Dear Parents/Carers
Following Thursday’s announcement regarding the closure of all schools, we would like to provide additional information for students working at home and in relation to their general well-being. Most importantly we advise all members of the school community to follow the latest guidelines in order to reduce the impact of Covid 19. It is important to remember why we are taking the drastic step of closing school. Students and parents are urged to adhere to the guidance around social distancing, however difficult that becomes.
The students have been briefed on how to access work in all subjects while they are not in school. All work will be set using Show My Homework and tasks will be set for each of their lessons. Further instructions on completion of work for students and parents have been sent home to all parents and carers. Students are reminded of the importance of a regular routine, continuing with their learning and appropriate and safe behaviours at all times. Thank you for your support in this process.
Every student has been given or sent a card containing contact telephone numbers to allow students, parents and carers to communicate with relevant members of school staff should a safeguarding concern arise. The contact card details will also be available on the school website.
For students in receipt of free school meals, a voucher will be provided enabling them to purchase food from any Morrisons store for the week beginning Monday, 23 March 2020. These vouchers have been posted today.
We have contacted parents and asked that they respond if they are eligible for priority childcare. We have had 21 responses requesting childcare. Please be aware that the Government’s position on this has only today become clear, and therefore we are having to move quickly to get this in place for Monday. For those who have expressed an interest in this, we will contact you prior to Monday to make arrangements. Please note this provision for next week is at Hensingham Primary School and is only open to those who have already responded. Staff from The Whitehaven Academy will be there at all times to work with those students.
We are acutely aware that we will need to keep in regular contact with parents and students alike. We will of course keep you regularly updated on all school related issues via the school website, Show My Homework and text messages. We will ensure that the school itself is manned during term time if you need to phone and we will see that any messages are passed onto the appropriate member of staff.
We know that this is a particularly uncertain time for students in Year 11 who would have had external examinations next term. We can reassure those students and their families that we will work tirelessly to ensure they get the grades they deserve. Provisional information from the Department for Education is being released today. We will be in touch when more detailed information about how qualifications are awarded becomes available, but this is still under discussion at a national level and there are no finalised details.
The next couple of months will be challenging and we will seek to ensure we support your child as best we can. Please continue to contact us via email or leave a message on the answerphone and we will be in contact to support the students and you if you need us.
Over the past few weeks I have been repeatedly reminded of the kindness and cooperation of staff and students here at The Whitehaven Academy. Saying a premature goodbye to Year 11 and seeing many of them together was a reminder of the brilliance the young people of this community have to offer. The most important message to all of our students is to be kind to each other and kind to themselves.
Yours faithfully
Nigel Youngman
Headteacher
