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Parents/Carers update 18th December

Posted: 18/12/20

PLEASE REMEMBER: if your child tests positive for COVID up to 23rd December please email the school at office@cheam.sutton.sch.uk

Dear Parents/Carers,

First of all, thank you to all of you for your enduring support, particularly over the past couple of weeks which have posed particular challenges to the school.  I would also like to thank all of our staff for their exceptional efforts this term.

I am very proud of how both staff and students have overcome the significant challenges they have faced this term.  I am particularly proud of the excellent work many of our students did to prepare boxes of Christmas cheer – and even recordings of them carol singing - for Sutton’s care home residents over the past week and for the gifts our 6th Form arranged for the St Raphael’s nursing teams.

Please see below for important updates from us:

The Cracking Christmas Quiz!

In an effort to spread a little Christmas cheer, we have 3 prize hampers on offer for the top responses to our Cracking Christmas Quiz which features a whopping 100 tinsel-themed teasers! 

The quiz is open to play now and all entries will be counted until midnight on New Year’s Day.  We hope this will provide families/households with some friendly festive competition over the break.  You can access the quiz by clicking here when, this time, you can check your score at the end!  Hampers will be safely delivered to the winners in the New Year (dietary requirements will be checked beforehand). 

If you play, please consider a £1 voluntary donation to St Raphael’s Hospice which you can make on the school Scopay system by clicking herePlease look under Trips and Events and find ‘Christmas Quiz 2020’.  If you wish to donate more than £1, you can override the payment box.

Good luck to all participants!

IMPORTANT: Plans for January Week 1

As you are likely aware, the government yesterday issued guidance for schools in January.

For us, this means that:

  • School site is only open to Year 11 and 13 students for the first week back
  • All other years will follow a remote learning package in line with their normal school day

We will be offering blend of live learning and other resources.  Our provision will include a tutor session each morning at 08.30 and will follow students’ usual timetable.  Attendance to lessons is compulsory and it is very important that your child logs-in using a computer, tablet or smartphone on time to access live learning on offer.

However:

  • School will be open to students whose parents/carers are key workers, have an EHCP or are considered vulnerable in all year groups.  If your child falls into one of these categories and you would like them to attend school site in this week, please complete the form herePLEASE NOTE: the form must be completed by December 31st.
  • Students in Year 10 or 12 who have exams to sit in this week will also be able to attend site.  This includes Year 10 Construction students, Year 12 IT students and Year 12 Criminology students.  If your child has an exam, we will communicate with you separately regarding when they should come in.

COVID TESTING: Access to families with secondary age children

As you are aware from the letter you received from the Director of Public Health for Sutton, the government has now made it possible for any family with a secondary age child to access testing, even if none of you have symptoms.  You can now book tests by clicking here:

Or you can book a test by phone by calling 119.

To help reduce transmissions and make schools as safe as possible, we support the drive for all secondary children to be tested in the days before they return to school.  For Years 11 and 13, this will be during the week beginning 27th December; for all other years, this will be during the week beginning 4th January.

If all families and households do this, it will not only help keep our school safe and open, but will also help protect the wider community.

You may also have seen in the media that there are plans for schools to offer mass testing on-site.  We will communicate developments here with you as we received more information.

Support over Christmas

We know that this period is posing particular challenges for some families and households.

Please click here for information on a range of services available to support secondary age children in Sutton over the break, including online services and a 24 hour helpline.

Finally, on behalf of all of the staff at the school, we wish you all the very best Christmas break possible and look forward to the New Year with hope and optimism.

Kind regards,

Mr P Naudi

Headteacher