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Principal’s Message - With SAFETY and a RETURN TO SCHOOL in mind, whenever that may be...
The priority message coming from Government is to keep your children at home and safe and only go to school if it is impossible for them to be at home due to your work requirements.
#stayathomesavelines
The first week has passed and our aim has been to ensure pupils and staff are safe at home and to embed our pre-Easter online curriculum provision. We feel that we have been able to address online accessibility issues as they arrived. Communication is key. The best way for you to contact the school is via admin@readinggirlsschool.net. Your message will be redirected to me.
I would like to share with you what has been happening this week:
- Years 7 & 8 have been working on English, Maths and Science
- Years 9, 10 & 11 have been working on GCSE coursework subjects
- Years 10 & 11 online assemblies began on Monday and will continue weekly
- Years 7, 8 & 9 online assemblies begin today and will continue weekly
- Online induction for pupils to use Microsoft TEAMS
- Daily contact with specific pupils who may need extra help at this time
- Staff online briefings on Monday and Wednesday and will continue weekly
- Bespoke staff training on Microsoft TEAMS ready for post-Easter lessons
- Daily staff bulletin to ensure a communication platform
- Daily Senior Leadership Team online logistics meetings
- Free School Meals vouchers have been distributed to the relevant pupils LINK
- Developing a pupil conduct protocol for post-Easter online lessons
This arrangement will continue next week leading up to the end of term. It is then that we change our MINDSET and PROVISION to ‘normal timetable’ online face-to-face lessons. As a school we are not subscribing to a ‘summer school’ mentality during this period. Rather, we are focusing on ensuring that WHEN PUPILS RETURN TO SCHOOL WHENEVER THAT MAY BE, that momentum will not have been totally lost. Therefore, it is an obligation for pupils to take part in this provision unless they are ill.
To this end, we are operating a PUPIL INACTIVITY LOG. Teachers have been asked to identify if pupils are not completing their work. Where this is the case, the Senior Leadership Team will be contacting home to ascertain why. In some cases, this may be due to illness or IT accessibility, which we can address. Where these are not the cases, pupils not completing their work or taking part in online lessons, will not be acceptable. I have to say, if this week is anything to go by, then it will be fine after Easter. This week pupils have been exemplary and want to thank you as parents for playing your part in this.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT if you have other children at other schools who are working from home. Each school will adopt their own strategy to school closure. I have received some feedback to say that RGS girls are being kept very busy. Please ensure that our girls do all of their work regardless of what their siblings are required to do. I do not want school closure to interrupt progress for any longer than it has to.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE YOU to be part of your daughter’s learning experience in a way that isn’t possible in the traditional method. Please ask them to show you the recordings of the TEAMS assemblies so that you understand how our online lessons will work.
Finally, for YEAR 11 PARENTS, we have been told that the Government expect to make an announcement next week about the GCSE accreditation process. From experience, I imagine that this announcement may come late in the week. In addition to our Monday assembly, we will hold a YEAR 11 TEAMS ASSEMBLY ON FRIDAY 3RD APRIL at 11AM which you are welcome to sit in on with your daughter. The purpose of this assembly will be to share with pupils what the Government would have said and our initial thoughts on how we will act accordingly.
Jon Gargan
Principal