Rossett News Update - 18 February 2022
Dear Parents/Carers,
The seven-week half term from our return in January has encompassed many changes. We are still encouraging students to think of others in keeping up with the regime of twice-weekly testing and regular hand washing/sanitising; students and staff have the option to wear face-coverings, echoing the moves in wider society; and our risk-assessments have been modified, but remain in place.
We have hosted a variety of vaccine clinics for the NHS, from MMR to COVID and have been asked to remind parents that routine and COVID inoculations can be sought from your GP if not administered at the NHS clinics on the school site.
Safeguarding Bulletin
From next half term, alongside the safeguarding information available to all on the website, Mr Royles (Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Headteacher) will produce a half-termly Safeguarding Bulletin to support families and students. The bulletin will contain an updated directory of support services available in the locality.
Summer 2022 Examinations: Year 11 and Year 13 Students and Parents/Carers
Mr Saunders (Deputy Headteacher: Quality of Education) wrote to all KS4 and KS5 parents last week following the JCQ announcements around the changes to individual examination content for the summer 2022 series.
Please find a copy of this letter here.
The Summer 2022 Examination series runs from Monday 16th May until Friday 24th June 2022. In line with Ofqual’s exam system contingency plan, Wednesday 29th June will be a ‘contingency day’ for all exam boards in the UK. This is an additional day at the end of the exam period. It will only be used in the event of major local or national disruption to summer 2022 exams, in which case it is possible that timetable dates could be affected up to and including the contingency day. Schools have therefore been asked to remind ALL candidates sitting exams this summer that they will need to make sure that they are available until 29th June 2022.
Parents’ Evenings
We are still using our TEAMS’ system to conduct virtual Parents’ Evenings. Although we cannot wait to welcome parents back into school in person, we are acutely aware that for many of you, and our staff, the challenges of COVID, illnesses, changed working patterns and travel mean that this continues to be the most efficient way to communicate at this time. We review our practice after each event, and parents are still welcome to contact staff after a parents’ evening event – through e-mail, in person, or by phone – if there is the need for a supplementary conversation.
Our next two Parents’ Evenings are:
Year 7 – Thursday 3rd March 2022
Year 8 – Thursday 31st March 2022.
Look out for your emailed invitation to book appointments.
Parent Teacher Association/Parent Governor Vacancy
As the school opens up again for events, trips, fund-raising and community activities we are looking for parents who would like to support the school in any way that they can. We are currently looking at supporting a number of local initiatives around road safety and charitable support and staff would like to work alongside parents in making a difference to our local community.
We regularly look for opportunities to recruit Parent Governors to the Governing Board at Rossett. This is an invaluable role, working with staff and contributing to the leadership of the school.
If you would like to apply or enquire about either opportunity, please contact Mrs D Duncan in the first instance.
With every best wish for a restful half-term break.
Hegarty Maths
Our brilliant Mathematics students have been working hard on Hegarty Maths again this half term and since September they have answered an amazing quarter of a million questions in total! This excellent e-Learning tool helps students to consolidate what they have been learning in the Mathematics classroom and many students utilise the 'Fix up 5' and 'Memri' revision functions as part of their preparation for the examination season or assessments.
Well done to the following students who are the top three Hegarty students for this half-term in their year group: Anna Lambert, Isabelle Falkingham, Gracie Kirkpatrick (Year 7); Adil Berisha, Hope Morfitt, Alfie Medcalf (Year 8); Gracie Hardwick, Annabelle Gosper, Annalise Grove (Year 9); William Woolridge, Abdur Mohammed, Neider Golden-Leon (Year 10); Evan Kirk-Smith, Cora Atkinson, Pippa Warner (Year 11).
Year 7 Random Acts of Kindness
Year 7 students have been focussing on 'Random Acts of Kindness' this week to mark the official 'Random Acts of Kindness' Day on 17th February. During Form Time students have nominated classmates who have been kind to them - from a gesture, word or action - and our tutors have received lots of well written and thought-out nominations. All students were celebrated in our Year 7 end of term assembly this morning - well done to them all.
'Read for Good' - World Book Day
In celebration of World Book Day on Thursday 3rd March our English Department are launching a sponsored readathon for our Year 7 and Year 8 students. 'Read for Good' is an organisation which aims to improve the outcomes for all children in the UK by encouraging and enabling children to develop a love of reading. Taking part in the readathon encourages students to be motivated to read what they love, and at the same time raise money to help seriously ill children, and they earn free book vouchers for their school at the same time.
Keep a look out for the sponsor forms arriving home after half term and encourage your child to read as much as they can - they can be sponsored per minute of reading or per book - and they can read anything they like!
Learning Resource Centre News from Mr Asker
Over the past two weeks we have catalogued and shelved approximately 300 new books for students and staff to enjoy. My thanks to our student librarians who have helped support this with their usual good cheer and enthusiasm. Please do remind your child to pop along and check out the new titles. We are open every day and all are welcome.
New titles include:
'The Chaos Walking Trilogy' by Patrick Ness
A collection of Penguin classics including 'Gulliver’s Travels' by Jonathan Swift
Various books by Anthony Horowitz, Darren Shan, Louise Rennison, Robert Muchamore and Jeff Kinney.
