Start of term Arrangements

The first day of school will be as follows;

  • New Years 7 and 12 to start on Wednesday 2 September. Year 7 students should arrive before 8:50. They will be directed to the front of the school building to an area marked by their house flag and given assembly and entry instructions from there. Year 12 students should report to the Sixth Form building reception, again before 8:50.
  • All other years will return to school on Thursday 3 September. They should remain outside the building if possible until 8:50 at which point they will be directed to their form rooms. A list of form rooms will be shared via email and the school website before the start of term. Year 13s should report to the Sixth Form building as usual.

Additional arrangements in school to manage social distancing, health and safety in light of the current situation

When all our students are back in school in September we will have over 1500 students in the school. Our first priority is, as always, to ensure that we take every step to ensure their safety on site. During lockdown the school has remained open throughout and, in addition to our usual health and safety practices and procedures, adjustments have been made to maintain social distancing and reduce the risk of infections. These operational changes will remain in place in September, including one-way corridors and staircases and queuing arrangements in dining spaces. In addition, however, we plan to make the following adaptations to our usual operation.

  • Key Stage 3 classes will be taught in ‘bubbles’. This means that there will be no mixing of classes in different subject areas. Students will remain in their teaching groups for all their subjects. This may mean that for new Year 8 and 9 students there may be some slight changes to their groups from this year.
     
  • There will be no year group or house assemblies before half term.
     
  • Whilst students will remain in vertical tutor groups students in different years will be seated in different parts of the room.
     
  • All classrooms and labs will be set up with desks facing forwards.
     
  • Students can still be in the corridors and building during break and lunchtime, however, they will be encouraged to go outside whenever the weather is appropriate.
     
  • Student queuing zones will be identified for each classroom/ teaching space using green tape. These will be either single file or side by side spacings. We will expect students to move to these spaces shortly before lessons start. Our usual high expectations of behaviour will be strictly enforced at these times.
     
  • Plastic exercise books covers will be given to each student for every exercise book to enable them to be wiped if necessary.
     
  • Students will be asked to clean/ wipe any equipment that they use during lessons. This will include computer keyboards.
     
  • PE lessons will continue and groupings stay the same as other subject bubbles with a changing room for boys and each group 'bubble'. Changing rooms will be sectioned in a way that students use the same changing space in each lesson.  
  • Please ensure that your child does not come to school if he or she has a high temperature, a new or continuous cough or a loss of taste or smell.
     
  • Should they develop any of these symptoms through the course of the day they are asked to report it immediately with the minimum of fuss so as not to cause unnecessary panic or overreaction. They will be dealt with immediately and sensitively by staff who will strictly follow government guidelines. 
  • That you reiterate with your child the need to maintain good personal hygiene at all times. Also, the importance of maintaining appropriate social distancing when in school, particularly with adults.
     
  • That students bring with them the correct stationary and other equipment to every lesson. Pens etc will not be available to borrow from teachers. Tutors will check students' equipment at the start of every day. Anyone without the correct equipment will be sent to Student Service and provided with equipment to keep. A charge may be applied for this. For any family where the provision of equipment will be difficult equipment can be provided free of charge in advance. To access this please contact Mrs Hunt (ahunt@tgschool.net) or Miss O'Beirne (tobeirne@tgschool.net) in advance of our return to school.
     
  • Please, if possible, provide your child with hand sanitiser. 

Use of Masks in School

You will no doubt be aware of the change in the government's stance on the wearing of face coverings in schools. Their guidance is now as follows;  

"The World Health Organisation published a statement on 21 August about children and face coverings. They now advise that “children aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults, in particular when they cannot guarantee at least a 1-metre distance from others and there is widespread transmission in the area.”
 

Nationwide, the government is not recommending face coverings are necessary in education settings generally because a system of control, applicable to all education environments, provides additional mitigating measures. Schools and colleges will have the discretion to require face coverings in indoor communal areas where social distancing cannot be safely managed, if they believe that it is right in their particular circumstances."

Our policy as a school from next week is that we will ask our students to wear face coverings when they are moving around the school in between lessons and lining up outside classrooms.Students are asked to wear masks that are appropriate for school, plain and without designs to gain attention, including football team badges.

Students won't be required to wear masks when they are outdoors or when they are eating and drinking in the Light Well and JCR.

We will not be allowed to wear face coverings at any time during lessons unless government guidance changes.