If you or your child have coronavirus symptoms:

 

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

 

Please DO NOT send your child to school. You should report your child’s absence by calling 01803 317901.

You should organise a test via the NHS online portal or by calling 119.

Your household should isolate until you receive the test results giving the all clear.

Your child will not be able to return to school until you have informed us that you have received the test result giving the all clear or your child has completed the appropriate period of self-isolation.

 
For the latest information regarding coronavirus please visit – https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Show Video Messages

09/04/2020 – A message from Reverend Nathan for Palm Sunday

06/04/2020 – Message from Miss Gale to Yr7

05/04/2020 – Message from Mr Iskander to Yr11

04/04/2020 – Message from Mr Chapman to Yr10

03/04/2020 – Message from My Gibson to Yr8

03/04/2020 – STCM 2020 Easter Service

26/03/2020 – Message from Mr Boughton to Yr12

25/03/2020 – Message from Mr Boughton to Yr13

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17/07/2020

Dear Parents,

 

Please find attached an end of term letter from Mr Down and a Frequently Asked Questions information sheet regarding the return of students in September.

 

We hope that you all have a restful and relaxing summer.

 

Kind Regards,

Admin Team

End of Term Letter from Mr Down 17.07.20

Student Return in September 2020 FAQ

13/07/2020

Dear Parents,

I do hope that you and your family are safe and well at this time.

As we enter the final week of the school year, I want to thank you all for your support, particularly  during the last 14 weeks. Nobody could have imagined last September that the school year would have played out quite the way it did. We are looking forward to a return to some sense of normality in September and are excited to welcome all students back.

This week, we would normally be waving off students travelling on school trips. As you know all trips have been cancelled. Solicitors working on behalf of the school are taking legal action to recover the monies paid by families from the Tour Operator. It is unlikely that this will be resolved by the time school closes for the summer holiday. I know this is frustrating but please be assured everything is being done to recover this money as fast as possible. As soon as the money returns to school it will be refunded to parents.

On Friday, I will write my usual end of term letter to parents, which will include guidance and arrangements for September.

Wishing you a great week ahead.

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

10/07/2020

Dear Parents,

This week, our focus has been on planning for the full opening of school in September. This is a significant piece of work to complete in such a short time but I couldn’t be prouder of the work staff are doing to make the return for all students as safe as possible. Next week we’ll be communicating our expectations and procedures for September, so it’s important that you look our for that email. Things will be different for staff and for students in September so it’s important we give as much notice as possible. Our Covid-19 surveys will also be sent out with this information.

Next week, work will continue to be set for students. It important that students keep up to date with their work. If they haven’t got through as much work as you or we would have liked, then next week is the chance for one last push! We recognise how hard it has been to keep students focused and working at home, so thanks for all you have done to support your child.

The weather looks promising for the weekend, so hopefully I’ll get a chance to dust off the water skis! I do hope you can enjoy some time safely outside with your family.

Have a great weekend.

Mr Down

Headteacher

06/07/2020

Dear Parents,

Local update

This afternoon, I attended a briefing for Headteachers across Torbay to get the latest update on the local COVID-19 picture. I was very pleased to hear that infection rates are still very low in Torbay but the message was that we still need to be alert because the Corona virus has not gone away! Over the month of June, approximately 5500 children have returned to schools across Torbay which highlights the hard work and logistical challenges schools have overcome to make this happen.

Full reopening in September

There are only two weeks of school remaining before the summer holidays start on Friday 20th July. Over the next two weeks, governors and school leaders will be working hard to prepare for school for a full reopening of school in September. I will write to you before the end of term confirming these arrangements. If you haven’t had chance to see the guidance

Holiday Clubs

Although school will be closed we are pleased to hear that a number of holiday club providers will be reopening to support families over the holiday. Details will be sent through to schools shortly and we’ll make sure you have this information should you wish to access these providers.

Survey

Shortly,  we’ll be sending home a survey to get your views on how the school has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. We would really welcome the feedback from parents.  We hope to get this survey out by the end of the week.

School Trips

All trips are cancelled this summer and according to the terms and conditions all families should be entitled to a full refund. Solicitors are working on behalf of the school to recover monies paid by parents. As soon as this has been concluded we will update parents. We are sorry this is taking so long to resolve and thank you for your patience.

Wishing you all a good week.

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

03/07/2020

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the end of another school week.

This weekend the country is bracing itself for a wider relaxation of lock down rules.  While many will be looking forward to ‘Super Saturday’, I think this term is really unhelpful as we still need to be alert to the serious risk of the Coronavirus. This is particularly the case for groups of young people who socialise together in the community. There are big concerns nationally about young people socialising in the community and how this might contribute to the spreading of the Coronavirus. I know how tough it can be to keep tabs on your children when they are out with friends but thank you, for all you are doing to keep Torbay safe.

A full reopening of school in September

Yesterday the government issued its guidance on the full re-opening of schools for full-time education of all students from September. We have held the following statement as our compass-bearing during the current phase of re-opening :

To maximise the effectiveness of teaching and care for our students, whilst safeguarding the health and well-being of everyone on site.

We look forward to welcoming all our students back in September. Staff and parents have been working hard together to support learning at home as best we can, and we very much appreciate your efforts. We know we can support their learning so much better when they are back in school full-time, and it will again be a legal requirement to attend school from September. Please be reassured that we are working hard to make sure that we can do this whilst keeping everyone as safe as we can by fully implementing the government’s latest guidance. We will be in touch nearer the time with full details of revised arrangements. Things may yet change, but right now we are looking forward to September with a great deal of enthusiasm and confidence.

You can find more details about the guidance published by clicking on the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-in-the-autumn-term

Food Vouchers

All families eligible for Free School Meals should now have received their latest eCodes from Edenred for the 3 week period 29th June – 19th July. If you haven’t  then please e-mail our Admin Team who will be happy to help. A further eCode will be sent to all eligible families before the end of term to cover the summer holiday period.

School Uniform for September

In September, all students will be expected to wear school uniform again. I am pleased to confirm that Torre Sports will be opening their doors again on 23rd July. They are fully stocked and don’t anticipate any supply issues but our advice would be that you don’t leave it until the last minute to visit them!

School Reports

We recently sent home school reports. We’ve had lots of questions regarding the period this report covers. The report reflects the work your child completed in school up to 20th March. We have not commented on any work your child has done at home because we recognise that not all children have the same remote learning experience or access. In the autumn we will be assessing all students on their return to see where they are at in their learning and what they need to do next. We’ll report on this in late autumn.

Wishing you all a great weekend and please stay safe!

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

29/06/2020

Dear Parents,

Last week was a week of warm weather and heated national debates. This week the weather looks cooler but the debates show no sign of losing any of temperature!

We are eagerly awaiting new guidance from the government with detailed information about how schools will be expected to operate in September. All the talk in the media at the moment is that school will be operating as normal come September but we’ll wait to see what is published officially before commenting any further.

Remote learning continues for all students this week. We know the end of term is fast approaching and the fine weather maybe a distraction but it’s important that students continue with their studies. This week students in Year 10 will be attending Maths face to face sessions (Don’t forget your calculator!) in school and Year 12 students will continue with their option subjects. If your child is in Year 10 or Year 12 it’s important that they access these sessions so teachers can check in with them.

Final Reminder- UCAS Event. Tomorrow, Tuesday 30th June from 1-2pm, Mr Boughton will be hosting a Live Facebook workshop on UCAS for Year 12 parents and students.  We have recorded 2 seminars, one on ‘Financing University’ and one on ‘Completing the Application Form’.

You will have the opportunity to have your questions answered live between 1pm – 2pm. If you are unable to join the session during this time, you will still be able to view the video but you must send your questions via our Facebook messenger and we will aim to get back to you as soon as possible.  (We have scheduled the session at lunchtime to try and accommodate those with work commitments).

This is an STCM social media event – If you have any questions regarding the session, please contact us via our Facebook page.

Wishing you all a good week ahead.

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

25/06/2020

Dear Parents,

Welcome to a Thursday update this week!

I am sending my end of the week email today because school is closed tomorrow for all students. This is due to the pre-planned INSET day we have in the school calendar.  This is an important planning day for staff, which will be used to consider how school will operate in September. No work will be set by teachers tomorrow so this is a good opportunity for your child to catch up on any work they have missed. If they are up to date with their studies they can enjoy a well deserved break.

Year 10 & Year 12 Face to Face Sessions

This week we have welcomed back more Year 10 and Year 12 students. Numbers are growing as confidence increases due the the safety measures that have been put in place in school. If your child has not yet attended a Year 10 or Year 12 session we would love to welcome them back before the summer holidays. We know that some children have been out of their normal school routine for some time, so the adjustment back to school is a challenge. We want to be really clear that if your child is attending any of our provisions they need to come into school knowing that we will be expecting them to work hard and behave themselves. With only 3 weeks until the summer holidays and warm weather forecast, we know the temptation is to slip into an early holiday mode. Please ensure your child is aware of our expectations. Could we also ask you to ensure your child has their phone put away while they are in school. These are becoming a distraction to learning and teachers are having to waste time telling students to put them away. Thank you for your support with this.

Next week the focus of the Year 10 sessions is Maths. Maths staff have asked that all students bring their own calculator. We aren’t able to hand out any calculators on the day.

2m social distancing

We know it’s really hard to keep 2m apart but this protocol remains in place. Please can you support us in reminding your child that they need to respect peoples personal space and remain 2m apart at all times.

