View PDF Letter:Letter to parents 22.3.20
Sunday, 22nd March 2020
Dear Parents / Carers,
This is an important message for parents / carers who believe they are sending their child to school tomorrow.
It is important to remember that the school is closed. We have been asked to provide emergency child care to allow key workers to go to work and continue their work in fighting this awful virus. The Secretary of State has clarified his initial comments and now says that “if a child can safely stay at home, they should be at home”. Sending your child in otherwise places them, our staff and everyone else at increased risk. The purpose of closing the school is to reduce the spread of the virus. In order to do this the numbers of students and staff coming into school have to be as low as possible.
Children of key workers
We are happy to provide childcare for key workers, however can you please consider the following before sending your child to school;
- Your child is of secondary school age- can they safely remain at home? Are they old enough to be left alone for periods of time during the day, as they would be in the school holidays or weekends?
- Is there another parent / carer who is NOT a key worker and able to take responsibility for them?
- If the answer to either of the above is yes- then please DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL.
Children in care
Children in care are in a safe and caring environment and ideally should remain at home UNLESS BOTH CARERS ARE KEY WORKERS AND THERE ARE NO OTHER VIABLE ALTERNATIVES. To send them into school when there is a viable alternative is placing them, other students and our staff at risk.
We have an identified staffing rota in place for the next two weeks and are planning one for over the Easter period should it be needed.
I thank parents and carers for their co-operation but would ask them to reconsider their plans having read the above. If you still need to send your child in, we will endeavour to keep them as safe as possible and continue to work with yourselves at this difficult time. Please remember that any child attending needs to be in uniform. This is to ensure the general public do not think they are wandering the streets at a time when we are all meant to be remaining at home as much as possible.
Thank you for your support.
Yours faithfully,
Mr G.W. Lumsdon
Headteacher
SEAHAM HIGH SCHOOL
