Rossett News Update - 2 July 2021
We have been working closely with PHE (Public Health England) this week to monitor and track positive cases of COVID in some of our students and their families. As a precautionary measure we were asked to close our Year 8 provision this week and we have also had cases in other year groups culminating in a period of isolation for each student identified as a close contact.
As these cases are notified to school, throughout the day and at weekends, myself and the deputies' team have been managing the case notification in date order liaising with Public Health officials. This process not only takes time in order to be as accurate as possible, but includes personal 'phone calls to parents' where necessary.
Thank you for your patience with the work that we are doing; Public Health England and attached medical services triage each case and provide advice for Rossett. We will keep you advices of any further news.
Introduction to Sixth Form Week
This week our Sixth Form Team were delighted to welcome our new Year 12 cohort into school for their 'Introduction to Sixth Form Week'. Students were able to have a taste of their selected A Level and BTEC subjects, as well as engage in a wide variety of activities including life skills tasks, wellbeing sessions and teamwork activities led by the Army.
Northumbria University offered students an opportunity to reflect on the study skills required in Sixth Form. Representatives from Yorkshire Water and the University of Sunderland discussed opportunities for employment, apprenticeships and undergraduate study post-Sixth Form.
Students were also able to meet the Sixth Form Tutor team; participate in 'The Life of Sixth Former' sessions; sample a Year 12 PSHE lesson; as well as attempting to design a new school uniform out of bin bags.
The Sixth Form Team would like to thank all of our students for their active participation throughout the week and we look forward to welcoming them back in the new academic year.
For any further information regarding Sixth Form applications for 2021, please contact Dr Reed, Director of Sixth Form (creed@rossettschool.co.uk) or Mr Keyworth (rkeyworth@rossettschool.co.uk).
BBC Radio York help launch fantastic new 3G
I was thrilled to open our brand new, state-of-the-art 3G playing surface to students of Rossett School, and the public on Thursday following a programme of replacement over recent weeks. Roving BBC Radio York presenter, Julia Lewis, joined us to celebrate the opening and talked with me and those who generously contributed to our Sports' Centre recent crowdfunding campaign, helping us to fund this fantastic community facility.
Julia was joined on air by the Chairman of Beckwithshaw Saints Football Club, Andrew Kirkby, Chair of our PTA and long-standing teacher and past Head of PE, Mr Fenton. Year 7 students were the first to play an inaugural five-a-side football match and demonstrated their skills live on air.
Thank you to all those who contributed to the Crowdfunding campaign - without your valued support we may not have been able to achieve this fantastic replacement.
Year 10 Exams
We made the difficult decision to postpone all of our Year 10 internal examinations that were due to run throughout this week as some students were isolating. Having looked carefully at when most students in Year 10 will be back in school and events already timetabled on the whole school calendar, it is clear that there will not be an opportunity to rearrange these examinations in the same format, this academic year.
Instead, the teachers of Year 10 have a schedule of shorter classroom-based assessments which will take place within normal lesson time before the end of term. These assessments may be completed remotely, or in school.
We have planned additional opportunities in the new academic year for our Year 10 students to gain the valuable experience of completing assessments under examination conditions.
Covid Updates:
Thank you to everyone who is testing on Sundays and Wednesday at home. Public Health England would like us to emphasise the continuing importance of testing.
Testing continues to play an important role in the national and local approach to COVID. Additional latera
l flow testing kits were sent home with students today and this will provide enough tests to allow students to continue to test (each Sunday and Wednesday) throughout the Summer holidays. We are grateful for your continued support in ensuring that your child completes a test twice a week.
Following the receipt of the results– whether positive, negative or void – reporting should be made to NHS Test and Trace, via the self-report option. The sites for the NHS and Rossett School reporting can be found at https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result and at: https://rossett.school/studentcovidreport.
Important Reminder for Monday 5th July
Following advice from Public Health England, I would like to remind all parents/carers and students that our face-covering policy has been extended to include classrooms. This is a temporary measure that will be reviewed weekly.