UCAS Event

On Tuesday 30th June from 1-2pm, Mr Boughton will be hosting a Live Facebook workshop on UCAS for Year 12 parents and students.  We have recorded 2 seminars, one on ‘Financing University’ and one on ‘Completing the Application Form’.

You will have the opportunity to have your questions answered live between 1pm – 2pm. If you are unable to join the session during this time, you will still be able to view the video but you must send your questions via our Facebook messenger and we will aim to get back to you as soon as possible.  (We have scheduled the session at lunchtime to try and accommodate those with work commitments).

This is an STCM social media event – If you have any questions regarding the session, please contact us via our Facebook page.

Sixth Form Offer Letters

If your child has not yet received their Sixth Form offer letter then please contact Miss Hill, the Sixth Form Pastoral Administrator. We are concerned that some might have got lost in the post. You can contact Miss Hill using the following e-mail address: [email protected]

Students emailing their teachers

Students who are contacting their teachers for feedback should use their Outlook email account and not their G-Mail account. The school G-Mail account is not set up to be used in this way. This will explain why some teachers are not responding because they aren’t receiving the communication.

Timings of the school day from September 2020

Please find attached a letter confirming the governor’s decision to change the timings of the school day from 1st September 2020.

Have a great weekend.

Mr Down

Headteacher

Letter to Parents 25/06/2020

22/06/2020

Dear Parents,

Welcome to another Monday update.

Over the weekend we welcomed the announcement from government that an extra £1bn will be given to schools for a coronavirus ‘catch-up’ package. Over the coming weeks we expect some more detail about how this money will be made available to schools and how we can use this to support our students to plug any gaps in their learning. We’ll keep you posted as and when we have more information. We want to thank all parents who have been supporting their children to learn at home while juggling their day job. We’ve had some great emails from parents telling us that they’ve really enjoyed the time with their children learning at home but are now ready to hang up their gown and mortar board and hand them back to their teachers in September! We do hope that we are able to welcome all students back in September.

Over the course of last week we were pleased to welcome back an increasing number of Y10 and Y12 students. This week, our face to face sessions for students in Y10 and Y12 move on to a academic focus. Students will be having face to face sessions with English specialists who will looking at where students have got to with their remote learning and supporting their with their English work. We’ve worked really hard to make the school site as safe as possible and adhere to the strict government social distancing guidance. We do hope that your child will be able to join us on their allocated day. Given that our English team will be in school this week your child might experience some delay in receiving feedback from their teacher. They will get to this as soon as they can so please bear with them.

This week the school has instructed solicitors to take on the case of securing refunds for school trips. We firmly believe that the tour operator should be refunding 100% of any monies paid by parents and by not doing so they are in breach of the terms and conditions of the booking. As soon as we have further updates from our legal team we’ll communicate these directly to the parents concerned. Thank you for your patience during this time.

Last Friday, the governing body reviewed the feedback from parents, students and staff regarding the proposed changes to the timing of the school day. There was a strong preference for model B across all groups. I’ll be writing formally this week to confirm the changes from 1st September 2020.

This week we have an advert out for a Deputy SENDCO and will be advertising later this week for a HLTA. These roles will compliment, our fully staffed team of teaching staff ready for September.

Finally, we look set for some warmer weather again this week which is always welcome. If you and your family are enjoying some time outdoors this week then stay safe in the sun. Please ensure that if your child is in school they bring plenty of water or juice with them. They can purchase drinks to have at break and lunch but our water fountains are switched off as part of our infection control procedures.

Wishing you all a good week ahead.

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

19/06/2020

Dear Parents,
This week we have seen the teaching profession being attacked on various fronts for supposedly undermining the governments plan for a wider reopening of schools. After weeks of hard work to keep the school open, relentless planning, growing media accusations and a mountain of ever-changing guidance from the DFE, this suggestion has left us all feeling quite irritated at best. 
 
This week it has been such a boost to welcome back students in Year 10 and Year 12  and to see some new faces and students smiling as they arrive and leave school. This week we have completed our pastoral face to face sessions and will now move on to academic face to face sessions to support students with their remote learning. 
Within the next 24 hours or so we expect to hear a much-trailed announcement about the government’s plans for some form of catch-up provision. We  have no idea what will be said but we hope for: an evidence-based approach that enables teachers to review each child’s current learning, then to plan their curriculum needs, and for leaders to have the resources to target additional resources at those children who need them the most and at the greatest disadvantage. This week our school leaders have started to plan for a range of scenarios come September to support this work. 
 
This week we saw a government U-turn on providing FSM vouchers over the summer holidays. Thanks to the efforts of Marcus Rashford, the Man Utd Striker, those families eligible for FSM will receive a food voucher to cover the summer holiday. Some great work from a number 10 at last! I am hoping that Harry Kane can eclipse Rashford’s performance tonight though. COYS! To help prepare all our families to receive the e-vouchers, our final food parcels will be delivered next week. After that, all families will receive vouchers and this will help us iron out any problems with the voucher system for families who haven’t used them, before school closes for the summer holidays. Food parcels will be delivered between 9:30am – 2pm. Please ensure you are at home to receive your delivery. If you are not at home the food parcel will be left on the doorstep. I’d like to thank our amazing Heidi, her team and the team of drivers who have supported her. They have been great ambassadors for Christ and our school. 
 
This week we have been receiving a few requests from parents regarding teachers physically marking work. Unfortunately they aren’t able to do this because of the risk this poses in relation to transmitting the corona virus. We are pleased to be able to cater for all students by ensuring meaningful and challenging work has been set for all year groups across all subjects. Online tasks and non-internet work packs have been constructed and distributed, with all students having access to work at home. Under practical guidelines, for the welfare and safety of staff and students, only work in non-physical format can be checked at present. You child is able to email their teacher or take pictures and send these to teachers in school via their Google Education account. Teachers will check work for efforts and reward students through Classcharts. We thank you for your on-going efforts to support your child’s learning at home. 
 
Finally, what hasn’t been captured amongst all that snarkiness and negative press this week, is the recognition for what we have achieved as a school over the last few months.  Staff have been working relentlessly, quietly, meticulously behind the scenes to help young people from all backgrounds to reconnect with education in these unprecedented times. Thank you for the steady stream of emails that thank staff for their work. These really do help to keep staff going.
 
As always, we are here if you need us.
 
Have a great weekend.
 
Mr Down
 
Headteacher

16/06/2020

Dear Parents,
 
The school remains open to children who are vulnerable and the children of key workers as it has done throughout lock-down.
 
If you wish to send your child to school, it is important that you let Mr Chadwick know at least 24h in advance. This enables us to allocate the right number of teachers and students to each classroom. If your child just turns up at school and you haven’t let us know, then we may not be able to accommodate them safely. The last thing we want to do is send children home because we  cannot accommodate them safely so please give us plenty of notice. We continue to operate on a skeleton staff in school to reduce the transmission of Coronavirus. 
 
Please email Mr Chadwick at: [email protected]
 
Thank you for your continued support.
 
Mr Down
 
Headteacher

15/06/2020

Dear Parents,
Welcome to the first update since the wider reopening of school to students in Year 10 and Year 12.
 
Wider re-opening of school to students in Year 10 & Year 12
It was great to see new faces in school today and welcome back students who we haven’t see for some time. We really have missed seeing our students. The first phase of our face to face sessions is to provide some pastoral and well-being support for students before heading into academic face to face sessions as from next week. If your child is in Year 10 or Year 12 please do make the most of the face to face sessions provided to support your child. Your letter and email will tell you exactly when your child should be in school and what to expect when they are here. If you are not sending your child into school there will be no legal implications for this. It is parental preference. It is important that you let us know if your child will not be attending, so our attendance and safeguarding team don’t call you unnecessarily.  Please can we also ask that students come to school appropriately dressed. The weather is warm but beach wear is not appropriate for school!
 
Provision for children of key workers and children who are vulnerable
Since the start of lock down, the school has remained open for the children of critical workers and those children who are vulnerable. We are pleased to continue offering a provision for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children as outlined by the government guidance:
Regrettably, we are not able to offer a place in school for children whose parents are not critical workers, or children not classed as vulnerable.  From last weekend the government introduced new rules around support bubbles:
Parents may wish to consider this guidance when arranging childcare.
Should you have any questions about this provision then please contact Mr Chadwick –  [email protected]
 
Recruitment
 
On Friday the governing body appointed Miss Suzanne Kingdon as permanent Deputy Headteacher at STCM. Miss Kingdon has made an outstanding contribution to the life of our school in her role as Assistant Headteacher and more recently as Acting Deputy Headteacher. I am sure you will join me in congratulating her on her appointment to this important role. 
Refreshments during the school day
 
It is important that students bring a large bottle of water or juice with them to help stay hydrated throughout the day. Bottled water is available to purchase from school but our water fountains have been switched off to comply with our health and safety risk assessment. 
 
 
Reminder
Friday 26th June is a pre-planned INSET day in the school calendar. There will be no in-school provision on that day and online learning will not be set for this day. This is to enable staff to begin planning for September 2020.
 
Daily Act of Worship
 
If you haven’t yet checked out our Act of Worship videos which are posted daily via Facebook, then please do. Rev. Nathan has been engaging with lots of local  people to share the joy of the Gospel. Last week, Rev. Nathan was joined by Police & Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez. This week he is joined by local MP, Kevin Foster. 
 
 
Wishing you all a good week.
 
