Following the recent communication from the Trust we would like to provide you with more specific information for The Priory Ruskin Academy.

Before starting to explain how we are planning for the coming weeks we would like to thank you for your tremendous support and understanding at this challenging time. We understand that you will have lots of questions and we will try and answer these within this letter and future communications. The situation will change over the next few days and coming weeks and we will try and plan for this as much as possible and ensure you are kept fully updated. If you do have questions please use the Government and School websites as well as the usual communication links you have with staff. Wherever possible we would ask that communication is via email, at ruskingeneralenquires@prioryacademies.co.uk rather than in person at our receptions.

Information for children who will not be able to attend school

The significant majority of students will not be able to be in the academy either because they have been asked by the Government to stay at home, are unwell, or in isolation. We understand that the closure of the Academy will bring with it some significant challenges for our families and communities, however, it is clear that we are now at a stage where this measure needs to be in place in order to support a wider health and civic duty. To this end, the Academy is closed for all students except those whose parents are key workers (where suitable childcare cannot be provided) and some other students such as those with an EHCP. This is to ensure that front line workers can continue to provide vital services in these challenging times. As yet, key workers have not been defined; as soon as this is available we will be in contact and respectfully ask for a prompt return so we can plan effectively for Monday. However, we do anticipate that key workers will include NHS staff, emergency services, delivery drivers and teachers.

For these students, we will be providing a range of learning resources; these will be updated over the period of time that children are not in school. Students will be able to access lessons through Show my Homework in the usual way. There will also be a range of resources available to students on SharePoint.

Information for children who will continue to attend school

For those children who fall into one of the categories the Government has detailed as being able to continue attending school, and where suitable childcare arrangements are not available, we will operate the school opening hours as per normal school hours of 8:55am to 3:20pm. On Monday morning your child should arrive

through main reception where they will be directed in to the restaurant and main hall area. Whilst the full curriculum will not, as I am sure you can appreciate, be delivered, a timetable will be in place for the children to follow; we would ask that they bring their PE kit with them each day or leave this in school. Children should wear their normal school uniform. School meals will be provided in the normal way.

Information about school meals

If your child is attending school, because you are a key worker, meals will be managed as part of their daily routine, as normal.

If your child is not attending school, is not in self-isolation or poorly and currently receives free school meals they will be able to come to main reception, in person, between 12:30pm and 1pm to collect a meal. We are currently awaiting details regarding voucher schemes and will update you on this. Students do not need to wear school uniform.

If your child is self-isolating or ill and receives free school meals we will contact you to try and make alternative arrangements.

Hopefully we have been able to answer some of your initial questions here and will continue to communicate with you on a regular basis. Things will change and we ask for your flexibility and understanding regarding this.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Further to the Trust’s most recent coronavirus (COVID-19) update, please see below the latest DfE guidance:

DfE general guidance for schools:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

Preventing the spread of infection

1. Section 3 of the above DfE guidance relates to preventing the spread of infection.  We thank staff, students, and parents for supporting our efforts to maintain hygiene standards. 
2. Our cleaning contractors and site staff are also responding to government guidelines to help us in this task.
3. The most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves is to wash their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Public Health England recommends that in addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.

DfE guidance for schools with specific reference to school trips:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/covid-19-travel-guidance-for-the-education-sector

School trips abroad:

1. The DfE has advised against sending pupils abroad on school trips.  The Trust team is working with the academies and the various school travel companies to resolve all matters relating to foreign trips scheduled to take place in the current academic year. 

Domestic (UK and day visits) school trips and events:

1. The DfE is not currently advising against domestic school trips; we are reviewing the risk assessments of those that are taking place during the rest of the current academic year.  
2. Academies are reviewing their own programmes and will inform you as soon as possible if changes are to be made.
3. The priority in our decision making is that staff are in school to support the pupils and maintain operational effectiveness.

