Headteacher’s letter 9.9.20
September 2020
Dear parent/carer,
Students have made an excellent start to our new school term demonstrating an enthusiastic, positive and cooperative attitude to their learning all within the context of new arrangements across the school due to the pandemic. I am delighted at how we have been able to settle swiftly into our routines and would like to thank parents for your support in making this happen.
Student Planners
Each student has been given their own student planner at the start of the academic year. The planner provides students with a space to write homework or independent study, to note down the codes for their Google Classrooms and provides useful reference pages. Should you wish to communicate with your child’s form tutor or teachers, please use the planner in the first instance. This is an easy way for parents and staff to communicate with one another. For this reason, we ask that you to check and sign your child’s planner weekly.
Absence Line
The school has a phone number that can be used to report student absence: 020 7790 6712 and select option 1. Please use this number to report any child absences. The line also has a voicemail service to allow for parents to leave messages outside of school hours.
Online safety
As a parent or carer you play a key role in helping your child to stay safe online. You do not need to be an expert on the internet to help keep your child stay safe. However, we provide a range of tips on our school website in the parents’ section. We would especially encourage you to talk to your children about what they do online and what steps they would take and who they can speak to if they were to encounter worrying content. As well as support in school, organisations such as Childline and CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command) are there to help. Please follow our school’s social media accounts for regular online safety tips and updates.
Free School Meals Eligibility
Qualification for free school meals is based on the parent/carer(s) being in receipt of any of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of £16,190 or less
- Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ – the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
- Universal Credit (provided their annual net earned income does not exceed £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of the most recent monthly assessment periods.
If you qualify under any of the above, you can claim by telephoning the benefits service on 020 7364 5001 or visiting one of the One Stop Shops:
- Bethnal Green One Stop Shop – 1 Rushmead
- Bow & North Poplar One Stop Shop – 1 Ewart Place
- South Poplar One Stop Shop – 15 Market Square
- Stepney & Wapping One Stop Shop – 260 Commercial Road
The One Stop Shops are a drop-in facility and appointments are not necessary. Opening times can be found on the Tower Hamlets website www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
Behaviour reminder
I would like to remind you that should your child have their mobile, headphones or speakers confiscated during school the item can be collected from Reception on Wednesdays from 3pm by a parent or guardian. Mobile phones must not be used by students within school.
Also, as a reminder the school can keep students for up to 30 minutes after school for any detentions. If a detention is for any longer than 30 minutes, the school will call home to let parents/guardian know.
I would also like to draw your attention to the behaviour policy addendum put in place due to the pandemic which can be found in the policies section of the school website.
Key Events for this Academic Year
All dates can be found on the school website, however below are the 2020-21 term dates as well as those for other events. Please check our website and social media feeds for regular updates.
Autumn Term
Staff INSET day Tuesday 1st September INSET day (no students)
Autumn Half Term Holiday Monday 26th Oct – Friday 30th October
Last day of Autumn Term Friday 18th December
Spring Term
Staff INSET day Monday 4th January 2021 (no students)
Academic Review Day Tuesday 5th January 2021
Spring Half Term Holiday Monday 15th February – Friday 19th February 2021
Last day of Spring Term Friday 26th March 2021
Summer Term
Start of the summer term for students Monday 12th April 2021
Summer Half Term Holiday Monday 31st May – Friday 4th June 2021
Last day of Summer Term Friday 16th July 2021
Important Information Documents
There are several useful and important policies and documents we would like to draw your attention to, in particular the Safeguarding Policy. In addition, important documents and letters for parents can be found under the ‘for parents’ section on the new school website.
Communication with parents/carers – a reminder
In our bid to go paperless and to avoid the possible spread of Coronavirus, we aim to communicate with parents primarily via email and phone calls. It is essential that you as parents/carers ensure that the school has the correct contact information so that we can communicate with you efficiently.
I will be writing again in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please check our website and social media feeds @StepneyAS for updates on what is taking place at our school.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Woods
Headteacher
Download a copy of the letter here – Headteacher letter 9.9.20.