Wednesday, 11th March 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

I have decided to postpone tomorrow night’s parents’ evening. This morning I have rung the recently set up Department for Education advice line and the overall position remains:

• Generally, business as usual.
• Emphasise the need for each person to manage their own hygiene, with an emphasis on rigorous hand washing.
• Review school events on a case by case basis.

The advice line information is that individuals coughing and sneezing within a two metre distance carries a risk of cross infection. Given how busy parents’ evenings are, and in light of this information, I think it makes sense to postpone the event to a later time in the year. In the summer term, with the arrival of warmer weather and reduced concerns around the current situation, we will seek to re-run this event. In the meantime, please continue to contact subject teachers with any queries at all about your child's progress by e-mail or phone.

If any of you also have a child in Year 11, I can confirm that tonight’s event will go ahead. It is a collection of mock results, and a presentation, that will not see anywhere near the amount of contact that a conventional parents’ evening would have. We have also split the Year 11 event into two halves, starting at either 17:00 or 18:00 so the amount of people in school will be more than halved compared to a conventional parents’ evening. Therefore the risk is significantly reduced.

I am sure there may be some parents and carers disappointed by my decision, but in assessing each school event I need to consider the individual risks associated. Thank you for your support.

Mr House, Headteacher