Headteacher's Message, Friday 10th July 2020

Dear Parent/Carer and Student,

As I informed you last week it is the government’s plan that all students, in all year groups, will return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term. Returning to school is vital for children’s education and well-being and I am delighted that all students are to return full-time.  Please read the information below carefully which informs you of the changes that will be in place in September to ensure a safe return to school.

HOW SCHOOL AND LEARNING WILL BE ORGANISED

• Students will be in year group bubbles.

•  Students will have different teaching groups within the bubbles.

•  Year groups will be zoned within the school with teachers moving to the students.

•  The usual timetable will be replaced with a temporary timetable based on 3 longer periods and a shorter period 4 which will be used for academic and welfare catch-up.

•  Learning time is the same as the regular timetable.

•  Tutor time will be temporarily replaced and an additional 5 minutes will be added to period 1 for Daily Updates.

•  Student arrival times will be staggered, though break and lunchtimes will not. Instead students will be allocated specific catering and social areas.

•  Toilets and social areas will be designated by year groups and student support bases will be created in each area of the school.

•  A hot and cold food offer will be available for all year groups with additional food stations in each zone of the school.

•  The temporary timetable will be implemented for as long as necessary with an expected minimum of one term.

•  The timetable below shows the start and length of each lesson for all year groups.

•  PE will take place and students will need trainers but not full kit.

•  Separate information will be published regarding music lessons.

•  There will be a restricted year group co-curricular timetable published in September.

•  The week beginning the 7^th September will see a gradual return to school to enable a safe welcome for students and this is outlined below. During this week students will spend time with their Form Tutor and attend lessons.

•  In Year 7-9 we will prioritise a broad and balanced curriculum with subjects grouped by faculty allowing a more flexible approach to subject learning. There will be a literacy emphasis throughout the curriculum with learning designed to support missed, current and future study. Additional support will be delivered in lessons and in small group additional sessions.

•  Year 10 and 11 will follow their subject timetable in 3 longer lessons per day. This amended timetable will allow for rapid progress in all subjects. There will also be an increase in maths provision to support student learning in this essential GCSE. Specialist teaching rooms will be available for subjects requiring this.

•  Year 12 and 13 will follow their chosen courses with their specialist teachers, with changes to the site to allow specialist classrooms as required. They will have a combination of face to face and remote learning to ensure they receive the allocated 12 hours of subject teaching per fortnight. Students will not be required to be in school for study periods or remote learning lessons.

BEHAVIOUR AND PASTORAL SUPPORT

• House teams and the Sixth Form team will retain responsibility for the welfare, attendance and progress of each student.
• Students will remain attached to a Form Tutor and meet with them in small groups during period 4.
• Each year group zone will have a House Team including a Pastoral Manager available as well as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Our behaviour policy has been updated to include expectations around keeping each other safe.
• The importance of positive expectations of behaviour will be discussed with students (and shared with parents) on their return to school. 

PREVENTION AND HYGIENE

• The year group bubbles will minimise contact across the school.
• The 3-period day will reduce movement and contact.
• Toilets will be regularly cleaned and restocked with soap.
• Hand sanitiser stations will be in each zone of the school.
• PPE is not currently recommended in classrooms and we are following DfE guidance regarding the use of PPE by students and staff. I will write separately with more information on the use of PPE and what to do should you suspect your child has Covid-19 symptoms.

CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR ANY COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

• We will have remote learning ready should we have to have a local lockdown or need to close an area or all of the school due to guidance from Public Health England.
• We will have the NHS Test and Trace process in place and follow the Ormiston policy should there be a confirmed case in the CNS community.

PARENTS EVENING, VISITORS AND EVENTS

• We will regularly review the school calendar to ensure we only hold in-school events when it is safe to do so.
• We will consider virtual or bookable socially distanced events and inform you of these, an event at a time.
• Visits to the school will be restricted and where possible email, phone or Teams meetings will be the preferred method of communication.

QUESTIONS AND NEXT STEPS

• I am sure you will have many questions, please email your questions to office@cns-school.org with ‘September’ in the subject box.
• Using this we can create a frequently asked questions information sheet which we will share before the end of term along with further information for the start of the new term.

Finally, I wanted to say again how grateful I am to the parent and carer community at CNS for all your support in helping your children with their learning. Students returning to school to meet with their Form Tutors has been a positive experience and demonstrated how keen students and staff are to be safely back together.

Jo Philpott 

Twitter: @head_cns_school  

THE SCHOOL DAY

Period 4 will begin the week beginning 14th September and a separate timetable will be published, students are not expected to be in period 4 every day.

RETURN TO SCHOOL FROM 7TH SEPTEMBER 2020

• All students will have a combination of Tutor time and lessons between 7-10th September.
• Students will have a full day of lessons from 11th September.
• Period 4 will begin the week beginning 14th September and a separate timetable will be published, students are not expected to be in period 4 every day.

Jo Philpott 

Twitter: @head_cns_school