Dear colleague

2021 appeals process - Download the letter 280421stakeholderletter_appeals

I want to provide an update on the publication of information on the appeals process for summer 2021 qualifications.

We’ve been working with WJEC and the Design and Delivery Advisory Group on the appeals process for Summer 2021. Having spoken to headteachers, college leaders and other stakeholders this week, we’ve made the decision to pause the publication of our information on the appeals process, while we consider their feedback. The WJEC guidance for appeals that was scheduled for publication this week will therefore be delayed.

Following further consideration and discussion with headteachers, college leaders and other stakeholders, we intend to publish our information on the appeals process by mid-May.

We understand that schools and colleges want clarity, but we think it is important to take time to reflect on the feedback we’ve received. Everyone in the education community wants an effective appeals process for learners, so it’s important we give it time.

We will continue to keep you updated on any progress. If you have any questions or queries, please contact us via communications@qualificationswales.org.

Yours faithfully

Philip Blaker

Chief Executive, Qualifications Wales

Dear Parent/Carer

You will shortly receive a letter with a ballot slip on the reverse.
The parents named on the ballot form have been nominated for the two vacancies on the governing body. It is therefore necessary for an election to take place. I should be grateful if you would:

a. Place an X in the box opposite the name of the parents for whom you wish to vote. PLEASE NOTE: You may only vote for two parents.

b. Place the completed ballot form in an unmarked envelope which you should seal and place in a second envelope on which you should put your name and address and child’s name and form group and then place your signature across the sealed flap. This double envelope system enables the school to check the eligibility of those who have voted. The unmarked envelope will then be placed in the ballot box, ensuring that your vote remains secret.

c. Please return your ballot slip to the school by 1.00pm on Thursday 29th April. You may bring your ballot paper to the school personally – there will be a ballot box in the school main office from Monday 26th April – or if you wish, you can post it in the letter box outside the main school office at the front of the building. To comply with Covid regulations the votes will be counted at the school on Tuesday 4th May in the presence of an independent person. Ballot papers not submitted strictly in accordance with a. and b. above will be excluded from the count. The result of the election will be notified to the candidates following the count and will also be posted on the school’s web site.

Yours faithfully

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.

Pennaeth Headteacher

• In November 2020, the Education Minister announced that there would be no summer examination series for students taking GCSEs, AS levels or A-levels in 2021.
• In January 2021, it was confirmed that these qualifications would be awarded using Centre Determined Grades. This means that schools would determine the actual grades awarded for each qualification.

The policy outlines the following:

• Roles and responsibilities
• Subject assessment plans
• Centre devised assessments
• Assessment delivery
• Quality assurance of assessments and grading decisions
• Learner and parent communication
• Internal reviews & appeals

Our Centre Assessment policy and been QA by another school and has been approved by the WJEC

Read more - Parents Update CDG V2

Dedicated School Transport

Term Time Only -  Monday – Friday

Fare: £17.50 per week

From September 2020, the way we operate our bookings for school transport has changed. We will now only be accepting online bookings for the transport via our dedicated online booking system.

The website will offer a term transport ticket or the option of weekly. We recommend the Term as this will avoid missing out on the weekly allocation.  Booking will guarantee the seat.

The booking website can be reached by clicking this link, copy and pasting into your web browser or typing it into your web browser: www.bit.ly/voelschoolbooking

BOOK ON LINE AT: WWW.BIT.LY/VOELSCHOOLBOOKING

Good news, the pupil who returned a positive COVID-19 lateral flow test has now been confirmed as negative by a PCR lab test.

This means that NO pupils are required to isolate from now on.

Many thanks for your cooperation through this process.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Important change to the school calendar – Advanced notice:

The return to school for all pupils and students has been a great success and it has been an absolute delight and pleasure to see them all back in school safe and well. I do hope that the transition back to face to face learning has been a smooth one for all members of our school and I look forward to having all learners back full time from the 12th of April.

Back in 2020 when planning the school calendar, I, along with all five cluster primaries, decided to place the two remaining INSET days in the summer term, after the exam season. This meant that the High School could maximise teaching time for exam classes and the INSET days only took place after these vital groups had left for the summer break. Since those plans were made there have been announcements and guidance from Welsh Government regarding the way by which we are to assess, devise and award Centre Determined Grades (CDGs). This new guidance has meant we have to amend our systems and change several plans to ensure that all of our examination pupils and students get the best chance to achieve the highest grades they are capable of.

Recently the Welsh Government has informed us that we can use one of these INSET days for moderation and standardisation of CDGs, allowing us the opportunity to spend time to ensure that these grades are as accurate and fair as possible. We are committed to developing the best system for our learners so that they get the most accurate grades possible and so, with this latest guidance in mind we have taken the decision to move the July 5th INSET day to the earlier date of 21st May. This will give teachers moderation time before the grades have to be submitted to the exam boards.

