Dear Parents and Carers

With the national lockdown now underway, we just wanted to contact you to clarify the limited impact this has on your son or daughter at CNS.

After School Clubs [continue as normal]

We have been advised that all school-based activities that relate to catch-up, examination preparation or clinics remain permissible and will therefore continue as normal. All such activities are socially distanced and take place in the respective year group zone.

We are still awaiting advice on whether or not after school clubs (run by CNS staff) are still permissible and therefore we shall assume there are no changes in that regard unless advised to the contrary. Similarly, such activities are only provided to students in the same year group and year group separation is maintained throughout.

Extra Time Clubs [suspended]

Sadly, our Extra Time provision is now suspended until 2 December at the earliest. We look forward to working with our brilliant external coaches again as soon as possible.

Face Coverings [no change]

Most schools had already insisted on the use of face coverings by students and staff in communal areas such as corridors. However, as of today, this is required in all secondary schools (with the same expectations for students with some special educational needs). Therefore, there is no change in our expectation that students must wear face coverings as they enter and leave the school each day, in corridors, and if they use school buses or public transport.

The Risks of Complacency

Your children have been absolutely amazing throughout this whole period since September. However, there is one element that has slipped in recent days and we need to see a sharp improvement. This relates to wearing face coverings as students arrive each morning:

• If a student arrives by bus then they ought to be wearing a face covering already and ought to keep that face covering on until they enter the school building.
• If a student arrives by foot or is dropped off then they ought to put their face covering on as soon as they see the school building.

From Monday and for the next two weeks, we shall continue to gently remind students of this requirement and contact you to let you know if your son or daughter has been reminded of this important health and safety measure.

Mrs Armistead and Mrs De Bruyn will be writing to you on Monday to outline our new rewards and recognition systems that were launched this week.

Yours faithfully
Mr Doherty
Headteacher