Rossett News Update - 29 January 2021
In a week where the Ofqual consultation has closed, I would like to thank those of you who as parents followed the link and completed the consultation. A couple of parents commented on the length of the the document and the various, complicated scenarios and choices, so thank you for persevering with this important document. We believe that the Ofqual response will be published towards the end of February, and we will keep you posted on the outcome, as soon as we know of the decisions affecting our Year 11 and Year 13 students.
We have continued with our on-site lateral flow testing this week, with all eligible staff and students taking part in the scheduled programme. Thanks to our staff, ably led and coordinated by Mrs Milner and Mrs Duncan, for their time and patience with this practice.
Surveys on Remote Education provision at Rossett
Many thanks also to all of our parents and students who took time out of their busy schedules to respond to our questions about home learning. In analysing your answers we were really pleased that the ratings from home, and the specific comments that you made, spoke strongly of the quality of our provision. Parents gave an overall average score of 4/5 for all aspects of our teaching and support and there was real appreciation for the lengths that our pastoral staff have gone to in providing extra machines, routers and data bundles to all who needed them.
We know that our provision can always improve further and, to that end, our training day today - Friday 29th January - was planned to look at ways to enhance online teaching. Staff took part - virtually - in workshops and staff development activities.
Remote Learning
Today our teaching staff have been completing further training around high quality remote learning. This includes the use of:
- ‘Break out rooms’ – Microsoft have recently added a ‘break out room’ function to the ‘Meetings’ section of Teams, which we use for the delivery of ‘live lessons’. This enables teachers to divide up their class into groups in order to promote discussion, oracy and collaboration. The teacher is then able to circulate between the different groups, providing feedback as necessary.
- Interactive Quizzes - A number of interactive quiz tools are available for teachers to use, including: Kahoot, Quizizz, Quizlet Live and Socrative – these will help to make live lessons even more engaging and provide teachers with valuable feedback on what students know and understand.
- ‘Live Assignments’ – this enables teachers to view the assignments they have set as the students complete them live – this allows teachers to identify any misconceptions very quickly and provide any necessary feedback.
Students and parents should see the use of some of these new techniques in the remote learning provision over the coming weeks.
Holocaust Memorial Day
Wednesday 27th January marked Holocaust Memorial Day. The students commemorated this event during assemblies with their Director of Learning who introduced the event to the students. A school wide poetry competition also opened on Wednesday, requiring students to think creatively and engage more closely with the meaning of the event. We received lots of excellent poems inspired by this theme, however, the winning poem is 'To The Angels' by Tiffany Olusoji (Year 9). Well done Tiffany.
To The Angels
It happened a long time ago
When the world was dark and black
Screams and cries were heard
None could say a word
Here today we stand
Able to be ourselves and laugh
We must remember those who suffered
Those who died
I will not hide, so here I am
May those we lost know we care inside
By Tiffany Olusoji
Rossett Adult Learning
Our fantastic Adult Education team have, once again, responded to the changes nationally and the introduction of a third lockdown. New courses are being offered to allow you the flexibility to learn a new skill or language from home. You can register for courses by going to their website here.
Safer Internet Day - 'Ask the Experts' Tuesday 9th February 2021, 7.00pm-9.00pm
Tuesday 9th February 2021 is national and international ‘Safer Internet Day’. With more people working from home and children now having their school lessons online, the need to use the internet more safely and securely has never been greater. North Yorkshire Police are hosting another ’Ask the Experts’ evening to support Safer Internet Day. This online event will consist of several presentations from officers from their Cyber Crime Unit and Online Abuse and Safeguarding Unit. Richard De Vere from the Anti-Social Engineer will give an insight into the tricks scammers use to manipulate their victims. There will be the opportunity to ask questions of their panel of experts.
Lockdown Artwork
Tips for home learning
- Where possible have a quiet space away from distractions;
- Be organised - have a routine based around the school day including break and lunchtime;
- Leave your mobile phone in another room and turn off notifications while you are home learning;
- Stay safe on-line - only use trusted websites, follow the school's online protocols in our Acceptable Use Policy;
- Remember you can contact your teachers with any queries via Teams and the Network Team with any IT queries. at: studentIThelp@rossettschool.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 students combat feelings of anxiety that may result from worrying about future examinations or the current 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
For those students who remain in school we would like to remind you 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.
With every best wish from all at Rossett,
Helen Woodcock
Headteacher
