back to learning in school - tibshelf school

Tibshelf Community School

Back to Learning in School

March 2021

Message to Parents I would first like to thank you for your patience and support as we have put together plans for

the full return to school for all pupils. Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that we are able to

welcome all pupils back to school in a safe and welcoming manner. Please find below details

of the return to school, starting from Monday 08 March 2021. You will also have received a

booklet which provides important information for you to go through with your son / daughter

before they return to school.

Monday 08 – Wednesday 10 March

Pupils who are taking part in the Lateral Flow Testing (LFT) and whose parents have completed

the consent form will attend school for one of these days to complete their first test on site. The

schedule is as follows:

Those pupils who are not taking part in the Lateral flow testing (LFT) whose parents have not

completed the consent form are to remain at home for these three days and complete the pre

-set work. Pupils who have been attending school throughout this period will continue to attend

as before.

If you have not yet completed the consent form for LFT and wish your child to participate,

please use the link below:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=6-lER3S-

GUS2Zz3BEG6F1sEFT2yhEHFJmzw6Ss8EEIRUMFZGTEZPUkxYOFJISVc4QkUzOFdQMTlKTC4u

Monday 08 March Year 7 & Year 11 attend

school as normal

Years 8, 9, 10 remain at home and

complete pre-set work

Tuesday 09 March Year 8 & Year 10 attend

school as normal



Wednesday 10 March Year 9 attend school as

normal

Years 7, 8, 10, 11 remain at home and


https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=6-lER3S-GUS2Zz3BEG6F1sEFT2yhEHFJmzw6Ss8EEIRUMFZGTEZPUkxYOFJISVc4QkUzOFdQMTlKTC4u


Thursday 11 March

All pupils will return to school and recommence their normal timetable. Pupils will

undertake their second and third LFT between Thursday 11 March and Thursday 18

March. They will be issued with their home testing kits at their third on-site test with clear

instructions on how and when to complete these.

Once the school reopens on Monday 08 March, we will continue to manage the

students in year group bubbles. This will ensure that we are able to limit how many

contacts each student has and in the event of a positive case will enable us to only have

to instruct a small number of students to self-isolate.

The government has also changed the guidance on the wearing of masks, and it is

expected that all students should wear a mask in a classroom as well as in communal

areas where social distancing cannot take place. It is important that we all work together

to prepare all children for a positive return to school including organising your child’s

uniform, planner and equipment (including a mask), and re-establishing morning routines

to ensure punctual arrival at school.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Yours faithfully

Lucie Wainwright

Headteacher, Tibshelf Community School

Our Senior Leadership Team: • Mrs L Wainwright, Headteacher • Mrs L Crowder, Senior Assistant Headteacher • Mrs L Harrison, Assistant Headteacher • Mr M Stanhope, Assistant Headteacher • Mrs L Tipping, Assistant Headteacher • Mr J Wathall, Assistant Headteacher

The aim is for ALL our pupils to return to school full-time as usual on THURSDAY, 11th

MARCH 2021. However, the majority of the changes that we put in place in September

are still in effect. Below is a bullet pointed list and this booklet explains the new processes

and procedures we are putting in place.

• Tutor time extended to 25 minutes each day to give pupils additional pastoral time

• Dining seats will be in rows, not congregated around tables

• Seats in classrooms will be in rows facing the front

• Interventions will take place during social times and after school

• Increased cleaning of toilet facilities

• Cleaning of the biometrics system after each pupil has used it

• Staggered lunch times to minimise numbers of pupils in circulation

• Allocated break out spaces for classes

• Antibacterial wipes available in all classrooms for pupils to wipe down their tables

and chairs

• Increased hand washing encouraged

• Face coverings on public transport to and from school

• Face coverings compulsory in all indoor areas, including the classroom

• Changes to the way pupils and staff move around the school building

In order to ensure that we are able to offer each student a Covid19 test (lateral flow test) prior

to them starting back in school we have put together the following schedule to reintroduce

students back into school, ensure that they are clear about the expectations and to ensure

that they have their first Covid19 test prior to returning to school with all students.

