Updated 9th September 2020

We have been getting used to our new arrangements to try to ensure that the school can operate as fully as possible, whilst minimising risks in line with Government guidance.  We have, so far, had two year groups in school and I am pleased to report that they have been extremely cooperative and supportive of our measures.

As you are aware, most students are in Year Group 'Bubbles' and are not mixing with students outside of their year group.  Whilst in lessons, they are facing forward and when moving around the school they are in single file or distancing as appropriate. 

As anticipated, the most challenging times are our social times as it is difficult for some students to remember to keep apart and follow the general distancing guidelines of 1m+.  Staff are giving constant reminders and we would ask all parents to reinforce the need for this.  Most social time is happening outdoors, which again minimises the risk of transmission of the virus. Staff must stay 2m from students and each other wherever possible as they are not part of a 'bubble' and so need this further level of protection.

I am immensely grateful to our staff who have been fantastic and are working incredibly hard to make this work as best they can.  Please continue to be patient and kind in your dealings with staff as they are coping with an enormous strain at the present time.

I am also grateful to our students, who have shown themselves to be sensible mature young people who are behaving extremely well.

You may be aware that schools across the country are starting to see cases occur leading to a range of different responses.  Each response will relate to the individual circumstances of the school, their risk assessment and Public Health England advice. 

I would remind you that if your child displays any symptoms of Covid19 they must self-isolate, take a test and the school will need to be informed immediately.  If symptoms occur in school, the individual will be isolated until they can be collected and medical staff will attend to them wearing PPE.

When the school receives confirmation of a positive Covid19 case, we will contact Public Health England straight away for advice.  I have attached the flow chart (at the bottom of the page) that we follow in this case for your information.  Public Health Officials will then work to understand the circumstances of the case along with our school arrangements and the protective measures we have in place.  Public Health will then advise as to what action the school must take.  We will always follow the advice from Public Health.  When isolated cases occur, it will not always be necessary or appropriate to inform others, but those who need to know following the advice given, will be informed and given appropriate advice to follow from the letter issued by Public Health.

I wanted to clarify this aspect of the full re-opening so that all members of the school community are aware of what happens should a case be confirmed now that this has been made clear to us.

Thank you for your continued support.

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Updated 20th August 2020

I hope that you and your family remain well and are enjoying the Summer.  Today, we distributed GCSE results to Year 11 and I am very pleased that the right decision was made by the Government at the 11th hour, so that our exceptional Year 11 group got the grades they really deserved.  We are now heading ever closer to the start of the new academic year and we know the start will be unlike any other we have experienced.  We have spent a great deal of time planning and making arrangements so that this can work as well as possible and we really appreciate your support with this.

I last wrote to you on the 17th July regarding arrangements for the full re-opening of the School with restrictions in place to follow Government guidelines.

At this stage we are expecting to go ahead as planned and all students should attend school from September.  Each year group will begin on a different day:-

Year 7

Start Date:  Thursday 3rd
Entry by:  Main School Entrance 
Arrival window:  8:25-8:40am
Home time: 2:55pm

Year 8

Start Date:  Wednesday 9th September
Entry by:  Back Gate Entrance (Pennine Avenue)
Arrival window:  8:25-8:40am
Home time: 2:55pm

Year 9

Start Date:  Friday 11th September
Entry by:  Entrance Gate between MUGA and tennis courts 
Arrival window:  8:25-8.40am
Home time: 2:55pm

Year 10

Start Date:  Thursday 10th September
Entry by:  Back Gate Entrance (Pennine Avenue)
Arrival window:  8:45-8:55am
Home time: 3:10pm

Year 11 

Start Date:  Monday 7th September
Entry by:  Main School Entrance
Arrival window  8:45-8:55am
Home time: 3:10pm

Students must arrive within their allocated time slot and via the entrance for their year group.  They will also leave by the same entrance daily.

Further details are contained in my letter of the 17th July which can be found in the letters section of the school website (https://www.lealands.luton.sch.uk/_site/data/files/letters/july/B28A06D5E5BD5A6FEB30FD5C2F433309.pdf)  and in the booklet which was sent to parents at the end of last term (https://www.lealands.luton.sch.uk/_site/data/files/letters/july/2D852F9E9036D440CCE39F905A3D1011.pdf)

It is crucially important that parents and students read this information to understand the many changes and expectations that will be in place to ensure a safe and smooth opening in September.

We will be operating a year group 'bubble' system for most students (if your child is in a special needs bubble or other support bubble you will have been contacted separately about those arrangements).  This means that year groups will not mix and there will be numerous restrictions in place.  In order to facilitate this, we will have very limited space for social times at break and lunch - these will be mostly outdoors and students will need coats with hoods as they will only be kept inside if the weather is extremely inclement.  In light rain, students should expect to be outside for their breaks.