Best wishes,
 
Mr Down
 
Headteacher

12/06/2020

Dear Parents,

In these strange times, the days seem longer and the weeks shorter. I can’t believe it’s Friday already!

This week has been insanely busy with planning and preparations for the wider reopening of school next week. We look forward to welcoming back year 10 and year 12 students back from Monday for some face to face sessions with their teachers before the summer holidays. Details have been sent to parents indicating when their child should be in school and what our expectations are. These times and dates are non-negotiable and students cannot move between groups. While attendance at the face to face sessions is parental preference we would encourage your child to make the most of these opportunities. If you child is due to be in school but will not be attending you should contact the new student absence line to let us know. During these times, parents will not be prosecuted by the Local Authority for failing to send their children to school but it’s important for safeguarding reasons that we know when your child will be attending.

The last 12 weeks have been a real rollercoaster, in which the highs and lows come thick and fast. One day, when these times have passed, we’ll be able to reflect on what we accomplished.

Before then – here’s a final thought from Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: “The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”

Have a good weekend

Mr Down

Headteacher

08/06/2020

Dear Parents,
Welcome to our Monday update. I hope you and your family are all safe and well.
Update on the wider reopening of school 
This week we are working hard to ensure that the school is safe and ready to welcome a larger number of students from Y10 and Y12 starting on Monday 15th June. On Friday, I sent home a letter to Year 10 and Year 12 parents, outlining what the provision will look like for their children. On Thursday we will be writing home again  with further details explaining when their child will be in school, what they will be doing and where they need to go. We will also be sending guidance to support parents in helping their child to return to school. We will do everything we can to make the school safe and in return we expect students to respect the protocols that will be in place for their safety and the safety of staff onsite.
For students in Years 7, 8, 9, 11 and 13, work will continue to be set online. If you don’t have access to the internet, then a hard copy of the work will be sent to you if you contact our Admin Team. Should you experience any technical difficulties then please let our IT support Team know. They can help with log-on issues and password resets.
This week
Tomorrow, we will be delivering food parcels to over 80 families who selected this preference. I would like to thank Heidi and our team of drivers for their amazing support with this work.
On Thursdays, transition work will be going home to Y11 students who want to return to our Sixth Form in September. Please keep an eye out for this work and contact Mr Boughton (Head of Sixth Form) if you have any questions.
Other Notices
Attendance – If your child is unwell and not able to attend school, please can you call our new Attendance Line on – 07591 045 128. Please do not call the main admin number.
Class Charts – It is important that all parents have registered for Class Charts. If you are having problems logging on or registering then please contact Mr Chadwick.
There has been lots in the media over the weekend about the R rate in the south west being at 1. Please see attached a letter from Torbay Council regarding this.
I will write to you all again on Friday. As always, please contact us if you need us.
Best wishes,
Mr Down
Headteacher

05/06/2020

Dear Parents,
This week, staff have been working flat out to plan a safe reopening of school from 15th June for students in Year 10 and Year 12. There has been a phenomenal amount of work done towards achieving this aim and I’m extremely proud of the hard work and commitment of these members of staff. Later today a letter will be going home to parents of children in Year 10 and Year 12 with more details about our plans.
There have been a few questions sent in this week about the arrangements for learning at home. Work continues to be set online and hard copies of work packs sent home to those who do not have access to the internet or their technology has broken. If you need a work pack for your child then please contact our Admin Team who will arrange for a pack to be delivered or posted. Deliveries of packs will be made on a Tuesday where possible or posted home on a Thursday. Please bear with us while these make their way to you. Should you require additional learning to supplement the work provided by school,  this can be accessed through the list of online learning links on our website. Alternatively you can use the red button on your TV to access the BBC online learning package.
Before half term we provided you with access to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Today we have received an amazing report on the uptake of this service and it’s clear to see so many of you are using this resource to support learning. If you need access then please visit the website for details.
This week we held interviews for a teacher of English to cover a maternity leave from September. We have appointed Mrs Rachael Smith who will be an excellent addition to our English Team.
We also saw the wider reopening of primary schools this week. Some of you will have had to wrestle with the decision to send your child back to school. We should be proud of the work our primary colleagues have done, to ensure a smooth and calm return to school for a wider number of students. Our work to support Year 6 students transferring to STCM in September continues. A letter will be going home tonight with more details for Year 6 parents.
Finally, this week the shocking events in America have rightly been on our TV screens. I read a great quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States – We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just one step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down. We’ve been through a lot over the last 10 weeks and I hope you too have discovered the strength to stare any challenges down.
As always, we are here to help if we can.
Have a great weekend.
Mr Down
Headteacher

01/06/2020

Dear Parent,

I hope you and your family are all well and managed to safely enjoy the beautiful weather over half term. As we enter into the final half term of the school year, I wanted to update you on a number of things that will be happening over the next 7 weeks.

Wider reopening of school

The Prime Minister announced over half term, that the wider reopening of secondary schools would be delayed until 15th June. They also issued some further guidance to support secondary schools to do this safely. For STCM this means there will be no more than 34 Year 10 students in school and 19 Year 12 students on any given day. We will be sharing details with Year 10 and Year 12 parents later this week with more information about how this will work.

Keyworker & Vulnerable Student Provisions

The school remains open as it has done throughout, to support the children of key critical workers and those children who are vulnerable. To secure a place in this provision, parents should contact Mr Chadwick.

Learning at Home

Learning from home will continue to be the governments preferred way of working until further notice. It is highly unlikely that students in Y7, Y8, and Y9 will return to school before September. Learning will continue to be set online for students to complete. Students who do not have access to the internet will be issued with a work pack to complete. Year 11 and Year 13 students would normally be well into exam season. We will continue to support students in these year groups via Google Classroom.

Consultation on the timings of the school day

Staff, parents and students have until 12th June to complete the survey. Should you have any problems accessing the survey then please contact our Admin Team.

Year 6-7 Transition

Mr Horrocks and Mrs Bristow have been working hard to  plan a transition programme to support children joining us in September. This is going to look very different from previous years. More information will be going out to Year 6 parents later this week.

Sixth Form Induction

We have had a high number of applications for our Sixth Form for September. Induction and transition work will be posted out to students later this week. Any enquiries regarding Sixth Form should be directed towards Mr Boughton our Director of Sixth Form.

Building Project

The exciting building project planned for Easter 2021 continues to take shape. This will be some significant improvement to schools buildings. Plans will be shared with parents and other stakeholders in the autumn.

Recruitment

We continue to be active in the recruitment market to ensure we are fully staffed for September. This week we are interviewing for a Teacher of English to cover a maternity leave. Next week we will be advertising for Learning Support Assistants to join our fantastic SEND team.

Annual Reports

The government has issued guidance to schools to confirm that annual reports should still be produced for students. These will be written this half term and will report on the progress your child made up to and including 20th March. We will not be commenting on any work completed during lock down because we understand that inequalities exist for our students when it comes to online access and other challenges associated with distance learning.

INSET DAY

Please note that Friday 26th June is a pre-planned training day in the school calendar. There will be no provision in school, or work set on that Friday. This is to enable staff to ensure important preparation work for September is completed.

Summer Holidays

There are no plans at this present time for school to remain open over the summer holidays. The situation is changing constantly and we will keep parents updated with any changes. At present, school is due to close for the summer on Friday 17th July.

Wishing you all a great week ahead.

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

22/05/2020

Dear Parents,

Today is a bit of a strange day for us in school because it’s the day we would normally celebrate the end of Year 11 and Year 13 with students and parents. The exam season would be in full flow, with exams coming thick and fast and the summer ball would only be a few weeks away. The rest of the school would be buzzing with summer enrichment activities and sporting fixtures and we would be out and about meeting Year 6 Teachers as part of our transition programme. Given the current situation with COVID-19, it’s been a more sombre last day of the half term. We are absolutely determined that we will mark these important events for students when we finally return to some sense of normality.

Update on the wider reopening of school to Y10 and Y12 students

This week we were expecting secondary school guidance from the government to support the wider reopening of school from 1st June. This guidance was expected last Monday but has not yet been published. We are very frustrated because we are unable to advance with any wider reopening of school for students in Y10 or Y12 until we have received this guidance on how to do this safely. Yesterday, the governing body met to discuss the current situation and have decided that the school will not reopen to a wider number of students on 1st June. Please see the attached letter from Fr Paul Jones our Chair of Governors. The very earliest that school will now reopen to a wider number of students in Y10 and Y12 is the 8th June. While we want nothing more than to welcome back our students, we’ll only do this when it is safe for our students and staff. We’ll update parents and students when we return to school after the half term break.

Parent Surveys

Thanks to all Y10 and Y12 parents who completed the survey to indicate whether you would be comfortable sending your child back to school. If you haven’t yet completed this please do. Our governors want to know how our families are feeling about a return to school. Thanks also to those parents who have completed the consultation survey on the timings of the school day. You have until 12th June to complete this survey.

Controlling the virus

While most of us are enjoying the slight relaxation of lock-down measures, it’s important to note we are not out of the, woods yet! The warmer weather is making it very tempting to be outdoors and meet up with others. Local leaders are growing increasingly concerned about groups of young people meeting up in play parks and outdoor gyms, which is not permitted. We still need to limit contact with others and stay alert to the dangers of this virus.

