Dear Students, Parents and Carers,

 

Welcome back to a new school year.  It has be fantastic to meet our wonderful new Year 7’s and Year 12’s this week and to welcome back Year 13.  It was also lovely to meet parents of those in Year 7 for the information evening on Wednesday; we hope your journey with us as a school community will bring great reward, welcome and joy.  Whilst there are a few new routines and things for us all to remember, school is again so full of joy, energy and enthusiasm.  We couldn’t be more excited going forward or impressed by the start that everyone has made.

 

Before the weekend (to give you time to get any last-minute things sorted) I just wanted to send a few quick reminders about plans for next week:

 

Health & Hygiene

-          Please make sure you have the following additional items to the standard equipment packed in school bags for next week:

o   Pocket size hand sanitiser

o   Anti-bacterial wipes to be used on equipment, your desk or chair

 

Whilst these items are available and will be used in every classroom at school, it is important we all take personal responsibility for our own health and hygiene, including when we travel to and from school.

 

o   Washable or disposable face masks.  Whilst we are not requesting you wear these in school due to the systems we have put in place for your safety, you are more than welcome to wear one (and no one will be passing judgement!).  We should all carry facemasks with us either way; you never know when you may need to go into a shop, will be travelling on public transport or perhaps just having to help a stranger in need.

o   A bottle of water.  You will be able to refill your bottle of water, but you won’t be able to drink from any water fountains.

 

-          It goes without saying, we all need to return to school with full school uniform and appropriate haircuts, jewellery, make-up (or lack of it!).  Let’s make sure we start on a positive and don’t have to have any tricky conversations!

-          Students are returning to school on a phased approach to help everyone get up to speed with the one-way systems and measures in place to keep you safe and well.  For those in Year 8-11, on your designated day, you’ll start with an assembly and tour of the school in tutor groups.  Year 7, 12 and 13 are already well-practised.

-          PE kit is to be worn on the days you have either PE or Dance on your timetables.  If unsure of your timetable at present (which is on MySPH) please don’t panic.  Just bring PE kit in a bag and we’ll let you get changed until you know the score.

-          They’ll be different break and lunchtimes for each year groups, so it might be worth you bringing a snack to school in your bags to tie you over if you happen to have slightly longer morning or afternoon than you are used to.

-          School finishes at the usual time for all students other than Year 7 and Year 8 who finish at 2.55pm.  If you have a brother or sister at school that you travel with then of course you can leave together at the later time or 3.05pm.

 

When do you return and what are you doing on the days you are not in school (Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11)?

 

Monday 7th Sept – Year 8 return to school for a 8.40am start.  Years 9, 10 and 11 – you have online lessons (for every lesson) so please login to MySPH and MS Teams as appropriate.  Registers will be taken!

Tuesday 8th Sept – Year 9 return to school for a 8.40am start.  Years 10 and 11 – online lessons (as above)

Wednesday 9th Sept – Year 10 return to school for a 8.40am start.  Year 11 – online lessons (as above)

Thursday 10th Sept – Year 11 return to school for a 8.40am start.

Friday 11th – Business as usual!

 

We of course want to encourage you to stay at school for extra-curricular activities. Because these will need to done within your year group communities (bubbles) it is going to take a little bit more time for us to advertise and sign you up for them. Mr Lumbard, who oversees all clubs and extra-curricular, will be in touch soon.

 

Do let your tutor, head of year or one of the leadership team know if you need anything or have any questions.

 

Have a great weekend and we can’t wait to see you all soon.

 

 

Mr Carter

Headteacher