessed grades’, the grades that subject teachers proposed to the exam boards. These will be made available on Frog in a similar way to the results two hours earlier. Students and families will be able to see if there is any variation between these and the grades they were awarded at 8:00am
• The appeals process is very limited this year. For example, in the past students could appeal if they suspected a marking error but there have been no examination papers marked. They could also appeal to see if there had been a clerical error (for example incorrect adding up of each question on a paper) but again as papers have not been marked there is no appeal possible here.
• Should students feel disappointed that their actual result is lower than the centre assessed grade (the one suggested by subject teachers, shared at 10:00am) they should contact the Sixth Form team at alevelqueries20@greenshaw.co.uk. 
• The sixth form team will be able to advise about the next steps which could include the proposed re-sit public exams season in October.
• Students MUST NOT contact subject teachers to discuss their centre assessed grades if they have a concern. To do so could jeopardise any future dialogue we would have with an exam board on behalf of students to review a grade.

Throughout tomorrow we will maintain a running log of students that might have concerns, missed university offers and anything else that we can support with. I am determined that we will not allow the prospects of our Year 13 students to be inadvertently damaged by events beyond their control.

Nick House (Headteacher)

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Thursday 16th July 2020 

Greenshaw High School in September: full opening 
As I wrote to you last week, we have been working through the Department for Education advice about how the new school year will look for us. I have maintained throughout that we are balancing the competing demands of keeping our students and staff safe while also ensuring education can be maintained. I also wanted to hear from parents and carers to understand your concerns. I want to extend a ‘thank you’ to the many of you that took the time to complete the survey I put online last Friday. We have made significant progress and can share our plans. 

Before reading on, please bear in mind that the information in this letter is correct at the time it was written and in line with the DfE guidance published on 2nd July. There may be areas that we are instructed to change, either at national or local level. I also absolutely reserve the right as headteacher to alter these arrangements as the term unfolds. Put simply, if something isn’t working we will change it. The first priority will always be health, with educational experience a close second. 

In summary, we have made the following alterations for September. The detail follows below. 

• Year groups of students will be in ‘bubbles’ and movements adapted to secure these bubbles. 
• Entry and departure times, break and lunch arrangements will be staggered.
• Students will be based far more in consistent classroom bases with staff being mobile. 
• Hand cleaning arrangements will be significantly enhanced.

How will contact be reduced between students? 
The DfE guidance states: Consistent groups reduce the risk of transmission by limiting the number of students and staff in contact with each other to only those within the group. Movement around the school site [should be] kept to a minimum. 

Parent voice said: “I am worried about moving groups and classrooms for subjects” and “How will the school buildings and classes be socially distanced?” 

From September, we have allocated parts of the school to particular year groups. These year specific zones will significantly reduce student movement around the site and these year groups will be the ‘new bubbles’. The majority of students will remain either in the same room, or move to a room within a corridor of pupils of the same year group. 

How will contact be reduced between students of different ages? 
The DfE guidance states: While passing briefly in the corridor or playground is low risk, schools should avoid creating busy corridors, entrances and exits. 

Parent voice said: “Is there increased risk in a large and compact school?” and “Could there be different time breaks for different year groups?” 

With students being in age specific ‘zones’ corridors and stairs will be significantly less busy than previously. In addition, we will stagger arrival and departure times, and require year groups to use different gates as they arrive on the site. In school we will also stagger break and lunch times to reduce the amount of contact pupils will have with pupils of other year groups. 

How will we ensure good hygiene is maintained? 
The DfE guidance states: Schools must ensure that students clean their hands regularly, including when they arrive at school, when they return from breaks, when they change rooms and before and after eating. 

Parent voice said: “It’s important good hygiene is kept” and “All students should sanitise their hands.” 

We will have portable wash basins at each entry point to the school, with soap and running water. There will be large waist high hand sanitiser dispensers at entry points to the building and in the dining halls. There will be bottles of hand sanitiser in each classroom. 

Was it considered whether groups of students could remain at home for parts of the week? 
The DfE guidance states: We are asking schools to prepare for all students to return full-time from the start of the autumn term. Schools should not put in place rotas. 

Parent voice asked: “Could we retain distance learning?” 

The DfE has been clear that students should return to school full time. It is for schools to make arrangements about arrival and departure times, and how to reduce students’ movement around school, but students are expected to return full time. 

However, each year group will have induction activities during the first week that clearly outline the changes. Their days will also be shortened in the first full week to enable students to reacclimatise with school. 

What will learning be like? 
The DfE guidance states: The curriculum remains broad and ambitious: all pupils continue to be taught a wide range of subjects, maintaining their choices for further study and employment. 

