Dear Parent/Carer,

The Government has announced that, in England, pupils will return to face-to-face education in schools from the 8^th March. This means that from this date, attendance at school will be mandatory once again. However, there will still be some children and young people that are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) that will continue to stay at home based on medical advice until the shielding restrictions are lifted or reviewed on the 31^st March. This is part of the Governments wider four step plan to ease lockdown restrictions in England.

This will bring an end to the national restrictions on school attendance that have been in place since January. We know that these restrictions have been incredibly tough on everyone, particularly for parents/carers that have been supporting their children to access remote education on top of the other social restrictions that you as a family have had to deal with. We want to thank you for everything that you have done to support your child/children through each phase of the pandemic, and we are hopeful that we can now have a positive transition back into our schools. We wanted to write to you ahead of the return to face-to-face education to ensure you have access to all the information you need, and to provide some reassurance should you have concerns.

How safe is it for children to return to face-to-face education?

Whilst the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advised in December 2020 that the opening of schools is likely to have an impact on transmission, it also recognised that the Government would also need to take into account the risks to children’s mental health, wellbeing, development, educational attainment and health outcomes from school closure. There are no risk-free options available. Whilst the decision to return to face-to-face education is a decision made by our national Government, we would like to tell you about the situation in Wigan and explain why we believe it is safe for our schools to return to face-to-face education from the 8^th March.

The rates of COVID-19 in Wigan have reduced significantly from when schools returned after Christmas holidays. In the 7 days prior to the 8^th January, there were 1,396 cases of COVID-19 amongst residents, a rate of 424.8 per 100,000 people, which at the time, was the highest in Greater Manchester. In the 7 days prior to 24^th February, there were 573 cases in Wigan, a rate of 174.3 per 100,000 people, which is the fifth-lowest in Greater Manchester. The risk of acquiring COVID-19 within the borough is therefore, at present, significantly lower than at the beginning of January. This information is publicly available via the Wigan Council Coronavirus Weekly Surveillance Tracker, which is available via our Coronavirus (COVID–19) update and advice webpage.

The roll out of the vaccination programme has also, nationally, been a huge success. The COVID-19 vaccine ensures that we can keep safe our most elderly or vulnerable residents who are most at risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. By the 21^st February, there had been 55,000 vaccines administered to priority residents in Wigan, and a further 16,500 vaccines given to our front-line health and social care staff that are working with our elderly or vulnerable residents. 94% of over 70s and 75% of our clinically extremely vulnerable residents have received their vaccine.

Our schools in Wigan have also been open and providing face-to-face education throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for our vulnerable children and those of critical workers. Our attendance levels have consistently been amongst the highest in Greater Manchester during this period. Our schools are therefore experienced in assessing risk and putting into place control measures to prevent the spread of infection. Our Health Protection Team works closely with schools to ensure they are aware of the latest advice and best practice, and where there have been cases in schools, to support the rapid isolation of contacts and to prevent further spread.

Face Coverings and Expansion of Testing

Since January, schools have also been able to test their staff and pupils regularly on site. This has been helpful in further identifying those who have COVID-19 but do not have symptoms.

The Government has also announced the introduction of more safety measures for secondary school pupils from the 8^th March, such as more usage of face coverings, and increasing the available testing to allow staff and pupils to be able to test from their home.

For pupils in year 7 and above, the Government is recommending that face coverings should now be worn in classrooms or during activities, unless social distancing can be maintained. This does not apply in situations where wearing a face covering would make it difficult to take part in exercise or strenuous activity, for example in PE lessons. This is in addition to the previous recommendations to wear a face covering when in school corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained. This measure will be in place until Easter at first and then will be reviewed. As before, some individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings. We appreciate that this may cause some concern for some parents/carers and pupils and we would encourage you to discuss this with your school. It is important to remember that the mask is worn to offer protection to those around you and therefore there is likely to be concern from parents of other children if your child is not wearing a mask and cannot maintain the recommended distance.

