Dear Parent / Carer
Following on from the Prime Minister’s announcements on Monday and the ‘tweaking’ for clarification that always follows, we now have a clear picture of what the timetable for fully re-opening The Priory School looks like.
‘Covid-19 Response Spring 2021’, setting out the roadmap
DfE guidance for schools: coronavirus (COVID-19)
COVID-19 measures in school – wearing masks in lessons
The school will continue to operate all its existing COVID risk-management measures. Towards the end of last term we introduced wearing masks at the front of classrooms where there was not the 2m gap between students and staff. From Monday 8th March masks will be worn in all lessons apart from PE in line with DfE guidance. The small minority of students who are exempt from wearing a mask will continue to do so. The DfE will review the wearing of masks in lessons after Easter, but the key message remains that this is a measure to help reduce the transmission
of COVID.
COVID cases
Although the rate of COVID infection is coming down, there are still cases in the community. I still expect us to have positive COVID cases at some point, which will result in close contacts having to isolate for 10 days.
It is vitally important that no student is sent to school displaying one or more of the main symptoms of COVID:
- a high temperature – this means hot to touch on chest or back (you do not need to measure temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – this means being unable to smell or taste anything, or that things smell or taste different to normal
Anecdotal evidence from across secondary schools suggests that before displaying the main COVID symptoms students can experience the following up to 48 hours beforehand:
- Headache and fatigue
- Sore throat
- Diarrhoea
If your child is unwell but you would normally (pre-Covid) have sent them in to school, please contact Mrs Higgs (Polly.Higgs@priory.herts.sch.uk) and the school will arrange a time for a lateral flow test to be taken before
school starts.
Testing
We have in place a dedicated team of 14 Priory School staff who have been delivering lateral flow tests to colleagues and key worker students over the last 6 weeks. These tests are easy to deliver and thousands have been carried out in secondary schools in Hertfordshire. Although not mandatory, one would expect that all if not the vast majority of parents will give consent for their child to be part of the testing programme. The key message is that this is a way to identify asymptomatic students and reduce the spread of transmission both within the school and in the wider community. Early next week a letter will be coming out with more detail on lateral flow tests and the
consent process.
During the first 2 weeks back, students will have 3 lateral flow tests conducted on site. These will need to take place between 3 and 5 days apart. What the results will show is whether a person does or does not have COVID on the day of the test. This does not mean that they will not develop it over the following days, therefore the expectation is that all COVID risk-management procedures will still be followed.
From Friday 19th March students will be given lateral flow testing kits so that tests can be carried out at home twice a week. The details regarding this are still been worked through, but the aim will be to have Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening as the two constant days for testing at home.
Testing timetable
The table below will tell you when a specific year group will be in school and when lessons in school will start. All students will be back in school by Wednesday 10th March. On Monday 8th March only the 6th Form and Year 11 are in school. The following day, Tuesday 9th March, all year groups will be in apart from Year 8 and Year 10.
| Date | Year group | Key information |
| Mon 8th March
|
6th Form |
|
| Year 11 |
|
|
| Delivery of learning | Years 7-10 | Periods 1 to 3 non-live online learning; Periods 4 & 5 live online learning |
| Year 11 | Periods 1 to 3 no lessons; Periods 4 & 5 timetabled lessons in school | |
| 6th Form | Online learning | |
| Tue 9th March | Year 7 |
|
| Year 9 |
|
|
| Delivery of learning | Year 8 |
|
| Year 10 |
|
|
| Year 11 |
|
|
| 6th Form |
|
| Wed 10th March | Year 8
|
|
| Year 10
|
|
|
| Delivery of learning | Year 7 | In-school lessons |
| Year 9 | In-school lessons | |
| Year 11 | In-school lessons | |
| 6th Form | In-school lessons resume across all 3 consortium schools | |
| From Thursday 11th March all students will be in school and Post 16 consortium lessons will resume. Students will be on a rotation to take their second and third lateral flow tests (LFTs). | ||
| Thu 11th March | Year 11 | 2nd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am |
| 6th Form | 2nd LFT 10.45am to 12.45pm | |
| Fri 12th March | Year 7 | 2nd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am |
| Year 9 | 2nd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am | |
| Weekend | ||
| Mon 15th March | Year 8 | 2nd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am |
| Year 10 | 2nd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am | |
| Tues 16th March | Year 11 | 3rd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am |
| 6th Form | 3rd LFT 10.45am to 12.45pm | |
| Wed 17th March | Year 7 | 3rd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am |
| Year 9 | 3rd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am | |
| Thu 18th March | Year 8 | 3rd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am |
| Year 10 | 3rd LFT 8.45am to 10.45am | |
| Fri 19th March | Catch-up day |
|
Year 11 & Year 13 summer assessments
The Ofqual report ‘Decisions on how GCSE, AS and A level grades will be determined in summer 2021’ (Full Outcome) was released this Thursday. A letter will be coming out next week to update students and parents about any changes to the already published assessment timetable.
We are all looking forward to having our students back in from the week beginning 8th March. Please take care and stay safe.
Kind regards
Geraint Edwards