Dear Parents,

Last week I wrote to you announcing three pieces of good news, the successful opening of Year 11’s, the announcement of Early Years opening and the fee freeze for all of the academic year 20201.

This week, of course, as highlighted in my note to you yesterday is further good news that on the 15th July the school will reopen for Year 5 to 10 and then a week later on 22nd July Year 1 to 4 in Primary School will follow suit and will be allowed to attend.

This means that potentially we could have all schools attending on the 22nd. Please be assured that we are following strictly all Government guidelines regarding Social Distancing and all SOP’s in place for this pandemic. Furthermore, as you know the MOE came to visit and gave us their approval. However, I want to stress that it is always your decision whether to send or not and we will totally understand and respect your decision.

We are very much looking forward to having the school back to as normal as can be under this “new normal”. Your children, our students will be shown the new norms and expectations and I am confident they will become familiar with them in quick time. Like the Early Years and Year 11’s movement around the school will be curtailed and the idea is to have them in the classroom as much as is possible in ‘a bubble’ so they will mix with their classmates only and at the same time we will limit mixing with other groups.

In the coming days both Primary and Secondary sections will be sending out information and communications about this reintroduction. It will be done slightly different in each section so it is essential that you look out for announcements on Engage and/or Remind.

It was a delight, it has to be said to see the little ones in this week. Some of the littluns enjoyed the MCO too much being with mummy and daddy everyday all the time and did not want to be here on the first day but this soon changed and I did not see tantrums or tears on the second day or third. I am walking around and they are having fun and learning no doubt. I would encourage all the other Early Years parents to send their children in. It is safe. Very safe.

So midpoint of the year and what a year so far. Thank you again for your support, encouragement and trust in us. All the best and have a lovely weekend.