For Harry Potter fans we now have the screen plays for the 'Fantastic Beasts' and 'Crimes of Grindelwald' movies.
I have noted that there are a number of crime fans in the Rossett reading community so there are some fresh copies of Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle which are very popular with our students.
Malorie Blackman is rightly a very popular author so we have new copies of her amazing 'Noughts and Crosses' series for students to enjoy.
For those who like non-fiction (me included!) we have put out lots of ‘Horrible’ Science Books and some history books by Andrew Marr.
In the meantime I hope you have a wonderful and well deserved half term holiday and, where possible, please try and encourage some reading at home.
With my continued thanks for your support.
Mr Asker
Examination Certificate Collection 2021: Former students only
We are pleased to confirm that all students who took their examinations in Summer 2021 and are yet to collect their certificates in the autumn can come into school on Tuesday 1st March, from 3.30pm.
Please email exams@rossettschool.co.uk to indicate which of the above dates you/your child may want to attend to collect the certificates from Reception. Please allow 48 hours’ notice for the school to ensure everything is ready for your collection. Students will need to bring photo identification e.g. a drivers’ licence or passport; if someone else is collecting certificates on your child’s behalf, a signed letter of authorisation must be provided. The authorised person must also provide proof of their identification, as outlined above.
Exam certificates should be kept safe as they may be required at a later date by employers and other education establishments. The awarding bodies now implement a standard procedure for dealing with unclaimed certificates and as such the school is only obliged to keep certificates for a period of twelve months. After this time, any queries concerning unclaimed certificates should be directed to the awarding body that issued the certificates.
Furthermore, awarding bodies are not able to replace lost certificates but will issue a “Certified Statement of Results” at a charge. Should you require further clarification please contact our Examinations Officer, Miss J Allan at jallan@rossettschool.co.uk.
Community Notices:
Community Activities for Young People in Harrogate
North Yorkshire Youth run two youth clubs in the Harrogate district offering safe places for young people to meet and get involved in positive activities, and also have access to support from youth workers should they need it. Students in Year 7 upwards can visit Jennyfields Youth Club each Thursday between 7.00pm-9.00on at the Harold Styan Community Centre, and also Fairfax Youth Club (Knaresborough) at the Fairfax Wellbeing and Community Hub each Tuesday between 7.00pm-9.00pm. Entry is 50p per child.
Students call also take part in football activity sessions run by Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation contact Rachel@nyy.org.uk for further information.
Self -Care Tookit from Harrogate Library
The self-care toolkit is a portable collection of items, books and activities for individuals or groups to share at home, in the library, or out in the community. The boxes and their contents aim to promote and encourage young people to practice self-care and enhance mental wellbeing.
The packs hope to:
- Improve mental health and wellbeing
- Promote self-care
- Discover more about library services and how they can help
To find out more visit the Health Roadshow at Harrogate Library on Friday 25th February: 1.00pm-4.00pm.
Continuation of Lateral Flow Testing for students and staff
Further testing kits for students have been sent home with students this week and we ask that our parents and students continue to support our safer school initiative by testing on Sunday and Wednesday evenings over the half term break. Please continue to report the results – whether positive, negative or void – to NHS Test and Trace via the self-report option at https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result and also inform the school at: https://rossett.school/studentcovidreport.
Please note that this asymptomatic testing programme does not currently replace current guidance for those who develop the three Covid-19 symptoms, even if mild, which is to arrange a PCR test as soon as possible.
As you are aware, under current guidance, anyone in England who receives a positive lateral flow device (LFD) test result should report their result on gov.uk and must self-isolate immediately, but will not need to take a follow-up PCR test.
After reporting a positive LFD test result, they will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace so that their contacts can be traced.
Anyone who tests positive will now be able to leave self-isolation FIVE DAYS after the date of their initial positive test if they receive two negative lateral flow test results, 24 hours apart, on days five and six or any subsequent consecutive days.
Students no longer need to self -isolate if someone in their household has symptoms or has tested positive for Covid-19 if any of the following apply:
- students are under 18 years 6 months old
- students are fully vaccinated
- students are taking part or have taken part in a Covid-19 vaccine trial
- students are not able to be vaccinated for medical reasons
In such cases, even if they do not have symptoms, students should still:
- get a PCR test
- follow advice on how to avoid catching and spreading Covid-19
- consider limiting contact with people who are at higher risk from Covid-19
If you have any questions please email Mr Royles droyles@rossettschool.co.uk.
Current Vacancies - Invigilators Required
Well done to...
- Year 9 Boys' Football Team who produced a very convincing win against St John Fisher with a fantastic team performance.
What's happening after half term...
Thursday 3 March
- Year 7 Parents' Evening: 4.30pm-7.00pm
Thursday 31 March
- Year 8 Parents' Evening: 4.30pm-7.00pm
Thursday 7 April
- GCSE Drama trip to 'Blood Brothers' - Grand Opera House York, leaving at 1.20pm
- Year 12/Year 13 Parents' Evening: 4.30pm-7.00pm
Friday 8 April
- End of Term: Easter Break
H Woodock
Headteacher
