Partial School Closure – Wednesday 1st February 2023

27th January 2023

Dear Parent/Guardian

Partial School Closure – Wednesday 1st February 2023

I write further to my letter dated 25th January regarding strike action from the teachers union, NEU.

We are sorry, but we will not be able to open as normal on Wednesday 1st February when the National Education Union (NEU) goes out on strike. We are extremely grateful to our staff who have made us aware of their intentions, as they are not obliged to do this. Their actions are not aimed at the school, nor do they wish to create uncertainty for the students and families that we serve.

We have looked at our priority groups and plans for staff numbers to ensure that all students are kept safe and can be sufficiently supervised. We have, therefore, had to make the decision to only allow those students in Years 11 and students in Y7-10 who are classified as vulnerable or a child of a first responder to come into school. Year 11 photographs are booked for this day and will continue as planned.

The school will be open for vulnerable children and children of first responders, in Years 7, 8, 9, 10. Vulnerable children are those who fall into the any of the following categories:

Students who have an EHCP
Students who receive Free School Meals
Students who are classified as Pupil Premium
Students who are looked after by a Local Authority
Students with a Social Worker as they are on a Child Protection Plan or Child in Need Plan

If your child falls in to one or more of the above categories and you would like them to be in school on Wednesday 1st February, we ask that you please complete and return the relevant form attached to this letter by 10.00am on Monday 30th January 2023, using this link. We will then respond to confirm eligibility and an allocated place for Wednesday.

Children of First Responders. We do not want essential services to be disrupted and, therefore, we have made the decision to support these families by offering them the opportunity for their children to come to school. They will work online and be supervised by a member of our support staff. First responders are considered to work in the following professions:

NHS, including ambulance and paramedic staff
Ministry of Defence
Police
Fire and Rescue Services
Care workers
Social workers
Teachers at state schools (who are not on strike).

If you work in any of these professions and would like your child to be in school, we ask that you please complete and return this form by 10.00am on Monday 30th January 2023. We will then respond to confirm eligibility and an allocated place for Wednesday.

We will be running a normal day from 8.40am to 3.05pm and students in school will be supervised to work online with staff. We would ask that you complete and return the form using by 10.00am on Monday 30th January 2023 so that we can allocate students to the required groups and rooms.

Free School Meals

If your child is in receipt of free school meals, but you do not wish them to attend school on

Wednesday 1st February, we will be providing a school meal as a packed lunch. This can be collected at 1.00pm on 1st February from our main reception by your child, or by a parent/guardian. To help us cater appropriately, we do ask that you please complete and return the relevant form attached to this letter by 10.00am on Monday 30th January 2023, stating whether your child will need a free school meal on this day.

Next week I will write again to outline the provision in place for those students who are not in school on Wednesday. I would like to thank you in advance for your understanding. I am sorry if this puts additional pressure on you, but the school cannot safely house the whole school population given the strike action.

Yours faithfully,

Zoe Andrews

Principal