Dear Parents and Carers 

Reopening of our School from September 2020

You will have heard the government announcement that schools will be open for all students’ full-time education from September 2020. This letter is primarily designed to explain the provision that has been put in place for the start of next term. Our school has been welcoming students in Year 10 back to school since June. We approached this with great caution, reviewing all the scientific advice to ensure that we could be as safe as possible. This has gone extremely well, as our safety measures and risk assessments were excellent. Thank you to all those parents who sent your children back – it has been lovely to see them. 

The Government has stated: ‘Given the improved position, the balance of risk is now overwhelmingly in favour of children returning to school. For the vast majority of children, the benefits of being back in school far outweigh the very low risk from coronavirus (COVID-19)’. 

The guidance we have been given from the DfE has been thoroughly scrutinised by the senior team and we have developed an approach that, we believe, suits our students, parents and staff. At this moment in time, this is our plan but it may well change if further guidance is given stating we need less or more measures to protect those in the school. We will keep you updated via the school email/school website. Videos for the students are being created to get them ready for September and the changes that are being implemented. We will send these out before the start of term.  For Years 8-11 Term starts on Tuesday 8th September at 8.45 am. On the first morning, Students will be based in their tutor bases with their tutor getting used to the “new normal” and re-establishing relationships with staff and their classmates. Year 7 Students have two days’ induction on Friday 4th and Monday 7th September.

In preparation, there are some key points that you need to be aware of to ensure that your child is safe.

Read more…

You will be pleased to learn that on Thursday 20th August 2020 the school will be open between 10.00am and midday for your child to collect their exam results in person. We want to provide as normal an atmosphere as possible with staff on hand to answer any questions that may arise on the day.

We will be distributing results from three areas around the school where a one way system will be in place, maintaining social distancing at all times:
SURNAMES A-F – from the sports hall
SURNAMES G-M – from the auditorium
SURNAMES N-Z – from DT3
The envelopes containing their results will be distributed from these three areas where members of staff will be available to support your child. If a Year Book and/or Leavers’ Hoody was ordered they can be collected at the same time. Read more…

Message from Peter Symonds College for Year 10 students about their Open Events:
We had hoped to be able to run our Open Evenings this term but we’ve extended our October Open Evenings to run across three nights and have attached an Open Evening invitation for 20/21/22 October from 5.30?8.30pm. We’d love to see you then!
Message to Year 10 Students
Open Evenings – October

Dear Parents/Carers and Students

I am writing to you again to outline arrangements for the return of Year 10 pupils to Harrow Way School in line with the guidance received from the Department of Education. Below are the arrangements for the return from 15th June 2020. Places have been given to families that responded to our questionnaire about whether they would be able and willing to attend school. If you did not complete the original questionnaire or have now changed your mind about coming into school then please email jonathan.mann@harrowway.hants.sch.uk.

Arrangements 

• We will not follow a normal timetable, nor will all students be in at once.  As I have previously mentioned, these lessons are not compulsory, and some parents may wish to keep their children at home even if schools do return.  A maximum of 25% of the Year 10 population will be in at any one time – 40 students
• For Week 1 and Week 2 Students will receive face to face support in English, Maths, and Science. The groups will be based on teaching groups for Maths lessons
• The table below shows which Maths class is on which day and how these groups are then divided by last name on those days

Read more…

Wonderful Work – 6th June 2020

Dear Parents/Carers and Year 10 Students

Year 10 return: – Following the announcement by the Prime Minister on Sunday 24^th May regarding the return of Year 10 and 12 pupils, I have received further guidance from the Department of Education on how this is to be implemented.  Clearly as a result of this guidance, the school is having to adjust the draft plans for year 10.  Over the next week, more steps will be taken to prepare the school for Year 10 to return.  I will share the plans  with you next week.  I will also produce a short video to show how the school site is ready for the return of Year 10 students.

Key points from the secondary guidance are as follows:

• Any plans that secondary schools have made for pupils to return earlier in June should be amended to commence from 15 June.
• Secondary schools should offer this face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of Year 10 and Year 12 pupils, which should remain the predominant mode of education during this term for pupils in these year groups.
• Schools are able to have a quarter of the Year 10 and Year 12 cohort (for schools with sixth forms) in school at any one time.
• Secondary schools should aim to practise social distancing in line with the measures the government is asking everyone to adopt in public and in workplaces, including keeping pupils 2 metres apart from each other where possible.
• Ensuring sufficient distance between pupils is likely to mean classes are no more than half their usual size.
• Mixing between different groups of pupils should be kept to a minimum.
• Where rotas are used, secondary schools should avoid split day rotas within the same day and ensure that only a quarter of children are ever in the school on any one day. Vulnerable children and children of critical workers in all year groups should still be encouraged to attend full-time.
• Within the guidance above, schools have the flexibility to implement face-to-face support for Year 10 and Year 12 pupils in the way that best suits their circumstances.
• Vulnerable children and children of critical workers in other year groups should be accommodated as currently.

M J Serridge