Headmaster’s Letter to Parents / Carers - April 3rd 2020
I hope you and your families are all keeping well in this hugely challenging period of COVID-19 and its associated restrictions. I am writing with some updates for you before we break for the Easter holidays.
Online Teaching
The teaching staff have generally been very pleased with the standard of Year 7/8/9/10/12 student work submitted through the AIM platform. It is absolutely vital that your son/daughter keeps up with the work set, in order to ensure that they are not behind in their knowledge when we are able to return to school. Teachers have been directed to follow up with parents and carers where the necessary work has not been submitted.
Please do not hesitate to contact teachers / Form Tutors via the school email if you have any questions/concerns over the on-line work or if you have any pastoral issues that you wish to discuss. If your child cannot access the AIM platform then you should contact Deputy Headteacher, Matt Kneeshaw, at the school as soon as you are able to: mkneeshaw@nsb.northants.sch.uk
Mr Rodger (Director of Personal Development) and Mr Barker (Assistant Headteacher) are putting together an on-line guidance package for parents/carers in order to help you best support your child's learning at home and to answer FAQs. This will be available via the school website at the beginning of next term.
Easter Holidays
In line with national guidance, lesson by lesson school work will not be set for children over the Easter Holidays. Home learning tasks that would normally have been set over the Easter Holiday period will be set by teachers through AIM where relevant. The school is remaining open for the children of key workers and for vulnerable students throughout the holidays, including Good Friday and Easter Monday.
GCSE / A Level Grading
The detailed methodology from Ofqual has been released today https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcses-as-and-a-level-awarding-summer-2020 I will write to all parents/carers of children in Year 11 /13 to set out the school's response to this document during the first week of the holidays.
Term 4 Reports
Despite the turbulence of the last few weeks we still intend to send Term 4 reports out for year groups which are not sitting public examinations this academic year (Years 7,8,9,10 and 12). Due to the partial school closure, there will be a short delay in the reports being released. Parents will receive the report either during or shortly after the Easter Holidays. In line with the Ofqual grading guidance above, we will not be issuing Term 4 reports to students in Years 11 or 13.
Fraud targeting parents of school children
The DfE have asked all schools to alert parents to an increasing number of phishing emails and fraudulent activity during this period of instability. This week, the DfE has warned that fraudsters are targeting parents of children eligible for free school meals. Some families across the country have received an email requesting their bank details, claiming this will enable their children to continue receiving meals through school closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Any parents who receive an email such as this should delete the scam email immediately and report it to Senior Deputy Headteacher, Matthew Edwards, at the school: medwards@nsb.northants.sch.uk .
I wish all connected to the school a very happy and safe Easter break.
Yours sincerely
