Dear Parent/Carer

Please note that an important letter about a change to the school timetable, which takes effect from Monday 17th August, is being emailed to all parents for whom we have an email address and is attached below.

PDF = Timetable Parent Letter

This change – to double periods throughout the school for all pupils – is for reasons of Health and Safety related to Covid-19. This means no change for students in S5/S6 but does represent a change for all other pupils.

PS. If you have not already provided the school with an email address, please do so as a matter of urgency.

Thank you.

As previously stated, pupils should attend school wearing their PE kit on days when they have PE. We are keen to ensure appropriate dress at all times around the school when they are in other classes but recognise that the weather is very warm at present. Consequently, shorts can be worn under jogging bottoms or leggings so that pupils are able to wear more sporting attire during PE. After PE class they can return to their original clothing.

The authority is currently looking at the issue of  the safe use of changing rooms but, until more information becomes available, the current approach of asking pupils to wear PE kit to school on days when they have PE will continue.

Thank you for your  cooperation.       

Dear Parent/Carer

I hope this letter finds you and your family well. I am writing to you to update you on the plans for school returning next week. North Lanarkshire Council is fully implementing Scottish Government guidance for the return to schools. It is important to emphasise that we will be implementing as many measures as possible to mitigate risk.

We, at Taylor High School, will do everything we can to welcome our pupils back safely. I understand that some young people will have anxieties about returning to school and that parents and carers will also have concerns. The health and wellbeing of young people is our priority. It is expected that all pupils will be able to return to school unless advised otherwise by a medical practitioner. If there are any specific health issues you wish to discuss with us then please contact the school Tel. 01698 274976.

Every school has carried out a risk assessment for returning next week and an enhanced daily cleaning regime will be in place. Cleaning staff will focus on touch points during the day as well as at the end of the day. It will also be important that pupils, and staff, play their part by taking appropriate responsibility for their own personal hygiene.

Pupil Return

Schools in North Lanarkshire will return on a phased basis from Wednesday 12 August, following an in-service day for staff on Tuesday 11 August.

The arrangements are as follows:

Wednesday 12 August: First Year, Second Year, Third Year.  Thursday 13 August: First Year, Fourth Year, Fifth Year, Sixth Year. From Friday 14 August: All pupils attend normally.

The school has signage to assist with the safe movement of pupils around the building and allow space for physical distancing where possible. Signage indicates the direction of travel and a ‘keep left’ policy is in place in corridors and stairs. Pupils will be asked to use the following routines for entering and exiting the building:

Entering the Building

First Year

Pupils in First Year should wait in the main yard outside the main pupil entrance each day on arrival using the coloured circles now painted in the yard to ensure social distancing. When the first bell sounds, they will be escorted into the building to class by a member of staff. This approach will operate on day one and thereafter until further notice.

Second and Third Year

Pupils in Second and Third Year should enter the building through the main pupil entrance on the side of the building and use the school canteen area and school theatre to assemble each morning until the first bell sounds. Staff will be in attendance to ensure social distancing is maintained where possible.

Fourth Year

Fourth Year students should enter the building through the main pupil entrance at the side of the building and proceed straight to their first class of the day. Once again, until advised otherwise, this routine should be maintained each day.

Fifth and Sixth Year

Fifth and Sixth students should enter the building via the new main entrance at the front of the building and proceed straight to their first class of the day. This routine should also be maintained until further notice. Pupils will be instructed to use hand sanitiser every time they enter and leave the building.

Exiting the Building

When exiting, pupils will normally leave the building through the closest available exit under the direction of staff in that area. Break and Lunchtime At break time all pupils must remain on campus at all times. In order to mitigate the risk of virus transmission, pupils will be encouraged to spend break times outside in the school yard in line with Government guidelines unless the weather is very inclement.

At lunchtime, in line with normal practice, First Year pupils will not be allowed to leave the school grounds. However, in addition to this, we would advise that pupils in all other stages should also remain within the school premises. If any pupil must leave the school at lunchtime, he or she must comply with Scottish Government guidance regarding social distancing and the wearing of face coverings in shops and certain other premises.

School Uniform/Equipment

Pupils should wear their school uniform including tie. The position regarding all aspects of clothing worn to school will be kept under regular review in light of advice from North Lanarkshire Council and/or Scottish Government. The current advice is that school uniform can be worn safely and that normal washing of school clothing should be sufficient mitigation of risk. The school has a supply of both the junior and senior tie available and will sell them as normal at the usual price of £6 for a senior tie and £4 for a junior tie. Given that the health and safety advice in June pointed away from wearing ties and that not all parents may have bought a tie by Wednesday of next week, the school will be happy to sell new ties to any pupil who requires one on their first day back. Clearly older pupils may continue to wear their existing tie with the exception of Fourth Year students who should purchase a senior tie if they have not already done so.

