Dear Parents/Carers and Pupils,

Following the recent communication from the Trust I would like to provide you with more specific information for the Priory Belvoir Academy.

Before I set out how we are planning for the coming weeks, I would like to thank you for your tremendous support and understanding at this challenging time.  I understand that you will have lots of questions and will try to answer these within this letter and future communications.  Things will change over the next few days and coming weeks and we will try and plan for this as much as possible and ensure you are kept fully updated.  If you do have questions please use the Government and Academy websites for information.  If you need to contact the Academy during the period of closure, please email generalenquiries@belvoiracademy.co.uk rather than by telephone as reception may not be staffed.

Information about planned work for school closure

The Government have closed schools to all but children of Key Workers, pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan and those with a social worker.  This means the Academy will be closed to the significant majority of students at the end of Friday 20^th March 2020.  We will be providing a range of home learning tasks from Monday 23^rd March, set on a daily basis in accordance with your child’s timetable by their subject teachers.  This work will be set on SharePoint – the Academy learning platform accessed via the website.  The work will be saved in the relevant subject folder.  Each folder contains sub-folders by teacher and year group.  Teachers will summarise this work on the homework app so that you as parents can monitor and encourage your child to complete the work each day.  We understand that all families will have different levels of IT access and facilities for completing this work and therefore will endeavour to provide a broad range of resources that are accessible for all.  In addition, students can access a range of websites and resources to supplement their learning and can be found on the academy website.

Students will either complete the work electronically or on paper.  It has not been possible to distribute exercise books within the notice period of national school closure.  In line with social distancing and self-isolation, student should not arrive at the academy expecting to collect their books.

https://www.belvoiracademy.co.uk/page/?title=Self%2DIsolation+Work&pid=164

Information for children of Key Workers, with an EHCP or a Social Worker.

For those children who fall into one of the categories the Government has detailed as being able to continue attending school, we will operate the normal school opening hours from 8.45am – 3.05pm.  On Monday morning, for those parents intending to send their child to school, they should arrive via the main reception in the Winterbeck building. They will be directed to the part of the school where we will provide an environment where they can complete the home learning set on SharePoint. In this way, students will follow their normal timetable.  We would ask that they bring their PE kit with them each day.  Students should wear their normal school uniform. School meals will be provided in the normal way but there will be no hot food.

Please see the link below regarding the Government’s list of defined key workers:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

Information about school meals

If your child is attending school in accordance with the above information, school meals will be provided as normal, although there will be no cooked lunches. 

If your child lives in Bottesford and is in receipt of a free school meal, is not self-isolating or ill, they are able to collect a packed lunch between 12.00 and 12.30pm from the Academy main reception.  Clearly, other students in receipt of free school meals who live outside of Bottesford may be unable to collect a packed lunch and will be contacted by the academy to make individual arrangements.  The Government have plans for a national voucher scheme and I will write with more details when the plan is released.

Information and support for student wellbeing

There is a wealth of online support for students. CASY Counselling, the Academy provider for counselling, have closed their offices and are unable to offer telephone or online appointments. However, they have recommended the following organisations who may be able to provide interim support:

Samaritans 116123 jo@samaritans.org

Kooth.com (free online support)

Young minds – www.youngminds.org.uk    Parent helpline Mon-Fri 9.30am - 4pm 08088025544

Childline 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk           

Papyrus 0800 0684141 (Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm) pat@papyrus-uk.org

Nottinghamshire Safeguarding: MASH 0300 5008090  mash.safeguarding@nottscc.gov.uk

Lincolnshire Safeguarding: Childrens Services 01522 782111 (office hours); 01522 782333 (emergency duty team)

Leicestershire First Response (Childrens Services): 0116 3050005

We can also recommend the ‘Calm’ or ‘Headspace’ apps which offer mindfulness support.

Hopefully some of your initial questions are answered here. I will continue to communicate with you when information become available.  Things will change and we ask for your flexibility and understanding regarding this.

I will send a further communication, as soon as information is available, to reassure Y11 parents and students about the arrangements for awarding their GCSE and BTEC qualifications.

Finally, can I remind all parents and students that the reason for school closure is to facilitate social distancing and therefore, no-one should be on the school site, including the playing field and MUGA until further notice.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Yours faithfully,

 

Mr L S Newton

Headteacher