Upon their return, all secondary aged pupils and students in school (year 7 and above) will also be asked to take the Lateral flow test in school. This will be offered three times at their school’s testing site, and then the fourth at home using a home test kit. Each of the first three tests should be taken between 3 to 5 days after the last test. Once pupils and students have had one negative test result, they can return to school or college.

After this, all pupils will be given home test kits and will be asked to regularly test themselves twice a week at home and report their results to NHS Test and Trace, as well as to their school. The home test kits will include instructions for testing and reporting results. Some schools may retain their own small testing sites so that pupils who are unable to test themselves at home can still participate.

Testing will be voluntary, and your child will not be tested unless they (if they are aged 16 or over) or you (or another parent or carer) have given informed consent. Your child will still be able to return to face-to-face education if you or they choose not to be tested.

It is really important that parents understand that a single ‘clear’ test result does not necessarily mean that your child does not have COVID-19, and therefore you must continue to follow the safety measures that outside of school we are all being asked to follow.

It is vital for these additional safety measures to be followed as doing so will help to keep our residents and communities in Wigan safer. We would therefore strongly encourage your child to take part. If you have any questions or need additional support to be able to follow these measures, please contact your school.

It is also essential that, until other restrictions are lifted, you ensure your child is following the safety measures outside of school and that they are not mixing in groups in the evening. We want this to be the last time that schools have to restrict attendance and therefore we all need to continue to play our part in doing this by continuing to follow the rules.

It is also important that we all understand that that the current measures in school will continue. You must continue to report if your child has been in contact with someone that is symptomatic or has tested positive. Isolation for individual pupils and bubbles will continue but we hope that this will be less disruptive with the additional measures in place.

For more information on these changes and other things you may need to know about the return to school, you may wish to visit the GOV.UK website.  We are both also holding a live Facebook Q&A session for parents on the return to school on Thursday 11^th March, between 6:00-6:30pm. Advance questions can be submitted via the Council’s Facebook page between the 8^th March and 5pm on 10^th March, but questions can also be asked live on the night.

We hope that this letter has helped to reassure you about your child’s return to face-to-face education and we thank you for your continued support of our schools in these challenging times.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Kate Ardern MBChB MSc FFPH                              Cath Pealing

Director of Public Health                                                           Assistant Director – Education

Click below to download the letter.

Wigan Councill Letter to Parents/Carers

Dear Parent/Carers

The Government has made the returning of face to face education in schools a national priority.  So returning children and young people to face to face education is part of the first step in easing lockdown.

The guidance for return to face to face education identifies that existing previous measures and a new range of new measures need to be in place to minimise the spread of COVID – 19. The risk of transmission will be reduced by implementing the system of controls endorsed by Public Health and the Department for Education.

We implemented a range of measures last term to reduce risk of transmission in school. Staggered starts and finish of year group bubbles, ventilation of rooms and corridors, one way systems, staggered break times and lunchtimes, wearing face coverings when moving around school and communal areas and year bubbles. We will continue with these practices this term. Students will be working in the same Year Bubble Zones on their return.

The Government expects all children to attend school as they were in the Autumn Term.

Government guidance shared this week advises that all secondary and college students will take coronavirus (COVID-19) tests as they return to the classroom from Monday 8th March.  Schools and colleges will have discretion on how to phase the return of their students over the week beginning 8th March to allow them to be tested on return.

All school bus services will be reinstated from the 8^th March.

This is the plan for year bubbles returning from the week beginning 8th March

Rapid testing is a vital part of the Government’s plan to suppress the COVID -19 virus, in education and childcare settings across society. This type of testing means that asymptomatic people who might otherwise continue to attend education settings are identified and self-isolate.

Since January we have had a rapid testing regime in place for regular staff testing. The latest Government Guidance released this week there is a strategy to test all students on their return to school.  The staged return is in place to allow for all students to be tested on the day they return to school.

The guidance from the Public Health and the Department for Education is that we are to implement an initial programme of 3 tests in school.

