WELCOME BACK Autumn Term 2021
Welcome back to LEH We are looking forward very much to welcoming everyone back to School next week and this booklet gives you the information you need as you plan for the start of the Autumn term. In all our considerations, we have worked to comply with government guidance (Schools COVID-19 operational guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) whilst doing our best to ensure that everyone will enjoy a normal LEH experience. Four primary principles overlay everything put in place to minimise the risk for pupils and staff from Covid-19: • • • •
Encouraging cleaning/sanitising of hands and good respiratory hygiene for staff and pupils alike. Maintaining appropriate cleaning regimes throughout the School. Keeping occupied spaces well ventilated. Conducting regular testing of senior School pupils and staff, as well as ensuring all public spaces (including classrooms) are appropriately ventilated.
All arrangements for the new term will be under constant review and will be amended as necessary. We also have contingency plans in place should we be advised to take extra measures.
Published September 2021
Contents: 1
Introduction
2
Minimising contact with those who are unwell
3
Mask wearing and bubbles
4
Safe travel to and from school
5
Arrival and departure from school
6
Uniform and equipment
7
Educational visits
8
Extra-curricular activities
9
Individual Music and Speech & Drama lessons
10 Sports 11 Events
1 Introduction We are delighted that we can welcome all pupils back to school in September. We plan to run a full curriculum and extra-curricular programme. In line with government guidance, we have reviewed and updated our procedures and guidelines for pupils which are detailed in this booklet.
2 Minimising contact with those who are unwell As we come back from the summer holidays, we request that parents ensure pupil compliance with any testing requirements on returning from abroad (see: red, amber, green lists: check the rules for travel to England from abroad - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). At no time should any pupil attend school if: •
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they are suffering from any Covid-19 symptoms (currently listed as: a new and persistent cough or a high temperature, or loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell); they have tested positive in at least the last ten days (and if they have tested positive whilst not experiencing symptoms but develop symptoms during the isolation period, they should restart the 10-day isolation period from the day they develop symptoms). If a pupil has a positive lateral flow test, they should stay at home until the receipt of their confirmatory PCR test.
Parents must notify the School immediately using the ‘Let Us Know’ button on the Parent Portal if any of the above applies to their daughter. Government guidelines require pupils to attend School unless any of the above factors apply, or unless they are suffering from another illness that would normally keep them from School. If your child is absent without a valid reason, then we are required to mark her absence as unauthorised. If a pupil becomes ill at School with any of the symptoms of Covid-19, they will be isolated in the Medical Room, and we will ask you to come and take them home as soon as possible. Parents should then arrange for their child to have a PCR test and should notify School of the result immediately via the Parent Portal. As you will be aware, from 16 August, pupils aged under 18 years 6 months (or those who have received two vaccinations if above this age) who have been identified as a close contact, should continue to attend school as normal. However, we encourage anyone identified as a close contact to take a PCR test (as the guidance advises) and as a School we request that any close contacts do lateral flow tests daily for a period of a week after doing a PCR test (and assuming that the PCR test is negative).
3 Mask wearing and bubbles Pupils will no longer be in year-group bubbles and are not required to wear masks whilst in School (unless they wish to do so). The biometric system will be used around school during the school day. Anyone arriving late to school (after 8.40am) will be able to access Senior School grounds using the Hanworth Road pedestrian gate biometric system. On entry, everyone arriving late must go to main Reception to gain access to the school buildings.
