Arrangements for January 2022

Ref: VJW/AKW

3 January 2022

Dear Parents/Carers

Wishing our children and their families a very Happy New Year!

We are looking forward to welcoming our children back into the Academy after the festive break. Early indications of our staff availability suggest we will be able to continue with our plans for a phased return, as detailed in the December letter:

Arrangements for January

After the Christmas break we would ask that all students have an LFD test at home on the night before, or morning of, their return to the Academy.

To facilitate the required onsite-testing we will once again have a phased return to the Academy over the first three days of the term as follows:

Students should arrive to the Academy at the usual time and report to their Period 1 teaching room rather than their form room for these three days.

Recently, the government updated the guidance for the reopening of schools in January 2022. It is now recommended for all students, who are not exempt, to wear a face mask whilst in the classroom, as well as in communal areas. Please can you send your child to the Academy in January with an appropriate face covering. We do have a small contingency supply of masks for those who have forgotten or damaged their own.

Please can I also remind you that, if you have given consent, your child will have the opportunity to undertake one on-site LFD test on the day they return to the Academy in January. It is strongly encouraged that students continue to self-test twice weekly at home and report all results to NHS Test and Trace. We will continue to distribute the home LFD kits to support with this.

Since Wednesday 22 December, the 10-day self-isolation period for people who test positive for COVID-19 through a PCR test has been reduced to 7 days in most circumstances. Individuals may now take LFD tests on Day 6 and Day 7 of their self-isolation period. Those who receive two negative results on Day 6 and Day 7 no longer need to isolate for the full 10 days. The first test must be taken no earlier that Day 6 and the two tests MUST be taken 24 hours apart. If both the test results are negative, and the individual concerned does not have a high temperature, they may end their self-isolation after the second negative test result and return to their education setting from Day 8.

Please can I remind you of the importance of communicating with our Attendance Office in relation to your child's absence and then their actual return day to the Academy, so that we know all of our young people are safe and accounted for.

Ventilation in the classrooms and communal spaces remains a significant priority. Please can I remind you that, in-line with our Academy Uniform Policy, students can wear plain base layers under their uniform, should they need to.

Once again, as I have said in so many letters over the past 18 months, thank you for your ongoing support and understanding as we navigate through this ever-changing situation.

Yours faithfully

Miss V J Watts
Interim Principal