Update for Olympus Parents and Carers – 27Th May 2021
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Update for Olympus Parents and Carers – 27th May 2021 Dear Parents and Carers, As we reach the end of our first full term back in school after Lockdown 3, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your families for your support with the routines that have had to be implemented and updated as restrictions and guidelines have been changed. We have been really impressed with the way the learners in our schools have adapted to the constant changes during the past year, even though we know that some have struggled with anxiety and illness. The Department for Education’s free mental health resources for all ages are available here. If you feel that your child needs support, please contact their school. Overall infection rates have remained low this term in our schools as well as in the local community, although there was a flurry of positive cases in one school which was a reminder that we are not home and dry yet! Following a meeting with staff from the school and Public Health England, we have been asked to reiterate the following contact definitions: a close contact can be anyone who: lives in the same household as someone with COVID-19 symptoms or who has tested positive for COVID-19 has had any of the following types of contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 with either a PCR test or LFD test (if a confirmatory PCR test is negative, provided it was taken within two days of the positive LFD, it overrides the lateral flow test and close contacts can stop self-isolating): face-to-face contact including being coughed on or having a face-to-face conversation within 1 metre been within 1 metre for 1 minute or longer without face-to-face contact been within 2 metres of someone for more than 15 minutes (either as a one-off contact or added up together over 1 day) travelled in the same vehicle or a plane. Whilst awaiting the confirmatory PCR result, pupils, students and staff and close contacts should continue to self-isolate. We will have to continue to balance appropriate levels of caution with trying to return to normal routines. We are currently exploring how we can run events such as Sports Days and other regular activities safely, even if that means doing them in a different way, in order to ensure that our young people do not miss out on these important formative experiences. We are reviewing whether we can plan trips and visits for term 6, knowing that we can only do this in line with the latest Government guidance for schools, with approval from our insurers, and where we are guaranteed no financial loss, either for the school, the Trust or yourselves. In some cases, we will have to accept a deferral rather than a refund if we end up having to postpone but this will all be made clear to parents/carers at the time of booking. We remain clear that events such as Proms cannot go ahead because there is too much risk that significant cost could be incurred that would not be recoverable. Schools are looking at alternative rites of passage for our young people for their significant end of learning phases. Face Coverings in School Face coverings are no longer required to be worn by students in our secondary schools although they have had to be temporarily reintroduced at Patchway Community School as a precaution. Please remember though, that if your child(ren) do want to continue to wear them, this will not be discouraged. Bubble arrangements will be continuing in schools at the start of term 6; we are awaiting the further announcements of relaxing of restrictions from the Prime Minister ahead of 21st June to see what further adjustments, if any, we will need to make then. Please note that once restrictions hopefully start lifting after 21st June, there may be variations from school to school, dependent upon key factors such as site, numbers, timetable arrangements and local infection rates. As a reminder, face coverings are still mandatory on school and public transport. Staff and visitors continue to be expected to wear face coverings in social and communal areas where they cannot safely maintain social distancing, whether that be inside or outside. The full guidance on wearing face coverings can be found here. We continue to advise caution when meeting friends over the upcoming holidays in order to keep everyone safe. Sad News We were sad to hear about former Filton High School/Abbeywood Community School student, Georgia Fry, who left the school in 2011 and who died recently. Our thoughts and condolences are with her family. Many Winterbourne Academy families, in particular, will be sad to hear that Mr Paul Lobb died earlier this month after a period of illness. He worked for the Ridings Federation for a significant period of time and was Deputy CEO of the Federation before he retired. Latterly, he had supported both Winterbourne Academy and Abbeywood Community School with timetabling despite having moved to Cornwall. He was a friend to many and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Paul’s family. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) This year, we have had over 20 School Direct trainees working alongside our staff, who have been supporting them in their year of training to be teachers. We are pleased to say that a number of the trainees have secured posts in our schools. We already have over 20 trainees signed up for next year. Mrs Michelle Hall has been leading our ITT programme for us this year but has recently joined Abbeywood Community School as Deputy Headteacher. Last week we appointed Sarah Evans, currently Teaching School Alliance Director and Trust School Improvement Lead in Kent, to take on the role of Olympus Director of Training and Partnerships and, as part of the role, will be leading our initial teacher training programme for this year. Ofsted at Stoke Lodge Following the remote section 8 monitoring inspection in March at Stoke Lodge Primary School, Ofsted conducted an on-site section 8 monitoring inspection on Wednesday 12th May. We knew from the outset that they did not intend to convert it to a section 5 inspection, which would have been the only way to achieve a change of current judgement but it went well and we received positive feedback from the inspector. It is likely that they will return for a third time in the first half of next academic year, at which time we are hopeful that Stoke Lodge will be judged to be a good school. Update on School Plans The budget has now been approved by South Gloucestershire Council for the new Charborough Road Nursery and the re-provisioning of the school field. The current school field will be sold for housing development and the local authority will replace this with a re-designed field space, including a multi-use games area which is more accessible to the school and will have better facilities to use all year round. The nursery is due to open for 3-4 year olds at the beginning of September with places available for 26 children. If you are interested in a place for your child, please contact Julie Truckle at Charborough Road Primary School or Lisa Stevens, Olympus Admissions Coordinator. Discussions are ongoing with the local authority and the architects to increase capacity at Abbeywood Community School. We are still waiting for a decision by the Minister about whether Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy (BTEA) can join the Trust in September, following which Olympus Trustees will make a decision about whether it is viable from a Trust prospective. We are pleased that the Department for Education organised a visit to Patchway Community School recently as the school is under consideration for the Prime Minister’s rebuilding programme, whereby 50 schools each year in need of refurbishment or rebuilding will be rebuilt. We are currently waiting for the next steps to be announced. Contact tracing during May half-term We will need to know of any positive cases of Covid-19 during the start of the May half-term break, please for any children who have been attending school this week as it will result in anyone they have been in contact with needing to self-isolate for 10 days. Therefore, on Friday 28th May, please contact your child’s school and then, from Saturday 29th May to Sunday 30th May, you should contact South Gloucestershire Council via their dedicated e-mail address: ey- [email protected] if your child tests positive and has been in school. Please remember that a positive home LFD test needs to be followed up with a confirmatory PCR test which needs to be booked via the NHS. The attached flyer provides full information about the details you should send in the e-mail, as well as other useful information (please note the dates of contacting are slightly different because of our staff training day on Friday 28th May). They will reply to your e- mail with any additional advice and will contact the school if necessary, to let them know. After Sunday 30th May, there is no need to notify because nobody else in school will be affected as they will not have been in school for the infectious period. It would still be helpful to e-mail the address on the flyer, please, in order to enable us to monitor positive cases. We recognise that contact from school after term ends with an instruction to self-isolate may cause some frustration and disappointment.