Information updates during the period of school closure during the Covid-19 outbreak will be posted here.

From the Headteacher, 30.07.20: A Level Results Day Plan, Thursday 13th August 2020 and GCSE Results Day Plan, Thursday 20th August 2020.

Please find a letter outlining the plans for examination results collection here.

From the Headteacher, 02.07.20: Regarding Parents’ Consultation Meetings and the end of term.

Please find a letter regarding parents’ consultation meetings here and supplementary Parent Guide here.

From the Headteacher, 08.06.20

This letter was sent to parents/carers of students in Year 10 and Year 12 regarding the possible partial reopening of school to more pupils from 15 June, if the government thinks it is safe to do so. It sets out the plan along with a Q&A, and requests a reply stating whether students would like to return or continue home learning.

From the Headteacher, 01.06.20

Please find advice here on how parents should best contact staff during school closure. Thank you.

From the Headteacher, 20.04.20

Phase 2 Home Learning Programme. This letter, including details on rationale, video conferencing teaching, homework, seeking help and support, and a full table overview, was distributed to parents via SchoolComms.

From the Headteacher, 19.03.20

Dear Parents / Carer,

Yesterday the Prime Minister announced that schools across England will close at the end of the day on Friday but that children of ‘key workers’ and certain other vulnerable children are able to continue to attend in order to support the most vulnerable and reduce pressure on the NHS and public services. The purpose of this communication is to ensure that you have all the information necessary to support your family at home and to contact us if you need to. School will continue to operate tomorrow on the same basis as today.

Phase One Home Learning – Now until Friday 3rd April

Work has been uploaded for students to complete on ClassCharts for completion between now and the end of our usual Easter holidays. There is also a ClassCharts help guide that has been emailed to you. The link to get to Sexey’s School Classcharts is always on the website here. Teaching and Boarding staff are able to send parent codes for access. Should any parent or child need any IT help at all over this period please contact our super IT support team itsupport@sexeys.somerset.sch.uk who will endeavour to help you.

A recommended Reading List and Film List is available here. The information and resources that we have provided have been personalised for your child’s year group. This list and a video and film log is also accessible on Classcharts in your son or daughter’s English area.

Our expectations for the work that a student should be completing is set out below:-

Years 7-9

• Reading at least one hour a day and recorded on Reading Log on ClassCharts
• Watch at least one recommended film a week and record this on the Film Log on Classcharts
• Complete at least one Project from the selection of projects set per week, this should be completed and handed in on Classcharts
• Complete all Hegarty Maths work set. This will be refreshed and reset regularly
• Undertake some form of daily physical exercise unless unwell, for example a walk.

Years 10-11

• Undertake work set by staff on ClassCharts
• Use GCSE Pod to do additional revision and preparation for GCSE’s and Year 10 Summer exams
• Reading for at least one hour a day
• Undertake some form of daily physical exercise unless unwell, for example a walk.

Year 12 and 13

• Undertake work set by staff on ClassCharts
• Revise for Year 13 A level exams and Year 12 Summer exams
• Reading for at least one hour a day
• Undertake some form of daily physical exercise unless unwell, for example a walk.

As a Headteacher and as a Parent I appreciate the additional pressure that the school being closed will place on you as Parents and for this I apologise. We will ensure that work handed in receives feedback and we will continue to update and refresh work set.

Phase Two Home Learning

In the event of closure that extends beyond the Easter holiday, we will update you with how to access the next set of learning. From tomorrow we will ask all students to take their books home to ensure they are able to record in their books particularly if unable to print papers etc. Please let us know as soon as possible if your child does not have their books at home.

Advice to Parents supporting Home Learning

I appreciate that supporting home learning for your child will bring challenges. In order to minimise the challenges and maximise the learning opportunities and hopefully enjoyment level, I would like to offer the following advice:

• When possible follow the start and end time of the school day.
• Ensure your son or daughter has a suitable place to work that is distraction free.
• Ensure learning is chunked into periods of no longer an 1 hour with a short break in between to stretch legs and take a comfort break.
• Provide a 20 minute snack break in the morning and at least 45 minutes break for lunch.
• Ensure mobiles and computers don’t distract students when working.
• Encourage your child to be active during the period when the schools remain closed.
• Your child should use break and lunch times as a time to be active and dependent on government guidance get fresh air and exercise.
• Encourage your child to be physically active and to engage in rigorous physical activity. This is of course dependent on the government’s advice and the health of your child and your family

Identifying Key Workers*

As a school we hold very little information about the roles our parents play in this situation. If you heard yesterday’s announcement you will have heard how important it is that ONLY these children remain in school. In order for us to identify the students that are able to stay in school for childcare for key workers – the Government will be issuing a list. Once this list is issued I would ask that you email Mrs Pitman on lpitman@sexeys.somerset.sch.uk to confirm the name of the child, year group, your names and your role as a key worker.

Free School Meals

We have contacted the parents of students that are entitled to Free School Meals asking them to confirm whether their sons or daughters would like to access Free School Meals at School whilst we are closed. We would very much appreciate responses to enable our team to cater for these pupils.

Pastoral Support

Our staff are contactable via email. Parents of students that access our Pastoral Team will be written to with details of the contact and support that we will continue to provide. We are aware that social distancing will undoubtedly be difficult for all of our students; our tutors and staff will be available via email should students need to contact them. Heads of Year will support students’ emotional well being and social development as much as is possible remotely.

Summer Exams

Following the announcement yesterday, at this time I do not have any further information regarding either GCSE or A Level exams that I can share with you. I will send further information as soon as it is known. We anticipate a response from UCAS tomorrow about A level progression to university and from the Government about GCSE exams and results.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and thanks that you have given both to myself and the staff at Sexey’s in this uncertain time. Please take care of yourselves and those in the community that you are able to help. I will continue to communicate with you regularly via SchoolsComms.

Yours sincerely

Mrs H Cullen

Headteacher

 

*Update: 20.03.20

Dear Parents

Overnight the Government has issued the list of “Key Workers”. Please consult this list and should you believe that you fall into one of the categories, please contact Mrs Pitman on lpitman@sexeys.somerset.sch.uk with your name and job and the name of your child(ren).

The Government has issued the following advice, which I would ask you to follow:

Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in Health and Social Care and in other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home, and every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
Parents should not rely upon for childcare those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision:

Health and Social Care

This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

Education and Childcare

This includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach.

Key Public Services

This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.

Local and National Government

This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arm’s length bodies.

Food and other necessary goods

This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).

Public Safety and National Security

This includes police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.

Transport

This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.

Utilities, Communication and Financial Services

This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

If you think that you fall within the critical categories above you should confirm with your employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, your specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.

Please contact Mrs Pitman should you meet the criteria above and you are unable to care for your child at home during this period.

Kind regards

Helen Cullen

Headteacher