Dear parents and carers,
I hope this finds you well. School, of course, remain open and have been a bit busier this week as some students return to school. Guidance remains that the safest place, all being equal, is at home but school is open if your child needs it. We have also been inviting year 11s and 6th formers in so we can get good enough evidence to give them the results they are capable of this year. Please encourage your children to attend if they are invited in.
I know how tough it can be on the mental health of youngsters being at home all the time. For that matter, it’s also really tough on us as adults. Please let us know if you are struggling with anything and we will do what we can to help. You can talk to tutors or mentors when they call or ring in to speak to your child’s pastoral manager if you prefer.
Assembly
I’d like to apologise for the people who were left waiting in assembly last time and who didn’t get in. This was my fault. Without knowing it I’d sent out two links. I think that’s sorted now and the assembly will be at 10.30 on Friday 12th February. The subject matter is online safety which is critical with our children spending so much more time online. All parents are welcome so please join the assembly by following this link: https://meet.google.com/lookup/ftojnekjvc?authuser=0&hs=179
I have attached some information from Greenwich around online radicalisation and you can find further advice on keeping your child safe online:
Online grooming | Childline
Please, if you have any concerns about your child’s welfare, you can contact your child’s pastoral manager, or the designated safeguarding leads (Alan Fairnie and myself) at the school.
COVID-19 and school
We continue to follow our risk assessment and government guidance to keep school as safe as possible. Testing is happening in school twice a week and students were tested for the first time this week. Please remember to get permission slips in if your child is in school and if you want them to get a test. 6th formers can sign the forms for themselves but we can’t have anyone tested on site without consent. Teachers at Newhaven have also been given notification that they will be receiving vaccines soon. This will make the school even safer on the return to full opening whenever that might be.
Food vouchers
The government and local authority will continue to pay for free school meal vouchers up until March 8th. Any extension beyond then will depend on what happens nationally but I will keep you up to date.
Remote learning
We are reviewing our remote learning provision all the time and will be contacting some of you for detailed feedback as to what works well and what can be improved in our provision. If you are not contacted specifically, then please use the following links to feedback to us by Friday 12th Feb.
Gardens and NEST: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HQF8QZ9
King’s Park: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HWV5FWK
Stay well and I hope you can enjoy the increasing amount of light and slowly improving weather. Enjoy half term next week (wb 15th Feb).
Yours faithfully,
Jon Kelly
Headteacher
