I thought it would be useful to update you on a few things.

 

work for Students who are self-isolating

If you have a child self-isolating at home then the teachers will set work on Google Classroom.  If your child is new to school, then they will be taught how to use Google Classroom this week.  In addition, information and tutorial videos can be found on our website at: https://www.silverdale-chorustrust.org/itsupport .  Please do bear in mind that, unlike before the summer holidays, our teachers are planning and teaching a full timetable of lessons in school and so they are unlikely to be able to provide remote GoogleMeet lessons to individual students.

 

Preparing students for any potential self-isolation

You may be aware that a number of schools in Sheffield have advised that groups or ‘bubbles’ of students need to self-isolate for 14 days.  As yet we have no positive cases of COVID-19 at Silverdale School.  However, if we do become aware of a positive case, we will need to follow public health advice and request that individual students or a year group bubble self-isolate for 14 days.  This may entail sending home students during the school day.  Please discuss with you child what they should do if this is the case.  There will be opportunity for students who cannot travel safely home during the school day to stay in school until they are collected.

 

 

Keeping up to date with the latest developments

There is a possibility that we will suffer from staffing shortages in the coming weeks (mainly due to colleagues self-isolating or looking after dependents who are self-isolating.)  As a last resort, we may need to close the school for selected year groups.  We may also delay the start of the school day to enable us to safely staff the school prior to opening to students.  The school will communicate key information via WEDUC and so please download the app and ensure that the school has upto date contact information.  Details can be found at: https://www.silverdale-chorustrust.org/apps

 

Face masks

All students and staff continue to wear face masks when they are moving around the school.  As I mentioned last week, every day there are a number of students for whom the school is providing masks and this is proving expensive for the school.  Therefore we are asking parents for a £5 voluntary donation (via ParentPay from next week) towards a supply of spare disposable masks, in order to allow all students to continue to wear masks and hence keep everyone safer in school.

 

Many thanks for your continued support.

Best wishes,

Sarah Sims
Head of Silverdale School