New INSET day date: 21 May 2021

Cancelled INSET day: 5 July 2021

If there any issues with this change of INSET date please contact the school.

Many thanks for your cooperation in this matter

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.
Pennaeth Headteacher

Introduction - Download the guide Learner Transport Protocol March 2021

This protocol sets out expectations and key guidance for parents/carers, their children. The protocol reflects Welsh Government guidance. It can be applied across schools and settings in the county and in colleges, and be used by contractors who provide learner transport.

Please note that this protocol could be affected by changes to national guidance.

Parents and Learners

It is the parents’ responsibility:

(a) To ensure learners do not travel if anyone in the household is symptomatic, in which case the learner(s) shall stay isolated for the prescribed 10 days unless contacted by the Track Trace Protect team where exact details will be given by TTP.

(b) To ensure that your child aged 11 or over has a supply of face coverings before travelling each morning and afternoon. Your child aged 11 or over is required to wear a face covering unless medically exempt.

(c) To acknowledge a zero-tolerance for poor behaviour on transport (to include circumstances where a learner fails to follow instructions given).

(d) To ensure learners wash their hands (or for younger learners that parents do that for them) or use appropriate-strength sanitiser to the appropriate British Standards thoroughly before leaving their home or school to board their vehicle.

(e) To remind learners to board and alight transport single file, for those over 11 years of age maintaining a 2m distance at all times, while waiting and queuing.

(f) To remind learners they must ensure they follow any instructions given by their driver or school/college staff.

(g) To remind learners that they will be allocated a specific seat on their vehicle and that learners must remain in that seat for their entire journey. There will need to be different arrangements for those travelling on local bus services.

(h) To remember that the School Travel Code and behaviour framework will continue in operation and any learner that misbehaves, risks or causes damage or injury to the vehicle, driver or passengers or in any way threatens the health & safety of other passengers or vehicle will be subject to an immediate ban from Denbighshire School Transport for the learners involved.

On dedicated school transport vehicles over eight seats, learners will load from back to front and unload from front to back. Learners who qualify for free transport who travel on local bus services will need to follow the respective operator’s instruction.

Use of Face Coverings

These are required for all learners in secondary and tertiary education no matter the vehicle on which they travel. Your child aged 11 or over is required to wear a three-layer face covering at all times while travelling. It is your responsibility to ensure that your child has a supply of face coverings before travelling each morning and afternoon.

Some learners, however, need not wear a face covering. This includes those for whom doing so would create a medical risk, cause distress, and in some situations where a learner has additional learning needs.

Drivers may wear face coverings if they or their employer feel this is of benefit and where this is individually assessed. Drivers may wish to apply sanitiser frequently.

Where drivers have to assist in the buckling of seat belts for small children or in loading wheelchairs then face coverings alongside the frequent application of hand sanitiser and or use of appropriate gloves may be considered appropriate if instructed by their employing contractor through a risk assessment.

Staying as Safe as Possible

Learners should take the following precautions:

• When 11 or over, keep a 2m distance from people outside of your own household while waiting for your transport

• Face away from other people when waiting for and using transport

• Try to minimise the number of surfaces they touch

• Wash or clean hands with appropriate sanitiser for the prescribed time before boarding transport

• Immediately upon finishing your journey, washing or sanitise hands again as soon as possible

• Ensure that if a child is symptomatic that they do not use transport or attend school

• Ensure your child follows all instructions from drivers and staff, sits and remains in an allocated seat for the duration of the journey

• If the face covering is removed upon leaving the transport it must be placed in the bin provided.

• Have a contingency in place should the transport not arrive (e.g. if a driver is unwell at short notice).

If your child develops symptoms at school, you will need to make arrangements for your child to be collected. Symptomatic children shall not be permitted to use learner transport or local bus services.

Expectations for Learners

Learners will board calmly and one at a time, without pushing. Parents in allowing their children to use learner transport accept and agree to the terms set out in this protocol. Parents will need to share this document with their children and discuss it with them.

On public health grounds, there shall be a zero-tolerance policy regarding behaviour and seating on learner transport, including at stops, at education locations and the boarding and alighting of passengers. Learners who do not comply with these requirements will have their transport withdrawn with immediate effect.

Learners shall comply with the requirements and instruction of school/college staff when on site.

Parents will need to discuss with their children a contingency should a learner at a bus stop not be picked up by the driver (e.g. if the driver has become ill and as a consequence the transport is aborted last minute) or if the child’s name is not on the Council’s list of those who may travel.

Secondary and college learners should ensure that they carry with them their bus passes at all times.

Only those who are eligible may use dedicated school transport.