Students whose parents/carers have returned the consent form (link below) agreeing to their

child being tested in school will attend school on the day below from 8:30am to 3:00pm. Dur-

ing this time they will receive a test.


ALL STUDENTS—Return to School

Thursday, 11th March 2021

Monday 08 March Year 7 & Year 11 attend

school as normal



Tuesday 09 March Year 8 & Year 10 attend

school as normal



Wednesday 10 March Year 9 attend school as

normal

Years 7, 8, 10, 11 remain at home and




Following Government Guidance and the recommendations that are in place from

Public Health England, we have taken the decision to support this guidance and the

recommendations in the fight against coronavirus in order to ensure that we are all tak-

ing measures to protect each other.

Therefore, when your child returns to school the expectation is that they will wear their

face covering during lessons as well as when they are in all indoor communal spaces.

If your child has a medical condition which prevents them wearing either a mask or a

visor please email medical evidence to our Medical Welfare Officer

[email protected]

Should your child present at school without a mask they will be able to purchase a dis-

posable one from the medical office at a charge of 50p.

We consider the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our school community

with the utmost importance.

Therefore, it is imperative that you speak with your child(ren) about their compliance

with verbal and written instructions given to them by any adult in the school.

During the management of the coronavirus pandemic, certain aspects of our school

behaviour system will not be able to be in place.

Pupils who refuse instructions, eg:

• “Please stop doing that”

• “Please move to this seat”

• “Please move to the buddy classroom allocated to this bubble”

Or, pupils who intentionally breach health and safety procedures. Eg:

• They do not maintain 2m distance from adults

• Not wearing their face covering in all indoor areas

• They intentionally cough or spit

• They undertake any “risky” behaviour which compromises our staff’s health

Will have a telephone call made to you as their parent/carer and you will be asked to

come to school to collect them immediately. This behaviour will then automatically

place them on the behaviour ladder and may lead to permanent exclusion.

• Pupils must:

○ stay two metres apart from all adults in school unless the adult is wearing PPE

○ adhere to the systems in place

○ wash their hands regularly

○ clean any equipment after they have used it

○ remain in their designated break out areas

○ have tissues with them at all times

○ bring their own water bottles/drinks into school (not energy drinks)

○ undertake any instruction given to them by any adult in school

We take the health and safety of our staff seriously, any pupil who compromises the

mental or physical health and safety of any of our staff will have their parents/carers

contacted to take them home on health and safety grounds, the sanctions for this will

be serious and could lead to permanent exclusion.

As per the Government Guidance and the information passed to us by Public Health Eng-

land, the expectation is that all students return to school in their full school uniform com-

plete with tie and blazer.

When a student has PE, they are to come to school in their school uniform and bring their

PE kit to school to change into.

Please also be reminded of our uniform policy, jeans/jeggings are not permitted, neither are hoodies or face piercings, including clear/skin coloured retainers in the nose. Pupils will be required to remove such items. If a parent allows their child to have their face/nose piercings, they have done so knowingly that they are breaching the school uniform expectations. Where this occurs, we will permit the child to wear a clear retainer for a maximum period of 8 weeks. The student will, throughout the duration of them wearing the clear retainer (maximum 8 weeks), be placed on daily uniform checks by their Form Tutor. Any additional uniform breaches during this period will result escalation under our behaviour policy.

Pens and Pencils

Ruler

Compass

Protractor

Sharpener

Rubber

Calculator

Books

Tissues

Hand sanitiser

Face Covering

Packed lunch if not eating from school canteen

Water bottles

Derbyshire County Council have asked the school to relay their message to parents/

carers:

Wherever possible, pupils should continue to avoid public transport and walk,

cycle or catch a lift, but for some this will not be possible.

