Message from the Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers

Firstly, can I thank you for your continued support and understanding in such turbulent times.  I am sure that you are very confused about all the information that has been coming out from central government, locally and individual schools, especially if you have children in different schools.  It seems that the Government have given us different information depending on what type of school we are.  

Anyway, this letter will hopefully explain what Osborne are doing and what will be in place until such times that National Lockdown is over or we have another directive from central government.  

Attendance at School

• Osborne school is fully functional to all pupils for remote learning

• Osborne school is open for face to face learning for pupils of critical workers and those pupils who are deemed vulnerable.  You will have been asked to complete a survey of your requirements or received a phone call from a member of school staff to determine this.

• Pupils who have been offered a place, as they meet the relevant criteria, will have been notified by the school in a text message sent today (8 January 2021).  Please ignore any earlier messages regarding return dates for pupils.

• For all those attending school, the normal transport and school meal arrangements remain in place. 

• School Nurses continue to be in school to support pupils with medical conditions.

• If your child is attending school they will be familiar with the staff on duty.

• If your child is due in school but is not able to attend, please telephone the school and leave a message on the pupil absence line, giving the reason for their absence that day.

Home Learning

• For many of you, your child will be remaining at home carrying out remote and home learning.  You will be provided with enough work for your young person to fully cover the curriculum as if they were in school.  Your class teacher or a member of the teaching staff will be in touch with you to find out the best way of delivering this to you dependent on your child’s individual needs. Hopefully this has already happened.

• The home learning is slightly different from the 1^st National Lockdown in that I have a legal requirement to register pupils as I would if they were in school.  For this reason, please can I ask that you carry out the following each day:

• If your child is sick and unable to carry out any home learning one day please phone school and leave a message on the pupil absence line so they can be marked as absent.

• If your child has a medical appointment and is unable to carry out any home learning please phone the school and leave a message on the pupil absence line so they can be marked in the register with the appropriate mark.
• If your child has attended a remote lesson via Zoom or other platform, and a member of school staff has seen or heard them they will be marked as carrying out their education.

• If your young person can’t access on line learning or feels too anxious to do so then please can I ask that you contact your class teacher or a member of the class staff explaining what they will have been doing that day or your intentions for the day.

Safety in school

• Safety in school continues to be a high priority for us and we are continuing with all the measures that we had previously put in place.  Please see the Risk Assessment on the website.

• In addition to the above, because we have been able to reduce the number of pupils and staff in school we are now able to ensure that desks and pupils are kept at least 1 to 2 metres apart as much as possible.

• We are no longer having any bubbles of class groups, or year groups mixing, apart from when they are on transport.

• At some point next week, we will be rolling out the lateral flow testing of staff, but this is on a voluntary basis.

• We are encouraging pupils to wear face coverings as much as is practicably possible.

• All staff are wearing face masks and visors as much as possible.

• We have no visitors at all coming into school, unless where identified pupils need specific interventions or where contractors are needed on site for essential maintenance.

Free School Meals

We are still waiting for guidance from government about Free School Meals and we will inform you of the process as soon as we have the information.  Whatever your entitlement it will backdated.

If your circumstances have changed recently and you feel you may now be entitled to Free School Meals please contact the Admin Team in school for further information.

Mock Exams

The mock exams for KS4 and Osborne College pupils which were due to take place this half term have been cancelled.  We will contact parents at a later date with further information.

General information

• Please contact the school in the same way you have always done if you have any queries.

• If at any point you feel you need extra support please do not hesitate in getting in touch.

• The school currently is at a safe level with the number of pupils and staff, however if these numbers need to increase a further risk assessment and review will need to take place.

Thank you again for your patience and I hope that our whole school community stays safe and well.

Kind regards

Sonia White, Headteacher