Additionally, please can I remind you that we will not be able to offer catering facilities on site.  Students in receipt of free school meals will be provided with a sandwich lunch bag and all other students must bring lunch with them.

Should your child need to be detained for any reason, this will take place on the same day and it will only be possible to give short notice of this due to 'bubble' restrictions.  We hope that students will follow all the rules and comply, but should they not, or if they are late for school, they will be detained after school and parents informed via the MyEd App.

All students must wear complete and correct full school uniform.  Our uniform providers are open and providing a safe service to parents.

Again, I would ask that you read the booklet sent to you before the end of term  thoroughly as there are many changes to the normal school operation and expectations that go beyond the information in this letter.

Should you have any questions or concerns you can email me at head@lealands.luton.sch.uk or speak to a member of staff by phoning the school from the 1st September.

Again, I would like to thank you for your many messages of support and encouragement throughout this difficult period and we really look forward to having a full school again soon.

Yours sincerely,
John Burridge
Headteacher

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Updated July 2020

We have been working very hard to arrange all the details of how we will operate safely for staff and students in September following the Government guidance issued on the 2^nd July.  I am pleased to say that we have managed to produce a timetable and system that will allow us to fully re-open and meet all of the guidelines fully.

Please find at the bottom of this page, a parents’ information booklet which will give you all the details you need about what school will be like in September and the many changes that are necessary.  I hope you find this helpful and I would encourage you to read it fully and go through it with your child before September.

I would draw your attention to the following key points:-

• Each year group will have a different entrance and this will be the same entrance and exit for every day.
• Year groups will not mix unless they are in separate ‘bubble’ eg. Special Educational Needs bubble.  These bubbles will not mix with other students in school.
• Students in Year 8-10 will be provided with a new school tie at the start of term in a different colour.  This will enable us to identify if any student moves out of their year group bubble very quickly or attempts to enter or exit via the wrong entrance. 
• The arrival times and start and finish times are slightly different for Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 3 students.  It is crucially important that these arrival times are adhered to.  We will not be able to manage the separation of year groups if students arrive too early or late.  We have given each key stage an ‘arrival window’.
• Year groups will begin on different days in September as detailed in the booklet and on the website.
• Discipline and behaviour will need to be exemplary.  There are new rules in school about sitting facing forward in lessons, no touching and sanitising hands, for example.  Sanctions will be applied rigorously to any student whose behaviour compromises safety.
• Students failing to meet expectations will be detained at the end of that day with a MyEd app message sent to parents to inform them of this.   Detentions can also be viewed on Epraise.
• Students will remain in one area of the school each day.  In some cases, they will remain in the same room for most of the day.  This will be a challenge for some and we are conscious that many students will not be used to sitting in one place for such a period of time.  However, we must insist that this is the case to ensure the safety of all.
• Lunchtime will be shortened and students must bring all their food (packed lunch and snacks) and a full water bottle with them.  There will be no food served in school initially, but students in receipt of free school meals will receive a packed lunch.
• Students will all be expected to go to their allocated outside area at break/lunchtime and must have suitable outside clothing, including a waterproof coat.  Seating will be limited as picnic benches are required to be removed.  If the weather is extremely inclement, students will remain in classrooms to eat their lunch (except science rooms, where students will be escorted to another area of the school).
• Equipment cannot be shared and so students must have all the required equipment with them each day. 
• Teachers and other school staff will have to remain 2 meters from students which means that they will have to remain at the front of the class and will not be able to visit individual students at their desks in lessons unfortunately.
• Visitors to the school will only be allowed by prior appointment.  No parents/carers will be allowed to enter the school site without an appointment (including vehicular access).
• No lockers will be available while the school operates ‘bubbles’.
• Attendance of all students will be compulsory.
• Students must not attend school if they are showing symptoms of Covid-19 and in such cases they should arrange a test as soon as possible.  Parents must inform the school of any student who tests positive immediately.
• Unfortunately, we have not been able to accommodate the year 9 options in our September arrangements, but we plan to start these as soon as possible, when the school is allowed to return to a more normal timetable.

Whilst, very little of the above is as we would wish it to be ideally, we believe that this can work well with everyone’s cooperation and support to enable highly effective teaching and learning to take place safely in school.  Although much of this may seem negative, there are many positive aspects to the changes we have been able to make and we look forward to these developing well.

If you have any particular questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email the school at admin@lealands.luton.sch.uk.