Parents/Carers

Dear Parent/ Carers

During this period of disruption, we recognise that communication will be very important. It is also the case that information and advice may change quite regularly. We ask for your patience and understanding during this extraordinary period.

Free school meals

Families entitled to free school meals will be able to collect food packs from school from Thursday, March 26.

The council has teamed up with Cross-Hands based Castell Howell and other suppliers to the schools catering service to provide food for children registered for free school meals.

The packs will contain breakfasts and lunches for five days.

They can be collected between 9am and 12noon Monday to Friday.

When you collect them, please note the following:

• Please follow all guidance regarding Social Distancing, Handwashing etc.
• Measures have been put in a place so that dining areas are cleaned.
• Food bags to be collected by parents at a safe distance from all others.

Results Summer 2020

Following the Welsh Government decision to cancel exams for summer 2020, Qualifications Wales are working with WJEC to establish the fairest way to issue grades for GCSE, A level and Skills Challenge Certificate qualifications.

For the latest information and updates, please see: https://www.qualificationswales.org/english/coronavirus---covid-19/frequently-asked-questions/

Following the cancellation of examinations and assessments, the Government wants to reassure students that they will get grades. It says, “no student should feel pressured into making a quick decision which may end up not being in your best interest”.

“It is important that you have all the information available to you when making decisions on your offers and understand how awarding of qualifications will work this summer. To give you more time to make your decisions, we have decided to extend the May decision deadline (the date by when you need to make your firm and insurance choice) by two weeks. We will confirm your new decision deadline this week.

When you receive your results and universities and colleges make decisions, our Clearing service will still available to you, as it is for tens of thousands of applicants each year.

You can find the latest information regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) on ucas.com.

Health and Well-being Remote Mentoring

During this time of closure, a mentoring system has been put in place to support the health and well-being of your son/daughter. Each week they will receive an email from a staff mentor who will be 'checking in' to see how your child is.

Every pupil in this school including year 11 and 13 will have a staff mentor. It is important for us to maintain communication with you and your child. We will do our best as a school to support everyone at this time.

If your child needs access to the following:

• Counsellor
• Youth Worker
• Youth Intervention Service
• Young Carers
• School Nurse

Please email Mrs Tiddy Sarah.Tiddy@brodinefwr.org.uk

Alternatively, there are links on our school website for different online services.

As parents, carers and guardians please contact us if needed.

Year 7 Mrs R Davies

Rachel.Davies@brodinefwr.org.uk

Year 8 Mr G Taylor Gareth.Taylor@brodinefwr.org.uk

Year 9 Mr D Howells Dewi.Howells@brodinefwr.org.uk

Year 10 Mr S Thomas Stuart.Thomas@brodinefwr.org.uk

Year 11 Mr S Crawford Steven.crawford@brodinefwr.org.uk

Sixth Form Mr R Rees Rhodri.Rees@brodinefwr.org.uk

All staff will respond during working hours.

School Holidays

Please can I kindly remind you that all pupils are officially on holiday until 20/04/2020, following the Statement from Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams, on school closures in Wales on 18/03/2020, where it was announced that she was bringing forward the Easter break for schools in Wales.

It is highly unlikely that pupils will return to school on the 20/03/2020.

Resources

We are committed to working together to maintain as much continuity of education as is possible. Things will, however, be different.

Please note that for the next two weeks, we are focusing on providing meals for those pupils who are entitled to Free School Meals and supporting our most vulnerable learners and their families.

Schools are not able to instantly transition to a fully ‘virtual’ or remote service. Technology allows us to do a great deal, but the levels of infrastructure, skill and access that staff, students and parents possess varies significantly.

During this closure, our teaching staff will be directed to work remotely as much as is possible, but many of them will be affected by the current situation themselves, either though illness or self-isolation.

Teaching staff are preparing resources that pupils can access from the 20/04/2020 and exploring how they can ensure continuing learning for all pupils. However, we are coping with unprecedented challenges and I would respectfully request that parents should not be monitoring or commenting on the quality of the provision made.

Communication

Not all our support and administrative staff have access to equipment that would allow them to work remotely and this will affect our ability to communicate effectively with you.

The school website will be a very important medium and will be updated with information as often as possible https://brodinefwr.org.uk

Unfortunately, we will not be able to answer questions over the telephone. If you need to contact us, please use the email addresses contained in this letter or those noted on the Pupil/Parent Help Guide which is available on the website.

Events

In line with Government advice, all planned school events are cancelled for the foreseeable future.

Contact information

As ever, please contact me and I will do my utmost to provide advice or assistance.

Ionwen.Spowage@brodinefwr.org.uk

Thank you once again for your support during this challenging period. Please take care of yourselves and your families.