Finally, yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. This is the day that Christians remember Jesus’ ascension back to heaven. For the first Apostles, it must have been hard to accept that Jesus had left them. In the current climate some of us might be asking where God is in all of this? In our staff prayers today, Fr Mark Skelton reminded us of Jesus’ last words before he left his disciples, physically for the last time – “I am with you always, yes, until the end of time.” As a Christian community we trust that God is at work through this current pandemic and we know that when God is at work, something more wonderful and deeper emerges.

Have a good half term and we’ll back again with another update on 1st June.

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

Letter from FGB – Reopening of schools

18/05/2020

Dear Parents,
Welcome to another Monday update. I hope the weekend was a good one for you and your family. The beautiful weather has resulted in a few more red faces in school today!
Update on the phased reopening of schools from 1st June
Last week, school leaders spent the week digesting all the updates from the Government regarding the wider reopening of schools from 1st June. We are expecting more updates this week, which will give further clarity to the questions we all have. We are going to be working to tight deadlines to put firm plans in place. We are aware of the strength of national concerns from parents, unions and the General Medical Council about whether it is the right time for children in England to be returning to school. Let’s hope we get more clarity and direction this week.
Secondary schools have been asked by the Government to provided some face to face support for students in Year 10 and 12 before the summer holidays to support remote learning. We will be working closely with parents of students in Year 10 and Year 12 this week to keep them updated. As remote learning will be continuing for all students after half term, we’ll give more details about how this will continue to work in my Friday update.
Encyclopedia Britannica 
 
We now have access to Britannica for our students until 1st September. They have an extensive platform of articles, videos and other features. It is divided into foundation, intermediate and advanced to select the right level of reading. It has a read aloud feature and articles can be translated into other languages. The site is user friendly and content is updated regularly to make sure it is accurate and balanced. Any recommended sites are checked for educational value.

To access go to www.school.eb.co.uk (Username: stcm / Password: access)

I attached a parent/ student guide for your information

Free School Meals

Food boxes continue to be available for collection from 9:30am – 10:30am and 2:30pm – 3:30pm on Tuesday 19th May. Please ensure you respect the social distancing protocol in place when collecting your food boxes.

Consultation on the timings of the school day

The governing body and senior leaders are reviewing the timings of the school day and would welcome feedback from parents and students. A copy of the consultation document is attached to this email. The link to the survey can be found at the bottom of the document or below:

 Please can you complete your feedback by 10am on 12th June.

Wishing you a safe and healthy week ahead.

Best wishes,

Mr Down

Headteacher

Britannica Guide

School Day Timings Consultation Document

11/05/2020

Dear Parents,
I hope you had a good Bank Holiday weekend and safely enjoyed the sunshine.
Last night, like many across the UK you were probably sat waiting for some clear guidance from the Government on how restrictions would start to ease over the coming months and what this meant for your children and when they will return to school. Unfortunately, the general consensus seems to be that there is now even more confusion and even more questions that need to be answered. Later today, we understand that the Prime Minister will be giving more detail to Parliament and that schools will receive further guidance on what the announcement means for them. Once this information has come through we will digest the key messages and update you on or position as a school.
At the time of writing, the school remains closed to all students with the exception of the children of key workers or those vulnerable children. If you are a key worker, or your child is vulnerable and you are not able to safely look after them at home, then please contact Mr Chadwick email: [email protected] This provision should only be used as a last resort. A limited menu of school meals are available each day, should students not wish to bring a packed lunch to school. Those students who are in school and eligible for FSM can access their FSM as normal. Please can you ensure that your child’s Parent Pay account is topped up if they wish to purchase any food in school from Monday 18th May.
Tomorrow, food parcels will once again be available for collection. The weekly times for collection are:  9:30 – 10:30 and 2:30 – 3:30. Please follow the instructions of staff when you come on site. This is for your own safety and the safety of others. Last week eligible parents should have received an eCode from Edenred to cover the 3 weeks up to the 24th May. Further details about when the next eCode will be sent will be advised in due course. Should you have any questions regarding food parcels then please contact Heidi our Catering Manager. Questions regarding e-codes should be sent to the school Admin e-mail address.
Finally, the harsh reality is that coronavirus hasn’t gone away! People still continue to spread and contract this potentially life threatening virus. How we all act and behave in the coming weeks and months will really determine how long we have to live like this. While there have been some very small steps towards a relaxation of lock down, we know the best advice is still to stay at home as much as you can, protect the NHS and by doing so you will be saving lives.
Have a good week.
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

07/05/2020

Dear Parents,
Welcome to the end of the week update.
At the moment we find ourselves in a strange kind of no-man’s-land, with swirling speculation about whether and when schools and colleges will open, with briefings and counter-briefings. We are hoping and expecting a clear announcement from the Prime Minister on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the emails of thanks keep coming and they certainly help to keep staff going during these uncertain times. The average week for teachers involves providing resources of their own, signposting other resources – such as Oak National Academy and BBC Bitesize, staying in touch with students, delivering food parcels and undertaking the detailed, onerous work that underpins centre-assessed grading. In addition to this, they are also looking after their own children and home schooling. They certainly aren’t sat at home with their feet up as some reports in the media might suggest! I want to thank you all for your continued support for the work school staff are doing.
Finally, “The best way out is always through,” wrote the poet, Robert Frost. And that’s where we find ourselves, pushing on through, looking forward to the day when we surface into a more recognisable form of normal.
We’ll leave you in peace now until Monday, Try to get some time off and enjoy the sun!
Best wishes,
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

04/05/2020

Dear Parents,
Today is the Feast of the English Martyrs. On 4th May 1535, at Tyburn in London, there died three Carthusain monks, the first of the English martyrs of the English Reformation. The persecution of Catholic Christians lasted a hundred and fifty years and left a permanent mark on English culture. The martyrs celebrated today came from every walk of life but all are remembered for the example they gave of constancy in their faith and courage in the face of persecution. From 2001, the forty martyrs of England and Wales who were canonised on 25th October 1970 are also celebrated today. These Saints include our own patron, St Cuthbert Mayne. Today, Christians throughout the world continue to face persecution and even death for professing their faith in Jesus Christ. Let our school and all that it stands for, be a beacon of hope for the world.
On a lighter note – May the fourth be with you! Yes, it’s also international Star Wars Day today!
Updates
  • There has been lots of speculation in the media about when schools will reopen. We are expecting further announcements on this later in the week. We will make sure we keep parents updated at all times.
  • At this current time school remains closed until further notice. We are operating on a skeleton staff to ensure we protect our staff and students from COVID-19. The safest place for children is to stay at home (if it is safe for them to remain at home). We continue to make provision for the children of key workers and vulnerable children. If you are a key worker or you have a vulnerable child and need to access the provision as a last resort then please contact Mr Chadwick, who will be happy to assist.
  • This week school will be closed on Friday due to the Bank Holiday. There will be no provision for the children of key workers or vulnerable children on that day. Mr Chadwick has been in contact with all families to make them aware of this. We are making arrangements for the summer half term provision. Mr Chadwick will be in contact to confirm arrangements. Please note that there will be no provision on Monday 25th May due to this being another Bank Holiday.
  • Students should now be in the routine of working from home. Tutors will continue to make weekly contact. Please do let your child’s tutor know if you need any support. Thank you for all you are doing to keep your children learning at home as well as juggling your day job. Most of our staff are in the same position as you, trying to juggle the demands of school and look after their own families. There have been a few snorts in the media about teachers being sat at home with their feet up. Please be assured this is not the case with staff at STCM!
  • Food parcels are available for collection on Tuesday. These will be ready for collection at the normal times of – 9:30am – 10:30am and 2:30pm – 3:30pm. If you are not able to get to school because you need to self isolate then please let our catering manager, Heidi know. Deliveries can be arranged in exceptional circumstances.
  • Heads of Year will be contacting parents later today to give further updates on the situation with school trips.
  • CAMHS support during Covid-19 pandemic update.  Additional crisis support is being offered during the pandemic.  If a child or young person (under 18) is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can now access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) 24/7.  Please contact 03300 245 321 form 8am-5pm, Mon to Fri or 0300 555 5000 outside these hours.  Callers will speak to a call-handler, their call will be forwarded to a voicemail service and their message will be returned within one hour.  There are three CAMHS crisis teams – Torbay and South Devon; Exeter, East and Mid Devon; and North Devon.  Your call will be directed to the appropriate team. In the event of an emergency please call 999.General information about CAMHS services and referrals can be found on the Children and Family Health Devon website hereA list of helpful resources, apps and organisations to support children, families and young people can be found here
Finally, it might look like we are starting to see some flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. but the Government’s advice remains firmly in place. Stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives. As a country we have come so far!
Have a great week.
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

01/05/2020

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the end of another week of school in these strange times. I hope you and your family are all well and staying safe?

As I predicted on Monday, it’s been another busy week here in school. We had three days of online interviews, which is a becoming the new recruitment norm! We had a number of outstanding candidates who were interviewed for each of the posts. I am pleased to confirm the following appointments:

  • Mr Jukes – Head of English
  • Miss Smith – Art Technician
  • Mrs Bristow – Head of Year 7& Teacher of Science

These staff will take up their posts on 1st September 2020 and will be fantastic additions to our team.

This week, the first round of e-Codes were issued by Edenred to those families who selected to receive their Free School Meals allowance this way. We are pleased to report that the e-Codes were issued on time and families have started to redeem these into e-Vouchers. The next batch of e-Codes will be issued to eligible families again next week. This time families will receive a 3 week allocation of e-Codes. Those families who opted to receiving Food Parcels will continue to receive these again next week.