Following the 3 tests conducted in school students will be provided with 2 rapid tests to use each week at home.  Staff in school will also continue to be provided with 2 tests to use at home each week.

The aim of having 3 tests in school is to help students learn how to effectively self-test in preparation for testing at home.

Latest guidance

• When a student tests positive when in school using a rapid test – lateral flow they do not need to get a PCR Test. They need to self-isolate for 10 days with their family bubble. In school close contacts / bubbles will be identified.
• When students test positive at home using a rapid test – lateral flow and they do need to get a confirmation PCR Test. They need to self-isolate for 10 days with their family bubble. In school close contacts / bubbles will be identified.

The schedule for the 3 tests by year group

Key worker and vulnerable students will be continue to attend school every day through the staggered return week beginning 8th March

The new Government guidance states that for a limited time period that they recommend the use of face coverings in classrooms and other teaching spaces, unless wearing a face covering would impact on the ability to take part in exercise or strenuous activity, for example PE lessons or those who are exempt from wearing face coverings as set out in Government guidance.

We want students to stay in school as long as possible on their return and to aid the reduction of transmission in school and its impact on isolating year bubbles.

Following this guidance from 8th March it will be compulsory for all students to wear face coverings when in classrooms, teaching areas, communal areas and when walking around the school site, unless the student is medically exempt from wearing face coverings.

I know this is not ideal but it is essential if we are to protect our students, staff and families as much as possible and we really appreciate your support.  When the guidance changes we will update our face covering policy and practice.

Learning in and the impact of covid 19 restrictions

From the 8th March onward we want all students with chrome books or devices to bring them into school as part of our Bring Your Own Device digital learning strategy.

This academic year we have been delivering lessons through Google Classroom when in school but also when at home. In school during autumn term students were working on paper and at times submitting work for assessment through Google Classroom. Due to the virus and risk assessments staff are not allowed to collect work at the end of lessons to mark as we may have done pre COVID.

During this latest lockdown we have developed the use of Google Classroom further and have a Shevington Lesson format.  We have also been able to assess work more effectively through Google Classroom as most students are working digitally. This has enabled more effective feedback and tracking of learning and understanding.   Over the last few weeks we have distributed over 400 chrome books through our leasing scheme.  We want all students who have Chromebooks for school to bring their device into school.  We also have our Bring Your Own Device Scheme in place and would encourage students to bring a device into school.

Work will be set in Google classroom for all lessons and students will be able to work on paper or digitally in class.  The gains from the Google platform is that staff can see the work they are producing live in the lesson and give direct feedback. This is currently difficult when students work on paper as staff can’t walk around the class to check and support as we did prior to the pandemic.

Google Guardian can be used by parents to monitor engagement and feedback.

To help teachers plan we would be grateful if you all parents would complete this form to confirm if your child will be bringing their own device into school. Click here for the form.

Parents must complete the Bring Your Own Device Permission form before the student can access and log onto the school systems in school.  The BYOD form is available on the school website or via this link.

When students will self-isolate they will need to access lessons via Google Classroom.  All work needs to be submitted via the Google Classroom Suite.  Google Guardian can be used by parents to monitor engagement and feedback.

The school day will continue as it was in Autumn Term.

COVID-19 School Day from March 2021

Please click below to download letter

Headteacher Update – Student Return

Dear Parent/Carer

I am writing to you today to thank you for your support over the last Half Term. Going into lockdown took us all by surprise and all our plans changed overnight in January.

The children were so quick to adjust and get into new routines and we really appreciate the support from you all as we returned to full Remote Learning once again.

This half term we have been so proud how the children have adapted again to sudden change in learning routines and we have been so impressed with the student’s agency and attitudes to independent learning. Yet again in these unprecedented times the students rose to the challenge and have produced some fantastic work. We have also seen great attendance to form period, coaching and live lessons.

With students working from home it has been so lovely to see them attending the live components of lessons. Most importantly they have contributed to the lessons asking and answering questions, interacting with lesson tasks and submitting completed work.

