Update for parents and carers: Tuesday 30th November 2021:

Our school motto inspires us to ‘Learn to Love’ all people made in equal in the image and likeness of God. We follow the commands of God and love everybody as equals.

On Sunday, the Catholic Church began its preparations for the coming of Christ, through celebrating the start of ‘Advent’. Advent is the season of ‘arrival’, the arrival of Christ in our hearts and in our world. During Advent, we’re invited to enter more frequently into silence, into prayer and reflection, into Scripture, and into the Sacramental Life of the Church. The first purple candle on the Advent Wreath was lit on Sunday. This candle symbolises ‘hope’. In our current fractured and challenging world, ‘hope’ is something that is needed by so many people. We pray that all will receive the light of Christ’s ‘hope’ in this Advent season.

I would like to thank parents for their quick response in supporting school with the reinstatement of face coverings this week. In light of the uncertainties presented by this new ‘Omicron’ Covid variant, I am very pleased that Holy Trinity was able to respond quickly to the guidance set out by the DFE late on Sunday.

Here is an update and reminder of some key Covid Safety Practices in school:

· Children should isolate if they have tested positive for Covid19. If children have been identified as a ‘close contact’ of someone who has tested positive, they will not be required to isolate but will be ‘advised’ to take a PCR test by NHS Track and Trace. * However, it is important to note that this will now change if pupils have come into contact with someone who has tested positive with the new variant. Irrespective of vaccine status, pupils and staff would now be required to isolate for 10 days.

· Staff and pupils are still expected to remain off from school if they are displaying main Covid symptoms and are advised to book a PCR test. Main symptoms remain; a new or continuous cough, a loss of or change to taste or smell and a high temperature / fever.

· Schools are encouraged to maintain established and strong practices regarding ventilation and hygiene. Pupils and staff to still regularly wash and sanitise their hands. Classroom doors and windows to remain open during lessons.

* Thank you for your continued diligence and support, in maintaining regular and twice weekly, Covid tests at home for your children.

* School to keep up to date with all information provided by the Department for Education and Public Health England and will inform parents immediately if there are any changes.

We pray for all people who continue to be affected by this Coronavirus pandemic.

Lord in your mercy.

Hear our pray.

Additional key updates:

Senior Leaders and our Head of Year 9, have been very impressed with ‘Attitudes to Learning’ in Year 9, following a series of visits to lessons prior to half-term. Over 50 lessons were visited and it is clear that Year 9 pupils have responded positively to a full integration back into school since September.

With thanks in advance to Year 11 Pupils and Parents, preparing for Progress Meetings via ‘School Cloud’ this Wednesday (1st Dec) and Thursday (2nd Dec). We continue to operate in challenging times and hope to be in a position later in the year, when we can have these meetings ‘face to face’ in school again.

Huge progress continues to be made in our School Expansion Buildings Project! I am delighted that 3 new Science Labs, an additional RE Classroom and our new Dance Studio, are open for full use! We are very excited by the prospect of our newly extended school hall being open from Monday 6th December!

I am delighted that there has been strong interest in our Parent Governor vacancy. Filling this position with a highly committed and dedicated parent, is a key priority for us in the weeks ahead. More details to be shared on the next stages of the process in due course.

A huge thank you to all parents who have completed and returned our ‘Parent Voice Questionnaires’. Thank you for your very honest, constructive and positive feedback. We will share an overview of the findings with parents in due course. This practice is something we will now look to do termly. Your views as parents are highly valued and integral to our schools continued improvement journey.

It is important to note at this point, that driving and parking near our Oakley Road Entrance Point, continues to be highly problematic at ‘drop off’ and ‘collection’ times. Ensuring that all pupils enter and exit the School Building safely, is a number on priority. I ask that parents continue to be patient and understanding of this situation as we all endeavour to support one another as best as possible. Thank you.

Some key dates and information for this half-term:

· 1st December & 2ND December: Year 11 Progress Evening via ‘School Cloud’

· Friday 17th December: Non Uniform Day. Pupils dismissed for their Christmas break at 12.15

· Tuesday 4th January: INSET say for staff only

· Wednesday 5th January: Pupils return to school from 8.35 (Pupils to receive at least one Covid test on site. More details to follow).

In addition, please look out for information regarding extra-curricular opportunities that are available to youngsters, via information shared by individual Subject Departments.

Please access the School Calendar from this Website for further information.

The continued strong partnership between school and home, is at the foundation of the successes that we continue to celebrate.

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

I find this following quote to be uplifting:

“Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all.”

(Emily Dickinson)

It is comforting to know that ‘hope’, ‘never stops at all’. This is because ‘hope’ comes from God and God is infinite and is always with us. We pray for the glorious and uplifting message of ‘hope’ to be prevalent, lived and felt, in all of our families and communities this ‘Advent’.

With every best wish,

Mr Crehan

Headteacher: Holy Trinity Catholic School

Interim Accounting Officer: St Teresa of Calcutta Multi-Academy Company