Autumn term return dates and times
A reminder that we will be welcoming students back as follows:
- Year 7 only on Wednesday 8 September
- All students on Thursday 9 September
The school day starts at 8.45am and ends at 3.00pm, except each Wednesday B Week, when school ends at 2.10pm for staff Continuous Professional Development.
We’re looking forward to seeing everyone!
COVID arrangements
COVID arrangements in schools have changed in line with national relaxing of restrictions. Students are no longer required to wear face coverings (although they can if they wish) and we will not be keeping students in fixed year group ‘bubbles’ or requiring them to all be seated facing forward. We will encourage students to wash their hands on arrival to and departure from school, and to sanitise them as they arrive at each lesson or the canteen. A full range of practical activities, including sport, music and drama, will be able to take place, although we will continue to take sensible precautions where appropriate.
All arrangements are subject to review if advice and guidance from the local Public Health team or central government changes as a result of a local outbreak or a national increase in cases.
Testing and isolating
As per the letter from York Public Health, all students are encouraged to carry out two Lateral Flow tests before returning to school. Details of arrangements in York can be found here.
During September, students will be encouraged to test at home twice a week. We will provide testing kits for them to do this.
If your child tests positive at home, they should stay at home until they have had a PCR test.
Similarly, if your child develops symptoms they will need to go home or stay at home and isolate and book in for a PCR test.
If the PCR test is negative, your child will be able to return to school. If the test is positive, your child will need to isolate as instructed by the NHS. If your child does receive a positive result after a PCR test, there is no need to test for 90 days afterwads.
Students no longer need to isolate if they are identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive. All tracing will be carried out by the NHS, not by school.
Anyone who is exempt (under 18 years 6 months or double vaccinated) does not need to isolate if a member of their household tests positive on a PCR, or is waiting for a PCR result after developing symptoms or testing positive on an LFT. They are legally required to do so if not exempt.
Uniform and equipment
Please remember to make sure your child arrives back in school in the correct uniform and with the equipment they need. Students in Years 7 and 10 need to purchase the appropriate tie from Keal Teamwear. You can check what is required on the school website.
Badged items of uniform can be purchased from our supplier Keal Teamwear.
For further information about PE and Games kit, please click here. This is also available from Keal Teamwear. (Just as a reminder, PE takes place indoors and Games takes place outdoors.)
New catering contract
As announced in a previous email, this year we will be welcoming a new catering contractor on board. Dolce is a family business specialising in school meals.
Your child will notice some changes to the canteen, including new self-service sales points: the individualised fobs needed for these will be handed to students on their first morning back. We will be uploading menus to the website shortly so you can get a flavour of what is on offer.
Contacting the school about pastoral issues
In the first instance, please contact your child’s form tutor by email and ask them to respond or call you back. Each tutor has dedicated time after the school day four days a week (not Wednesday) so this is likely to be when they make contact. Form tutor emails can be found here.
Full details of communication under the new year group structure can be found here. If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm, please contact the School Office T: 01904 686400 and ask to speak to a member of the safeguarding team.
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