Dear Parents/Carers,
As we are now over half way through Module 2, I thought an update to you all would be useful. Whilst we have had a small number of positive Covid cases this module amongst students and staff, the number remains low, with no concerning patterns or clusters developing. We continue to remain vigilant and cautious in our measures and I thank you for your continuous support with these. We will continue to ask all students, staff and visitors to wear face coverings/masks when transitioning around the building and in larger indoor communal areas
We have reintroduced in person year group assemblies this module and this has meant that whole cohorts have been able to meet together and receive important information whether that be Careers talks for year 9, work experience assemblies for year 10, anti- bullying for all year groups. Exam preparation briefings for year 11, Remembrance commemoration event for Post 16 students all together. We have also welcomed Year 8 and 10 parents for information evenings as well as hosting our successful Post 16 Open Evening. Every event that takes place is risk assessed as we continue to do all that we can to keep our community as safe as we can. All of the above events helping to rebuild connections and strong relationships across our community and stakeholders.
We are looking forward to being able to re-introduce some of our traditional Christmas events this year. Christmas dinner will be served across two days Wednesday 15th December 2021 for years 8,10,11 and Thursday 16th December 2021 for years 7,9, Post 16. Students will be encouraged to wear own clothes including Christmas jumpers on their day, for a £1 donation. This year the money collected will be equally donated to Save the Children and The Bantabami charity.
Save the Children was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities. Throughout the pandemic, Save the Children has provided invaluable support to many families, helping them to access food vouchers, hand sanitiser and face masks as important emotional support.
The Bantabami charity supports in AIDS orphanage in South Africa that the academy has been supporting for several years. One eighth of the population of South Africa is either HIV+ or has AIDS and hundreds of thousands of orphans have been created because of this terrible disease. Bantabami is a tiny charity that supports the AIDS orphans of Pietermaritzburg, near Durban, providing food, clothing and other practical support to the orphans, as well as the grannies who look after them. Without our support, the charity would cease operating, so we thank you for the donations you make on Christmas Jumper Day this year, which will enable Bantabami to continue its work in 2022.
We thank you in advance for your continued support for our charity fund-raising activities and we hope that all of our community join in with our festivities.
Please note that on the days above when your child’s year group is not having Christmas lunch, she/he will all be able to buy lunch from the onsite servery but there will be a reduced offer for that day.
Yours faithfully,
Julia Collins
Principal
