COVID-19
This page provides information for parents/carers on the school's response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.
These are entirely unprecedented times and we continue to follow official advice from the government, Public Health England and the NHS. This advice is being added to on a daily basis and we are monitoring and responding to it as it is published. This official advice underpins all the actions we take.
Contingency Plan | Outbreak Management Plan 2021-22
Our plan is based on the contingency framework for managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 and the schools operational guidance, published by the Department for Education (DfE).
We will only implement some, or all, of the measures in this plan in response to recommendations provided by our local authority (LA), directors of public health (DsPH), Public Health England (PHE) health protection team or the national government.
To request a copy of our plan, please contact Ms Havell, Senior Administrator, via info@rts.richmond.sch.uk or by telephone: 0208 891 2985
05 January 2021-12 March 2021
As a school, we are currently operating under national lockdown restrictions, as a result, the majority of school staff are working remotely. Please refer to our website for updates and information relating to our COVID-19 operations.
Remote education: Students in all year groups are learning remotely and there is limited staff supervision on site for priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers). If your child requires supervision, please complete the form in the email sent out on 01 January 2021.
Visitors: No visitors are permitted on site unless this has been pre-arranged and agreed by a senior member of staff in advance.
Contacting the School: Please bear with us at this time as a response to your query may take longer than usual due to COVID-19 pressures and health & safety requirements of staff working remotely.
Parent/carers: please use the Parent's Communication Summary to decide how best to contact the school to address any queries you may have. The School Office telephone will be answered during the following times, Monday through to Friday: 08:30-15:00.
Remote Learning Guides for Parents/Carers
We have produced a guide for parents/carers to assist with the online learning programme that we are currently offering. This includes the revised timetable of the school day:
Coronavirus Catch-Up Grant Plan 2020-2021
The Department for Education has recognised that young people across the country have experienced unprecedented disruption to their education as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19). Those from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds will be among those hardest hit.
The government announced £1 billion of funding to support young people to catch up. This includes a one-off catch-up premium for the 2020 to 2021 academic year to ensure that schools have the support they need to help all students make up for lost teaching time.
Although all students have had their education disrupted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it is likely that disadvantaged and vulnerable groups will have been hardest hit. That is why, alongside the universal catch-up premium, the DfE has launched the National Tutoring Programme to provide additional, targeted support for those students who need the most help.
Schools should use this funding for specific activities to support their students to catch up for lost teaching over the previous months, in line with the guidance on curriculum expectations for the next academic year.
Our Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up plan sets out details of:
- how it is intended that the grant will be spent
- how the effect of this expenditure on the educational attainment of those students at the school will be assessed
School Reopening September 2020
School reopening 07 September 2020
RTS will reopen as planned to Year 7 students on 07 September 2020, and Year 8-10 students on 08 September 2020. Please read the Head's Start of Term Letter for details and refer to the table below for the school's COVID-19 guidance.
|
Example |
Students should not attend school due to coronavirus (COVID-19): |
Parent/Carer guidance and responsibilities |
|
1 |
Students who have symptoms |
Students who have symptoms should self-isolate and get a test. |
|
2 |
Students are required to self-isolate as they, or a member of their household, has symptoms or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) |
If a student tests negative and if they feel well and no longer have symptoms similar to coronavirus (COVID-19), they can stop self-isolating and return to school. If someone in the student’s household has symptoms, the household should self-isolate and the member of their household should get a test. |
|
3 |
Students are required to self-isolate because they are a close contact of someone who has symptoms or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) |
Students may not have symptoms themselves but may be required to self-isolate if they are a close contact of someone with coronavirus (COVID-19). The NHS test and trace guidance states that a person should self-isolate for 14 days if they have had recent close contact with a person who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). |
|
4 |
Students who are required by legislation to self-isolate as part of a period of quarantine |
As usual, parents/carers should plan their holidays within school breaks and avoid seeking permission to take their children out of school during term time. Families should also consider that their child may need to self-isolate following trips overseas that require a period of quarantine. |
|
5 |
Students who are clinically extremely vulnerable in a future local lockdown scenario only |
Shielding advice for all adults and children paused on 1 August 2020. This means that even the small number of students who will remain on the shielded patient list can return to school, as can those who have family members who are shielding. |
|
6 |
Local lockdown |
If rates of the disease rise locally, schools may need to prevent some pupils from attending. Schools should follow PHE or DHSC guidance on what measures are necessary in the event of local lockdown. |
School Closure - March - June 2020
Updated 11 May 2020
RTS remains closed until further notice. All queries please contact the School Office via email: info@rts.richmond.sch.uk.
Partial reopening - 19 June 2020
With the possibility of partial reopening for small groups of students for one-off face-to-face check-in meetings, please see the Risk Assessment below: