September Reopening Plans

The government’s new Covid 19 announcement regarding the use of face masks in schools has provided us with a significant opportunity to ensure your child has a more deeply enriched and expansive learning experience, this would have not been possible under the old government regulations.  Therefore we have decided to introduce the wearing of face masks for students in communal areas, such as corridors, café or when students are coming onto, leaving or moving around the site.  We will still be operating year group bubbles therefore students will take their masks off in lessons which again will help to support a positive learning environment for both students and staff.

This simple change means that as a school we can now revert back to providing students with their original timetables with a full curriculum offer in place. The benefits from this are:-

1. We will not have to enforce a staggered start and end time to the school day as students can safely arrive at the same time wearing their masks.  This will ensure no lesson time is lost at this critical period for all students coming back into school and make it much easier for parents at drop off and collect times.  More details on  the start back to school are outlined below.  
2. Students will get access to a greater range of subjects due to the increased number of lessons on offer and will have a greater access to all the schools learning resources. This will include an increase level of practical subject participation, ability to use the changing rooms and the potential for extra curriculum activities to resume.
3. Further we feel it will aid in the better socialisation of the students as they will be more able to safely mix with other students around the school.  We believe this to be vital at a time when social isolation has been a concern for many families.

Also, I would like to take this opportunity to announce that the school will be looking to ensure that any loss of learning which may have taken place in the last few months will be addressed.  In particular, we will be following the government’s advice and will be providing a range of extra literacy lessons for students instead of subjects which are still not assessable for safety reasons. 

To ensure a smooth start to the year for all students we will also not be having practical PE lessons so please send your child in full uniform each day.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say how excited I and my staff are at getting the school fully open for all students and have tried to ensure that all students and staff are as safe as possible while ensuring that there is as little disruption to the daily life of the school.  I know you wish the best for your child and will support them in the coming year at the Manor Academy.

Yours faithfully

Katrina Kerry
Headteacher