4 Safe travel to and from school Pupilcoach The Pupilcoach service will run as usual from Wednesday 8 September and there is a protocol, agreed with Hampton School, for behaviour on the coach which Mrs Poyner will discuss with your daughters at the start of term. DfE guidance on face coverings on dedicated school transport (i.e. the Hampton-LEH Pupil Coach service) is linked here. In particular, we should draw your attention to the following reference from the DfE operational guidance to schools: “The government has removed the requirement to wear face coverings in law but expects and recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact with people you don’t normally meet. This includes public transport and dedicated transport to school or college.” The late coach service will start from Monday, 13th September. Cycling We have plenty of safe storage facilities for bicycles and we encourage their use. Car drivers •
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If you drive your daughter to school, please aim to arrive between 7.30am and 8.15am (the earlier the better) so that you can drive into the senior School car park via the Main Entrance Gate. A one-way, drive-through and drop-off system will continue to be used and will be clearly signposted. Please remember to drive extremely slowly through when dropping your daughter off, or picking her up, and be aware of other drivers and pedestrians leaving and entering the site at the time. Junior School pupils should arrive between 8.15am and 8.30am and walk through the Senior School Student Gateway entrance and through to the Junior School. In the first week of term, a member of staff from the Junior School will be available to direct pupils so that they become familiar with the route to the Junior School.
5
Arrival and departure from School
Senior School: All pupils may enter the main school building by the Gateway or the Arts Centre entrances. If pupils in Thirds to U5 arrive before 8am, they must go to the Dining Room and remain there until the 8am bell, at which time they may go to their form room. Sixth Formers should go directly to their Common Room. Any pupil who arrives late (after 8.40am) should report to Main Reception as usual. If your daughter is attending an after-school extra-curricular club, she should go straight to the club when dismissed from Period 7. The club organiser will inform you of collection details. The LRC will be open daily for afternoon study until 5.45pm. Junior School arrival and dismissal times We will no longer operate staggered arrival times in the Junior School. Pupils should arrive between 8.15am and 8.50am and enter the Junior School through the red gate. Junior School pupils who use Pupilcoach will arrive via the Senior School and walk across to Junior School via the Student Gateway. We will operate a staggered dismissal at the end of the school day. Form 1 and Upper 1 pupils will be dismissed from the front lawn of the Junior School at 3.45pm. Lower 2 and Upper 2 pupils will be dismissed from the Red Gate at 3.50pm. Pupils who travel by Pupilcoach will be accompanied by a member of staff to the coach area in either LEH or Hampton School car park. Breakfast Club - The Junior School will operate Breakfast Club as normal. Pupils arriving for Breakfast Club from 7.30am should enter the school building via the side entrance and go directly into the dining room. Tea and Prep will be available in the Junior School Dining Room each day from 4pm6pm (5pm on Friday).
6
Uniform and equipment
All pupils from Form 1 to U5 should wear full uniform. All pupils must bring any equipment they will need with them to school. This should include: • • • • • •
iPad & stylus (Senior School only) Headphones (Senior School only) Pencil case Named water bottle Hand sanitiser Snacks for break (the School Tuck Shop will re-open at the start of the Autumn Term)
There may be subjects that have specific additional requirements. You and your daughter will be informed of these as the need arises. The changing rooms and the sport lockers will be available to pupils, and they should bring LEH sports clothing and equipment with them when they have PE, games, or if they are attending an extra-curricular sports club. Sports kit may not be worn to travel to / from school. All pupils will have time and space to change before and after PE or games lessons.
7
Educational visits
In line with Government guidance, we will not be running any overseas residential trips during the Autumn or Spring terms. Overseas residential trips scheduled for the Summer term and beyond will be kept under review.
8
Extra-curricular activities
We are looking forward to the return of a full extra-curricular programme in the Senior and Junior Schools this September. A full timetable of clubs will be available near the start of term.
9
Individual Music and Speech & Drama lessons
Visiting music, and speech and drama lessons will commence in school in September. Mrs Tate, our Music and Drama Coordinator, will timetable lessons and rooms for pupils as usual. In the Junior School, Mrs Rahman will provide schedules for pupils.
10
Sports
A full sports programme of events and fixtures is planned for the new academic year. Further details will be forthcoming from the Sports Department.
11
Events
We are looking forward to welcoming parents to a combination of in school and online events this term. Details will be sent out to the relevant year groups in due course.
Hanworth Road, Hampton, TW12 3HF t: 020 8979 1601
e: office@lehs.org.uk
www.lehs.org.uk