Every student has made significant adjustments in order to continue with their education. I would like to take this opportunity to commend our students for the way they have upheld our values: They have shown excellence in the high quality of work they produced coupled with honesty and integrity by making sure they endeavour to thrive whilst undertaking remote learning and independent study. I’m sure it goes without saying that they will have shown compassion to their family members during such a difficult time in everyone 's lives. Well done each and every one of you.

This is certainly not how I envisaged ending our school year, no leaver’s assembly, no transition day for new students and no end of term celebrations such as Sports Day or crowning of House Champions, (although this will be announced to all students in September!). However, as we all know, this is a small price to pay if it means keeping people safe.

I have included some additional information below you may find helpful for when the school reopens in September.

Please can I take this opportunity to wish all our students and their families a peaceful and safe summer and we look forward to welcoming students and staff back to school in September. Once again thank you for your continued support.

Yours faithfully

Stuart Rees
Principal
One In A Million Free School

School Opening Communication for Sept 2020

GCSE Results Day:

• This will take place on Thursday 20 August, students have received an invitation to receive their results, each student has been allocated a time slot, we wish all our Year 11 students the very best of luck in whichever study path they decide to take.

Year 9 Options Choices:

• You will remember making your option choices in February/March this year. Due to “Lockdown” we haven’t been able to meet with you to discuss and finalise the subjects you will be studying at Key Stage 4. We will do this when we return in September. For some students this interview will also involve a parent or carer. We will be in touch to arrange these meetings in early September.

Student’s Wellbeing:

• Do you have concerns about your child’s mental health and well being, are you looking for extra support for them, please go to the KOOTH website.
  What is KOOTH? Kooth is a digital mental health support service. It gives children and young people easy access to an online community of peers and a team of experienced counsellors.

Student Questionnaire:

• You will have received a letter and questionnaire recently outlining your child’s experience during Covid 19, please can you complete and return this form which will be used to support your child in September.

Government Guidelines:

• The Government has announced that attendance to school is mandatory from September and has issued strict guidelines to reduce the risk of transmission of Covid-19. This will involve grouping students together into year group bubbles and avoiding contact between these bubbles. Teachers will operate across different classes and year groups in order to facilitate the delivery of the school timetable.

In order to ensure bubbles do not mix, each group has been allocated a specific entrance and exit to the school, these will be clearly signposted:

• Year 7 The Hub
• Year 8 Community entrance
• Year 9 Community entrance
• Year 10 Main entrance
• Year 11 Main entrance

Each year group will be assigned a toilet area that will be cleaned regularly and thoroughly. Students must wash their hands after leaving the toilet.

School Uniform:

• We ask students to wear their PE kit for the first half term instead of the standard school uniform. This is to allow more intensive and frequent washing of clothes than standard uniform allows, we appreciate that ties and blazers are not easily washable and could not realistically be washed every day. You may need to purchase extra tops if you are unable to wash clothing overnight. Students must wear the school’s standard PE clothing as identified on the school website If you do not have a pair of OIAM tracksuit trousers with the school logo, you may wear a pair of plain black tracksuit trousers. These are available from most supermarkets. These must be completely plain black, no coloured stripes etc and without logos or branding of any kind. Any students not wearing correct PE clothing will be sent home.
• You will notice that our staff will not be wearing ties for the same hygiene reasons.

Curriculum:

• We will continue to teach a broad curriculum in all subjects, whilst being mindful of the gaps in students' knowledge and skill due to lost learning. For students in Year 7, it may be necessary to address gaps in English and Maths by teaching some essential knowledge and skills from the key stage 2 curriculum.

Equipment:

• It is essential that students make sure they have their own equipment to include a named clear water bottle, glue stick, ruler, pens and pencils. Classroom based resources such as books can be used and shared within the bubble. Resources that are shared between year groups, such as sporting equipment, will be cleaned after every use.

Expectations:

• Our Values and expectations remain the same as they have always been and they will be made very clear to the students on their first day in school. In response to Government guidance to reflect our behaviour system we will continue to focus on rewards and positive behaviour linked to personal and house points. Where a student is not meeting expectations, the student’s parent/carer will be contacted.

Breakfast Club:

• For those who would like it, we will continue to offer free toast and fruit at the beginning of the day; this will be brought to each bubble for consumption.

Breaks and Lunches:

• Due to the importance of limiting social gatherings there will be a staggered lunch. As a result, there will be a reduced lunch menu available and during break we will not be able to provide drinks and snacks. Students should bring their own bottle of water to help keep them hydrated during the school day and they may bring a small snack for break. Please note chewing gum is not permitted, any use of gum will result in a detention.

Physical Contact:

• Any physical contact made between students or any other attempt to deliberately break social distancing guidance will be considered a serious breach of our school’s expectations. Actions of this nature will result in the student being sent home / being collected.

End of the school day:

• Students will leave school through the same door they entered; each bubble will have their own exit route out of the building.

When to stay at home:

• If any student, or a member of their household, is ill, you must check NHS guidance to see if you should be self-isolating. If you are required to self-isolate, an adult must contact the school and give the date of the first day of the self-isolation. Students will then be required to stay at home and follow the NHS guidance and complete home-learning for the duration of the self-isolation period.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

• Students are allowed to wear a face-covering if they choose to, though these are not compulsory. Any student who wishes to wear a face covering must only cover their mouth and nose to ensure they can still be identified, (face coverings must be plain with no logos or images).

Week beginning 7th September 2020:

• We will ensure all students are given a proper induction back to school to ensure they fully understand the health and safety implications of the changes we have mentioned. Therefore, we have planned a staggered start to the year.

• Monday 7th September - Year 7 only

• Tuesday 8th until Friday 11 September - Year 7, Year 10 and Year 11

• Monday 14 September until Friday 18 September - Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9

• Monday 21 September - all Years groups will be in school

• Breakfast club will be open from 7:45am with registration and Coaching Team Time starting at 8:15am. Entry into school will not be permissible before 7:45am. If you arrive at school before 7:45am and you have driven to school, please stay with your child/ren in your car until school opens. Please stay in your vehicle and allow your child/children to make their own way into school.

School finish time:

• School will finish at 2:30pm and students will need to make their way home or be collected promptly, as there will be no waiting areas within school, due to the need to keep bubbles separate.

Further communications:

• During this time of uncertainty, we understand that you will have lots of questions regarding September. Rest assured, we will send more detailed guidance out over the summer, and we look forward to welcoming all members of our community, new and old, back through our doors in September.