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News and Letters

January 2022

Archive

  • Headteacher’s Update

    Published 07/01/22

    Dear Parents and Carers,

    Thank you

    We have come to the end of the first ‘staggered’ week of term and we’re back into the business of learning.  Thank you to all parents and carers who gave consent to their children doing lateral flow tests on their return.  This is a really important way that we can all do something to keep one another safe and I just want to express my thanks for your support.  Equally, thank you to everyone who has ensured that their child has returned to the Academy with a mask to wear.  Again, it’s a simple act that demonstrates that we’re doing everything we can to try and keep each other safe.

    Uniform

    The vast majority of students have returned looking smart and ready to learn.  I would just remind everyone about two specific parts of our uniform policy.  Firstly, acrylic or ‘false’ nails of any kind are not permitted.  Ultimately, this is for health and safety reasons: excessively long nails can be a risk to both the student wearing them and others.  Please can I ask that parents do not take students to have their nails done in this way during the term.  It only creates discord when we insist that they are removed.  Equally, can I remind parents that we do not permit the wearing of earrings.  These are long-standing elements of our uniform policy but I wanted to reiterate that as we begin the New Year.

    Parking

    I have been contacted by a local business – Glass Installations – who operate on Tunstall Trade Park.  They are concerned that parents may be waiting in their car park at the end of the day and putting themselves and children at risk.  The company is currently trying to address an issue it is having with HGV drivers using the car park as a turning circle.  There have been a couple of occasions where there have been ‘near-misses’ between cars, people and HGVs.  I wanted to alert parents to the risk.  I recognise parking can be challenging, but safety has to be a paramount consideration.  Can I also restate the message I sent at the end of last term about the road markings outside of the Academy and the need for parents to give appropriate consideration to local residents when collecting students at the end of the day.

    Year 11

    Year 11 has just 80 school days remaining from the beginning of next week; that equates to around 40 lessons in maths and English, for example.  This is a really important time for students as they prepare for their GCSEs.  It’s also a really exciting time as we build momentum towards those final exams in the summer.  As we know, and as I said in my letter earlier this week: exams are going ahead this year for the first time since 2019.  

    We’re continuing to put lots of support in for our Year 11s: P6 every day to increase learning time; specialised tutoring for groups of students; and a whole range of revision materials.  By working together we can help our students to maximise their potential.  

    Key things parents can be doing to help are:

    • Make sure that their attendance at the Academy is excellent;
    • talk to your child about their subjects;
    • check that they have a revision timetable and somewhere to revise at home;
    • get involved: test them on their knowledge and help them to revise;
    • ensure your child has applied to college: this gives them a sense of direction.
    • get in touch with us if you have any questions about how you can help.

    COVID Testing

    Can I again restate that it is really important for students to take two lateral flow tests each week.  This, along with mask wearing, is the best way to keep our academy open, children learning, and reduce the risk of COVID transmission.  If you don’t have sufficient tests at home for your child to test, they can obtain some from the academy.

    I wish you and your family a restful weekend.

    Yours faithfully,

    Mr S Richardson
    Headteacher

    Read More

  • Become a Governor and make us even stronger

    Published 07/01/22

    We are a diverse academy with over 20 different languages spoken. We are proud to be one of the most inclusive academies in the city. We serve our local community and represent our shared values and commitment to our students, parents, and staff.

    Academy governing councils are an integral part of this. Ofsted described ours as “strong and committed to improving provision and outcomes for pupils at the school.” And there is now a fantastic opportunity for someone to join the team. 

    Our academy governing council must be diverse and represent the community it serves. On that basis, we are ideally interested in hearing from candidates who are of Black or Asian ethnicity, who are currently underrepresented on our board.

    A diverse board is a better board that will make better and fairer decisions for all of our community. Our academy governing councils need a balance of skills and diversity to fulfil all of its responsibilities. By having a broader range of perspectives and experiences, our decision-making process is more efficient – meaning the outcomes will greatly benefit all of us. 

    We are seeking candidates from parents and carers to stand for election onto the governing body of the academy. The term of office is 4 years.

