The countdown for September is well underway. Here’s the key information for our newest students on our plans for the start of the new school year.
We have now had the chance to figure out our plans in light of the latest government COVID-19 guidance and we have a number of key updates for you. Please read these carefully, and make sure you respond to the transport survey linked below. Ryburn in September will be somewhat different from ‘normal’, but we will work hard to ensure that our newest students get off to a great start regardless.
Further detailed information about the transition day will follow.
Transition Day - Monday 7 September
Monday, 7 September will be a Transition Day for Year 7 (starting at 8:55am) and Year 12 (starting at 10:00am) ONLY. The rest of the year groups will return the following day. We wanted to give new students the opportunity to come into school to familiarise themselves with the layout and the structure and settle into their new classes.
The School Day
School will be open from 8:30am each day. No students will be permitted before this time. At the moment it is unlikely that our breakfast provision will be offered. The school day will run from 8.55am until 3.15pm.
Due to the separate break and lunchtimes we have decided to suspend our Wednesday B week timings for next year. Every day will have the same normal hours. Due to the number of school buses we will not be doing a full staggered start, however students will be dismissed one year group at a time at the end of the day.
Students will be in separate bubbles within their year group. Each class will spend most of their time within one classroom, with the subject teachers moving between classrooms to teach. Each year group “bubble” will have a separate entrance to school and will be based primarily in one area of the school – this information will be communicated prior to our September opening. All year groups will also have separate break and lunch slots.
School Tie
We are introducing new school ties, which will be different colours for each year group. We will provide a new tie for each student on their first day in school, during their registration period. You do not need to buy a school tie.
The new tie designs have been chosen by our new team of Head Students, and we think they are a great improvement on our old tie. We have wanted to introduce these for some time and the Covid regulations have forced us to make this change now. We appreciate this is late notice and some of you may have already started uniform shopping and can only apologise if so.
School transport questionnaire - please respond
In accordance with the government’s guidelines, keeping everyone safe upon our return to school in September means managing the movement of students to and from school. To do so, we are asking all parents and carers to let us know how their son or daughter will normally be travelling to and from school in September. Please fill in the form below by 24 July to let us know. www.rvhs.co.uk/transport-survey
Action required if you wish to use a school service bus
The school bus services are run and administered by WY Metro, not by our school. You can find out more here [https://www.wymetro.com/schools/your-school/ ]. The deadline to apply for passes for this September is 31 July 2020. If you wish for your child to to travel via a school bus, you must apply for a pass as these are compulsory. Services are limited and are run according to capacity and demand.
You can apply for a pass here: www.wymetro.com/schools/applications/applications-and-renewals-for-september-2020/
Please ensure you apply in time.
Meet the Team video
Our last email let you know which form your child has been placed in, and who their form tutor will be. The team has put together a short video to say hello.
How have you found our welcome?
Despite the strange times we find ourselves in, we have done our best to give our newest students and their families the information and welcome you need to feel Ryburn ready.
We hope your child feels valued and is as excited as we are about starting their journey here. If you’ve found the virtual transition programme helpful, perhaps you might be willing to send us a testimonial or write a short Facebook review? We always appreciate feedback.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.
‘Exploded pen’ photo: Finton Sharp Year 8