Tuesday 02/03/2021
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As I am sure you can imagine, we have been rather busy since the Government's announcement on Monday evening, drafting our gradual reopening plan to commence from Monday 8th March - we have worked hard to plan the model that we think will work the best, both in terms of the requirement to test all students prior to the full return and the ways we want to reconnect with all the students as they come back onto site.
We will be sending out the full details of our reopening plan on Friday 26th February early evening, and it will be a model and at a pace you will recognise from our return back in September.
To meet the testing requirements, and to give each year group the TLC it needs as we reopen the site to all, we will be staggering the return of students throughout the first week and a bit, with the intention that all students will be in school all day from Wednesday 17th March. This will enable the testing of different year groups, across those first few days, and time spent with each year group to help them get used to the rhythms and routines of school life in this new chapter.
The full details of the schedule for each year group's testing slots and time in school will be issued on Friday 26th February as I say.
The reason for emphasising the TLC each year group needs will be obvious to you, we're sure: whilst we are obviously so very excited to welcome our students back on to the school site, we know that many of them and you will have worries and concerns, as well as important hopes and priorities. We feel these and share them.
We know that many students will have questions about how school will feel and what measures will be in place to ensure that school is safe whilst maintaining high quality teaching and learning. Whilst we will address a lot of this in the communication coming later in the week, we really do feel it is important to give your child the opportunity to check in with their tutor or a member of our pastoral team, prior to their return to school.
So following the previous success of both our Contact Morning and our Digital Down day, we have made the decision to combine these together and hold a second Digital Down day on Tuesday 2nd March. Every child in the school will receive an invitation to a Teams meeting, at an allocated time, with their tutor or member of the pastoral team.
It is our expectation that your child attends this appointment because reconnection is so important for all of us. During this time we will be able to give some more information on the return to school, offer support and advice and answer any question your child may have. Parents/carers are welcome to attend this appointment with their child but please be mindful that the purpose of this call is for a well-being check and will be limited to 10 minutes per child.
During the Digital Down day there will be no live or pre-recorded lessons, and no work set via Frog assignments. This is to enable our staff to meet with the entire student body throughout the day. Outside of their appointment, we would encourage your child to take part in the various activities suggested here (link to page before), spend time completing any work they feel they may have not yet finished, spend time looking at our extra pages or on their personal hobbies, having some much-needed 'screen free time'.
If you feel that your child may benefit from additional support upon their return to school, you will be able to discuss this during their appointment and this will be shared with our pastoral team so we can arrange it.
Students and parents will see the booking in ePraise via Community > Parents' Evening > Digital Down (Tutor 1-2-1). Students and parents will also receive an email confirmation of this booking by Monday 1st March which will be accessible via Microsoft Teams in the usual way, with their tutor or member of the pastoral team. Owing to the large volume of meetings that will be occurring, to connect with every member of the Noadswood family on one day, it will not be possible to rearrange the times provided.
Should you have particular concerns or more complex worries you wish to discuss we encourage you to reach out to your child's tutor and House Leaders via epraise or email as you normally would, or do contact me at headteacher@noadswood.hants.sch.uk - we are here for you as individuals as always.
We look forward, so much, to speaking with each child and will once again look forward to hearing how they have spent their digital down time.
- Have the majority of the day away from the screen
- Have the option to partake in the activities and suggestions we have given (click link)
- Use this day, or part of this day, to complete any outstanding work they feel they need to
- Most importantly with this second event, booking of a 1-2-1 tutor conversation via Microsoft Teams to have a pastoral check-in ahead of the full return to school
Suggestions for students to do during the day can be found below using the link below, which also includes details for ePraise bookings for a 1-2-1 tutor conversation (click link)
The list contains a huge number suggestions (and these are click links for more information about each one) and we would love for students to spend the day completing as many of these as they wish. We've tried to give a really varied selection of activities which also take account of Covid restrictions and it would be well worth taking a look at the page before the day for some inspiration.
We would absolutely love to hear about / see what the students have got up to - please just email your child's House Leader via the links below to tell / show us what they've achieved:
Anderwood@noadswood.hants.sch.uk
Deerleap@noadswood.hants.sch.uk
Knightwood@noadswood.hants.sch.uk
Wilverley@noadswood.hants.sch.uk
Miss Marshall would also love to hear and see what has been achieved - just email via headteacher@noadswood.hants.sch.uk
*Of course, these are just suggestions and you may have your own activities you as a family would like to do which is absolutely fine.
We look forward, so much, to speaking with each child and will once again look forward to hearing how they have spent their 'digital down time'.
With our thanks for your ongoing support and we will be back with you again on Friday evening,
Kathryn Marshall and the Noadswood Leadership Team