Although many school buses are only available to pupils, it is still considered a public

space and the wearing of face coverings should apply to all pupils when they board,

during the journey and when they alight the vehicle. Drivers are expected to wear a

face covering at all times during the journey. Face coverings do not need to be

medical grade PPE masks and people can make their own using scarves or other

textiles. Coverings must cover the mouth and nose while allowing the wearer to

breathe comfortably. Pupils should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before

putting on their face covering and after taking it off.

If pupils do not abide by these regulations, the driver has the right to refuse travel.

If a student fails to comply at certain points during the journey, or the driver has

concerns about the conduct of a pupil, they will report this to school so appropriate

action can be taken.

Freeway Coaches (140)

Derbyshire County Council Contracted Bus – DCC Bus Pass Holders get priority

Hilcote 8:04am

Blackwell Hotel 8:10am

Newton Green 8:12am

Tibshelf Community School 8:20am Returns at 3:10pm

Redfern Coaches (420)

Derbyshire County Council Contracted Bus – DCC Bus Pass Holders ONLY

Heath, Main Road 7:50am

Holmewood, Heath Road 7:56am

North Wingfield, Williamthorpe Road 7:59am

Pilsley, Primary School 8:08am


DW Coaches (420)

Privately Contracted Bus – Fare Payers ONLY, No DCC Bus Pass Holders Permitted

Heath, Main Road 7:50am

Holmewood, Heath Road 7:56am

North Wingfield, Williamthorpe Road 7:59am

Pilsley, Primary School 8:08am


Redfern Coaches (422)

Derbyshire County Council Contracted Bus – DCC Bus Pass Holders get priority

Higham, Crown Inn 7:40am

Stonebroom, Birkinstyle Lane 7:50am

Morton, Main Road 7:55am

Mickley, Main Road 8:00am

Westhouses, Park Lane /Alfreton Road 8:05am

Newton Green 8:12am

Tibshelf Community School 8:20am Returns at 3.25pm

If as parents, you intend to drive your child(ren) to school please be aware that we are

still permitting cars into our private car park at 8:15am in order to drive around the one

way system and drop off your child(ren) within our school grounds. There is no

parking in operation and you just need to pull up to allow your child to get out of the

car. Please ensure that you follow the one way system, adhere to safety rules and be

mindful that there may be other children in this area. The barrier is down and the

gates are closed until 8:15am and children should not arrive in school before this

time.

Please ensure you drive in, stop, allow your child to disembark and then you need to

drive out of the carpark in order to ensure that the flow of traffic can keep moving. The

car park barrier will be put down at 8:25am to ensure that we can safeguard the chil-

dren who have arrived in school.

Unfortunately, we are not in a position to open our car park at the end of the day for

you to collect your child. We ask that you discuss appropriate meeting places with

your child away from the school premises.

Please bear in mind that if you park in close proximity to the school, you are parking on

the public highway and we have been informed that traffic control police will be

patrolling this area to ensure that there are no breaches to the highway code.

Also, can we please ask that you respect our neighbours and are considerate when

parking and driving to and from the school.

Please share and discuss this advice with your child(ren):

Readjust your sleep schedule, if necessary:

Over the course of the school closure you will more than likely be completely out of

your normal routine and you may have been sleeping in a little longer and staying up

later.

To reset your sleep schedule you should:

• Return to your routine several days to a week ahead of returning to school.

• Open your blinds/curtains to get natural light first thing in the morning.

• Skip late night meals.

• Limit stimulants, like caffeine and energy drinks.

Pre-pack your school bag and get your school uniform ready the night before.

Doing these simple tasks the night before will save you the time and stress in the

morning.

You might also want to pack your lunch the night before, or make sure that you have

your ParentPay account topped up if you have lunch in school.