    We believe that good governance is vital to the success of the academy. Our governing body needs to have the skills and knowledge to champion success within the academy. It is essential that our governing body ensures that the academy lives its Values and Ways of Being.

    To find out more about the role and what it involves click here.

    To register your interest please click here.

    To find out more about our current governing body click here.

    Nomination and Election Process

    Parent and carers are asked to nominate themselves using the above form.  All nomination forms need to be completed and submitted by Monday 24th January 2022 at 12.00 noon.

    If we receive more than one nomination, we will use the information you have submitted on your form to create a candidate booklet, which will be sent out to all parents.  Parents and carers will be able to vote on which parent they would like to represent them.  The closing date for voting will be 12 noon, Monday 7th February 2022

    The results of the election will be announced on Monday 14th February 2022.  The results will also be published on our website and social media.

    If you would like to talk about this further, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Tammy Pyszky, our Governance Manager, at tammy.pyszky@coopacademies.co.uk.

    To find out more about our current governing body click here.

    Read More

  • COVID Update to Parents & Lateral Flow Programme

    Published 04/01/22

    Dear Parents and Carers,

    I hope you had a restful and peaceful break.  I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a happy and healthy new year.  There has been some updated guidance in relation to COVID-19 that I need to share with you.

    Attendance

    Attendance at the academy continues to be mandatory.  All students are expected to attend each day unless unwell or for another exceptional reason.  

    Exams

    Year 11 GCSE exams will go ahead this summer.  The Government is determined that the exams will take place and that students will have the opportunity to demonstrate what they know.  Our P6 programme students will continue and all students in Year 11 will remain on site until 4pm.    

    Face Masks

    All school age children from Year 7 to Year 11 are now required – unless medically exempt – to wear a face mask in corridors and classrooms.  Please send your child with a mask each day.  The reality is that this is the best way to minimise the transmission of COVID-19 and it is something we can all do to protect each other and our wider community.  Please make sure masks are washed regularly.

    Testing

    We are carrying out testing this week for returning students.  This is a really effective way to help us stop the spread of COVID-19 in the academy and the wider community.  Parents of students in Years 8-10 can still give consent for their child to have a test by completing this form.  Again, this is something we can all do to keep one another safe.  

    The link to the schedule for this week’s testing is at the end of this letter.

    Please can I strongly emphasise how important it is that students continue to test twice a week at home.

    Isolation 

    If a student tests positive for COVID following a PCR test they must:

    • isolate for 7 days;
    • return to the Academy on day 7 but only if they have had a negative lateral flow test on day 6 and day 7;
    • continue to isolate for the full ten days if they do not have negative lateral flow tests on days 6 and 7.

    If a student is a contact with a positive case, they do not need to isolate, but they must take lateral flow tests for the next 7 days to check that they have not contracted the virus.

    Staffing Shortages

    You will have heard lots of news stories about projected staff shortages in academies as a result of isolating teachers and support staff.  At present this is not the case here at the academy.  However, I want to let you know that, in the event that we do start to experience increased cases of the COVID-19, our number one priority will be to keep the academy open so students can continue with face-to-face learning.  It may be that students are taught by a cover teacher or their classes are combined.  It is only as a very last resort that we would move back to home learning.  We will do everything in our power to keep the academy open for learning.

    What can we do together to keep students learning?

    You can help us  by ensuring that your child brings a mask each day and keeps testing twice a week at home.  In the academy we will do a number of things to stop the spread of COVID like not holding whole year-group assemblies for the time being.  Together, we can successfully ensure that all of the young people can continue to learn in the academy.  We all know that this is the best place for young people: both from an academic perspective but also in terms of their general wellbeing.  

    Report Positive Cases

    It will help us to monitor the situation if you can continue to report confirmed cases of COVID to us using this email:  covidreporting@coopstoke.co.uk .

    Thank you

    I know that we are entering the third year of the pandemic now.  Inevitably, we will be reaching a point of fatigue with still more new and changing guidance.  However, I want to thank you for doing everything possible, and working with us, to ensure that we limit the spread of the virus and can keep our students learning.  

    Read More

January 2022

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