Dear Parent/Carer
We are delighted to welcome back all students on Monday 8 March. We have been so happy to see the vast majority of our students during their Lateral Flow Device testing slot this week and it’s been clear to see that they are as excited as we are to get back into the building and recommence face to face teaching. We’re also incredibly thankful for all the positive messages that we’ve received from parents regarding reopening and getting all children back to school as quickly as possible.
To support children in coming back to school I would like share some information and guidance with you about the following:
Uniform and equipment
We have high expectations for all our students to adhere to our uniform policy. We have not changed any aspect of our uniform policy and will continue to expect the same high standards. All students should attend in black shoes, black trousers/skirt, white shirt, Workington Academy tie and blazer. In addition to their uniform students should ensure that they have all the necessary equipment with them, including their planner, so they are ready to learn and as such contribute to maximised learning time.
Students will continue to attend school in their Workington Academy PE kit only on the days they have PE. PE lessons will commence from Monday 8 March and students will be expected to have their PE kit and uniform with them. To check when they have their PE lesson students can view their timetable on Microsoft Teams or Firefly prior to returning.
We also have very clear rules on hair being a natural colour, no false nails, no facial piercings and limited ear piercings. For more information on any of these please consult our uniform policy on the Academy website.
If for any reason any of the above is an issue, I urge you to contact your child’s Director of Learning or SPO as soon as possible so we can support in resolving any issues that you may have.
Loaned laptops
Throughout Lockdown we have loaned out many devices to allow students to fully engage in their remote learning. If your child has received one of these devices we ask that they are returned to the Academy safely from Monday 8 March, in the original packaging. All laptops should be returned to the Year group teams.
Face coverings
The latest guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) recommend that staff and students should wear face coverings when social distancing cannot be maintained. This means that students will wear them at all times inside the Academy building, except when they are eating. Students will be permitted to remove their face coverings outside when social distancing can be maintained. The decision has been taken to extend the use of face coverings to keep everybody safe and to reduce the risk of potential transmission.
We would like to encourage students to wear type II fluid resistant masks, where possible, as these provide the best possible protection.
All students and staff will adhere to these measures unless they are exempt. Students with medical exemptions and those for whom it will cause severe distress will be provided with an exemption pass by the year group team. We ask that parents inform their child’s Director of Learning if they believe their child should be exempt from wearing a face covering so we can discuss the matter further.
The DfE have stated that the guidance on face coverings is a temporary measure and will be reviewed at Easter. Hopefully, the need for face coverings will become redundant in the not-too-distant future. However, until then, we will continue to follow national guidance.
Attendance
There is a clear link between good attendance at school and good outcomes. I think you will agree that after the events of the last 12 months 100% attendance at school has never been more important. Next week, I will write to you all personally to provide you with information about your child’s attendance over the autumn term. We will work closely with all students and their families to enable them to maintain good attendance at school for the remainder of the academic year and beyond. Rewards and incentives for good attendance will be in remain in place and we’ll celebrate with students in school and on social media, at the end of this term.
Alongside attending every day, it is also incredibly important that students arrive in time for school every day. Specific year group entrances remain the same as they were last term and students will be allowed to enter the academy from 8.25am ready to start at 8.40am.
Transport
All school transport will run as normal from Monday 8 March. Please remind your child to have their bus pass available for inspection by the driver.
Updates and records
There have been many changes over the last 12 months, due to the pandemic. If there have been any significant changes to your family’s circumstances that we are unaware of, please get in touch as this will allow us to provide the best possible support to your children upon their return. We have carefully planned to support for the vast range of experiences our student body may have experienced during this term and this will only be strengthened by the information that you are able to provide us with over the coming weeks. If you have any information to share with us please contact your child’s Director of Learning.
Can I also ask that if there have been any changes to contact phone numbers, email addresses and home addresses that you let us know. Updates can be sent to our office team at office@workingtonacademy.org.
I’d like to finish by reiterating Mr Bird’s message in that we are all incredibly excited to welcome all our students back to the Academy on Monday 8 March. If you have any questions regarding the information provided in this letter please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Yours faithfully
Mr B Hendren
Assistant Headteacher