Mentor Group Schedule - Initial Lateral Flow Tests

Tim Harkins / 04 March 2021 / Categories: News

Monday 8th March - Wednesday 10th March

We are very much looking forward to welcoming all students back to school next week. We feel incredibly proud of their efforts and resilience during the recent lockdown and would like to thank you for the support that you have given them in their school learning during this time. 

The information below provides you with specific details for each mentor group, including the exact time slot for your child to attend for their first test. In addition, please take time to review the live event on the school website if you didn’t manage to join. We really want to ensure that you fully understand what is happening and are here to help if you still have any questions. 

Testing Schedule

Monday 8th March  (6th Form / Year 11 Test 1)

Tuesday 9th March  (Year 9 /Year 10 Test 1) 

Wednesday10th March  (Year 7 /Year 8 Test 1) 

Instructions for attending Tests 

For their first test (test 1), students will be given a 30-minute time slot to come into school. Parents wil lreceive an email on March 4th with their child's test time. (between 8.30am and 3pm) to have their test – two mentor groups every 30 minutes. 

• All students should arrive via the Kingston Lane front entrance and come to the PE side gate where marshals will direct them to the main student entrance in the Amphitheatre. 

• Students must wear a face covering (unless they are exempt) whilst they line up outside the Sports Hall, in the atrium and testing centre, 2 metres apart. When the testing team are ready, students will be escorted inside and given clear instructions. 

• Students must leave the school site directly upon completion of their test and await confirmation of their result via text. Students must maintain social distancing at all times. 

• If students have tested negative, they will then be able to return to face to face teaching the following school day. 

• If students test positive, they will need to self-isolate and follow government guidance. It is important to note that, for tests that are conducted during the normal school day, students testing positive will be sent home to self-isolate at short notice. You will therefore need to plan to ensure this can happen, such as ensuring your child(ren) has a key. If there are genuine concerns relating to your child(ren)’s safety, please inform their School Team. 

• Students who do not give consent to asymptomatic testing will attend school as per our phased reopening plans above. 

• It is extremely important that students attend promptly at their allocated time slot. In the rare event that a student is unable to make their allocated slot due to travel arrangements, they should contact the academy to reschedule the time for the later the same day.  

Safety and Expected Behaviours Upon Return to School 

Alongside the testing we will continue to follow all of the DFE guidance in ensuring the academy is as safe as it can be for full reopening. Our updated risk assessment can be found in the policies section of our website and the behaviour and uniform policy have had some minor updates too.  

Risk Assessment From 8th March 2021 

Behaviour Policy Temp due to Covid-19 

Uniform Policy Temp due to Covid-19 

In summary: 

• Students who have tested positive or who are displaying symptoms of Covid-19 must not attend school. 

• Students should aim to socially distance as much as possible – this means remaining 2m+ from other students and adults. 

• It is a student’s responsibility to bring at least one face covering to school each day. Unless an exemption applies students should wear a face covering during lessons and we expect them to be worn during lesson changeover, even if outside. Students may only remove face coverings after they have arrived at their assigned break area to eat or are outside the school building. This will be reviewed at Easter. 

• Students will not need to wear a face covering when it would impact on their ability to take part in exercise or strenuous activity, for example in PE lessons. In these instances, staff will inform students that they can remove their face covering. 

• Teachers and other adults will also wear face coverings, unless a valid exemption applies.  

• Students must follow any one-way system at all times and keep left in the corridors while in transit. This remains unchanged from before. 

• Classrooms will remain well ventilated and students will continue to sanitise their hands upon entry to classrooms. 

• Classroom seating remains forward facing wherever possible. In some cases, where small class sizes allow, students will be seated to enable social distancing. 

• Students must remain seated at all times unless given permission to move by the classroom teacher. Students should remain behind the taped teacher-area in each classroom to maintain social distancing between themselves and the teacher. 

• Students must ensure good respiratory hygiene – using a tissue and washing/sanitising hands. 

• The canteen remains open and food and drinks will be available at break and lunch. 

• In student social spaces students must follow the maximum seating capacities for tables (6) and the atrium pods. (8)  

• Extra-curricular activities will start to run from 15th March. 

• If students are dropped off by car, this should be done quickly and with no social interaction between adults and children from different households. Only the student attending school should get out of the vehicle. 

• Students should arrive at school, wash and sanitise their hands and be in their morning assembly area by 8.25am