Collections can be made on Tuesday at the following times:

  • 9:30 – 10:30 – All Year Groups
  • 2:30 – 3:30 – All Year Groups

Deliveries will be made to those who are unable to leave their homes and have let Heidi our Catering Manager know.

Heads of Year are still working hard to try and secure a full refund for any school trips, or find an alternative solution such a deferring departure dates until 2021, so that parents are not left out of pocket. The school is being supported by Torbay Legal Services to recover any monies paid and achieve the best possible outcome for parents and students. Heads of Year will be sending out regular updates next week.

We had a very positive meeting with the TDA, LA and Diocesan partners this week, to discuss a building programme for St Cuthbert Mayne. Exciting plans to significantly improve our school buildings are being drawn up. These will formally be shared with parents in the autumn term. Building works will not start until Easter 2021at the earliest.

Today, staff and governors were thrilled to be joined by David Wells for our Friday prayers. David is a catechist and author who speaks regularly throughout the world. David shared a really insightful reflection on the current COVID-19 situation. This time of lock down has given us the time reflect and to recognise the things that are really important in our lives. David challenged us to think about our hopes for the type of world we want when we finally resurface, which we will!

I want to finish my email this week by posing the same challenging questions to you… What type of world do you want to find when we resurface? What are your hopes for that world? What things are you hoping will be left behind in the time before lockdown?

Have a restful weekend, stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.

Best wishes,

Mr J. Down

Headteacher

Show April 2020 Messages

30/04/2020

Free School Meals – Edenred UK Vouchers
Parents should now have received their first eCodes by e-mail from Edenred UK.  The school has placed a further order for future weeks and an e-mail from Edenred UK should be received by parents next week. This timescale is, however, determined by Edenred UK and is outside the control of the school.

 

If you have any queries regarding the eCode/eVoucher system, please visit the following FAQ pages direct from the Edenred UK website:

https://www.edenred.co.uk/…/DfE_FreeSchoolMeals_ParentCarer…

https://www.edenred.co.uk/reward…/Free-School-Meal-Vouchers/

If you are still unable to resolve your issue, please let us know and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.

27/04/2020

Dear Parents,

Welcome to week 4 of home schooling.  I’m not sure how you’re feeling but it seems a lot longer than 4 weeks!
Last week was a really busy week, and this week looks like it will be too.  At school we have three days of online interviews taking place for posts we are recruiting to for September.  We also have a number of vacancies being advertised in the next few weeks for various teaching and non-teaching roles. If over the past few weeks you’ve got the taste for teaching and working with young people then please keep an eye on Devon Jobs and the Times Educational Supplement online.  Vacancies have arisen as a result of the school expanding due to the rise in student numbers, we only have 3 spaces now in Year 7 for September 2020!  There is also a meeting with the LA tomorrow to discuss potential building and school improvement works. There are exciting times ahead at STCM!
The topic of online learning and the expectations of home schooling was raised by parents in their communications with school last week.  We received feedback from both ends of the spectrum, with some reporting there was too much work and others saying there wasn’t enough.  It’s important to remember that teaching of the National Curriculum and examination programmes of study has been suspended by the Government.  We want children to engage in learning at home, but recognise that the amount of work each student will complete will be different due to their personal circumstances.  If your child can not complete all the work set they should not get stressed or anxious about this. You can find guidance from the EEF in my email from last Friday, and also on our school website in order to support learning at home.
I also promised in my e-mail on Friday that we would be giving an update on school trips this week.  I can confirm that this Wednesday a letter will be sent out to families who have booked school trips.
This week families eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) will be receiving an e-voucher if they requested this.  Those who requested food parcels will continue to receive the parcels.  Parents will not be able to change their preferences from here on in as we have ordered food supplies accordingly.  Families who requested an e-voucher should note that any delay in issuing e-vouchers is not down to the school and therefore they are asked to follow this up with Edenred, who administer the e-voucher system.  For more information, or if you haven’t received an e-voucher by Thursday please visit www.edenred.co.uk .
Food parcels can be collected tomorrow, the collection times are listed below:
  • 9:30 – 10:30 – All Year Groups
  • 2:30 – 3:30 – All Year Groups
This week we are launching our STCM Rainbow Devotions for each day of the week.  The Rainbow in the Christian community is a symbol of hope and at such a time of need many of us have displayed it in our windows to be reminded of that hope.  This hope is personified by our key and critical workers and all those who are keeping our country functioning.  You are welcome to join us daily through Facebook or via the school website.
Finally, the government rules to keep us all safe remain firmly in place.  We know its hard to stay at home but we’ve come so far together already.  Let’s stick to the fight against this horrible virus, we will only beat this if we stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.
Have a good week, stay safe and I’ll speak to you all again on Friday.
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

24/04/2020

Dear Parents,
Welcome to your Friday update.
I hope the week has been a good one for you and that you are all safe and well.
It has been another busy week here in school.  The government continue to release updates overnight and it is becoming a full time job just trying to digest the latest information!
This week school leaders across Torbay and South Devon took part in a conference call with the Department for Education, Public Health England, Regional Schools Commissioners Office, and the Local Authority.  We were told that the latest COVID-19 situation in Torbay is positive and that services are coping well.  This is down to everybody playing their part by staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives.  Although the picture seems positive, this does not mean we should be complacent, and the strict social distancing measures remain fully in place.  Torbay Park Rangers have reported that some groups of young people continue to gather in parks and public places.  This is disappointing to hear because it compromises the safety of us all, undoes the good work we have done so far, and delays any return to normality.
Please know that school trips remain a high priority for us. We are continuing to work with tour operators and insurance companies to try and find a solution that does not leave parents out of pocket.  This is not easy but the school is working hard and doing all it can on behalf of our parents.  We had hoped to have more information for you this week, but unfortunately we are still working with legal services on this.  I’m sorry for the delay, if it was more straightforward we would have the answers for you.  Thank you for your patience while we try and resolve this.
This week our team of staff and volunteers have packed another 200 plus food parcels and delivered over 50 of these to families.  I continue to be blown away by the hard work and determination of the staff and volunteers here in school, we should all be really proud of them.  I know families have appreciated their work and thank you for the lovely emails we have received in recognition of this.
From next Monday (27th April) Free School Meal voucher E-codes will be issued to all eligible families who have not opted to continue to receive food parcels.  These national vouchers are issued directly by an external provider (Edenred UK) and will be sent directly to parents anytime up to and including Thursday 30th April.  In this connection please do also check your mailbox regularly, including the junk box.  It will not be possible for families to alter their decisions now as the school will only order the amount of food required in order to avoid any waste.  We are aware that some family situations are changing, and as a consequence more families might qualify for Free School Meals (FSM).  If this is the case please complete and submit the FSM form, which can be found on our school website.  The LA have stated that they will process these as a priority, however in the interim support is available for families via the Torbay Food Alliance.  Please visit www.torbayfoodalliance.org or call them on 01803 446022.
Over the last two weeks we have been sending out work for students, which should enable them to continue with their learning for the half term ahead.  To supplement this there is also project based work that we have set for students, and there are resources available through BBC Bitesize, which is available online and via ‘the red button’.  We want to stress the point that your children are not in school so we do not expect students to get through the usual amounts of work!  The Education Endowment Fund have produced a great resources to help families maintain a healthy work life balance, please click on the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=MO9SDGRgi3c&feature=emb_logo

Next week we will be piloting virtual lessons through Google Meet.  Year 12 families should have received an message via schoolcomms about this today.
We are hearing amazing stories of home schooling and the lengths parents are going to support their children while juggling their own jobs and looking after the family.  We are aware that this brings it’s own pressures and challenges.  Is having to spend more time at home because of the current crisis causing you anxiety or distress? This could be for any number of reasons.  One might be because spending lots of time together just creates extra tension within families, but it will have more impact on you and your children if this extra tension is caused by domestic abuse at home.  You might think that domestic abuse is something that happens to other people, but if someone is controlling your mind or finances, hurting your body, or threatening to hurt the people you love then that is ‘domestic abuse’.  Services are still available to offer advice, help and support during the current situation and you can access a 24/7 web chat facility with Victim Support via the Victim Care Unit website https://victimcaredevonandcornwall.org.uk/ If you, or someone you know, is living with domestic abuse it is not OK.  Always contact the police on 999 if you believe you are in immediate danger.  Information and advice can also be found on the Are You OK website together with a directory of services and some useful toolkits.
We have been asked to remind parents that NHS services are still available should your child feel unwell.  Parents should not risk the health and safety of their children by worrying about the Coronavirus. If your child is unwell and you would normally contact your GP surgery, then please continue to do so.  If your child needs to access A&E then you should continue to access this NHS service.
Finally……Earth Day was this week.  I can’t help but think that nature is reminding us all of who is really in charge here!  The Himalayas have even been seen in some parts of India for the first time in 30 years, and levels of pollution across the planet are dropping.  I hope that when we eventually resurface from these unprecedented times, we will look at the world through a different lens and value the things that we’ve now realised are more important than ever.
Thank you for your continued support, have a great weekend.
Mr J.Down
Headteacher

