Good afternoon all,
As we approach the end of term break I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and wish you and your family a happy holiday. I would also like to wish our families who are celebrating Eid this weekend Eid Mubarak!
We do not expect your children to complete any work during the end of term break. We have asked staff not to set work for the break or set deadlines for work to be handed in during the break. Please close your home school and all take a well-earned break!
When I wrote to you all last week I mentioned the Prime Minister’s recent announcement and the latest Department for Education guidance which stated that from 1 June ‘secondary schools should begin some face to face support with Year 10 and Year 12 students, although we do not expect these students to return on a full-time basis at this stage’ . During this week we hoped to receive some clear guidance from the DfE on what form this support should take, we have not yet received this guidance and expectations remain very vague. We are hopeful that helpful and appropriate guidance will be published very soon. The situation for schools planning for the partial return of any students is currently very challenging. You will also probably be aware that Government ministers will make the final decision on whether or not to reopen schools on Friday 28 May.
With all of this in mind, Landau Forte Charitable Trust has taken the decision to delay the opening of all its schools until at least the week beginning 15 June. I want to reassure you that we are making careful plans regarding how best to support our Year 10 and 12 students, but we feel we must wait for further guidance to ensure we do this in the most appropriate way. The safety of our staff and students is always our first priority.
Thank you to all parents of Year 10 and Year 12 students who replied to the questionnaire we sent out. We are preparing a frequently asked questions document to provide answers to all the questions you posed. We will keep you informed of our timeline and our plans and we will continue to work in partnership with you. We are keen to see students back in school but we need all the relevant information to do this in an informed, measured and appropriate way.
The latest guidance from the Department for Education on supporting secondary school students during the enforced school closure can be found on the GOV.UK website.
The daily provision we currently provide for vulnerable students and the children of key workers during term time will continue. After the break, from 1 June, the timings of the day for these students will change slightly, the day will begin for them at 9.30am and finish at 3.00pm. The number of students accessing this provision has increased significantly, please do let us know if you need to access this provision for your child.
Finally, I would like to wish Carole Noble, our Raising Standards Leader and English teacher, good luck as she leaves us next week to start a new post as Assistant Head teacher at Derby Cathedral School. Carole has had significant impact at the College and we know she will do a brilliant job in her new role. If parents of Year 11 students or Year 11 students have any questions or concerns after the break please contact Laura Rowe, Vice Principal, [email protected] who will be happy to support.
Have a lovely break, take care and stay safe,
Alison Brannick
Principal