If you have not received a bus pass or confirmatory phone call/letter specifically about your child’s transport, your child will not be allocated a seat and will be unable to travel. The driver is under instruction to take only those learners on the list. This is for public health reasons. Please do not allow your child to go out for the vehicle. If you do and if your child is left on the roadside, you will need to ensure your child knows what to do and you should discuss this with your child.

We need to maintain an accurate list of learners to be able to cooperate with the Test Trace Protect procedures and if necessary we shall share your details with the appropriate agencies who help to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Where a child travelling on transport has symptoms, they should not use learner transport or go to school for a 10 day period or 10 days after a positive test. If another member of the household is symptomatic, children using school transport should not travel or go to school for 14 days.

All learners will need to wash their hands thoroughly in accordance with national guidance before leaving their home for the learner transport journey and again in the afternoon at school. If a learner at a bus stop in the morning/inward journey is symptomatic with recognised signs of covid-19 or is presented for travel with indications of covid-19, the driver will need to contact his/her employer before allowing the learner to travel.

If a child becomes symptomatic at school, including during the period immediately after the final bell (i.e. before boarding a learner transport vehicle), learners shall not board the vehicle. Instead, schools will invoke their own policies for virus containment and deal with the learner without their boarding a vehicle. Parents will need to collect their child.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Download the letter - 11th March 2021

I hope you and your families are well. Further to letters sent out last week by the headteacher, I would like to send out some further information to you in relation to some specific matters.

Uniform

All pupils are required to be in full uniform if they are on school site from 15th March. This includes pupils that will still be accessing our hub provision. However, we recognise that there may be pressures with this due to restrictions and financial concerns. If there are any issues with uniform, please contact your child’s Head of Year and we will address these considerately. Furthermore, if you have any uniform that you no longer need, we would welcome any donations of old uniform that is still in good condition so that we can launder these and offer them to families who may require this support. These laundered clothes will be fully compliant with any Covid-19 risk management procedures.

Cashless systems

We operate ParentPay in school to ensure that there is no physical transfer of cash. However, there have still been some occasions where pupils have brought cash to school. Please be advised that due to concerns relating to Covid-19 that we are insisting on a completely cashless system and so all parents and carers need to use ParentPay. If there any concerns with this, please let us know so that we can resolve any issues.

Free School Meals

Between 15th and 26th March, for those pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals in years 7-11, if a particular year group is on site then pupils who receive FSM will need to eat their meals from the Diner as would normally be the case. These payments will be deducted to the payments you receive. The system for years 12 and 13 is different and these students have been informed of this. Payments will be received during the Easter holidays. If school returns to full capacity as expected on 12th April, all pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals will resume receiving these in school and payments home will cease.

Transport

Please see attached document with reminders about arrangements for transport. Please ensure that pupils who use transport are wearing face coverings, are socially distanced where possible and are fully compliant with the instructions of the driver.

Testing for students in years 10 and above

As mentioned in previous correspondence, we will be asking all students in years 10, 11 and 6th form to test themselves using a Lateral Flow Testing system. This will further support our risk reduction measures to allow for wider reopening of the school. Further information about testing will be sent out with an information letter and privacy notice being given to parents so that they can then give their consent for this to take place. The consent can be given electronically. For those learners above the age of 16, they can give their own consent to take part in the testing programme. This information will be sent out as soon as possible.

Teaching and learning

We are grateful for the many messages of support and positive feedback on our online learning provision which has been in place since January. Indeed 83% of parents said they were pleased with the online provision which has been in place for pupils. One of the key aspects or reopening the school for face to face teaching is the provision of a full and balanced curriculum. During the next two weeks many pupils will be having blended learning.

Year 11, 12 and 13 students will return to school full time, and return to their normal timetables. This will give them contact time with their regular classroom teachers and time to work on generating the evidence for their centre determined grades. Nearly all aspects of school life should return to how things were before Christmas for these pupils.

Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 pupils will be in for days to check in, catch up and prepare for a full return after Easter. In the first instance we will be completing some wellbeing sessions with the pupils, and checking in. But through their time in school we will be focussing on skills such as literacy and numeracy to help to ensure that pupils are back up to speed ready to learn new and exciting content when we return in April. We also aim to ensure that pupils are inspired to enjoy their learning and cover things in an interesting way.

Online Learning will continue to be provided via Microsoft TEAMS for all students when they are not on site. This will continue to be a combination of set work and live lessons. However, with all staff on site delivering face to face sessions with pupils it will be impossible to maintain the level of live lessons we have been over the last few weeks. All students should still have access to some live learning in each subject, but the majority of work will be set for pupils to complete.

We hope to be able to welcome all pupils back full time after Easter, and to return to the way we were working before Christmas for all pupils

Yours faithfully

Mrs. Claire Turner
Deputy Headteacher

Letter from Geraint Davies, Interim Head of Education, Denbighshire County Council

Letter to Secondary (1)