20/04/2020

Dear Parents,
Welcome to week 2 of the Summer Term!
Normally we would be in the full swing of revision for summer exams and the school would be a hive of activity. Instead we are only open for a small number of children. These are the children of  critical workers and those children who are vulnerable. Thank you for following the Governments advice by staying at home and stopping the spread of this horrible virus. We know it’s really hard especially when the weather in so nice. By following the rules we continue to do our bit to protect the NHS and save lives.
On Sunday, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson shared two new initiatives to support families and schools across the UK. You can read the full press release by clicking on the link below:
We welcome any initiative to support our students and families but quite often headline announcements are made with very little practical detail. School staff will be investigating this week and we’ll share more details with you in my Friday update.
Today we see the launch of the new BBC Bite size Learning platform. This can be accessed online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize or via the Red Button on your TV.  Students should continue access the learning set by school via Google Classroom or the PiXL mats and use additional learning resources where necessary.
Free School Meals – Thank you to parents who competed our FSM survey via the link sent last week. Over 150 returns were submitted which was fantastic. Our final Food Parcels will be available for collection tomorrow. We would like to say a HUGE thank you to the congregation at Riviera Life Church, who donated over 150 Easter Eggs, which went out in our Food Parcels last week. I know that these were really well received.
Collection Times:
  • Year 7 & 8  collection from 10am – 11am
  • Year 9 & 10 collection from 11:30am – 12:30am
  • Year 11, 12 & 13 collection from 2:30pm – 3:30pm
  • An additional collection time is available on Wednesday from 9:15am – 10:15am.
Those who are self isolating or are unable to leave the house should let Heidi our Catering Manager know so deliveries can be arranged. From next week those who have stated they would prefer an E-Voucher will get these. If you haven’t given us your e-mail address then you won’t receive these. Those who indicated they would prefer to receive a Food Parcel will continue to receive these. Parents will not be able to chop and change as we will order supplies accordingly and do not want to waste any food.
We are aware that some family situations are changing and you might now qualify for FSM. If this is the case you should complete and submit the FSM form on our website. The LA have stated they will process this as a priority. In the interim support is available for families via the Torbay Food Alliance. You can visit www.torbayfoodalliance.org or ring them on 01803 446022.
We would like to thank all families who are keeping in contact and sharing the work they are doing at home. It’s great to see what our students are learning at home. Please keep sharing!
We should have a clearer picture on Friday regarding school trips. I’ll include an update on this in my Friday e-mail.
As always, the latest updates can be found on a daily basis on our school website, Face Book page, Instagram account and Twitter account. Please do look here before contacting our admin team.
Have a good week.
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

17/04/2020

Dear Parents,
Welcome to my final e-mail of the week. I hope this has been a good week for you? It has been hard for some I know to get back into the rhythm and routine of this new way of working especially if you are juggling child care or caring for a loved one. I had to remind myself on the drive in this morning that we have only really been closed to most children for 9 school days but it feels like a lifetime! We know how hard is is for all of our students but we want you to know we are in this together.
This week, our aim was to get up and running after the deep clean and ensure we touch base with families, get learning resources prepared and shared and make sure that those families who needed food got it. We have provided PiXL work booklets for students who are unable to access our digital offer. There are two booklets, one for Key Stage 3 (years 7 & 8) and one for Key Stage 4 (years 9-11). These booklets provide tasks based on essential skills for both Key Stages regardless of which year the student is in. This week we prepared over 160 food parcels and delivered over 50 of these to families who are self isolating or who can’t get out. I am really proud of all the staff and volunteers who have undertaken this work this week. I know the lengths they’ve gone to in supporting some families and that this has brought some of you to tears. Thank you for all the lovely e-mails we’ve been receiving from parents and all the posts your’re making on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They are helping to keep us going in these strange times. It’s at times like this that you really see what’s important and the character of people.
All the latest information advice and guidance is on the website. This is updated daily. PLEASE, PLEASE look here first before contacting school as most of the answers are on the website. As you can appreciate we are experiencing a high level of enquiries, many of which are answered on the website. Please ensure we have up to date contacts for you so we can keep in contact. Our staff are contacting home at least once a week so please ensure they can reach you.
Thank you to those parents who completed the FSM survey to indicate your preference. Some still need to make their choices so please access the survey over the weekend. Based on the feedback from parents we have decided that from Monday the 27th April we will issuing e-vouchers to those who have stated that they would prefer this option. Next week we will prepare our final food parcels for all families. Those who stated that they wanted  a Food Parcel will continue to receive this from Monday 27th April. Families will not be able to chop and change because we will only order the food we need to avoid any waste.
Next week food parcels will be available for collection on Tuesday (Not Monday!) at the following times:
  • Year 7&8 from  10am – 11am
  • Year 9&10  from 11:30am – 12:30pm
  • Year 11, 12 & 13 from 2:30pm – 3:30pm
There will be an additional collection time from 9:15am – 10:15am on Wednesday 22nd April. Please contact Heidi our Catering Manager if you have any questions.
You will have seen last night that the Government has extended the lock down measures for at least another three weeks. School will remain closed until further notice and the advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives remains fully in place.  Mr Chadwick and Mrs Wills have been coordinating the provision for the children of key workers and those children who are vulnerable. This provision is only available as a last resort but please make contact if you are a key worker or your child is in the vulnerable category and need our assistance.
For now, I just want to finish by wishing you as normal a weekend as possible.
Best wishes and stay safe.
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

16/04/2020

Dear Parents,
 
The Government national food e-voucher is now available for families eligible for FSM. We would like to know your preference. Please can you complete the survey below by 12pm tomorrow.
 
 
Many thanks
 
STCM

16/04/2020

He’s done it! Captain Tom Moore, a 99-year-old war veteran who is walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday to raise money for the NHS, has completed his challenge! He has raised more than £12m for the health service.

15/04/2020

Dear Parents & Students,
 
These are unprecedented times and I am sorry that the school year will not end for you in the way that we all anticipated. When the Government announced that school would close on the 20th March until further notice, this brought the school year to an abrupt end. I want to reassure you that we will formally mark the end of the school year when things return to normal. We don’t know when that will be but we will do this! There will be an opportunity for you to say goodbye to friends and teachers, sign books and shirts and do all the things you will have wanted to do. 
 
Examination Grades 
 
Over the Easter holiday, Ofqual published information to schools about how your grades will be calculated this summer. We have shared this via our Website and Social Media Channels. You can access this information directly by clicking on the link below:
 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/how-gcses-as-a-levels-will-be-awarded-in-summer-2020
Ofqual sets out details for schools, colleges, students, parents & carers on how GCSEs and A levels will be awarded following the cancellation of this year’s exams.
www.gov.uk

 

 
Attached to this e-mail is a letter to students from Sally Collier the Chief Regulator at Ofqual. 
 
School staff will now be working hard within these guidelines to submit data to the regulator when this is requested. 
 
Expectations of students in Year 11 and 13
 
This week, we have had a number of e-mails from parents requesting guidance about what their children should be doing at home. We know there might have been some mixed messages coming out from school while it was unclear how the regulator was going to determine grades. We now have a clearer steer so can advise accordingly. We will not be setting any new work related to the courses students were due to be examined in this summer. Students will not be asked to complete additional mock exams or home work for the purposes of determining assessment grades. No students will be disadvantaged if they were unable to complete any work after school was closed by the Government. Where additional work has been completed after the school was closed on 20th March, we will exercise caution where that evidence suggest a change in performance. In many cases this is likely to reflect the circumstances and context in which the work is done.
 
Work for Year 11 students
 
This week, subjects will be starting to upload post-16 preparation work into a new Google Classroom and codes will be shared with students and available on our website for students to join. Students should select 4 subjects to work on this term. They should select the subjects they are interested in studying post-16. The subjects available will be those on offer in our Sixth Form from September 2020. In addition to subject work, Mr Iskander has posted in the Year 11 Google Classroom a ‘100 tasks for well-being’. Students should complete as many of these 100 tasks as they can.
 
Work for Year 13 students
 
Mr Boughton will post in the Year 13 Google Classroom, some guidance around accessing reading lists for those preparing to head off to university at the end of the Summer and student finance and accommodation application forms should also be completed.  Those students intending to head straight into employment and apprenticeships should be completing application forms for vacancies that are being advertised now.  Year 13 students  might also like to consider volunteering locally, which is a great way to make a small difference and to build your employability skills.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Mr J. Down
 
Headteacher
 

14/04/2020

Dear Parents,
The start of the summer term is not the one we were all anticipating!
The strict lock down rules are still in place which means that school remains closed until further notice. We will continue to support the children of critical workers and those children who are vulnerable during this time. This provision should only be accessed as a last resort because the safest place for children to be is at home. We will be contacting those families who may need to access this provision so we have an idea of numbers. As a country we are all being asked to do our bit by staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives. I know that many students and parents will be finding these times very challenging but we are all in this together and will get through this. At the time of writing we have not been any indication as to when school will reopen. There has been lots of speculation about schools opening shortly. We do not believe this to be the case. We are making plans this week to ensure that learning resources are available for students until at least the May half term, which is six weeks away. We know that many parents will have to juggle working from home with keeping their children engaged in some form of learning. Thank you for the work you are doing.
This term we are changing the way we are setting work for students in Years 7 & 8. These students will have challenges set for each of their subjects. These will be posted into the Google Classrooms. Students should track their progress through the tasks and their teacher will check too. There is more than enough work to keep students learning. For students in Year 9, 10 and 12, work will continue to be posted on Google Classroom in the same way as before. Where families have no access to the internet a hard copy of the work will be made available. Please let our admin team know if this applies to you so we can make arrangements for this to be collected or delivered.
Today our Ready Steady STCM Food Boxes are being collected by families. These are available for those families eligible for Free School Meals. If you are not able to collect your box today then these will be available for collection tomorrow morning from 8am – 9am. If you are having to self isolate and can’t collect your box then please let Heidi our Catering Manager know. We will do our best to support where we can. This week we will be asking for feedback on how the Food Boxes are working for families.
There are a number of parents who are rightly asking questions about school trips. We are taking advice from Government, Tour Operators and Insurance companies about the current situation. We will inform parents as soon as we have a clear steer. We hope that this will be by the end of the week.
Over the Easter holiday, Ofqual published information about how grades will be awarded for students who were due to sit exams this summer. For more information please see the link below:
As always, we will be posting daily updates on our school website and social media channels. Please do visit these before contacting our Admin team as most information is available here.
Finally,  The Easter message of Jesus’ resurrection and victory over death has never seemed more important than it is today. Many of us will have drawn strength from our faith over these difficult times. Let us rejoice during these times at the news that Christ is Risen!
Have a good week and stay safe.
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

