The government announced on Wednesday evening that all schools in England would close at the end of the day on Friday 20^th March 2020 until further notice. 

The government has decided that: 

1.       Schools will remain open for pupils in the following categories: 

a.       Pupils with parents/carers who are key workers 

b.       Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan 

c.       Pupils with a Social Worker. 

2.       Pupils who are not in these categories must remain at home with appropriate care. 

3.       Provision will be made to support pupils who are entitled to Free School Meals.  This does not include universal Free School Meals. 

4.      The Department for Education will not be going ahead with external exams and assessments this academic year. 

This is an emerging picture and we will all need to be patient while further details follow from the government in the coming days. 

I write to provide assurances that our individual academies are planning for the start of next week.  Please understand that: 

1.       A full and meaningful set of learning resources will be provided for pupils who are remaining at home. 

2.       Provision will be made for pupils who are in category 1 a, b and c above to attend school for the normal school hours.  A school meal will be provided.  For those pupils not on Free School Meals, a charge will be made. 

3.       All pupils who are entitled to Free School Meals are invited into the academies to collect their meal at a time specified by the academies.  Parents will need to inform the academies if their child is self-isolating and we will make alternative arrangements. 

4.      We will talk in detail with pupils in Y11 and Y13 who were expecting to be examined in May/June.  They will understandably be concerned about the announcement.  We do not have details yet, but we are confident that pupils will be able to progress successfully onto the next stage of their education.  We understand the true potential of our pupils and we are well placed to advise them, the university sector, Sixth Form tutors, employers and college staff on where and how they will flourish.  We will continue to work with pupils and families to ensure that they are well placed for their future.  It is easy to say, but please do not worry about this. 

5.      We acknowledge also that Y6 pupils will have been preparing for assessments and continue to ensure that they are ready for the next stage of their education.

We will keep you updated throughout the period of closure through our email/parent contact systems.  We will use our websites to provide general information.  In some cases, as advised by the government, we will make home visits to ensure the wellbeing and safeguarding of all those in our care.  Contact details are on our website pages.  

This is the biggest test that our country has faced in generations.  Our academies have always played an important role as places where pupils are educated, communities are supported, and the best of humanity is reflected.  We are determined that this will continue. 

At times such as this, we see the importance of our values; as such, we wish you and your families courage in your hearts, generosity in your spirit and wisdom in your judgements. 

Please understand that we are immensely proud of our pupils and will do whatever we can to help them at this time and into the future. 

From everyone at the Priory, our thoughts are with you. 

Public Health England - Priory Update

Summer exams 2020
We are aware that you may have questions about the possible impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the summer exam series. As a Trust, our academies have been told to continue to prepare for exams and other assessments as normal.

Ofqual, the government’s exams regulator, says: “We continue to work closely with exam boards, other regulators and the Department for Education and we have met to plan for a range of scenarios, as the public would expect. Our overriding priorities are fairness to students this summer and keeping disruption to a minimum. It is still many weeks until exams start and we will issue updated advice if necessary, giving schools and colleges as much notice as possible.”

Please also refer to the information sheet sent last month by the Trust’s Examinations Manager Mrs Ruston. In particular, you are reminded that the GCSE and A-level exam season is scheduled to begin on Monday 11th May and conclude on Tuesday 23rd June. As in previous years, the exam boards have also imposed a contingency day of Wednesday 24th June in case of any local or national disruption during the main period. Any decision to reschedule an exam will be made nationally by the awarding bodies, which do not accept holiday as an acceptable reason for absence.

Academy events
Scheduled academy events (eg parents’ evenings, school productions) will continue as advertised for the time being. We are sure you will appreciate that this situation could change at very short notice; we will update you as soon as possible if that is the case.

We are continuing to monitor the daily coronavirus guidance being provided to schools by central government and will revise our plans accordingly should any of that advice change over the coming days and weeks. Our information and instructions are taken from Public Health England, the Department for Education, the NHS, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Local Authority’s public health team.

Mr R Reeve Director of Welfare

On 3^rd March Ruskin held a ‘no pen day’. Across the curriculum students put down their pens as teachers led activities that relied on verbal communication. From human sentences in French, to debates on ‘is this Art’ in Art, the enthusiasm for creative learning approaches was clearly evident. Beyond the fun, putting pens aside helps raise awareness of communication as a key life skill. Verbal communication skills are essential in developing our writing and comprehension abilities as well as managing emotions, developing friendships and preparing us for employment.