Get a full night's rest the night before school resumes:

Sleep deprivation is terrible for your body, and can result in breakouts of acne, weight

gain, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. Protect your health and make the first day

back to school after the closure easier on yourself by getting the sleep you need,

which for most teens is between 8½ and 9½ hours, but this might be different for you.

Start your day earlier than normal:

Your first day back to school after the closure, you'll be out of practice doing your

normal routine, which will likely add more time than you expect. Try to wake up 10

minutes earlier so that you have extra time to make sure you have everything you

need to succeed.

Eat a healthy breakfast:

A lean protein, high fibre breakfast could put you on the fast track to feeling better

about your school day. Foods like whole grain toast, eggs, yogurt, and cottage cheese

can give you an emotional boost and keep you going throughout the day.

Regular healthy breakfasts might also improve your memory, daily energy levels, your

sense of calmness, and even your mood!

Exercise moderately if you have time:

You will hopefully have been doing the “Joe Wicks—Work Out Sessions” whilst school

has been closed. A little bit of exercise before you head to school can make you feel

better about the day.

Light exercise will also help you wake up, and will get your blood flowing. This will

provide more oxygen to your brain and give you more mental sharpness. Some light

exercise to consider:

• Cycling

• Jumping jacks

• Stretching

• Walking

School may look and feel different however, our standards have not been lowered and

punctuality is vital.

This is just a reminder that the school day starts at 8:30am with a register being taken

during the first 5 minutes of Period 1.

From the first day back after the school closure the following will be happening:

• The car park barrier and the gates to the school will be opened at 8:15am and

closed at 8:25am.

• The only entrance into school after 8:25am is through the main reception doors,

which will be staffed by a House Manager.

• If your child arrives in school after 8:25am but before 8:30am they will be given a

“promptness” warning as this does not leave them sufficient time to arrive in school

and make their way to Period 1 for a prompt 8:30am start.

• If they arrive in school after 8:30am they will be given a sanction for arriving late to

school.

Over each half term, if they arrive between 8:25am and 8:30am:

2 times Verbal Warning

3 times Negative and Text Home

4 times Negative and Telephone Call Home

5 times Lunchtime Restorative Session and Parents Called to School for Meeting

Over each half term, if a pupil arrives after 8:30am:

1 late Verbal Warning

2 lates Negative and Text Home

3 lates Negative and Telephone Call Home

4 lates Lunchtime Restorative Session and Parents Called to School for Meeting

As parents and carers you need to be fully aware that we as a school are governed by the Local Authority and the Department of Education in terms of administering and dealing with absences from school. It is the Department of Education/Ofsted that dictate attendance below 95% is poor and that below 90% is ‘persistent absenteeism’. The reasons for this have been made clear before; good attendance is vital for the success of pupils and their wellbeing. Our own school data, as well as that issued nationally, makes clear that poor attendance results in poorer outcomes for children. The Law stipulates that children must attend school under the Education Act 1989. Poor attendance at school can result in one or more of the following:

• a Parenting Order

• an Education Supervision Order

• a School Attendance Order

• a fine (sometimes known as a ‘penalty notice’)

We are following strict DfE and Public Health England guidance when it comes to absences from school which are Covid19 related: • Should your child exhibit any of the symptoms of coronavirus you are advised to inform school and

book a test immediately, your child should remain away from school until the results come through, you should submit a copy of the results to school for our records.

• Should a family member (or someone who your child has had close contact with) test positive or

have Covid19 related symptoms then please send in to school an image from track or trace or the test result and the absence will be coded appropriately. Any Covid19 related absences where evi-dence has been received will be authorised and this will not go against the student’s attendance record.

Now the circumstances have changed and it is vital for all children to return to school to minimise, as far as possible, the longer-term impact of the pandemic on children’s education, wellbeing and wider development. School attendance will therefore be mandatory again from the beginning of the autumn term.

School’s Attendance expectations

We will re-establish attendance routines as before ie, we will continue to record and

monitor attendance as we did pre-covid and any absence will be followed up.