DfE guidance for those staying at home:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

Further guidance

1. The government will now be holding daily press conferences and we will ensure that any consequent changes to the DfE website are communicated to you.
2. It should be noted that the self-isolation period has currently been reduced by the government from 14 days to 7 days.
3. It is important to note that the government has not announced plans for school closure. 
4. We are, however, mindful of the need to monitor the positions of our own academies and their individual ability to maintain organisational effectiveness.  Academies will do this daily and notify you directly if they need to make partial or more widespread changes to their educational provision.
5. The examination season begins next term.  Our exam officers have completed pupil entries and are in the process of completing seating plans.  Planning will continue.  We expect to receive further DfE guidance on this in the near future.

IT facilities:

1. In our secondary academies, the use of Citrix, SharePoint, Office 365, Outlook, academy websites, and a range of DfE and commercial revision packages will be central to high quality provision in the event of a need for pupils to work remotely at home. Pupils are already familiar with many remote applications that are currently in use.
2. Our secondary academies will provide guidance on how to work remotely should the need arise.
3. In our primary academies and our special academy, the Headteachers will communicate local arrangements with you directly.

Further communications:

The Trust will:

1. Continue to provide links to future DfE updates.
2. Notify you of any organisational changes it plans to make as a result of DfE guidance.

Finally:

Please do not hesitate to speak to academy staff if you have any concerns or observations - these are exceptional times and your views are valued.

We are grateful to parents and pupils for their continued support.

Mr R Reeve
Director of Welfare

It is now 14 days since academy students who took part in the Priory Federation’s ski trip at half-term left their resort in Italy on the Friday at the end of the week. As such, and having followed government guidance throughout, we are looking forward to as normal a school service as possible – given the unprecedented national and international circumstances – being resumed from the start of next week.

 

We would remind you that the Department for Education has set up a coronavirus (COVID-19) advice service for the education sector, including parents, carers and staff. The contact details are as follows:

DfE coronavirus helpline (opening hours: 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)

Phone: 0800 046 8687        Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk

 

We have also set up a page on each academy website to signpost you to the latest information available from Public Health England and the NHS. You can find the page under your academy’s Parents or Information tab, entitled Public Health England Guidance.

By way of reminder, Public Health England says coronavirus presents as: “Flu-like symptoms including a fever, a cough, or difficulty breathing. If you have returned from [an affected area] and develop symptoms, however mild, you should stay indoors and call NHS 111. The current evidence is that most cases appear to be mild.”

From this point, the Trust intends to send you only those updates which follow a significant development at local or national level. Clearly, it is possible that any position could change at relatively short notice. In all eventualities, we will continue to follow the guidance of local and central government through their respective public health arms.

Thank you, once again, for your support and understanding during what has been, and looks likely to remain, an unparalleled period of challenge for all concerned.

Mr R Reeve
Director of Welfare

 

Year 12 Mathematicians have recently benefitted from a session with Dave Tuhey from the Advanced Maths Support Programme The workshop discussed the various entrance tests students might face when applying for maths-related degree courses at university and  provided a series of problem solving tasks to give students practical experience of  the type of  questions that could be included.  With Year 12 students currently starting the UCAS process, this session was an exceptionally useful morning and we look forward to hearing about the outcome of their university applications in the next academic year.

 

 

The Department for Education (DfE) today launched a new coronavirus (COVID-19) advice service for the education sector, including parents and carers. The relevant details are detailed below:

Department for Education Coronavirus helpline

We have launched a new helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

• No school should close in response to a suspected (or confirmed) COVID-19 case unless directed to do so by Public Health England.

Public Health England (PHE) says coronavirus presents as: “Flu-like symptoms including a fever, a cough, or difficulty breathing. If you have returned from [an affected area] and develop symptoms, however mild, you should stay indoors and call NHS 111. The current evidence is that most cases appear to be mild.”

A number of parents have been making enquiries about the educational visits which are, as you would expect, on the academic calendar between now and the summer holidays in July. Under government guidance in place at the time of writing, we will continue to prepare for those school trips to go ahead. But at the same time, we will also continue to monitor the daily advice being provided to schools by PHE. As you may have seen in today’s national news, the Prime Minister will tomorrow (Tuesday 3^rd March) be announcing new containment measures in relation to coronavirus in the UK; we will, of course, keep you updated with any developments  which impact on our academies.

Mr R Reeve
Director of Welfare