January 1^st 2021

 

Dear Parents / Guardians

Firstly, Happy New Year. We hope the coming year will be one which brings joy to all members of the Brockhill community.

Government has now confirmed secondary schools will open later than scheduled. Currently, we are advised that Years 11 and 13 only will return on Monday, January 11^th with all Year Groups attending from January 18^th.

Monday, January 4^th 2021 will run with work set in Google Classroom for all students. Students should stick to their normal timetable and work on those tasks through the day and submit all work at the end of the day. No online live lessons will take place with teachers. No student should attend school on Monday, January 4^th.

From Tuesday, January 5^th all Year Groups will remain at home and continue online learning but now via live online lessons with their teachers, as per their normal timetable.

School uniform will not be obligatory for the online sessions, but students should be dressed appropriately and our normal ground rules will apply during the sessions. Students must be seated at a desk or table, activate their camera and show their full name for these live face-to-face sessions. At times during the lesson teacher microphones will be turned off and their screens will not be shared. At these times students should just be completing the work set for them. Where there is more than 1 child in your household and laptop facilities may be limited, please be aware it is entirely possible to access the Google Classroom and Live Online lessons via smartphone.

We will not be recording these sessions and students must not either. We will however be monitoring attendance to live lessons as well as the submission and quality of classwork at the end of each day and homework on dates identified by the teacher.

If you are a critical worker and need for your child to attend school in any event from Tuesday, January 5^th please email on Monday, January 4^th between 9am and midday to office@brockhill.kent.sch.uk confirming your status as a critical worker, together with the name and Year Group of your child, and whether they will bring their own lunch or purchase from school catering services. The definitions of critical workers can be found at

Critical workers and vulnerable children who can access schools or educational settings - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

You may then assume we approve their attendance from Tuesday, January 5^th. If we require further detail, we will come back to you. Any child of a critical worker, who attends school, should so in full school uniform. Students in school will be supervised as they undertake the tasks set for them in Google Classroom and attend their Live Online lessons.

 

We understand that the small number of Public Examinations scheduled for January will go ahead as planned. We will let you know if this changes.

 

The full Guidance we are working to is Gov.uk Schools and Childcare settings: return in January 2021

 

Schools and childcare settings: return in January 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

Summary of Dates

 

Monday, January 4th 2021	Online learning in Google Classroom. All Year Groups. No live lessons. Submit all work by end of day.
Tuesday, January 5th – Friday, January 8th 2021	Live online lessons as per timetable and work in Google classroom. All Year Groups. Submit all classwork by end of each day and Homework tasks as required by the teacher.
Monday, January 11th – Friday January 15th 2021	Years 11 & 13 attend on site at Brockhill. Other Year Groups live lessons as per their timetable and work in Google classroom. Submit all classwork by end of each day and Homework tasks as required by the teacher.
Monday, January 18th and onwards!	All Year Groups attend on site at Brockhill

 

Tier 4: Stay at Home

 

Folkestone and Hythe are now in Tier 4. Here is the link to Tier 4: Stay at Home.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

 

We want all our students to remain safe by following all Guidance in respect of social distancing, hand washing and face coverings and to play their part in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

 

Yours Sincerely,

 

Sonette Schwartz                                                                         

Principal        

 

Charles Joseph

Senior Vice Principal