As you may now be aware, the arrangements for the start of term have now changed, as announced by Gavin Williamson, Minister for Education. We will be communicating with you all in more detail next week but the main changes are as follows:

• Wednesday 6^th January 2021 will now be an additional Inset day, to enable us to set up our testing area and prepare for remote learning/face to face teaching for children of critical workers and those deemed vulnerable. No remote learning will be set for this day.
• Critical Worker children and those considered “vulnerable” should attend school from Thursday 7^th January.
• All Year 11 (unless already attending due to being a critical worker/vulnerable) will return to school on Monday 11^th January.
• All other year groups will return on Monday 18^th January.

All students will be able to access remote learning from Thursday 7^th January if not attending school which will start at 08.40am with tutor time.

Worthing High School will also be following the guidance set out by the government and NHS and implementing Lateral Flow Testing the w/c 4^th January. We will be using test kits provided by the DFE/NHS. I have enclosed a letter from the DFE and a leaflet which explains how the testing is carried out. As a parent/carer, you would be consenting / not consenting to the following:

1. For your child to be initially tested upon their return to school to help identify asymptotic cases.
   1. Thursday 7^th January test 1 for those vulnerable or critical worker students
   2. Monday 11^th January for Year 11 students

2. For your child to be part of the serial testing, which will take place if your child is identified as a close contact of someone with a positive case in school, and therefore will be tested daily for a period of time specified by the government.

We will also be sharing our plans to complete an initial testing for all students in Y7,8,9,10 who are due to return to school on Monday 18^th January – the testing will take place prior to their return to school.

All tests are voluntary and your consent is required. To assist with our planning please could you complete the e-consent form by Monday 4^th January 12pm.

I fully appreciate the short notification, but we are working with changes from central government and need to ensure that we are fully compliant so that your child and staff can return safely back to school.

Thank you for your continued support and wishing you and your family a happy and safe New Year.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/covid19studenttest

Pan Panayiotou

HEADTEACHER