5th Feb, 2021
Update - Friday 5 February 2021Current information regarding reopening of schools
Please see below an extract from an announcement by Kirsty Williams, Welsh Minister for Education, which was released today.
"Based on the advice from our Technical Advisory Group, our Chief Medical Officer, and ongoing engagement and discussion with our Local Authorities and Education Unions I have decided that from 22 February, we will start a phased return to face to face learning for our Foundation Phase learners (3-7 year olds).
I know that many of you as well as parents/carers and learners want certainty that we won’t need further closures. I cannot give you that certainty. What I can tell you is that in being cautious and taking a phased approach, we can monitor the impact of a careful opening up to face to face learning on transmission, and rates in staff as well as children and continue to take decisions based on evidence.
Any further phasing of more year groups will be considered as part of the next 21 day review on the 19 February when we have more detail around any further headroom".
Therefore, the suspension of usual school activities for secondary schools will probably continue for a number of weeks. Pupils will need to continue with their home learning. As soon we receive any updated information we will share it with you.
More information from the Technical Advisory Group on "Considerations for changing the operation of schools to allow more face-to-face learning" can be found here​
Home learning provision
As we outlined in our Parentmail update last week, we continue to refine our home learning provision. We know that it is impossible to replicate the classroom at home and would like to thank parents, carers and pupils for engaging so positively despite the challenges we all face.
With reference to the provision of "live" lessons, we would like to draw your attention to the 2 extracts below taken from the online video conferencing and live streaming agreement. We would ask that these are followed for any and all online live lessons.
"Parents can support their child(ren) with the technology but must not engage with, view or play any part in the online lesson".
"Expectations of behaviour are the same as when you (pupils) are in a lesson in a school classroom. Any disruptive behaviour will be taken seriously".
Communication
We outlined last week that should your son/daughter be struggling with any aspect of education, please get in touch as we may be able to support him/her with additional resources, advice and guidance.
Email addresses to use relate to each individual year group.
Year 7: year7@cowbridgecs.co.uk
Year 8: year8@cowbridgecs.co.uk
Year 9: year9@cowbridgecs.co.uk
Year 10: year10@cowbridgecs.co.uk
Year 11: year11@cowbridgecs.co.uk
Year 12: year12@cowbridgecs.co.uk
Year 13: year13@cowbridgecs.co.uk
Please note that teachers' individual email addresses are not published and are for internal school use only and as such should not be used when contacting the school.
With reference to telephone calls, Achievement Assistants can receive high volumes of calls from parents and other individuals during the school day. They will attempt to respond to external calls and convey messages and collect information usually within 24 hours.
Please note that parents will not be put through to individual teachers. In many cases the Achievement Assistant will be able to answer any query or to offer appropriate assistance. If not, then the most appropriate member of staff will be able to return the call. However, it is unlikely that any return call will be made by individual classroom teachers, as many of them are timetabled to teach up to 300 individual pupils.
Thank you for your understanding on this matter.
Parents' Evenings
Recently, members of staff in school have been researching the possibility of organising and delivering parents' evenings or parental consultations remotely. As such we have now purchased software to coordinate and facilitate online virtual parents' evenings to review your child's progress via interactive video calls. Further details will follow shortly after the half term holiday.
GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications 2021
We have received no additional information this week regarding the process for awarding Centre Determined Grades.
However, it is vitally important that GCSE and A level students continue to engage fully with their current home learning. They will need to continue to develop the necessary skills, subject content knowledge and understanding to enable them to engage effectively with the assessment process when they return to school.
We wish all families a good weekend.
Cowbridge Comprehensive School Senior Leadership Team.