Category: News

Message for key workers

Helena Headon

Dear parents and carers

Thank you to those of you who have replied to the survey letting us know that you will need childcare next week. This means we now have a reasonable idea of numbers and can plan accordingly.

You will appreciate that these plans are very much subject to change, but a few points just for the moment for those of you intending to send children in:

  • Most importantly, we beg you to follow government advice and only send children into school if there really is no alternative at all. The whole point of school closures is to avoid social contact wherever possible. Any individual who sends their child into school when it is not absolutely necessary is, quite literally, risking the lives of other people in our community. We will be looking at the circumstances of each student this week and really want to avoid too many awkward conversations with parents where we can see it was not essential to send children into school. For example, we would expect most children from older year groups to be able to look after themselves at home for the majority of the time.
  • Similarly, no child should be sent into school if they are displaying any symptoms of the Covid virus – i.e. a continuous cough or any signs of a temperature.
  • That said, we are taking our duty to support vulnerable children and those of key workers extremely seriously. The response of staff at school has been magnificent and we all want to do our bit to ensure those of you who really do need to be in work to keep the country going can get in. Please therefore let us know if it would make a difference to you if, for example, we put on some kind of provision at the weekends and/or before and after school. Email any such requests to my PA, Helena Headon (hheadon@lymmhigh.org.uk). I cannot promise anything at this stage but we will do our best to support this if more than one or two of you need it.
  • As things stand, school buses will run more or less as normal – with one or two ‘duplicate’ services removed. Please click here for the slightly revised timetable (the services highlighted in yellow will not be running) We believe that this will continue but will obviously let you know if anything changes.
  • Students should come in wearing school uniform tomorrow. This may change.
  • Please note that our primary concern is to provide childcare rather than education. What exactly we do is still being planned, but we will likely still follow a structure similar to that of a normal day.
  • We will be encouraging students to practise hand hygiene and social distancing. However, please understand that it is not realistic to be able to guarantee that students are kept 2 metres apart from one another all of the time. Please help to support by talking to your children about the importance of these measures.
  • We are aiming for physical activity, outside if possible, every day. Therefore, students should bring PE kit with them everyday. They can keep it in school if they wish.
  • If you are intending to drop students off and/or pick them up at times that are different to the normal school day, then please make sure you let us know by emailing Student Services (StudentServices@lymmhigh.org.uk)  Otherwise, we shall assume your child will be in between 8.20am-3.10pm.

I hope this provides sufficient information for the time being, but please contact Mrs Headon with any urgent enquires.

Kind regards

Gwyn Williams

ParentPay refunds

Natalie McGillivary

Dear Parents/Carers,

Please be assured that all unspent school meal balances will be returned to your ParentPay account, without the need for you to make an individual request.

This will be completed as part of our school closure process. To help our staff cope at this challenging time, we would ask that you do not make individual requests to the school (which risks delaying completion of this process), unless you have an outstanding query with your child’s account.

We are liaising with ParentPay direct. School staff will be working next week to communicate our plans.

Thank you for your patience.

COVID-19 School Response

rwaslin

Following the announcement by the government on Wednesday 18th March 2020, Lymm high School confirm that we shall be closing at 3.10pm on Friday 20th March.

The school will remain open for pupils who are the children of key workers. Please see this guidance from the government to clarify whether you or your partner are a “key worker” under the current directive:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision.

For children who are classed as “vulnerable,” the school will also remain open.

Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
Children who have a social worker include children in need, children who have a child protection plan and those who are looked after by the local authority.

Please note: the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend. The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

Buses will run as normal on Monday 23rd March, and children attending school need to wear uniform as normal on Monday. Both situations will be regularly reviewed and we will update you with any changes.

Please complete this survey as soon as possible to indicate whether, as a key worker, you need to send your child(ren) into school next week https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=pKAWUGLG4UeBIshlv3a2awRYL80PCwVMpChOatTmT2tUNzAzWlRROVVFSk5DTVQyMzA2TkUyNzEyVy4u

Message for Year 11 Parents and Carers

rwaslin

Dear all

Please note that school will be closed to Year 11 students tomorrow. Mrs Feast, Mrs Ryles-Dean and I have just spoken to the students and explained that we do not want to put them through another day of sitting in lessons that seem somewhat pointless at the moment given that they will not be sitting exams any time soon. We have explained that this is absolutely not a ‘goodbye’; whatever happens, we WILL hold a proper leaver’s day, with a proper leaver’s assembly, shirt-signing and all the rest of it. There will also certainly be a Prom at some point – they deserve nothing less. It will also help the school cope in the light of staff absence at the moment.

We will be in touch with more information for Year 11 soon. In the meantime, I just want to say that they have been absolutely incredible in the way they have handled today. I cannot remember a time where I have been more proud of a group of young people. I should also add that we very much consider them all to still be in our care and we will be doing all we can to support every single one of them over the next few weeks and months.

A very similar message was delivered to Year 13 earlier in the day. We do not expect them in school tomorrow but, amidst all the uncertainty, one thing is certain: we will get them all back together for a suitably positive leaver’s day and Prom.

School will remain open to Years 7-10 and Year 12 tomorrow as planned.

Kind regards
Gwyn Williams

Corona Virus Update

Kate Thomas

We are aware of some stories circulating about school on social media. These are entirely false. If there is ever any news of school closures or other significant developments, we will inform you directly and post information here on the school website.

Coronavirus update

Kate Thomas

Dear parents and carers

Following the updated advice from the government yesterday, I thought it would be helpful to summarise the latest position.

Firstly, whilst schools are remaining open for the time being at least, it seems prudent for students with public examinations coming up (i.e. Years 10, 11 and 13) to make sure they are prepared for any enforced school closure. In such an event, we will be ensuring plenty of materials are available online, via Show My Homework. However, it is important students also have at home hard copies of key revision materials such as revision booklets and knowledge organisers. Teachers are in the process of checking this with students at the moment, but we ask parents and carers to encourage your children to make sure they do have hard copies at home for all relevant subjects and to seek out their teacher if they do not.

We obviously hope we are not required by government to close at any point but, if we do, we will endeavour to set meaningful work for all year groups via Show My Homework. Clearly, the situation is changing all the time and the details of anything like this will be finalised as and when it is necessary.

The latest medical advice from government is as follows:

1. Anyone who shows certain symptoms should self-isolate for 7 days, regardless of whether they have travelled to affected areas. This means students should stay at home and avoid all but essential contact with others for 7 days from the point of displaying symptoms, to slow the spread of infection. The symptoms are:

* A high temperature (37.8 degrees and above) and/or

* A new, continuous cough

You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days, then contact NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.

Please just report any such absences to school using the normal systems.

  1. As per the current advice, the most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves remains washing their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Make sure you cough or sneeze into a tissue, put it in a bin and wash your hands. Please reinforce this message with your children.
  2. Details of the latest advice regarding travel from affected countries can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas/covid-19-specified-countries-and-areas-with-implications-for-returning-travellers-or-visitors-arriving-in-the-uk.

The main change since my last letter concerns people who have travelled from anywhere in Italy since 9th March.

Further details, including on self-isolation, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

I hope this is all clear. Please do contact school if you are unsure of anything; we just ask you to understand that we do not have access to any information that is not already publicly available and are merely following government guidelines.

Kind regards

Gwyn Williams