Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy
Welcome to Grove Academy

Arrangements for the return to Grove Academy from 19th April

                        31st March 2021

 

Dear Pupils and Parents/Carers,

Return to School on 19th April 2021

The Scottish Government has stated that all pupils will return to school on a full-time basis from Monday 19th April, providing the rate of infection of the Coronavirus is low enough and permits this to happen.  I am looking forward to having the whole school back and it will be exciting to see the school back to capacity and moving to a semblance of normality.  We shall return to the procedures that were in place before Christmas, with pupils remaining in year bubbles and with staggered breaks/lunches.

Monday 19th April 2021

8:45 – All Grove pupils go straight to Period 1 class, using the entrances outlined in Appendix 1.  On entry to the school building from 08:30 pupil must not congregate in the Dining Hall. They should either enter their period 1 classroom or wait outside in an orderly fashion until the teacher arrives.  The building can only be accessed from 8.30.  The warning bell will ring at 8:42.

School Hours will return to be as they were before Christmas::

Monday to Wednesday                    

Period 1                                               8:45 to 9:30                                        

Period 2                                               9:30 to 10:20                                      

BGE Break/SP Tutor                          10:20 to 10:35                                    

BGE Tutor/SP Break                           10:35 to 10:50                     

Period 3                                               10:50 to 11:30                                                

Period 4                                               11:30 to 12:20

BGE Lunch/SP Period 5                     12:20 to 13:10

BGE Period 5/SP Lunch                     13:10 to 14:00

Period 6                                               14:00 to 14:50

Period 7                                               14:50 to 15:40            

Thursday/Friday

Period 1                                               8:45 to 9:30                                        

Period 2                                               9:30 to 10:20                                      

BGE Break/SP Tutor                          10:20 to 10:35                                    

BGE Tutor/SP Break                          10:35 to 10:50                                    

Period 3                                               10:50 to 11:30                                                

BGE Lunch/SP Period 4                     11:30 to 12:20

BGE Period 4/SP Lunch                     12:20 to 13:10

Period 5                                               13:10 to 14:00

Period 6                                               14:00 to 14:50

           

At the end of each period, BGE (S1-3) leave classes immediately on the bell, Senior Phase classes (S4-6) leave 2 minutes later.

At the end of the morning and at the end of the day, pupils will exit the school by the exits nearest their classroom, as outlined in appendix 1  

By having staggered lunches, we are continuing to adhere to national guidelines aimed at ensuring year groups stay as separated as possible to avoid any possible virus spread. 

 

Please note the following:

  • We shall be trying to deliver as full a curriculum as possible, within the guidelines set by the Scottish Government. 
  • Parents should drop off/pick up their children a distance away from the school, so as to avoid any congestion or interactions.  Parents will not be able to enter the car park before or at the end of school to drop off/pick up their children. Only parents of pupils with a disability will be allowed to enter the car park and they must follow social distancing guidance including the use of face masks.
  • Pupils travelling to school on public transport or going to the shops at lunch time must observe the general rules in society to physically distance by 2m and to wear a face covering.
  • Everyone in school MUST wear a face covering, unless they are exempt, in which case they must wear a sunflower lanyard or carry a pass.
  • On entrance to the school all pupils must make use of the installed hand sanitisers.  They should also sanitise their hands on entering a classroom
  • All classrooms will be equipped as usual with PPE (masks, wipes, hand sanitiser, anti-viral spray, paper towels, tissues and rubber gloves, etc)
  • Pupils will be responsible for cleaning their work-stations before use.  Wipes /spray will be provided.
  • Although the Guidelines say 2m physical distancing between young people in secondary schools is not required, we are encouraging distancing where possible between young people, particularly in the Senior Phase (S4-6).
  • We are discouraging any social physical contact (hand to hand greeting, hugs etc.)
  • 2m physical distancing between adults, and between adults and pupils who are not from the same household must be maintained.
  • Passing briefly in the corridor or playground is considered low risk.
  • No young person should attend school if they suspect they have Covid-19 symptoms.
  • Young people must inform a member of staff if they feel unwell with symptoms of Covid-19. As outlined in national guidelines, pupils over 16 will be sent home directly, for pupils under 16 parents/carers will be contacted and asked to make arrangements to pick up the young person from school as soon as possible. All family members should then follow the national guidance for households with possible Covid-19 infection including testing and self-isolation.
  • PE will, for the most part, take place at Dawson Park.  Pupils should ensure they have suitable PE kit that takes into account weather conditions. Pupils are allowed to wear PE kit to school if they have PE periods 1/2.  They must however change into school uniform after PE.
  • The PE buses are regarded as part of the school and thus face coverings need to be worn.  Hand sanitisers will however be required on entering and leaving the bus.
  • There will be no lunchtime or after school clubs for the time being
  • To maintain the policy of minimising contact between pupils in different year groups pupils will use the following venues at breaks and lunchtimes:

S1 Assembly Hall and Assembly Hall courtyard

S2 Dining Hall and main playground

S3 Dining Hall and main playground

S4 Assembly Hall and Assembly Hall courtyard

S5 Dining Hall and main playground

S6 Dining Hall and main playground

  • Pupils must wear normal Grove school uniform when they return to school.
  • Lessons and materials will continue to be posted on-line so that those pupils whose health prevents them from returning to school can still access the curriculum.
  • College courses: Following discussions with D&A College we can confirm that some Senior Phase young people will be able to return to on campus learning from 26th April.  The college are currently reviewing every young person's requirements for further assessment opportunities and they will let us know which young people will be required to attend.  This information won't be with us until later next week, but we shall have this information for you on your return on 19th April.  In the meantime, pupils pursuing college courses should continue to work on-line from home at their timetabled college time.
  • Consortia (Advanced Higher courses):  Arrangements for Consortia Courses taking place in other school have yet to be finalised.  We shall have this information for you on your return on 19th April.  In the meantime, pupils pursuing AH Campus courses should continue to work on-line from home at their timetabled time.

I hope that this information will help to put your mind at rest about returning to school.  We are doing everything we can to try and ensure the return is as comfortable and anxiety-free as possible. We may also need to adapt some of the measures outlined above to take account of a number of potential circumstances.  If any pupil has concerns which are not alleviated by this information, then please contact your Guidance Teacher.

Yours sincerely

Graham Hutton

Rector

 

Appendix 1: Designated entrances and exits from the main school building                  

PE                                                                   Back doors of dining hall     

Music & Art                                                     Art/Music stairwell doors

CDT and Maths                                              Stairwell at end of CDT corridor

Physics & Biology                                           Yellow stairwell next to assembly hall

Mod Studs/Geog/Chem/HE/SFL                    Red stairwell next to SSW office

English / Mod Lang /office                              Main entrance then stairs next to Medical room

Bus Studs/ Comp/ RE / Hist                           Main entrance then stairwell next to RFM