As we reach the end of what has been an extraordinary year, we are aiming to ensure that staff and students have the opportunity to celebrate the end of term and enjoy a range of rewards activities whilst still make sure that ‘bubbles’ remain uncompromised and that hopefully we can avoid any individual families to have to self-isolate over the Christmas period.

The last day of the Christmas term is usually reserved for tutor group parties, followed by a whole school assembly in the Sports Hall, with an early finish at around noon. This year, for obvious reasons we will be unable to get our whole school community together in person on the last day of term, and we have been looking at the best approach to ensure that our students and staff are able to enjoy the Christmas holiday period safely and together with family and friends.

In order to provide a period of 7 full days for families of students and staff to self-isolate if they wish to, before meeting up with vulnerable family members over the Christmas period, we are planning to finish face-to-face school at the end of the day, following period 5 on Thursday 17 December 2020. This is in line with the announcement by the Department for Education yesterday.

May I take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support during these unprecedented times and wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Please keep safe.

Yours sincerely,

Simon Barber
Principal