URGENT INFORMATION -
SCHOOL CLOSURE FROM MONDAY 23/03/2020
SCHOOL CLOSURE FROM MONDAY 23/03/2020
Dear Parents/Carers,
I just wanted to thank all of you for your support of the school and our community. I realise that it is an extraordinarily difficult time and that the situation changes so quickly that it is hard to keep up. On a local level we are working hard to set up our provision for key workers and vulnerable children but need to plan how we will staff and deliver this. If you or your children are on the government list and you have no choice but to send them to school please let us know in advance so that we can make adequate preparations for the week ahead. We expect students to bring in PE kit each day, be equipped with stationery, have SMHW login details and be in full school uniform.
I would like to celebrate the behaviour of Year 11 & 13 students this week and mark their (anticipated to be) last day of studies this academic year. As I told them in assemblies, I am so sorry that they are not going to get the send-off or the recognition that they deserve after 5 or 7 years as part of our learning community. Most Year 11s will of course be returning to our 6th form in September but this was not the celebration they had looked forward to. We will continue to keep in touch with them and other students during the school closure to check on their welfare and when we get some certainty over examination results we will let them and you know.
We will continue to publish a weekly newsletter and would like you and your children to share with us how they are continuing to learn (preferably with pictures) during this enforced closure.
I hope that you will stay safe and remain patient with each other during what looks likely to be the longest school holiday in our history.
Keeping the school open for children of key workers and vulnerable students
This is the latest government guidance for schools in England:
The most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.
It is important to underline that schools, colleges and other educational establishments remain safe places for children. But the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.
Schools are, therefore, being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children - children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.
Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
Full list of who can send their children to school if necessary.
If you believe that you qualify please click on the 'Key Workers Parents or Vulnerable Students' button above and fill in the request form. You do not need to fill this in again if we have already agreed your child’s eligibility.
All other children will need to stay at home, so we ask that you do not send your child into school from Monday onwards.
Please note:
From Monday 23rd March the gate opening on to the park will be closed so the only entrance will be the main entrance on Westlea Road.
Free school meals
We are waiting for the government to provide details of the national scheme but in the meantime children that are entitled to free school meals should:
Either Come to the school at 1:15 to eat a hot meal
Or Come to the school at 1:15 to pick up a packed lunch
NB We hope to arrange a system where families pick up a weekly parcel. Once this is set up we will contact you to see if this might be a more suitable option than daily lunches
And remember: if you or your child feels ill and you want to know what to do next, please use NHS 111 online.
Thank you again for your continued support, and we will be in touch with more information when we can.
Best regards,
Eliot Wong
I just wanted to thank all of you for your support of the school and our community. I realise that it is an extraordinarily difficult time and that the situation changes so quickly that it is hard to keep up. On a local level we are working hard to set up our provision for key workers and vulnerable children but need to plan how we will staff and deliver this. If you or your children are on the government list and you have no choice but to send them to school please let us know in advance so that we can make adequate preparations for the week ahead. We expect students to bring in PE kit each day, be equipped with stationery, have SMHW login details and be in full school uniform.
I would like to celebrate the behaviour of Year 11 & 13 students this week and mark their (anticipated to be) last day of studies this academic year. As I told them in assemblies, I am so sorry that they are not going to get the send-off or the recognition that they deserve after 5 or 7 years as part of our learning community. Most Year 11s will of course be returning to our 6th form in September but this was not the celebration they had looked forward to. We will continue to keep in touch with them and other students during the school closure to check on their welfare and when we get some certainty over examination results we will let them and you know.
We will continue to publish a weekly newsletter and would like you and your children to share with us how they are continuing to learn (preferably with pictures) during this enforced closure.
I hope that you will stay safe and remain patient with each other during what looks likely to be the longest school holiday in our history.
Keeping the school open for children of key workers and vulnerable students
This is the latest government guidance for schools in England:
The most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.
That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.
It is important to underline that schools, colleges and other educational establishments remain safe places for children. But the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.
Schools are, therefore, being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children - children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.
Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs, including child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
Full list of who can send their children to school if necessary.
If you believe that you qualify please click on the 'Key Workers Parents or Vulnerable Students' button above and fill in the request form. You do not need to fill this in again if we have already agreed your child’s eligibility.
All other children will need to stay at home, so we ask that you do not send your child into school from Monday onwards.
Please note:
From Monday 23rd March the gate opening on to the park will be closed so the only entrance will be the main entrance on Westlea Road.
Free school meals
We are waiting for the government to provide details of the national scheme but in the meantime children that are entitled to free school meals should:
Either Come to the school at 1:15 to eat a hot meal
Or Come to the school at 1:15 to pick up a packed lunch
NB We hope to arrange a system where families pick up a weekly parcel. Once this is set up we will contact you to see if this might be a more suitable option than daily lunches
And remember: if you or your child feels ill and you want to know what to do next, please use NHS 111 online.
Thank you again for your continued support, and we will be in touch with more information when we can.
Best regards,
Eliot Wong
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Useful Links and Documents
Welcome to our fantastic school. I hope our website gives you a flavour of what a great place EPHS is, and how proud we are of all of our students and staff and their wonderful achievements. Our mission statement: “achieving excellence in a learning community” highlights our core belief that everyone within our school is a learner, that everyone can excel to accomplish great things with the support and challenge of others and that all achievement should be celebrated together, working in partnership.
We aim for all of our students to achieve academic excellence and to also grow in confidence through other areas of school life, such as sport and the arts. We believe students have the right to experience excellence in the quality of teaching they receive, and always select the very best staff to work in our school. Our school is a happy, exciting and dynamic learning environment. Do arrange a visit to see for yourself. Mr E. Wong (Headteacher) |
We are thrilled to have received our final Ofsted report from the recent inspection in March which confirms that we are indeed an OUTSTANDING school. The full report, which we feel is an excellent summary of what makes our school so superb, can be read here. Huge thanks to our expert staff and governors, our wonderful students and our supportive parents who have all worked together to secure this judgement for our fantastic school.Prospectus
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