Coronavirus Update – 22nd March Update
Sunday 22nd March 2020
Closure
As you are aware, all schools are now closed to most students. The government has asked schools to remain open to provide childcare for a small group of vulnerable children and to the children of those parents identified as key workers. Uniform and dining arrangements are as per normal for this small number of pre-arranged students. However, the government advice to all families is clear: children should stay at home wherever possible.
Working from home
All students are required to work from home. Work will be provided weekly through the Go4Schools website and email. In addition, please refer to the ‘Working from home’ page on the Emmanuel website. This page will contain resources for all year groups by the end of Monday. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s year leader if you have any problems accessing any of these resources. Students are encouraged to follow their timetable to guide their working and parents should ensure that they follow the advice to avoid social contact.
Safeguarding
We continue to take our safeguarding responsibilities seriously and will be providing access to Designated Safeguarding Leaders should there be issues that children wish to access support during what will be a stressful and uncertain time. Again, support will also be available on the ‘Working from home’ section of the website.
Free School Meals
Plans to continue to provide free schools meals to all children who are entitled to these are in place. We will be in touch with parents about providing a weekly hamper for those children who receive free school meals.
Examinations
All May and June examinations have been cancelled. This affects students in Years 11 and 13, who will not sit any final exams, and students in Year 12, who will not sit their AS Levels. The government has begun to provide clarity on how examination results will be awarded and has made it clear that they do not intend to allow students to miss out on their qualifications. We will provide more information about this in due course to those students affected.
Thank you
I want to thank all parents for their support during this period. I am conscious of the large amount of information we have been trying to relay in very rapidly changing times. We will need to continue working closely with you to encourage children to keep safe and healthy and maintain a learning routine. At a time when we all need to work to support each other, we have very much felt supported by our parents and local community. I am also grateful to our staff, who have shown real flexibility and professionalism through a period of uncertainty. Although the school is closed to the vast majority of students, we remain available to support you and your children throughout this challenging time.
