Dear Families, 

It is with a heavy sense of Deja vu we are writing to you this week, following Boris Johnson's announcement on Monday evening that we are again in a nationwide lockdown.

Meadow High School remains open to key workers and, additionally, vulnerable students who require face to face input to keep them safe.  If your child is currently being educated at home, your child's class teacher will be in contact to arrange online lessons and facilitate social interaction with your child's class. 

Those who are currently onsite are experiencing an adapted environment and I wanted to remind you exactly how things are different at the moment:

• All groups are 'bubbles' with a maximum of 4 students in to ensure social distancing can be maintained.  They spend every lesson in their bubble, there is no movement about the school. We try to ensure these are peers from similar abilities and year groups but are on a 'need' basis, so maybe mixed.
   
• There is a comprehensive one-way system about the buildings.
   
• All staff are offered daily testing. Pupil testing, for those with consent, will begin on Monday 11th January and will occur twice weekly.  Students are being supported with resources made from the therapy team, such as visuals and social stories to support them to undertake this. 
   
• We have staggered break times so that each bubble group can play in a zone without mixing with other bubbles.
   
• Pupils eat their lunch in their tutor bases.  All pupils who wish to, can have a school lunch.  The catering team remains working onsite to provide freshly cooked food each day. 
   
• Pupils are accessing the same work packs and materials that have been sent to the students who remain at home.  There is also a heavy focus on wellbeing, relationships, communication and learning how to be as Covid safe as we possibly can, e.g.: hand-washing; hand sanitising; catch it, bin it, kill it; social distancing; the importance of face coverings etc.
   
• We are maintaining the additional contract cleaners who operate throughout the school day, sanitising all frequently touched areas.  All staff have face masks, visors and gloves should they need to assist a pupil in a medical or another emergency.
   
• We have an isolation minibus, where any person exhibiting possible symptoms of Covid, would be situated whilst they were assessed and a decision made as to whether they needed to go home.

For those who are currently offsite, I wanted to make you aware of the support available: 

• Students will be sent themed work packs every 2 weeks.  In addition to this, online sessions will be arranged to support students' communication, interaction and engagement. These sessions are to support students' well-being during this time and will not replicate a ‘typical’ lesson at school.  Themed work packs are also available on the school website.
   
• There is a limited supply of devices available for families who have no access to technology.
   
• From Monday 11th January, free school meal vouchers will be resumed and sent to eligible families.  This will include an additional voucher to cover this week.
   
• A member of your child's class team will remain in contact throughout this period.  Please share any worries or concerns and we will support where we can.
   
• Regular updates will be on the school website.  Please engage with the website for up to date information, this will include links to suitable resources and organisations that can offer support.

We would like to take a moment to thank all parents, carers and family members for your tolerance and understanding over this past week.  I hope you feel secure in the measures we are taking to keep our site secure, but should you have any concerns, please email them to meadow@meadowhighschool.org or alternatively, communicate them to your child's form tutor. 

Best wishes for all your families’ health and well-being during these difficult times. 

Meadow High School Senior Leadership Team