13/04/2020

Dear Parents,
Happy Easter – Christ is Risen!
We hope you all had a good Easter? We know it was a very different Easter than we usually enjoy. The glorious weather made following the strict Government rules on social distancing much harder but well done for staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives.
Tomorrow, school remains closed to students but there will be a skeleton staff team in school to supervise the children of key/critical workers and those vulnerable students. This provision is as a last resort if other arrangements can’t be made. Students of key/critical workers and those vulnerable students should arrive at 8:40am and will depart at 3:20pm. Staff will be on the gate to welcome them. They should wear full school uniform to give a sense of normality but should bring some trainers for a sport activity.
Those families eligible for FSM are able to collect our Ready Steady STCM food boxes tomorrow. These were really well received by over 150 families.
Collection Times
  • Year 7 & 8  collection from 10am – 11am
  • Year 9 & 10 collection from 11:30am – 12:30am
  • Year 11, 12 & 13 collection from 2pm – 3pm
Over the Easter holidays the Government released details of the national FSM voucher scheme, which we will be evaluating this week. Early reports from schools nationally indicate that families across the country have struggled to access these national vouchers because the national system is struggling to cope. We will decide by the end of this week how to proceed and will be emailing families for feedback.
To reduce the number of emails parents receive, the Headteacher will now only send an update on Monday and Friday each week. The school website, FaceBook, Instagram and Twitter accounts will continue to be updated on a daily basis and should be your first port of call for information.
We thank you for your continued support.
STCM

02/04/2020

Stay at Home

Protect our NHS

Save Lives

We know how hard it is to stay at home during these times. We are all missing seeing our friends and family. By staying at home and following the rules you are doing your bit to keep us all safe. Sleepovers and meet ups in the park are not essential. There are lots of other ways to keep in contact with your friends!
Stay safe

Show March 2020 Messages

27/03/2020

Dear Parents,
We’ve made it to the end of the strangest week I’ve ever known!
Here is my last update before I leave you in peace to enjoy the Easter holiday, unless something urgent happens that I need to communicate to you. I know it’s going to be hard to switch off but please do try to escape the real world for a bit! It’s important that you have a break both physically and mentally because these have been the most testing of times.
I hope you joined in the ‘Clap for Carers’ last night at 8pm. There was a great sense of community, which I hope will make us stronger going forward. Tonight, Pope Francis will lead an extraordinary Urbi et Orbi at 5pm. The broadcast will be live from St Peter’s in Rome at 5pm. Please join in if you can.
As you know we have a number of staff in school at the moment who are critical to the day to day operation of the school. It is important that we keep the school running as we are part of the critical COVID-19 response. I’d like to thank all staff who have been on the front line here in school this week. Next week we remain open for those children who are vulnerable and those children whose parents are critical workers. This is only in an emergency and as a last resort if other provision can’t be found. Our staff have been in contact with all eligible families this week to confirm uptake. Students do not need to wear school uniform to the Easter provision but should be dressed to get active and be outdoors!
Next week, all the attention will shift to the issue of grading as Ofqual shares its approach to ensuring fairness in GCSE, A-Level and vocational qualifications. It will be a chance for us to reaffirm our expertise in assessing our students. We have had lots of questions about work being set for Y11 and Y13 students and if there is anything that needs to be done. The advice we have been given is to wait for the guidance to be published and don’t panic!
After Easter, school will remain closed to all children with the exception of those who are vulnerable and those whose parents are critical workers. Again, this is only as a last resort and if alternative provision can’t be made. Children attending will need to wear full school uniform to try and keep some sense of normality.
Our Ready Steady STCM boxes will be available again after Easter for students eligible for Free School Meals. Please bring a bag to box to transport your food parcel.
Collections slots are as follows:
  • Year 7 & 8  collection from 10am – 11am
  • Year 9 & 10 collection from 11:30am – 12:30am
  • Year 11, 12 & 13 collection from 2pm – 3pm
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COLLECTION IS YOUR TRIP OUT TO GET ESSENTIAL FOOD IN LINE WITH STRICTER SOCIAL DISTANCING PROTOCOL.
 
After Easter, we will begin to provide more learning resources to support your child with their learning at home. We would like to thank all parents for the work they have done to support their children’s learning at home.
Finally, In the chaos of the last few weeks you can be forgiven if you’ve forgotten we are about to celebrate the most important of Christian festivals – Easter.
I hope you get the chance to unwind over the holiday and may the peace of the risen Christ be with you all this Easter.
Stay safe!
Mr J. Down​
Headteacher

26/03/2020

URGENT MESSAGE FROM:

Counter Fraud and Investigations – Torbay Council

Please take note of this important information.

 

We have been alerted by the DFE that some parents have received an email stating :

‘As schools will be closing, if you’re entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we’ll make sure you’re supported’.

This is a scam email – do not respond, and delete immediately.

26/03/2020

Dear Parents,
Without wanting to sound like a broken record we would like to thank those parents who only sent their children into school today only as a last resort.
Today I was out on the yards at lunch time with the small number of students we’ve had in school. The beautiful weather is making it a surreal time – knowing there is a major health crisis intensifying around us, and yet the air never having felt fresher, nor the school and Teignmouth Road quieter. I hope that you are all getting out for you daily exercise session while adhering to the more stringent social distancing guidance.
In the coming days we are expecting the DfE to provide some more Q&A guidance to answer the big questions we all have.  Most of your questions now are around what GCSE and A Level grades will look like . Ofqual’s guidance will be published next week. There is an opportunity to re-emphasise to policymakers the we – the teaching profession – are the experts in assessment and have a myriad of information about our children already. Data can be something done by us, rather than to us!
My thoughts today have been very much focused on parents who are home schooling their children for the unforeseeable future. We know you will be doing an absolutely fantastic job but don’t forget to spend some time enjoying this opportunity with your child.  We will continue to keep our students and their families in our prayers.
Today we have confirmed our strategy for checking what work students are doing at home. This will start straight after Easter. Your child’s Tutor will be calling home to see how things are going.
Tonight, at 8pm I will be on my doorstep (While adhering to strict social distancing) clapping for NHS staff. Today we donated all our science goggles/glasses to the NHS because they haven’t got the equipment they need to look after us all. This is unacceptable so please raise this with your MP! While NHS staff and other critical workers absolutely deserve our thanks for the amazing work they are doing, I will also be clapping for all of you who are keeping things going at home.
Tomorrow in my final e-mail before the Easter holiday, I will be confirming the plans for Easter provision for vulnerable children and those children whose parents are critical workers. I will also share the arrangements for FSM parcels after Easter and the new work that will be coming home for students to complete from 14th April.
Have a great evening and stay safe.
Mr J. Down
Headteacher

25/03/2020

Dear Parents,

Wednesday was originally the day of woe. I hope that at this midpoint in the week yours is proving rather more optimistic and manageable!

As the week in progressing more of us are finding a new rhythm and routine to our daily lives. Thank you to all parents for the work you are doing at home to support your children’s learning while they are away from school. We have really enjoyed seeing the photos you have sent us so keep on sending those in. We have been blown away by the number of messages of support and appreciation we have received from parents and these have helped to keep us going. Today, school staff held a community prayer session via Google Meet. We joined with the Holy Father Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Christians across the globe at 11am to say the Lords Prayer and ask for the Father’s healing in the world.

Only a small number of students have attended school this week, which has meant that more of our staff are able to stay at home and keep safe. We will remain here to look after vulnerable children and those whose parents are critical workers. This provision is only available as a last resort. We have contacted these families today to plan for Easter childcare if needed. Thank you to those who have responded.

We have been getting a number of enquiries through requesting the delivery of school work. All of our resources are online and are accessed via Google Classroom. We have sent home work to those families that requested it earlier in the week because their children were absent last week or do not have internet access. Due to the new restrictions in place limiting travel we are not able to deliver any further work to families. If your child has damaged their Chromebook we are not able to come and collect this to arrange a repair. We are sorry that we can’t offer any further assistance with this at this time.

As always, our dedicated website page is updated regularly. Please use this as your first port of call.

Wishing you all the very best.

