Update for parents and carers: Friday 15^th January 2021

Some key and additional information added from previous is included in bold.

We continue to operate within full national lockdown guidelines.

It follows the UK’s chief medical officers and NHS England’s medical director recommendation that the UK Covid alert level should move up to level five, the highest possible, after warning that they were “not confident that the NHS can handle a further sustained rise in cases’ (Monday 4^th January 2021)

Our thoughts and prayers are with all who are unwell with Covid 19. We pray for the families of those who have lost their lives. We pray for our NHS and Social Care workers, who are battling hard to preserve life and to keep us all safe.

​School remains fully operational throughout this period of lockdown, with all available staff without the appropriate exemptions, in school and carrying on with essential work to support our school and wider community. Colleagues, who cannot be in work through exemption, will be following their full working patterns from home.

Children of key workers and children identified by school as most benefiting from being in are following a fully taught curriculum. Please contact school if you feel that your child needs the support of being in school due to circumstances including difficulties in accessing online teaching etc. There are no limits on the numbers of places we can offer in school to children with these particular circumstances. We are delighted to welcome our youngsters into school.

All pupils and families will receiving a ‘Keeping in Touch’ (KIT) phone call’ at some point during this fortnight. A member of staff will contact you to ensure that all is well and to offer any additional support that may be required. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask.

I am looking forward to delivering an assembly to Year 11 via ‘Microsoft Teams’ on Wednesday 20^th January during the following times:

11A, 11S & 11P:  12.30 – 1.OO

11I, 11R & 11E: 1.15 – 1.45

This assembly will contain important information regarding the cancellation of summer exams, teacher assessment grades and what approach needs to be taken by Year 11 now in order for pupils to fulfil their potential and to achieve what they deserve. Every child in Year 11 should attend this assembly and further information will be sent via their school email and through ‘Teams’.

Thank you to all who attended school to collect paper based resources and guidance for online learning programme on Tuesday 5^th January.  Close to 100% of all essential materials have now been collected. It is important to note that our rationale for home and remote learning is to provide a ‘mix’ of learning opportunities to ensure that all children are supported. Through providing a ’mix’ and range of learning opportunities, we are determined to ensure that no child is left behind academically, socially and emotionally because of this latest lockdown.

Additional work and resources are available for collection on Friday 22^nd January. Pupils or parents can collect work as appropriate. Timings for you to come and collect work are as follows:

To ensure we all stay safe and socially distanced, we are giving each year group a one-hour time slot within which they can collect their work. We would ask you to stick to the correct time slot wherever possible. If you have children in different year groups, we will provide you with all of the relevant work packs when you arrive at school.

We also ask that when you come into school, you or your child return all of their completed booklets of work for the teachers to begin marking. Please ensure you child writes their name, year group and their form clearly on the front of each booklet. Thank you for your support.

Please ensure that you are wearing a face covering. You will be directed by staff about where to go to collect work. Lining up to take place outdoors and socially distanced where appropriate.

If for whatever circumstance, work cannot be collected such as your family is isolating, please contact School Reception and we will arrange postage or delivery. It is vitally important that these resources be obtained, in order to ensure that no child at Holy Trinity is left behind.

We are delighted with the implementation of our ambition to equip all pupils with their own laptop device to support with remote and home learning. We are closing to achieving this ambition. Please contact school should your child require a device. In addition, we have acquired a number of ‘4G dongles’ that we can provide to families with no internet access other than that provided by a phone, or where internet has an inconsistent connection. Please contact School Reception if you wish to be allocated with a ‘4G dongle’.

We have received notification that Food Vouchers will be sent to school to distribute to families. We are awaiting further clarification on this during the next few days. Please look out for text messages in the normal format. In the meantime, a food parcel / lunch is available for collection from school from 11 – 12 each day. School will provide pupils with at least their full entitlement of a £2.50 school lunch each day.

Mass testing is a huge administrative and logistical task that we are currently planning to ensure its full effectiveness and safety for all. When successful, it will enhance the robust health and safety protocols that are already in school to keep staff and pupils safe.  I am delighted to announce that Holy Trinity has successfully carried out asymptomatic Covid testing during this week with 40 staff members having been tested. Children currently learning in school have an opportunity to be tested on Monday 18^th and Tuesday 19^th January. Pupils must return their consent form before being tested. This strategy will further enhance the robust health and safety protocols that are already in place in school.

As we progress in this New Year together, we must be mindful that our continued collaboration and strong working partnership is the only way in which we can overcome the challenges that are faced. 

Our school mission has been strengthened during this pandemic, which is to provide all of our pupils with an excellent education, to support them in achieving absolutely anything that they set their ambition for. There are ‘no limits’ to what can be achieved in our school.

With a new strain of Covid19 evidenced to be more highly transmissible, we must continue to take all proactive and preventative measures to ensure the safety of all. If your child or any of the household are displaying any of the main symptoms of Covid19, such as a new or continuous cough, a high temperature or fever, a loss or change to taste or smell, you are expected to stay at home, isolate and to seek a test. 

Please look out for further information via text message, pupil email, ‘Microsoft Teams’ messages or updates to this website.

Thank you for your continued support. Mr Crehan