St Anne's Catholic School St Anne's Catholic School

Parent Update 23rd July 2021

23rd July 2021

Dear Parents,

As we reach the end of such an eventful year, I would like to take the opportunity this final parent update brings to thank you for your support of the school community over the last 12 months. Alongside schools across the globe, we have been on quite a journey! We could never have predicted what we would have to face this year, but what was possible to foresee was the exceptional way the school community rose to the challenge and thrived regardless.

It's in the most difficult times that our true values shine through.

Yesterday the school community had the chance to celebrate St Anne's Day. Our patron Saint's day is the 26th July so we take the opportunity to celebrate it a few days early while we are all still together. In the morning whole school assembly we shared this great video with the school which sums up what a great year it has been despite all the restrictions:

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Over the summer we will be returning the school site back to its "normal" arrangement, albeit with some restrictions still in place as required of schools. Plus, we have learnt some new ways of working over the last year which we will keep moving forward. We will update the school website with these changes over the holidays and let you know when the update in published.

Start of the new year

Year 7 start with us on Friday, 3rd September.

Years 8-13 start the new year on Monday, 6th September.

Testing on return in September.

The government are asking pupils to undertake testing before returning to school in September. We want to make this as easy as possible and so will be using the saliva testing as primary way of doing this as opposed to the two onsite LFD tests that other schools have to undertake.

We expect all students in years 8-13 to complete a saliva test ahead of the start of term and drop it off to school on Thursday, 2nd September. Students were given extra saliva test kits on Thursday of last week. If they are not able to do this, they will be expected to drop them off at the start of term on Monday, 6th September. If neither of these are completed, we will be expecting students to complete two onsite LFD tests on Monday 6th September and Thursday 9th September. Testing is strongly encouraged but not mandatory so if you would like your daughter to opt out of testing, please email info@st-annes.uk.com so that we know. Thanks.

Details of how to complete a saliva test can be found here: Saliva Testing Programme

Travel is different: information for schools on foreign travel during COVID-19

As we finish for the summer holidays, the government have asked us to remind you of the following foreign travel advice:

to understand the risks in a country, including the latest COVID-19 restrictions (including for entry), follow the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Travel Advice.
to prevent new COVID-19 variants from entering the UK, you should not travel to red list countries.
to check what you need to do to travel abroad and return to England.

I hope you have a wonderful summer break.

God Bless

James Rouse

Headteacher