This has been a good week; knowing that in two weeks we will have our school back is just the best news. Planning for the return of our students has been a challenge (more of that later) but exciting at the same time. With the announcement of the “roadmap” we can see the beginning of the end of the restrictions that have affected so much of our lives and the potential in the not too distant future for a return to normality. We will still need to be careful; there will of course be challenges ahead but it definitely feels as if the worst is now behind us.

In the short term, the biggest challenge that we, like all secondary schools, are facing is that of testing. Information about the testing programme and the subsequent move to home testing for students was sent to parents earlier this week. The online consent system is in place and seems to be working well. Our testing facility is up and running and has been used for our key worker students for the past 2 months. To help put your child’s mind at ease we have put some photos of the testing facility on our website. You should be able to see that each student will have privacy when conducting their test as well as the support of an adult. The dedicated email address for testing queries is up and running at lfdtesting@severnvaleschool.com if you have questions regarding the testing programme.

Delivering the number of tests in the time required is a daunting prospect. To enable us to deliver what could be up to 275 tests per year group has required us to put in place a phased return for all students. The timetable for the initial testing is shown below:

Thursday 4th March	Friday 5th March	Monday 8th March	Tuesday 9th March	Wednesday 10th March	Thursday 11th March
3.30 – 5.30pm Year 11	3.30 – 5.30pm Year 11	9.00 – 3.00pm Year 10	9.00 – 3.00pm Year 7	9.00 – 3.00pm Year 8	9.00 – 3.00pm Year 9

 

We have prioritised our exam year groups and have been able to schedule testing for Year 11 students so they do not miss any remote learning. More details and the exact timings of testing for specific tutor groups will be sent next week as will details of opportunities for subsequent tests prior to home testing beginning.

In the week beginning 8^th March remote learning will continue for students on the days they are not in school with the exception of their year group allocated testing day. So the week will look like this:

	Monday 8th March	Tuesday 9th March	Wednesday 10th March	Thursday 11th March	Friday 12th March
Y11	In School	In School	In School	In School	In School
Y10	Test Day No lessons	In School	In School	In School	In School
Y7	Remote Learning	Test Day No lessons	In School	In School	In School
Y8	Remote Learning	Remote Learning	Test Day No lessons	In School	In School
Y9	Remote Learning	Remote Learning	Remote Learning	Test Day No lessons	In School

 

By 12^th March all of our students will be back and school will be fully operational for face-to-face teaching. All subsequent testing prior to home testing beginning will take place with the students in school.

On the whole, the arrangements in place in school will be the same as we have operated since September. The students will remain in their year group bubbles and the phased end to the day will continue. One change introduced by the Government is the requirement for students to wear face masks in lessons as well as during lesson transitions. This will be in place until Easter when the Government will review this requirement. We have already identified a small number of students who are exempt from this requirement during the 7 week period when face masks were first required in school. These students will remain exempt. All other students will be expected to wear a face mask. Please do ensure that your child has suitable face masks in readiness for their return to school.

Given the return to school is now imminent it would be very timely to check you child’s uniform. Full uniform expectations will be in place and we would want to avoid any unnecessary issues that incorrect uniform could cause so that our focus can be on learning. That will also apply to hair colourings and jewellery. Please do take advantage of the time before your child’s return to address any issues. Thank you in advance for your support with this.

I know for some students the prospect of the return to school may be daunting. Please remember that our staff remain available to support our students. The best points of contact are always the Tutors or the Heads of Year. There is also a wealth of well-being material and links on the school website here.

As I write this we are getting confirmation of the outcome of the DfE/Ofqual consultation into the awarding of GCSE grades for the current Year 11 students. It was reassuring to hear that Simon Lebus, Ofqual’s interim chief regulator, say that the aim of the system they have designed is to “make it no harder overall for this year’s students to receive a particular grade than students in other years”. We had used the information from the consultation to begin to develop our plans for collecting the evidence required to award the students’ grades. The first part of this was shared with Year 11 students and parents at the end of last term. We will now digest the outcome of the consultation to finalise our plans. These plans will be communicated to Year 11 students and parents as soon as possible.

Next week is National Careers Week (1^st - 5^th March) and the Severn Vale Careers Department is going to be running a series of workshops for Year 8 throughout the week. Full details of the times of the sessions will be posted in SMHW. Details will also be sent separately to parents and students in Year 8. There is an impressive range of workshops for the students which will be really informative. I commend these to you.

As always, I include my weekly reminder about Free School Meals eligibility. If your financial circumstances have changed, your child may be eligible for Free School Meals. If you click on this link you will find guidance on the eligibility criteria and the application process. It's a quick process and we are notified of all FSM entitlements by Gloucestershire County Council each Monday. I would urge you to take a look if you think you may benefit from financial assistance.

The countdown to the return of students has begun; there is a sunny weekend forecast. Hopefully signs of brighter times ahead.

Kind regards

 

Richard Johnson
Headteacher