Dear Parents and Carers

OFSTED Review

Families will be very aware of Ofsted’s recent review of peer-to-peer abuse in schools and colleges. There is no escaping the fact that it is an extremely unsettling read but also presents a number of ways that schools and colleges must work even harder to protect young people.

We know that physical and online harassment and abuse can and does take place across schools and within our society. It is the role of a school to be a place where students can speak out without fear. A place where they know that they will be believed and supported.

Even before the publication of the report, we had revisited our training and advice to all CNS staff and reminded one another of our collective and individual responsibilities. Moreover, we have reviewed our tutor time themes to address a range of related issues and reminded students of the many internal and external ways in which to report harassment and abuse – this includes our own neveralone@cns email helpline.

Being part of the River Learning Trust also helps coordinate our thinking and planning for the future, so that none of us falls into a trap of seeing this as an historical issue. This means that we intend to refine our student voice surveys and active tutorial materials so that we can continue to listen, learn and act.

If you wish to learn more about the ways in which CNS is responding to the review and the issues more broadly, then please contact my colleague, Natalie Hancock (Deputy Headteacher and DSL): [email protected].

Friday 9 July – Remote Learning Day

Next Friday will be a remote learning day (i.e. all students will be at home) to enable us to welcome year 6s to the school for one to one visits. The vast majority of lessons will be live and all students will begin the day with a Google Meet registration as well.

Next Year’s COVID Measures

Although we expect and hope to be back into normal classrooms in September, we shall have a contingency plan in place to restore the zones if necessary. All schools have been encouraged to develop contingency plans that allow us to respond to the latest data on local and national transmission rates in two months’ time.

It is possible (but not confirmed) that we shall be asked to set up our asymptomatic testing centre again and invite all students to take two lateral flow tests. Should this happen it will disrupt our plans for the start of term because students would need to be tested (twice) and return home until their results are known. Towards the end of term, I shall try to set out more clarity on the two ways in which the start of term might look for us all.

In the meantime, please continue to take two lateral flow tests each week. We understand that this will not be necessary during the summer holidays and will wait and see if they will be resumed for all students (and staff) across the country when the new term begins.

If I and we have learned anything in the past 18 months, it is to worry about and think about the things we can control, and not devote too much energy to the things we cannot.

End of Year Plans

Our annual sports day is all set for Friday 16 July. Students will be given all of the information they need through Mr Thomas, Head of PE. Then, in the final week, an activity day is planned for each year group, culminating in a celebratory day on Thursday 22 July – our final day of term. More information on these events will also arrive from colleagues in the coming days.

EURO 2020 Forecasts

Those following my forecasts will know that whilst my predicted score lines have been somewhat optimistic, I have managed to accurately guess the outcome of the England results.

In my defence, my predictions have been based on Mr Grealish playing from the start of each game… And so, here goes with my forecast for this week and a wholly unnecessary image of a fellow Villain!

• Czech Republic 1: 2 Denmark
• England 3: 0 Ukraine
• Denmark 0: 2 England

Have a great weekend!

Yours faithfully

Mr Doherty

Headteacher