School bags, pencil cases and lunch boxes can be brought into the building but items should be limited where possible. Pupils are asked not share stationery. Bags should not be placed on desks or tables. They should be placed on the floor. Hand Sanitising stations are located at key locations throughout the school. However, we would encourage pupils, where possible, to carry their own small bottle of hand sanitiser for personal use. All pupils should bring an outdoor jacket to school to allow for the possibility of spending more time outdoors than would normally be the case.

Drop off/Pick up

Contract school transport will be available as normal for eligible pupils. Scottish Government guidance states that school transport should be treated as an extension of the school building, i.e. that no physical distancing is required. Parents and carers are reminded to ensure that they apply for their child to travel on contract transport if eligible to do so – this usually means those who live in Cleland, Dalziel Park and the top end of Newarthill.
School buses will drop young people off in the bus bay and pupils will walk to their respective entry point.
We would ask that parents dropping pupils off by car should do so as far away from the school as possible. The car parks around the building are for staff only and will not be available for drop-offs and pick-ups until the school is able to operate normally once again.
We would encourage young people to walk to school if at all possible.

Parents/Visitors to the School

At this time it is not possible for parents/carers to visit the school. If you have any enquiry, please contact your child’s pupil support teacher by phone and they will call you back as soon possible. Parents/Carers should not enter the building or the school grounds at any time. However, in exceptional circumstances, an appointment to attend the school for a meeting may be agreed with school staff. This is likely to be outwith the pupil day. Please note that a face covering must be worn at all time by visitors to the school.

School Life

No assemblies will take place at this time and there will be no gatherings of large groups of pupils. Smaller groups may come together at various times but this will be limited.
At this point we have been advised that it is unlikely that school to school travel will take place for senior students wishing to access subjects at a local school. The authority is urgently implementing a solution for this issue using appropriate technology.
At changeovers the timing of the school bell may be altered slightly to allow for staggered movement around the building. Pupils will be issued with further information about this next week on their first day.

Physical Education

Guidance from the Scottish Government advises that Physical Education lessons should take place outdoors at this time. In addition, the relevant advice indicates that the use of changing rooms should be eliminated until further notice.
This means that young people, on days when they have Physical Education classes involving working outdoors, should attend school dressed in their PE kit. For boys this should consist of plain white t-shirt and black jogging bottoms. For girls this should consist of plain white t-shirt and black leggings/jogging bottoms. Pupils will need to be prepared for inclement weather and should also bring an appropriate outdoor jacket and wear suitable footwear. If the weather is very inclement, outdoor work will not be possible. In those circumstances, pupils will remain in the building and use class-based resources prepared by Physical Education staff.

Personal Protective Equipment

Scottish Government guidance states that pupils do not routinely need to wear face coverings. However, should pupils wish to do so, the wearing of face coverings is acceptable. Staff will not be required to wear face coverings provided physical distancing can be maintained from pupils; however they may choose to do so. Where that is not possible, and staff are closer than two metres for 15 minutes or more, staff will be required to wear face coverings. Pupils must respect the 2m social distancing guidance in relation to all members of staff at all times while at school. I ask parents and carers to reinforce the need for this with their children.

And finally….

We will be delighted to welcome our young people back to Taylor High School next week. The world we live in is constantly changing with regular updates on the corona virus. Parent and carers will be updated on any changes to the guidelines via future communications of this kind.
All pupils will be met by a member of staff on their first day and issued with their timetables and all of the information that they will need for returning to school. We will continue the practice of issuing homework diaries to all pupils free of charge.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support during this very difficult time. We have missed our young people and pray that we are moving to brighter times for everyone.

 

Taylor High New Term Information

Fifth and Sixth Year Re-interviews – Thursday 6th August 2020

Pupils who wish to make a change to their curriculum for session 2020-21 should contact the school on Wednesday 5th August to arrange an appointment for Thursday 6th August.

Tel. 01698 274976

These appointments will involve only the pupil concerned – unfortunately parents cannot attend due to Covid restrictions nor should any other young person attend with the individual concerned.

Only pupils with appointments will be seen on Thursday with no exceptions possible. Appointments will begin at 9.30am and operate throughout the day, each lasting for 10 minutes. Interviews will be conducted by several members of staff.

Phased return information

You will already have received a similar text message to the information below about the return to school for each year group.

