We can’t wait to welcome you all back! Here’s what you need to know about plans for reopening to all students in March.
KEY INFORMATION:
Ryburn is reopening to all students on Wednesday 10 March from 8:30am
The reopening is supported by a series of covid tests for students. For the first these you will need to book an appointment in school before the return date - please read details below
Students will now be required to wear a face covering in all classrooms and indoor areas (unless they have an exemption)
We hope you and your families have had a lovely half-term break. The news regarding the national vaccination scheme is looking really positive and we look forward to welcoming all our students back shortly into the classroom. We want to take this opportunity to thank you, your children and the staff for all the hard work and commitment that has been seen during this period of closure, it has been an immense achievement by all!
Return-to-school Covid tests
The government announced on Monday that secondary schools in England should reopen for all students from the week commencing Monday 8 March. Secondary schools are required to offer students three rapid lateral flow tests (LFT) in school. The first test needs to be done prior to any return to the classroom. Following the three tests, students will be able to access home testing kits. More details about these will follow.
In order to conduct these tests with the necessary space and staffing, we have made the decision to reopen the school to all children on Wednesday 10 March from 8:30am. Until that period our remote learning provision will continue.
Please see the table below for details of when your child will be tested. As we need to keep year groups separate, we are sorry that if you have children in different year groups, it is not possible to combine appointments.
TEST DATES FOR STUDENTS
| Year Groups | Test 1 (appointment between 8am-6pm) | Test 2 (in-school) | Test 3 (in-school) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 12 & 13 | Friday 5 March | Wednesday 10 March | Monday 15 March |
| 9 & 10 | Monday 8 March | Thursday 11 March | Tuesday 16 March |
| 7 & 8 | Tuesday 9 March | Friday 12 March | Wednesday 17 March |
The car park will be available for parents to access to bring students to school and return home following this test. Because students will have different appointment times, ‘live lessons’ will not run on the day of the first test. Instead, revision work will be set via the home learning grid.
This offer of testing is completely voluntary; however, we would encourage parents to consent as it is an additional method to support in keeping transmission rates as low as possible.
Why are three tests required?
Please be aware that these tests can give a “false negative” during the early stages of the virus, hence the need for three tests in close succession. These tests are designed to pick up asymptomatic cases which would otherwise not be detected. When conducted on a large scale in a school or workplace, they can significantly reduce infections.
If your child or any member of your family, has any of the symptoms of Covid 19, you should book a test at one of the testing centres which are more accurate in identifying the virus in the early stages.
What happens if my child tests positive?
We will contact the parent/carer if their child’s test is positive - if you do not hear from us you can assume the result was negative. Once we move to the in-school test you should also be aware that we cannot guarantee confidentiality of the result as we would need to remove your child from their lesson and start our process of close contact tracing immediately.
Students will need to self-isolate for 10 days following the last day of contact with a positive case. We are returning to the ‘bubble’ arrangements we had before the school closure. Where an individual student is self isolating, they will follow the home learning grid to complete work set by their teachers. Where a whole class or year group is asked to self-isolate, class teachers will run live lessons.
More information
On Monday 1 March we will be sending out full details of the testing arrangements, how to book an appointment and the consent form. please look out for that email.
Once you have read the information with your child then please email our Deputy Head of School, Mr Curry (i.curry@rvhshcool.co.uk), if you have any additional questions. The school is working with Calderdale Public Health to ensure the process is as smooth and accessible as possible.
What are you doing to keep my child safe in school?
We have many measures in place to reduce the risks of covid infections in school. We worked closely with Calderdale Public Health and following government guidelines in creating these, and they were checked by an independent risk assessor. Most will be familiar from our opening last term. We have continually monitored our arrangements in light of data and evidence and making tweaks where necessary. Please see our Back to School Guide for information on the Health and Safety measures in place.
Face Coverings and Uniform
The Department for Education has updated the guidance on face coverings, the use of which have been recommended in all classrooms and indoor areas from Monday 8 March. This guidance will be reviewed at Easter.
We would be grateful if you could ensure your child has a suitable face covering and that they are aware that this is now an additional measure to help minimise transmission. If your child is exempt from wearing a face covering, please ensure that our Health Care Assistant, Miss McGarry (c.mcgarry@rvhschool.co.uk), is aware.
Students should attend in full school uniform as per the school guidance. On the day when your child has core PE then they should wear their school PE kit and may also wear a school or plain, dark hoodie.
UPDATE: Here’s details of uniform shop ordering and availability during the current lockdown.
Friday 5 March
Please note that Friday 5 March is Year 9 Options Taster Day and a Drop Down Day for other year groups. More information about the format of this day will be available shortly.
Thank you for your continued support, we really look forward to welcoming everyone back into school.