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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:

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:

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.