Students in Y7/8/9/10/12 will be required to  work at home, accessing work through the AIM system as per my letter to you last week, the relevant detail of which (with year group alteration) is copied below:

During any period of whole school enforced closure, teachers at the school will continue to set work for all students which will be in line with their normal weekly timetable and home learning time allocation for each subject. This work will be set in the same way that homework is set normally.  Students should log onto their AIM account and follow the instructions from their teachers. In most cases, the instructions will be to log onto the school VLE and use the resources available online. Teachers will ask students to submit relevant work electronically via the AIM platform, so that it can be assessed. 

During the period of whole school enforced closure, Year 10 and Year 12 should also be looking daily at their school email for details of any additional support for Public Examination groups, for example through video conferencing. Instructions regarding when and how students should access this extra support will be sent via the school email or through AIM homework by the subject teacher or Curriculum Team Leader.

If your son/daughter cannot access the work set online, please contact Deputy Headteacher, Mr Kneeshaw at the school mkneeshaw@nsb.northants.sch.uk at your earliest opportunity so that alternative arrangements for the work can be put in place.

The Secretary of State also made the announcement that GCSE and A Level examinations have been cancelled for this year. Grades will be awarded but not through the normal examination route. The government have not yet explained how these grades will be calculated. I will write to the parents/carers of all Year 11/13 students early next week, after the government have issued the methodology that they will use. I will also write to parents when it has been confirmed how these grades will support Sixth Form admission. When we have guidance from the government as to how the GCSE/A Level grades are going to be awarded we will seek to direct Y11/13 students, via Aim, to appropriate work in preparation for A Levels/university/employment.

The school is hugely disappointed that our Y11/13 students, who have demonstrated such an exceptional work ethic in their exam preparation, will not be given the opportunity to shine in the Exam Hall and we will continue to offer our full support for both cohorts going forward. We will do everything in our power to help ensure that students get the grades that their levels of achievement merits.

Students who are children of designated key workers or who are classed as vulnerable will continue to be able to attend school if you wish them to do so. The definition of a vulnerable child is ‘any child that currently has a social worker or a child with an Education, Health and Care Plan’. At the time of writing the definition of a key worker has not been defined. This information is due from the government and will be sent through, via text, to all parents when we have received it. If your child is within one of the two categories please can you complete the Key Worker/Vulnerable student form on the front page of the school website by 2.00pm, Friday, March 20th so that we know which students to expect in school from Monday. The form will be placed on the website when we have received the definition of a key worker from the government.

The school will also be following national guidance to ensure that all students in receipt of Free School meals will have a voucher entitlement to cover a daily meal. The school will be in contact with all relevant parents/carers regarding this scheme at the beginning of next week.

If you wish to contact the school during this period of enforced school closure please call the school or email nsb@nsb.northants.sch.uk. All correspondence will be directed to relevant members of staff on a daily basis.

I am very sorry for the disruption that these measures will inevitably cause.

Yours sincerely

Richard Bernard
Headmaster