Where appropriate, we will engage with the local authority to pursue sanctions for

families with non-attending pupils (in line with the local authority’s procedure on

penalty notices).

Pupils who are shielding or self-isolating

If rates of infection in the local area rise, then some parents who have children who were once shielding due to medical advice may wish to isolate their children again. Tibshelf Community School will support those parents through dialogue with medical professionals so that appropriate advice can be offered and leeway afforded.

Where children can’t attend school as parents are following clinical and/or public health advice, absence will not be penalised.

Pupils and families who are anxious about return to school

We have made every effort to keep the communication channels open between staff and students throughout the partial closure. In September it will be an anxious time for pupils and adults alike and we have extended our tutor time each day from 20 minutes to 25 minutes in order to ensure that pupils have some additional pastoral time.

Whilst we are making provisions for pupils to purchase food from school, our utmost

priority is to minimise the contact that pupils have with other pupils and with staff.

Therefore, where possible, if parent/carers could send their child with a packed lunch

this will eliminate the need for them to move around school to collect their food.

Water will be available to purchase at both Lunch A and Lunch B, however, we are

currently working to health and safety guidance around the use of communal facilities

and it may be that our water fountains in school are still out of use. Therefore, it is ab-

solutely crucial that your child comes to school with adequate water to last them

throughout the day if they choose not to purchase it.

The school will continue to operate a complete cashless system so parents need to

ensure that their child has sufficient funds on their ParentPay account in order to pur-

chase food and drinks from school. The re-valuers (where pupils can normally top up

their accounts) will not be available to use. If parents/carers are unsure about their

ParentPay details they can email [email protected] and request that

these are sent again to them.

Break has been adjusted in order to ensure that we can control the number of pupils in

circulation at any one time.

As a result of this, the first break, which we have called ‘Lunchtime A’ will be between

10:30am and 10:50am, so this will take place immediately after Period 2.

Key Stage 3 Pupils (Years 7, 8 and 9)

If your child is in KS3 then they will have access to both the Dining Hall and the Main

Hall for the first 10 minutes of this session (ie, 10:30am to 10:40am). This is where

they will be able to purchase “Grab and Go” food. They must remain in the Dining Hall

or the Main Hall to eat their food. If they do not wish to purchase any food then they

must remain in their ‘Break Out’ space attached to their Period 2 lesson, they will be

informed where this is.

Regardless of whether they have purchased food or not they must be back in their

allocated Break Out space at 10:40am.

Key Stage 4 Pupils (Years 10 and 11)

If your child is in KS4 then they will have access to the ’Break Out’ space attached to

their Period 2 lesson for the first 10 minutes of this session (ie, 10:30am to 10:40am)

then they will have access to both the Dining Hall and the Main Hall for the last 10

minutes of this session (ie, 10:40am to 10:50am). This is where they will be able to

purchase “Grab and Go” food. They must remain in the Dining Hall or the Main Hall to

eat their food. If they do not wish to purchase any food then they must remain in their

‘Break Out’ space attached to their Period 2 lesson, they will be informed where this is.

The second break, which we have called ‘Lunchtime B’ will be between:

Key Stage 3 12:50pm to 1:25pm

Key Stage 4 1:25pm to 1:55pm

Key Stage 3 Pupils (Years 7, 8 and 9)

If your child is in KS3 then they will have access to both the Dining Hall and the Main

Hall during their allocated Lunchtime B break.

The Dining Hall will serve hot meals which will need to be eaten in the Dining Hall.

The Main Hall will serve ‘Grab and Go’ and facilities will be available for pupils to eat in

here during Lunchtime B if they so wish.

By 1:25pm pupils should arrive at their tutor room where they will have tutor time from

1:25pm to 1:55pm prior to the start of their Period 5 lesson.

