Letters home

You Asked We Answered:

What is the College doing to minimise the risk from Covid-19?

It is important to recognise that we minimise not eliminate risk. We have students in bubbles, which work in zones to reduce the numbers of contacts. Bubbles are designed to allow students to work in situations where social distancing is not possible. The risk of infection is reduced by limiting the number of people that a person is exposed to. Students will work in a group in one room for the majority of their time. We have reduced or eliminated shared resources. Entrances, exits, break and lunch are staggered. Handwash stations, sanitisers, tissues and lidded bins are provided.

How long will the ‘Covid’ timetable go on for?

We do not have a fixed date, though it is likely to remain in place into 2021 at least. This will be determined by the success of the efforts to control the virus at a national and global level.

Is my son/daughter getting a full curriculum?

We have created an interim timetable which allows students to study all their subjects. There have to be some changes in some subjects, especially practical ones.

What should I do if my child shows symptoms of Covid-19

Keep them at home. Organise for them to be tested (at a drive through for speed). Inform the College of the symptoms and then of the result of the test.

What happens if there is a diagnosed case of Covid-19 in the College?

We will work with Public Health England and follow their advice and recommendations. The response could be that one group of students is asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Staff have been asked to prepare work on Canvas which can be switched on at short notice should we have to revert to home learning.

What happens if there is a general rise in infection rates locally or nationally?

We will follow the expectations from the government. This might include partial or complete closure, with a return to remote working. Students could be asked to attend College on a 2 week rota.

Do students and staff have to wear masks?

At present there is no expectation for anyone to wear a mask in schools except where there is a high rate of infection locally. Ernest Bevin College’s stance at present is that people may wear a mask should they wish to. Should the guidance change then we will of course adapt our position, for example it could be that masks would be worn in communal areas. Any mask must be properly stored when not being worn.

What will the College day look like?

Students will arrive and sanitise or wash their hands. They will then walk to assembly or their teaching room for pastoral period. Students in years 7 to 11 will have 5 lessons in that room for 4 days of the week. Break and lunch are staggered and only one group will be in the playground or serving area at a time. On their activity day students will move around the College to Games, DT and Computing.

Why does my son appear to have changed tutor groups?

There has been a long term plan to move from organising tutor groups by ability towards a system of mixed ability groups with setting organised at subject level where appropriate. These mixed groups are planned to have an equal range of ability and need. This is the system which is operated in the majority of schools. Lessons are then taught in ability sets (where several tutor groups are blocked together) or in mixed ability groups. This process of change at Ernest Bevin has been ongoing since summer 2019 and has nothing to do with the pandemic. Students in the purple and green cohorts have started the College with this arrangement, though there have been some minor changes in the purple cohort.

The yellow tie and blue tie classes have been completely reorganised to create mixed ability groupings. The red ties were already in broadly mixed groups since changes were made last September. In year 12 and 13 the tutor groups may reflect the courses taken or are mixed.

During the ‘Covid’ timetable students in years 7 to 9 are taught in their mixed ability tutor groups. Students in years 10 and 11 are in groups which reflect their options and will be mixed ability in the main. In years 12 and 13 the students are taught in the subject classes, which have entry requirements. Once we revert to our planned timetable setting will restart.