GCSEPod SummerPod
Rossett students are fortunate to have access to a wide range of resources on GCSEPod and this summer GCSEPod have organised a programme that aims to prepare both parents and students for the rigours of the GCSE years. Summerpod will take place from 26th July and will last for three weeks. It includes interviews with subject specialists, resources that students can use to keep themselves ‘ticking over’ during the summer, competitions with prizes to motivate students to engage with the process and - perhaps best of all - webinars that are designed for parents and students to watch together, so that both are fully aware of how to approach the next academic year in the most effective way possible. We are thrilled that GCSEPod is putting on an event that can really help to ensure that next year is a successful one.
Visit: gcsepod.com/summerpod to register your interest, after which you will receive an email with details of each event and how to attend.
Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity Summer BBQ - Sunday 29 August 2021
Read @Rossett
We purchase new books regularly for our Learning Resource Centre and this week's Read@Rossett features all of this week's new deliveries. The Accessit web app has a carousel that displays all of our new books when they are ready to borrow. This week's top picks include ever-popular Robert Muchmore and is new series which features a familiar cast of characters in a new, exciting setting, 'Robin Hood' is the first to try. Local man and England Manager, Gareth Southgate features in the news at present but did you know he has published a book featuring inspirational and positive messages? You don't need to be a football fan to learn lots from this book as it has valuable tools that everyone can use to overcome challenges in life and to increase confidence. Click here for further further recommendations.
News from the PTA...
Your School Lottery
Don’t forget, if you want to have a chance of winning the weekly national prize of £25,000 you need to have a Your School Lottery ticket! Buy them online - https://www.yourschoollottery.co.uk/lottery/school/rossett-school and have a chance of winning the Jackpot. There is also a guaranteed winner of the school prize every week too!
This month, there is also a chance to win a years home fruit & vegetable delivery!
School Uniform Recycling
A reminder that the school uniform recycling scheme will remain open until the start of the summer break – check the PTA Website here and see what excellent items we have available. All items are FREE.
PTA Relaunch
At the start of the new school year in September, we intend to re-launch the PTA to allow the opportunity for new parents to the school to join in and take the organisation forward forward for another year. If anyone would like to help us, please drop us a line – info@rossettpta.co.uk
Mental Health and Wellbeing
We would like to remind you of the support groups, websites and text-based helplines that exist to help our students combat any feelings of anxiety. We know that many students continue to have some concerns about their future, or anxieties about the continuing national coverage of the pandemic.
The Go-To – www.thegoto.org.uk – is a portal or ‘single point of information’ for the wide range of mental health support services available to help children and young people in the county address their social and emotional health needs.
https://www.kooth.com/ https://www.minded.org.uk/
Covid-19: Reporting
Below is a reminder of the reporting procedures and symptom checker before attending each day:
If your child has any of the symptoms described in the attached parental letter from Public Health England here, they must stay at home and arrangements need to be made to have a test. You must call the school absence line (01423 564 444) and leave a voicemail informing us about the situation and the reason your child is not in school.
We would remind you that you should only book a test if your child has any of these three coronavirus symptoms:
- A high temperature: any new high temperature where your child feels hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure the temperature);
- A new continuous cough: coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours;
- A loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste: a noticeable loss of smell or taste or things smell and taste different to normal.
If your child has been off school for a reason related to Covid-19, it is vital that you contact us before they return and give us the reason they are returning e.g. a negative test result.
- Public Health England has asked us to emphasise with our parents/carers that the NHS Track and Trace App is not applicable to students under the age of 16, and therefore should not be installed on the phones of students who are under 16. If any parent has to inform the school regarding a positive Covid case please email https://rossett.school/positive and complete the form.
Lunch Menu
Well done to...
What's happening this term...
Tuesday 13th July
- Year 12 Runswick Bay A Level Biology Field Trip.
Wednesday 14th July
- Year 6 Induction Day- further details to be provided;
- Year 6 Parents' Information Evening.
Thursday 15th July
- Year 6 Induction Day - further details to be provided.
Saturday 17th July
- Family Learning Day (to be confirmed).
Tuesday 10th August
- A Level Results' Day
Thursday 12th August
- GCSE Results' Day
H Woodcock
Headteacher
