Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Student Safety
During the darker mornings and evenings, please remind your children to be vigilant where students travel to and from school unsupervised. Any incidents of concern should be reported to the police, calling 999 in an emergency or 101 for non-emergencies.

Adverse weather 
We want to remind parents/carers about procedures in the event that the school has to close throughout the winter period. In the event that severe weather is forecast, parents/carers are asked to check the school website as a notice will be published by 6.30am if the school has to close for health and safety purposes. Parents/carers will also be sent an email to notify them from Arbor.

In the unlikely event that we are unable to remain open, parents/carers/students will be notified about any remote provision being offered during any period of closure. It is essential, therefore, that all students have access to their Subject Hubs on Google Classroom.

Coats 
We are aware of the guidance offered to schools by Unions and Health and Safety Executives and use this to inform the monitoring of temperatures in school.  Where concerns have been raised about specific areas being cold, the site team take readings in order to rectify any issue promptly.

When outdoor temperatures drop to such an extent that classroom temperatures fall below the recommended temperatures for school settings, we will review our uniform policy and will make any necessary adjustments accordingly. On occasion, students are then allowed to wear coats in school. We will always communicate with parents/carers in the event of such changes. Please note that until this time, students may not wear coats in school and this includes travelling between lessons. Students should not therefore be wearing coats in corridors. If students are cold, they should wear additional layers beneath their uniform please.

On rare occasions, a medical professional will request an adaptation to a student’s uniform on the grounds of a medical condition. In this situation, please liaise with the Learning Manager directly so that we can review this on an individual basis.

The Senior Team and Site Manager will monitor weather forecasts and temperatures in school regularly to ensure we are adhering to Health and Safety policies for the entire school community. Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated- with nearly 1600 students on school site, it is essential that there is parity so as I am sure you can appreciate, we cannot make adjustments based on parent/carer requests. In previous years, in the winter months, the Senior Team spent a considerable amount of time replying to parent/carer emails regarding coats so we hope this letter serves to answer your questions in advance.

After School Protocol
This is a reminder regarding our after-school protocol to ensure the safety and supervision of all students on the school site - please could we ask that you go through this, as a reminder, with your child.

Years 7-11
Students in Years 7 to 11 are only permitted to remain on school grounds after the end of the school day if they are:

• Attending an extra-curricular club or activity.
• Participating in a supervised intervention session.

Key Procedure:

• Students must bring all their belongings, including coats, with them when they go to their club or activity.
• The member of staff running the session will escort students directly to the main reception or the student gate for departure.
• Unsupervised students are not permitted to remain on school grounds.
• All students must be off the school site by 5.00pm.

Sixth Form Students

All Sixth Form students must also ensure they are off the school site by 5.00pm each day.

Study and Activities

• If studying after school, this must take place in the designated Study Hall or Sixth Form Centre only. You must be finished and off site by 5:00 PM.
• If attending a club, activity, or supervised intervention, please follow the same procedure as secondary students: take all your belongings with you, and the supervising staff member will escort you to the exit point.

We appreciate your support in ensuring students are adhering to this protocol, which helps us maintain a safe and controlled environment for all students.

Procedures for Student Illness During the School Day

As we continue to focus on providing the best possible care for every student, we would like to remind families of the correct procedures to follow if your child feels unwell during the school day.  We ask that students refrain from contacting parents/guardians privately (via text, email or phone calls) when they are feeling ill. Instead, students must report to the Medical Room to be assessed by an appropriately trained staff member.

Why is this important?

• Immediate Care: We need to ensure a staff member is immediately aware of the student's condition so we can provide appropriate medical or social-emotional support.
• Assessment: The school will contact home immediately if we believe the medical need exceeds the provision available at school or requires the student to be collected.
• Attendance and Support: This aligns with our previous communications regarding the importance of attendance. Often, our team can provide the necessary support—whether medical, academic, or mental health-related—to help the student feel better and return to learning, avoiding unnecessary absences.

Please rest assured that your child's health and safety will always be at the heart of every decision we make. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this procedure with your child.

Important Dates:

Year 7-11 Flu Vaccinations: Monday 1^st December 2025 - The school immunisation team will be in school to administer Flu vaccinations to those students who have completed the online consent forms prior to the session. A schedule for the day has been shared with staff and students.

Christmas Lunch
Tuesday 9^th December: Years 7, 8 and 6^th Form only
Wednesday 10^th December: Years 9, 10 and 11 only

• Tickets are £4.24 per person and are on sale from Wednesday 26th November to Monday 8th December, at the Top Till only in Bytes – tickets can also be purchased using Arbor. Please see attached menu.
• Please make sure you buy a ticket if you would like a Christmas Lunch - no tickets will be sold on the day and no refunds will be given.
• Students not eating Christmas lunch can purchase food from the Munch Box and/or eat packed lunch in a designated area - no other food will be served in the canteen on those dates but the Munch Box will be open.
• Only students with Christmas lunch tickets will be able to eat in Bytes on those dates.
• Breakfast and Morning Break will be as normal.
• Students must have enough funds on Arbor to purchase otherwise we will not be able to sell a ticket.

AMBIT Extracurricular Activities – January - March 2026 – ACTION REQUIRED*
Please see the attached flyer for information on available 10 week courses starting in January 2026. To register your child, please complete the link on the flyer by the *deadline, midnight on 5^thDecember.

Kind regards,

Miss S Totty
Interim Headteacher