Back to School – General FAQS

It is not required as a part of the government guidelines to take any pupils or staff members temperature.

Any pupil with symptoms of COVID-19 should not attend School and should undertake a test under the NHS ‘Test and Trace’ programme. The pupil should stay at home until they receive the test result, as well as any siblings they have who attend the school. Parents should notify the School immediately if a positive test result is obtained. If the result is negative, then the pupil(s) may return to School.

Where a pupil indicates an individual in their household is unwell with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they must self-isolate for at least ten days if the result is positive. A pupil can return to School if the result is negative.

There is no requirement for any pupil or staff member to wear a mask and/or gloves. However, if you feel safer and more comfortable wearing a mask – you are allowed to do so.

To ease congestion in the Dining Hall, we have offered Year 8 and 9 pupils the opportunity to bring a packed lunch to School. As such, the following system will be put in place:

• Year 7: Hot lunch (compulsory) provided in the SAR Dining Hall.
• Year 8: Hot lunch available or bring a packed lunch from home; to be consumed in the SAR Dining Hall. Pupils subscribe to the same option for the entire term.
• Year 9: Hot lunch available or bring a packed lunch from home. Pupils to eat hot lunch in the SAR Dining Hall or a packed lunch in the ground floor space of MBH. Pupils subscribe to the same option for the entirety of the term.
• Year 10 & 11: Packed lunch from home (compulsory). Pupils to eat in their classrooms or a marquee (divided into 2 separate spaces), which has been acquired for the quad and is available as an extra space for Year 10 & 11 to spend break and lunchtimes aside from their classrooms.
• Year 12 & 13: Packed lunch from home or purchase from Ralph’s.

The school lunch offering will be streamlined so that pupils are not helping themselves to food and choice is reduced to speed up passage through the servery. In addition, the following will be put in place:

• There will be an enhanced cleaning protocol during lunchtimes.
• Tables in the dining room will be allocated by form.
• Alcohol-based sanitiser will be available at strategic key points and pupils and staff will be instructed to use it at least as often as government protocol advises.

Any pupil with symptoms of COVID-19 should not attend School and should undertake a test under the NHS ‘Test and Trace’ programme. The pupil should stay at home until they receive the test result, as well as any siblings they have who attend the school. Parents should notify the School immediately if a positive test result is obtained. If the result is negative, then the pupil(s) may return to School.

Where a pupil indicates an individual in their household is unwell with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they must self-isolate for at least ten days if the result is positive. A pupil can return to School if the result is negative.

We will be following the same government advice which requires the pupils to sanitise their hands before getting on the bus and we will be keeping them within their year group bubbles.

If you have recently returned from an area where quarantine rules apply, we would expect families to adhere to these rules. If this applies to you, please do phone the School or let your Head of Year know as a matter of urgency.

On the first day of term, we shall spend time talking to the pupils about our expectations and how to minimise the risks of cross infection.

We are excited to have the pupils back in School and we shall, of course, do everything we can to ensure we continue to deliver an ambitious curriculum and co-curricular offer, whilst safeguarding the health and safety of every member of the community.

Pupils are expected to wear full school uniform on the days when they do not have PE or Games. We are aware that there may be a delay with the new school blazer for Year 7 and as such, pupils in Year 7 are permitted to wear a school jumper rather than a blazer until blazers can be purchased.

Pupils should only bring into School the minimum equipment needed for that particular day. All books and non-essential items can either be left in lockers or at home. Pupils will need to bring in their own pencil case and sharing of items will not be possible.

We have placed hand sanitisers at all entrances and pupils will be expected to use these frequently throughout the day. In addition to this, we will have enhanced cleaning throughout the school day.