Returning to Wayland Academy - information for year 10 students

The information in this booklet only applies during the Covid-19 situation. The school rules and routines have been adapted for your safety. The e xpectation for you to follow the rules and routines remains the same.

Returning to school: A guide for pupils It is vital we work together to protect our community

At Wayland Academy we are a community. When you return to school, we need to work together as a team to keep everyone as safe as possible at all times.

The things we will talk about in this booklet are changes to your normal school life. They are temporary changes while the Covid-19 situation continues.

We know some of you will be worried or anxious. Please do email your teachers, or talk to us in-school when you arrive. We are here to support you and keep everyone safe.

We need everyone to follow the rules and adapted routines. We want you to progress with your learning - we want to prepare you for Year 11.

Information for pupils You will come back to school part-time. You will be in school some days and will need to continue studying from home for the rest of the week. This puts your education and your progress in your hands.

Your teachers will be reviewing your work. You’ll need to continue completing your work and submitting it on ClassCharts.

It’s important to keep studying at home to make sure you’re ready for September.

What is social distancing?

Social distancing means you must stay at least 2 metres away from another person. It’s important you social distance so that your friends, teachers and the wider community are as safe as possible.

We have set up groups - known as bubbles - which you will stay in throughout the school day. That includes during lessons, lunch and breaks.

Even within your group, you will have to stay 2 metres apart. o help with this, desks will also be 2 metres apart.

Your teachers know how unusual it is to have to stand so far away from a friend, we have to do it too. We know it doesn’t feel normal, but we need to do it.

If you don’t follow social distancing rules, you won’t be able to enter the academy.

Preparing to return to school Uniform There will be some uniform changes when you return to school. You won’t need to wear your ties or blazers. But you should wear the rest of your uniform as usual. After each school day you should wash your uniform before wearing it again. This is important to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Bringing stationary to school A pencil case of equipment will be provided on your first day, if required. Any other equipment you wish to use (highlighters, calculators etc.) you will need to bring yourselves.

To protect you, we will not be lending out spare equipment. You also won’t be able to share your equipment with anyone else.

Travelling to and arriving at school When travelling to school, you still need to be social distancing. You shouldn’t be with large groups of people.

You will enter the school via one of two entrances as directed by members of the Wayland Academy team.

You may be asked to queue before entering - and will need to stay 2m apart.

What to do when you enter the school site As soon as you enter school, you will need to wash your hands. You will be asked to use the hand sanitising station that’s set up next to your group’s designated teaching area.

We know that it will be very strange not being able to walk up and chat to friends like you normally would. But you must follow these new routines to keep everyone as safe as possible. This time back at school is important to help you prepare for your GCSEs.

Lessons and expectations Lessons will be taught in large areas around the school, such as the sports hall, assembly hall and larger classrooms. Your teacher will show you to your seat and this will be your seat for the rest of the day.

You will take your equipment home at the end of each day.

Every day at break time and lunch time these rooms will be cleaned. In an evening these locations will be deep cleaned after you leave. This is to keep you safe.

You’ll be following a different timetable. This is to make sure you’re prepared for your exams next year. We want you to have adequate time to catch up on any coursework or information you will have missed.

Your lesson will be led by a teacher from the subject area, but it may not be your normal teacher. You will be expected to display the same good behaviour and work ethic that you usually do.

We want to make every second count. While you’ve been studying at home and producing great work, it’s not the same as being in school. You will need to catch-up on work - and we will be here to help you. We will make sure you’re ready to go into Year 11.

Expectations We expect everyone to follow the new rules. If you don’t, we will contact home and you will be asked to leave school. This is because the rules are there to keep everyone safe.

Lunch and break time During lunch time you will have a designated outside area. You will need to stay within your group and continue to social distance. Food will be available at break time and lunch time in the canteen as normal. You will be able to talk to those around you in a sensible manner, however you won’t be able to sit together or gather in groups. You will remain in the canteen for break time.

Here are the designated outside areas for lunchtime, based on your assigned work area:

You will need to use hand sanitisers everytime you leave and enter the working area.

You will have a designated toilet. All of the toilets in use will operate a one in, one out procedure.

If you are a pupil that accesses free school meals, and want to collect something to eat or drink for break, you will collect this from the canteen as normal.

End of the school day and travelling home At the end of the school day the teacher will ask you to pack your equipment away. This is to help keep our cleaning staff safe as they deep clean the area every night once you have left.

You will be dismissed from your group one row at a time and out of the building. This process will need to be slow and carefully organised to keep everybody safe. You will leave school one group at a time, socially distancing, and using the hand sanitiser stations on your way out.

As you leave the school site, you’ll be expected to head straight home. While walking home you must continue to social distance.

Pupils who normally take the bus home from outside of school will be lined upon the tennis courts 2 metres apart.

When you get home Once you get home it is vital that you put your school clothes straight in the wash. You must not wear the same school clothes to school again until they have been washed. This is an important step to protect everyone.

Remote learning As you’re only attending school part time, you will need to continue studying at home - remote learning.

Teachers will ask you to submit work on ClassCharts or Google Classroom.

For example, if you’re at school on Monday, Mr Sutton may ask you to complete some English work at home and submit it on Tuesday. He will then review your work in time for when you’re next in school.

We believe this is the best way to prepare you for September.