Return to School January 2022
Reminder - Arrangements for January 2022 Start of Term
The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that schools will be required to put in place a programme of on-site lateral flow testing of all students at the start of next term. This programme will consist of one single supervised test and is intended to supplement the existing arrangements of regular twice weekly home testing for all students, regardless of vaccination status. Furthermore, students will be expected to continue to self-test in line with Government guidelines as next term progresses.
Schools are required to carefully consider how they will limit interactions between students whilst they await the result of their initial on-site tests, and to that end the DfE has given schools the flexibility of staggered returns during the whole of the first week of term. It is our intention to complete this initial on-site test as quickly as possible in order to limit the impact on students’ learning, and we aim to complete this programme in two days.
Therefore, following the Bank Holiday on Monday 3 January, Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 January will be set aside solely for the required purpose of administering students’ on-site lateral flow test. Students should arrive at school at their allocated time and will return home following the test.
Please find HERE the timetable for on-site testing.
We ask families to remind their child to enter the site via the main school gate, and then to transit through the bike sheds to the Street Kitchen entrance of The Proctor Hall.
All students who test positive will be required to self-isolate and book a PCR test, in line with Government guidelines.
Subject to the above, students will return to the normal timetable of lessons on Thursday 6 January, beginning with Form time registration at 8.40am.
Our intention is not to provide a programme of remote lessons during the initial testing programme, although students are invited to take this opportunity to review Knowledge Organisers and other self-regulated practice.
We apologise once again for the limited notice given to families of these changes in arrangements for the start of term. As has been a frequent feature of the pandemic, like all schools, we ourselves are having to plan and respond to frequently changing announcements, often at short notice.
If you have previously given consent for testing, we will use that consent. If you wish to withdraw or add consent, we ask that you please contact us via email covid@glynschool.org.
A letter from Surrey County Council that we have been asked to share with our families can be read HERE.
A useful flowchart explaining testing and isolation processes can be found HERE.
We appreciate these are challenging times for students. Our focus this term has been to balance the priorities of health and education. We are absolutely committed to doing all that we can to ensure that no student will be left behind, and that no student will be penalised with their education due to this pandemic.
As always, many thanks for your continued support in these ever-changing circumstances.
We hope you have a lovely and well-deserved break.
Matt Duffield, Executive Headteacher, and Jo Garrod, Head of School
