Update in Response to the Latest Government Guidance

Wednesday 18th March

Following the most up to date information from the Government, George Spencer Academy will be implementing the following strategy;

• Any students that display symptoms, live in a household where a member of that household is displaying symptoms or they have underlying existing medical conditions that would be vulnerable are expected to self-isolate for 14 days.

All other students are expected to be in school unless ‘normal illness’ occurs. At present we are able to open as normal and expect this to continue this week, however, if staff absences increase due to selfisolation, then a partial closure situation may occur. If this does need to happen then priority will be given to Year 11 and Year 13 at all times due to terminal examination pressures.

The severity of the partial closure would be determined by staff absence so at this stage it is impossible to predict how that would look but the following broad principles would be administered;

• Y7 will be next priority due to likely enforced childcare if they are not in school.
• All other year groups may be rotated depending on the severity of staff absence.
• As a special consideration we will accommodate any children of parents that work in the emergency services and front-line medical profession (regardless of partial closure) to allow those parents to do the essential work that is required to protect lives and keep the community safe. If this applies to you can you contact the academy to make us aware so we can pre-plan. I hope all parents understand the rationale behind this decision.

We would endeavour to make any decisions around a partial closure as soon as possible in order to support families with their arrangements as best we can, but, please understand that this situation changes so rapidly we can only respond when we have information. We will do everything we can to ensure a safe environment and keep the school open for as long as that is the case, if at any time safety is compromised I would close the school.

I also want to reassure parents that we fully understand your rights to protect your children and family and accept that you may choose to keep children off school and choose to self-isolate as a family for social distancing purposes or COVID-19 symptom purposes.

Any changes and updates including partial school closures will be communicated via text, email and our website at our earliest convenience, please keep a close eye on these channels.

As stated in previous correspondence we have reduced the contact with anyone outside our school community dramatically and will continue to ‘screen’ anyone visiting the school as well as the following measures;

• All ‘non-essential’ trips, visits and events both in school and within the UK have been cancelled.
• Parents evenings and other events where large groups of people would be in a small indoor space have been postponed.
• Assemblies have been cancelled.
• Sporting fixtures have been postponed.

Can I finally ask parents to be mindful of the stress and pressures on schools at this moment in time and whilst we will always try to support and help you we cannot, and are not in a position to, offer medical advice.

Please stay safe as we continue to support each other and our community in these most trying of circumstances.

• Click here to read the letter