Mr J. Down

Headteacher

24/03/2020

Dear Parents,
I would like to start by thanking all parents who were able to keep their children safe at home today. The new restrictions put in place last night are really tough and will cause disruption to our daily lives but they will help to save lives. Abiding by these new restrictions means we are all playing our part in helping this country to bring the spread of this virus under control.
Today we have run the school on a skeleton staff for those vulnerable children and the children of critical workers who needed us as a last resort. We will continue to do this for the rest of this week.
Our final deliveries of food and work have gone home today. Regrettably, the Government restrictions mean that we are unable to continue this work after today. All food left over has been sent to our local food banks so please access these if you need support. All class work is available online along with a list of useful websites that can support and extend learning at home. We would welcome our students sharing their learning via our social media channels if they wish to do so. There is no expectations for students to do this, nor is there an expectation for them to share pictures of their work with their teachers but we’d love to see what they’ve been up to. By the end of the week, school staff will be contacting home to see how your child is getting on with their learning and help resolve any issues you might have with learning.
We are currently putting together our Easter care provision for those vulnerable children and the children of critical workers who need us as a last resort. We will contact those families directly with our offer.
We have had a number of enquiries regarding food parcels over the Easter holidays. These will be available from your local food banks and the details of these are on our school website. Should we continue to receive deliveries from our suppliers we will relaunch our Ready Steady Cook boxes after the Easter break.
As you will appreciate we are currently experiencing a high level of calls and e-mails into school. Please be patient with us as we work our way through these. Our dedicated website page is constantly updated with the latest information so please visit this as a first port of call. If you are unable to find the answers you are looking for then please e-mail the Admin Team at: [email protected]
To ensure that you are kept up to date with the latest information please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Please ensure we also have the most up to date contact information for you so we can keep in touch. You can e-mail these details through to our Admin Team.
Until tomorrow, have a good evening, stay safe and follow the Governments advice!
Best wishes,
Mr J Down
Headteacher

24/03/2020

Our final delivery of food and work booklets for students will be leaving at 11am. We will no longer be able to offer this service after this.

24/03/2020

Following the announcement by the Prime Minister last night, the school will be operating on the minimum level of staff required to run the school safely from today. PLEASE DO NOT send your child to school today unless it is absolutely necessary as per Government guidance.
Further updates will be made via our communication channels throughout the day.

23/03/2020

Dear Parents,
Today we started our new rhythm and routines that will carry us through to the end of these uncertain times. Can I thank you for all for your continued support are for the work you are doing to support your children at home.
We are regularly updating our website with all the information parents need. Please continue to use this as a first point of contact before making contact with school. You will find answers regarding IT access, Google Classroom codes and much more. As you can imagine we are receiving a high volume of calls and emails so we aren’t able to respond immediately. We are also posting regularly on Social Media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If our admin team do not have your latest contact details then please e-mail them with the updated information so we can stay in contact with you.
Today we prepared and distributed 150 food boxes to families where children are eligible for Free School Meals. If you are eligible and haven’t been into school to collect your box of food then please do so tomorrow from 9:15am. Please let us know if you’re not able to attend due to self isolate.
Finally, we would like to thank all critical workers and those parents of vulnerable children for only sending their child into school today if it is absolutely necessary. School is closed unless it is an emergency for critical workers or parents of vulnerable children. The advice is that the best place for your children is at home. By doing this they stay safe, prevent further spread of the infection, reduce the strain on our NHS and by doing so save lives!
Thanks for your continued support.
Mr J.Down
Headteacher

23/03/2020

TORQUAY COMMUNITY LARDER:
The larder will be open on Mondays and Fridays from 10.30am to 1.00pm and we will still aim to provide basic food parcels to those in crisis.
 Paignton Community Larder to support those in need.

Riviera Life Store House and also Baby bank for the distribution of Food and basic household needs as well as distributing pre-owned and new baby items to vulnerable families. Please contact them via the details below.

Riviera Life Church, 527 Babbacombe Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 1HG T: 01803 291156 E: [email protected] Facebook @RLBabyBank

23/03/2020

Dear Parents,
Thank you to the vast majority of parents who are keeping their children safe at home today. We know this will be very difficult for some children and families but appreciate your support.
As a school we have been asked to remind our community of the seriousness of Coronavirus and it is vitally important that we follow Government guidance to keep ourselves safe and protect those on the front line, particularly staff in the NHS. Thank you for doing your bit!
Students should have plenty of work to keep them going. We’ve started to hear stories of creative learning happening at home. We would like to ask you to share your pictures of learning at home with us at via our Twitter pages, Instagram, and Facebook page if you are happy to do so.
This week we will be confirming what provision will be available for vulnerable children and those whose parents are critical workers over the Easter holiday.
Our staff team are out and about today sending work home for students. We are continuing to set work for examination classes in Year 11 and 13 because we are still are unsure what work the government will require to help confirm exam grades.
A number of families have been asking questions about Free School Meals. If your child is currently in receipt of FSM then a box of food is available for you to collect today. You should attend the school at the following times:
12:00 – 13:00 – Years 7&8
14:00 – 15:00 – Years 9&10
15:00 – 16:00 Years 11, 12 & 13
If you are not able to collect your box of food today then please let us know.
If you are not currently registered for FSM then it is important that you complete the form attached and send it back to Torbay Council so we can ensure your child has a free school meal when we reopen. In the interim you should visit one of the following food banks who would be happy to support.
More updates will be available on our website throughout the day.
STCM

22/03/2020

From tomorrow, school will be closed until further notice except for children of critical workers and the most vulnerable.

Please do not send your child to school. Please act on government guidance and keep your kids safe at home.

Visit our website for all the latest updates and information.

20/03/2020

The Government has now publish the official list of key workers.

Guidance for schools, colleges and local authorities

If your child is in the vulnerable group or you are a key worker and you can’t make arrangements to look after your child at home from Monday then please let the Admin Team know by e-mailing [email protected].

This will enable us to plan for the number of children attending school next week and to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff.

19/03/2020

Dear Parents,

Thank you for your continued support as we continue to navigate through these uncertain times.

Tomorrow school will be closed to Year 11 students due to staff shortages and those members of staff who need to self-isolate. The school will remain open to all other year groups. Vulnerable students and the children of key workers in Year 11 can still attend school tomorrow if they wish.

A number of Year 11 and 13 students have been asking what is happening with regards to exams in the summer and their future qualifications. This information will be announced by the Government tomorrow.

Year 11 students who are planning to return to Sixth Form in September will be invited to a Sixth Form Taster Week and Freshers Fair later in the summer. We want to reassure all Year 11 and 13 students that the Summer Balls will still happen once a new date has been arranged. We will ensure that all Year 11 and 13 students will have the opportunity to celebrate the end of year.

If your child is eligible for Free School Meals, we are preparing boxes of food for families to use next week. These will be available from Monday and we will confirm how these will be distributed tomorrow.

Finally, we would like to remind all parents that their children should not be in school if they are displaying symptoms of Coronavirus and should be following guidance on self isolation. Please contact the school if you are a Key Worker and your child will be attending school next week.

Please continue to act on the latest Government guidance and remember all members of the school community in your prayers.

Yours sincerely,

Mr J.Down

Headteacher

19/03/2020

IMPORTANT UPDATE – To ensure the health and safety of all our students and staff, school will be closed for Year 11 students on Friday 20th March. School will remain open for all other year groups. Children of key workers in Year 11 may attend school along with those in the vulnerable groups. Vulnerable children are classed as those who have an allocated social worker or an EHCP (Education Heath and Care Plan).

19/03/2020

Dear Parent/Carer,

Last night the Government made the following announcement:

From Monday 23rd March all schools will close to children with the exception of those children classed as vulnerable or those classed as children of key workers. Vulnerable children are those who have a social worker or an Education Health and Care Plan. Children who are medically vulnerable should not attend school as per the guidance issued on 18.03.20. At this moment in time we understand key workers to be Police, Firefighters, NHS staff, school and nursery staff and delivery drivers. The Government are releasing an official list later today.　The school will be closed to all other children who are expected to stay at home.　

If your child has a social worker a member of school staff will be contacting you to make arrangements for them to attend school next week.

Parents who are key workers are asked to e-mail us on the admin email address ([email protected]) by 4:00pm today to confirm the following:

  • name of their child
  • which key service they work for
  • name of their employer
  • in the subject line of the e-mail please write “Keyworker” followed by your child’s name

This information will be treated confidentially.

All exams in May and June have been cancelled. The Government have not confirmed any further details. As soon as we know what is happening we will share this via our usual communication channels. Please do not contact the school regarding this. Students should continue to complete class work sent home by their teachers. Over the next 24 hours we will be sending home our Knowledge Organisers for the Summer Term and packs of work. Information regarding digital learning was sent home on Wednesday 18.03.20.

The Government will be providing schools with food vouchers for those families who are eligible for Free School Meals. Once we receive the details of how this will work we will be sharing this information with parents /carers.

As you will appreciate this is a very challenging time for all of us. We are working at a reduced capacity at the moment so please bear with us.

Please do not ring or call the school unless it is absolutely essential. All information and updates will be posted on this page and via our social media channels.

Thanks your continued support and prayers at this time.

Mr J. Down (Headteacher)

18/03/2020

Coronavirus Update (COVID-19)

We have been made aware of a post made on Face Book stating that there is a confirmed case of the Coronavirus at STCM.

As a school we continually review the advice and guidance from the Government and Public Health England. Over recent weeks we have raised our infection control measures and have done so again in response to Public Health England guidance.

This afternoon we have spoken to Public Health England regarding this report. They are not currently testing in the community so this is not a confirmed case.

Parents and students are reminded that if they have any of the symptoms of Cornonavirus they should stay at home and self isolate following the guidance below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Government and NHS Information

 

UK Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

 

NHS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

 

UK Government – Implementing Protective Measures in Education

 

The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy

 

Guidance Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do