Dear Parents and Carers,
I would like to outline the plans we have put in place to minimise the risks for students and staff making the return to school in September to make the process as smooth as possible. We have made the decision to stagger the start of term slightly to ensure we can communicate with each year group the new processes and procedures that will be in place.
Year 7 and 11 will start on Monday 7th September and on Tuesday 8th September all year groups will return to school.
Each year group will form a bubble and year groups will not mix with each other during the school day. To facilitate this each year have been assigned a designated area where the majority of their lessons will be delivered, and teachers will move around school to them. Only specialist subjects which need to be taught in particular rooms such as ICT, Science, D&T and PE will be taught outside their area. This will allow for our enhanced cleaning process to be implemented. Hand sanitisers have also been placed in every area around the school to facilitate enhanced hand hygiene and we expect students to use them whenever they move classrooms, or return from a break or lunch time. Each year group will also have their own designated toilet facility to use to maintain their bubble.
In addition to designated areas we have also moved to a split lunch and break time so that the entire school are no longer all using social spaces and catering facilities at the same time to allow social distancing measures and enhanced cleaning. We will be serving hot food as usual but students can bring their own packed lunch as normal. We have also modified the entry and exit into school and designed designated routes for each year group around school to minimise any cross over. As you will be aware the guidance regarding face coverings has recently changed and we will leave to the discretion of parents and students the decision whether to wear a face mask in communal areas or not. I would ask that if you would like your child to wear a face mask in communal areas you go through the Government guidance on how to wear them and ensure they do not increase the risk of transmission. In reality we have designed the rooms and routes to minimise any contact in school with anybody who is not in their “bubble.” We are also fortunate as a school to have a large amount of space to allow students to be spread out around the site to avoid the crowded corridor situation that some schools face.
All of the information regarding the changes to timings, rooming, routes around school, entry and exit points is below. I look forward to welcoming all students back shortly and hope that you find the time to go through the processes outlined with your child before they return. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact school via email admin@theskiptonacademy.co.uk and we will do our best to respond to individual questions. We intend to send a further communication next Friday which will include answers to any FAQs we receive.
Thanks for your help and support.
Richard McManus
Principal
Download the plans here:
September Plans - Parent-Student Information
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