Hope this letter finds you and your families well.
We have had a busy but successful start to the term as we all adjust to the new normal. I am grateful to the teaching staff who are spraying desks and chairs after every class and to our pupils who willing get their hands ‘skooshed’ with sanitiser at every opportunity. We have also identified separate zones for both internal and external use to ensure our year groups are kept separate as much as possible. I just wanted to give you an update on the following:-
- Masks
The Scottish Government recently announced that face masks should be worn by ALL secondary age young people as of Monday 31st of August. This will take effect in schools in corridors and other crowded places where social distancing is difficult. We therefore expect our pupils to wear them in social areas, corridors, toilets and on school transport. They are not required to wear them in class or outdoors unless they prefer to. Just a reminder that any masks worn in school should comply with current school uniform policy. We would prefer something fairly plain, without badges of any football teams or with any potentially offending slogans.
Any S2-S6 pupils leaving the school at lunchtime should wear a mask if they are going into any of the local shops. S1 should stay in school.
- Exemptions
Any medical exemptions should be agreed with the school and the individual pupil concerned, and should only be in the cases of severe medical difficulty such as “severe asthma” and supported by appropriate information/advice such as a card from the asthma nurse. We can then update our medical records and keep a register of pupils who are exempt.
- Uniform
With pupils wearing masks it is more important than ever that they wear their blazer every day so we can easily identify them. The days they do not have PE they should wear their blazer, white shirt, school tie and black school skirt/trousers.
On the days they have PE they should have a white t-shirt and plain black joggers or leggings. A hoodie or zipped top should NOT be worn in school. Pupils may bring a hoodie for wearing outdoors for PE but these should be removed in the building. It is particularly essential to wear a blazer on PE days to identify our pupils as part of the Braidhurst community.
- Procedures for reporting your child’s absence
Please contact the school if your child is going to be absent. You can phone before 8.45am and leave a message on the answer machine. If your child is going to absent for a period of time contact should be made to their Pupil Support teacher. Click here for Pupil Support Info
- If your child displays symptoms of COVID-19 in school we will contact you and they will be isolated until you are able to collect them. A test should be arranged. Do this online at NHS Inform, or call 0800 028 2816. Please let us know the result of the test as soon as possible but certainly before your child returns to school. Similarly if your child is self-isolating as a family member is waiting on test results please let us know results before your child returns to school.
- Information Evenings
Normally by now we would have held an information evening for our new S1 and our senior phase pupils. These would have covered topics relevant for each stage. We are therefore putting on our website a survey to discover what you would like to find out about and following this we will prepare virtual presentations to share this information with you. Please take a few minutes to complete so we can make sure we are keeping you fully informed of what is happening in school and how it affects your child.
Click here to complete our surveys
Thank you for your ongoing cooperation. Our school is organised and calm with teaching and learning the key focus. Please help us maintain our high standards.
Mrs Rooney
Head Teacher