Key Stage 4 Pupils (Years 10 and 11)

At the end of Period 4 (ie, 12:50pm) your child should make their way to their tutor

room where they will have tutor time from 12:50pm to 1:25pm.

At the end of tutor time your child will then have access to both the Dining Hall and the

Main Hall during their allocated Lunchtime B break.

The Dining Hall will serve hot meals which will need to be eaten in the Dining Hall.

The Main Hall will serve ‘Grab and Go’ and facilities will be available for pupils to eat in

there during Lunchtime B if they so wish.

We are aware that students will return to school with a range of issues that we will

need to support both as a group and individually. As well as any information that

parents have passed onto us we will use the My Life My view Survey results; that all

students were asked to complete in July, to look for any themes and patterns that we

can focus on whole school during tutor times, interventions and the Personal

Development sessions.

All students will have the chance to be supported on a range of issues in our newly lengthened Tutor time. They will weekly focus on employability skills in the ‘My Future’ slot, developing important Tibshelf Characters like resilience in the ‘My Character’ slot, focusing on the core skills they need for their education like literacy in the ‘My skills ‘slot and reflecting on how best to learn in the ‘My attitude’ to learning slot. In addition to that we have a new Personal Development Team who will work with students on all things to do with developing themselves into successful adults. We have identified curriculum time for Personal Development that will also support students with a range of Topics that will include mental health, self-esteem, healthy relationships, body image, healthy lifestyle, aspirations and personal safety.

If your child feels unwell during school hours then their class teacher will call for medical

assistance. Our First Aiders will respond wearing appropriate PPE and your child will be

removed from the classroom and isolated. You will then be contacted to collect your child

immediately from the school premises. If they are displaying coronavirus symptoms then

you should arrange for a test to be taken and you should inform the school of the results.

You are expected to engage in the NHS Test and Trace process where required to do so.

No!

If you or anyone else in your household develops symptoms of coronavirus such as high

temperature or a new and continuous cough or a loss of/change in smell or taste, that

person must stay at home for 7 days and get tested. In addition, everyone else in

the household must stay at home for 10 days. You can find all the information about

what you need to do by looking on the NHS website or by contacting your GP or 111. You

are expected to engage in the NHS Test and Trace process where required to do so.

If a staff member becomes unwell due to suspected coronavirus, they will be isolated in a

well ventilated space until they can be collected or they will leave the premises immedi-

ately if they are able to get themselves home.

They will be expected to get a test immediately and self isolate. If their test comes back

positive they will be asked to continue to self-isolate for 7 days and their close contacts,

identified through contract tracing, will be asked to self isolate for 10 days.

If staff and pupils need to self isolate as a result of coming into contact with them they will

be contacted directly by the NHS. Our whole school community is expected to engage in

the NHS Test and Trace process where required to do so.

School will contact the appropriate authorities and provide the details of those children/adults that have been in direct close contact with the child/adult (face-to-face contact for any length of time); proximity contacts (extended close contact – within 1m-2m for more than 15 minutes); travelling in a small vehicle with the infected person. A report will be prepared that shows the contact details of each member of the phase bubbles to support the NHS contact tracers. School will inform parents of the infection, but we will not reveal the name of the infected child/adult. Those contacted or sent home must self-isolate for 10 days but those living in the household do not have to unless the child shows symptoms. At that point the household will need to go in to full isolation following stay at home guidance and have the test. If the symptomatic child’s test is negative, they must continue to isolate for the remainder of the 10 days. If the result is positive, they must inform school immediately and isolate for at least 7 days from the onset of symptoms.

As a school we will take professional advice from the relevant authorities, however, if

we have 2 or more confirmed cases within a 14 day period, this could be considered

an outbreak and greater measures would need to be put in place. We would follow the

stringent advice issued by the authorities.

This could result in a phase bubble lockdown, a school closure or/and a mobile testing

station being established in school.

Testing would focus on the affected year groups and then the remainder of school if required.

back to learning in school - tibshelf school

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