I’d like to start by saying how fantastic it has been to see more and more children arriving to school early and on time over the past few months. The fact that we have so many young learners eager and ready to get into the academy every morning is wonderful to see, and we are thrilled that so many students are taking the opportunity to enjoy our breakfast club which starts at 8:00am.
Because of the numbers of children arriving on site early, we need to look at changing how and where children enter the site. We have a duty of care to safeguard both staff and students and, at the moment, some of our teachers are finding it difficult to prepare effectively for their first lessons due to children entering classrooms before tutor time. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to monitor the children and their behaviour during this time, and we need to ensure that all children are safe as soon as they are on school site.
From Tuesday 9th April (Monday 8th April is an INSET day), children will not be admitted through the main gates before 8:00am. This is to ensure that we have staff present and ready to accept them into the building, and to look after them from the moment they are on school grounds. All children will then be directed into the Sixth Form Centre, the angular silver building to the right of the entrance gates. Children will not be able to access the main building or go through the Reception area.
Once inside the Sixth Form Centre children will be able to have some breakfast, keep warm and dry, and use the facilities until teachers are ready to accept them into their tutor time. Children will leave the Sixth Form Centre at 8:25am through the rear doors, and then make their way to their tutor group.
Over the coming week, staff will be explaining the new system to students. We would therefore appreciate if you could remind children that this new system will be in place upon their return to school after the Easter break.
Thank you, as always, for your support
Yours sincerely
Mr. C. Cooling
Principal