We know nothing can compare to students been in the classroom with the teacher, but we are very pleased with the engagement and learning that the students have participated in over the last few weeks. To ensure the best quality learning we are constantly reviewing our practice to ensure the children get the most effective and engaging remote learning experience possible.

We all look forward to the students returning back to school soon and wait to see what the Government Road Map for coming out of lockdown is, and when and how schools will return.

In the meantime, we will be continuing with our current remote learning plan after half term and until further notice.

Again many thanks for the continued support.

Yours Sincerely

Mr J Grant
Headteacher

Headteachers Update – February 2021

Check out out vacancy page for Teacher vacancies available by clicking link below

Teaching Vacancies

Dear Parents/Carers

Please click below to view a letter issued on behalf of Wigan Council.

Wigan Council Parent Letter

The Government has announced a scheme to help young people get online by Increasing data allowances on mobile devices to support disadvantaged children

This scheme temporarily increases data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks. This is so that children and young people can access remote education if their face-to-face education is disrupted.

Schools, trusts and local authorities can request mobile data increases for children and young people who:

• do not have fixed broadband at home
• cannot afford additional data for their devices
• are experiencing disruption to their face-to-face education

Children with access to a mobile phone on one of the following networks might be able to benefit:

• Three
• Smarty
• Virgin Mobile
• EE
• Tesco Mobile
• Sky Mobile
• O2
• Vodafone
• BT Mobile

Other providers may join the scheme at a later stage.

The data pupils will get will depend on their mobile network. Some networks can’t offer data to Pay- as- you-go (PAYG) customers. Please click network providers info below.

EE

Smarty

Tesco Mobile

Virgin Media

Three

BT Mobile

Vodafone

O2

SKY Mobile

Please click the attachments below for more information and complete the google form to request support to temporarily increase your child’s data on their mobile device.

Privacy Notice (Please read)

Government Get Help With Tech Education – Mobile Data Privacy Notice

Google Form

https://forms.gle/dQSHaebxKL2ZJgZi9

Following yesterday’s announcements by the government, please find below an update for parents.

Week commencing 4th January:
– Monday – Holiday
– Tuesday is an INSET day, so school is closed to all students;
– Remote learning commences on Wednesday for Year 11 students only;
– From Wednesday, school is open to the children of key workers and vulnerable students only from 8.45am – 3pm. Lunch will be provided and we expect uniform to be worn. Emails have been sent to parents before the break who have previously been identified as a key worker. If you haven’t already, please email enquiries@shevingtonhigh.org.uk if you are a key worker and need to send your child into school. Please could you also provide evidence of being a key worker (eg photograph of your staff ID);
– Children entitled to Free School Meals who are not in school will be able to request food parcels via the school website https://www.shevingtonhigh.org.uk/free-school-meals/as the voucher system will not continue. More details will follow next week.

Week commencing 11th January:
– Year 11 return to school for face-to-face education;
– Years 7 – 10 commence remote learning at home;
Key worker children & vulerable students can continue to attend school 8.45am – 3pm;

Week commencing 18th January:
– All students return to school.

Covid Testing
You will probably be aware that the government is expecting us to conduct the lateral flow tests at school. There is a huge amount of planning required for us to fulfil this requirement. Further details will follow next week including details of the relevant consent information.

18 December 2020

Dear Parent/Carer

Asymptomatic Testing in Schools and Colleges Updates 

We are writing to update you regarding the latest Government guidance that we received today regarding the proposed rapid testing in school from January 2021

All Year 11 pupils, vulnerable children and previously identified critical workers children will return to school on the 6th January 2021.

All other year groups need to stay at home and follow remote learning provided via Google Classroom.  Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 will return to school on the 11th January 2021.

We know this is all very late notice and we are trying to plan as much as we can but the guidance supplied at the moment is very basic. We are expecting further guidance and support to set up the test centre in school in the new year. As soon as we receive more information this will be shared with parents.

Again many thanks for your continued support as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times.

I truly hope you all have a well deserved Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Yours Sincerely

Mr J Grant

Headteacher

Testing in Schools – Parent Letter December 2020