Page 2 - Abberley Adventures - Issue 8

ABBERLEY ADVENTURES 2 ABBERLEY ADVENTURES Covid
We have worked hard to reduce the risks of Covid
being introduced to to the school community and I am relieved to to say that so far we have been successful As ever there is a a huge element of luck here here so we must not be be complacent and I think it would be be fair to say that we should expect to see some cases next half of term Children
are being infected with Covid
and we will all know of children who have tested positive Thankfully symptoms do not tend to to be severe in in children children and there are many examples of children children having tested positive whilst showing no symptoms at all The central document that we continue to follow closely is the Schools COVID-19 operational guidance updated on on 27th September To see this guidance guidance please click here Our focus continues to to be on on ensuring excellent hand and and respiratory hygiene amongst all in in our school community ensuring thorough
and and frequent cleaning regimes and and ensuring plenty of ventilation in in in all communal areas We are are no longer insisting on on children or staff wearing face coverings although we we still recommend these in in in certain situations Testing
We have continued to test our Year 7 and and 8 weekly and and full boarders at school twice a a a a week and unless exempt all other pupils in these year groups are are expected to to test test at at home twice a a a a a a a a a week Please could parents ensure that these tests continue to take place We have thousands of lateral flow test kits at at school and and we are very happy to to issue these to to any families who have run out Our staff are asked to test themselves at home twice a a a a a a week as as well and I will also be reminding them of of the the importance of of keeping this up Vaccinations
As you will be aware the NHS are are ‘rolling out’ a a a a a a a vaccination programme for children aged 12 to 15 Many parents have strong feelings about this – some some are very much in in favour of these vaccinations and some some are firmly against them Some of our 12 and 13 year-old pupils have already been vaccinated through their own GP surgeries For others we will be visited by an NHS vaccination team on on Tuesday 2nd November The relevant parents have been written to to with a a a a link to to an online consent form Despite to to right of children to to overrule their parents’ wishes under Gillick competence laws I can assure you that we will not allow any child to be vaccinated unless you have completed the consent form Vaccinations
will be offered at at school on Tuesday 2nd November to those whose parents have returned consent forms The government have produced information for for parents and carers about vaccinations for young people which you you can read here There is also information for for 12–17 year-olds which you can read with your child here Please indicate your consent consent by completing the online e-consent form form Please note that the cut-off for for for completing this consent form form is 2 days before the scheduled session so we kindly ask that you complete this as as soon as as possible and no later than the the end of the the day day on Saturday 30th October Please click here for for the the link to complete the the e-consent form Stepping Measures Up
We will continue to to monitor the situation closely and we are ready to step measures up if required An Outbreak Management Plan is is in in place and we will continue to liaise closely with local Public Health authorities We are are very aware of of the the disruptive effect of of the the pandemic on on the education of our pupils and and any measures are carefully considered and monitored Effectively if we had to to then we we would revert back to the measures we we had in place last year with bubbles one-way systems face coverings for older pupils and staff and parents being kept away from school events I truly hope that we can continue as things have been so far this term because it has has been such a a a a delight to to feel that life has has returned to to something resembling ‘the good old days’ I am confident that we will not have to endure school closures and and online learning again and and this is is a a a a a a great relief to us all!
Smartness of Dress
One of the things that many children and parents love about Abberley is is that there is is no uniform in the the Prep School on a a a day-to- day basis We do of course have our our Chapel Suits for very smart occasions I feel that our approach allows a a a a a a a sense of personal choice and individuality Many of us love the the fact that the the children have have a a a a a a a a choice about what to to wear and that they don’t have have to to wander around in in identikit clothing Whilst we we don’t insist on on on children wearing a a a a uniform on on on a a a a day-to- day basis we do have a a a a a Dress
Code Many of our pupils stick to this and they they look look extremely smart In fact I I think they they often look look smarter than children from schools with a a a a uniform However we we are increasingly aware of of a a a a growing number of of children looking scruffy If we allow this to to to creep in in then it will become difficult to to to point to to to our children and and make the case to prospective parents Governors and and other visiting adults that we achieve freedom of choice whilst also having smart children Staff and I have started to ‘crack down’ on this here at school Clothes should be be washed regularly shirts need to be be tucked in school shoes need to be be clean and trainers should only be be worn for sport hair needs to be be brushed clothes should fit properly and be be free from holes and rips etc Please could parents support us in our efforts to ensure that that our pupils look smart so that that we can continue to enjoy not making them wear a a a uniform?
As you know we have Dress
Codes and Uniform Lists on our website I am aware that some details need updating but this information is accurate enough for for now We will have a a a a a full review of these documents over the the next few weeks