Parent voice asked: “How much pressure will be placed on my kid to catch up?” and “Worries about covering the curriculum.” 

We are maintaining a broad and balanced curriculum: we have dropped no subjects, even though some of these will not be taught in specialist rooms at the start of the school year. For example, art will continue to be taught and we will focus on sketching and drawing skills rather than painting. PE will continue, with an emphasis on exercise and health, but reduced use of equipment that needs wiping down. 

For students in Year 11 and 13 there are public exams at the end of the next school year. We will look at what they have learned over the last four months and plan what we need to cover. These will take a range of forms, including quizzes at the start of lessons so that we don’t take students out of lots of lessons for testing and add to any existing sense of worry. For all of our year groups the emphasis will be on re-connecting with school and learning. 

Mary Myatt, Ofsted inspector and educationalist put it really well when she wrote: ”Pupils need to understand the threshold concepts¹ in order to access the next stage of their learning. Not knowing all the small details won't hold them back.” 

¹ Threshold concepts are the ‘big ideas’ of a subject. For example, history units on the Magna Carta and ancient Greece might both be linked by the concept of democracy. Missing one of these as an example will not necessarily inhibit the understanding of the ‘big idea’. 

I hope this gives parents and carers a clear sense of our plans as a school for the next phase. There will be further issues that arise, an example in the last two days is face covering. I expect there to be clear guidance for schools on this over the coming weeks just as guidance around public transport and now shops has emerged. I know that this letter can not answer every question that each family may have so feel free to contact me at nhouse@greenshaw.co.uk with anything further that I can clarify. 

As we close the strangest of years I hope that all of our students and families get a restful time over the holidays. I can reassure you that we will continue to work across the school holidays to refine our plans and continue communicating with you. On the next page please see a summary of key dates and information for the start of next term. These will be published on the school website and if there are any significant alterations I will write to you during the summer. 

Please reassure any worried children you might have. They will not be in trouble for any missed knowledge and we will work hard to develop their learning. Do also reassure them that feeling a mild level of anxiety about returning to school is absolutely normal and recognising and discussing that feeling is positive and healthy. 

In the meantime, I really hope that you have a restful break and that you and your child/ren do not spend much of the next month thinking about school. 

Wishing you all the very best. 

Nick House, Headteacher 

ARRANGEMENTS AND KEY DATES FOR NEXT TERM 

Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd September – INSET days 1 and 2

Thursday 3rd September:

 

Friday 4th September

Monday 7th September onwards – Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays

 Monday 7th September onwards – Wednesdays only

Friday 2nd October - INSET Day 3 

Monday 26th October to Tuesday 3rd November inclusive - Half term 

Friday 18th December - End of term (half day)

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Friday 10th July (10.30am)

We are nearly at the final week. Thank you for all of your support and feedback over the last fourteen school weeks. It has been a challenge at times, but the levels of student engagement have remained high. This is despite the difficulties of parents being asked questions that we don’t always have the answers for!  For all of next week all aspects of the learning will be set, Year 10 and Year 12 students that have attended school since June should continue to do so as previously and the provision for children of key workers will continue until the normal finish time next Friday.

Plans for next term
You will be aware that the Department for Education published plans this time last week about how schools should operate next school year. The document explains that schools can now re-admit all students from September, as opposed to the 25% of students in Year 10 and 12 that were permitted from June. We are currently planning the details of what school will look like in September but the principle is that all year groups will be back in school full time next term. There will need to be some adaptations to the school day to keep year groups from ongoing mixing and we will need some year groups to arrive later than others. I hope to share more specific details with you before the end of term but it is likely that we will need to communicate through the summer holidays. 

A curriculum for re-connecting
We will aim to establish a sense of normality and regularity in September.  Having stated that as our aim, we are planning to help students make the transition back to school smoothly. We are starting to plan these sessions and would welcome views from parents about what you feel needs to be covered in these sessions. We have set up a brief survey here: please complete this if you have a few moments. The more feedback we get, the closer our programme can be aligned to what you know the children need. 

School uniform
A number of parents have written to me to ask whether the ‘new uniform’ (white shirts, ties and jumpers) rather than polo shirts and sweatshirts will be expected for all students in September. I had previously stated that for the vast majority of students the old polo shirts and sweatshirts have been worn out or grown out of! However, I fully understand that part of the Covid-19 effect has been a reduction on incomes for some households. If it is a matter of stress to purchase the newer items when the previous ones can still stretch to another term, then I will extend the deadline for new uniform until January 2021. Please bear in mind that the supplier no longer makes the sweatshirts so any purchase of replacement uniform would have to be the tie and V-neck jumper.

Don't forget to join in this week's Fun Friday Challenge.