North Lanarkshire Council has announced that there will be phased return to schools next week, the letter is attached below, details as follows:

Secondary schools 

• Wednesday 12 August: First Year, Second Year, Third Year
• Thursday 13 August: First Year, Fourth Year, Fifth Year, Sixth Year
• From Friday 14 August: All pupils
• All First Year pupils will attend on 12, 13 and 14 August.

A fuller letter from the Executive Director of Education and Families has been issued to all parents by email attachment and a further letter from the school will follow later this week with more details regarding the return to school.

NLC Phasing Letter

We hope to see you all happy to be back while maintaining appropriate hygiene and distancing measures to stay safe at school.

Here are some more film and book recommendations by Mrs Leslie from our Joseph Wilson Library. Why not give some of these a go? All of these books are available from the Library when we return to school in August!

 

 

 

 

 

     ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘The Extinction Trials: Rebels’ can be found on NLC Borrowbox. Share your thoughts and views with us at: Taylor High’s Library Twitter

                            We hope you enjoy these amazing recommendations!

This week, we have many more engaging virtual talks for you to choose from. The schedule is detailed below:

WEEK STARTING MONDAY 13^TH JULY 2020

DATE	SPEAKER	INFO
Mon 13th July 10am	Reemah Sakaan, Group Launch Director, Britbox	Hear from Reemah Sakaan, Group Launch Director, BritBox on what it takes to have a career in TV, the skills and qualities that you might need and more about their career journey.
Mon 13th July 2pm	Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England	Join us to hear from the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, as he talks to students across the UK about the work of the Bank and answers YOUR questions.
Tues 14th July 10am	Richard Aylard, External Affairs and Sustainability Director and Rebekah Kenyon, Senior Sustainability Awareness Advisor, Thames Water	Reflections on sustainability in a lockdown world: Join us to hear from Richard Aylard and Rebekah Kenyon as they discuss sustainability and lockdown, from home working to how lockdown has impacted Thames Water’s activities and our new appreciation for the environment.
Tues 14th July 2pm	Sara Crofts, Chief Executive, The Institute of Conservation	Who looks after the dinosaurs in the Natural History Museum? Who uncovers the hidden stories in old paintings? Who keeps Big Ben running like clockwork? Join Sara Crofts to find out how professional conservators care for the treasures in our museums and galleries.
Wed 15th July 10am	Anna Turney, Paralympian	Paralympian, Anna Turney, is joining SFS virtually to reflect on her own journey and share life lessons with young people including the important of goal setting, working hard and developing resilience.
Wed 15th July 2pm	Alejandra Castaño  GHG Air Quality Lead Advisor, Upstream – GOO, BP	This talk will be given by an environmental engineer with BP about her career at the company and the kind of work she’s involved in with the company’s carbon ambitions.
Thurs 16th July 10am	Sharon Walpole, Director, Careermap	We’re delighted Sharon Walpole, Director, Careermap has kindly agreed to join us to discuss how young people can prepare for their future careers from understanding what your passion is, how to research to find out more about the careers you might be interested in and sharing the resources that can help you think about your future.
Thurs 16th July 2pm	Julia Angeles, Investment Manager, Baillie Gifford	Interested in learning more about the skills it takes to succeed in the future job market? Julia Angeles has joined us to give insights in to the investment industry and to highlight the importance of collaborative and creative thinking in any career!

HOW TO JOIN THE VTALKS

• Join 10 minutes before the VTALK to be ready
• You can join without needing an account –Watch how here
• For full speaker descriptions visit theVTALK Schedule here 

We hope all students enjoy the virtual talks this week!

Mrs Leslie has provided some useful recommendations to read and watch during lockdown!

Looking for something to watch on a rainy day?  Try these book inspired gems. You can access them through BBC I-Player.  Why not  give them a go this summer?

The Joseph Wilson Library Resource Centre Lockdown Reads.

Have a look and see if these books are available through the ebook service at ‘CultureNL Libraries.’

If you have watched or read the above recommendations, why not share your reviews with us through our Taylor Library Twitter account : @LibraryTaylor 

Stay safe and happy reading everyone!

Today’s announcement from the Scottish Government outlines the plan to reopen all schools on a full time basis from August.

We are currently considering the practicalities and implications of this announcement and will await further clarification and guidance from government, particularly in relation to public health and scientific advice.

Our priority is the safety of our pupils and staff across our network of primary, secondary and ASN schools, as well as our early learning and childcare settings.

We understand that you will have questions, and as this news was only announced today, we will make further information available on how this impacts on our schools and facilities in the coming days.

We are preparing for pupils to return full-time to school on 12 August and we will be working closely with our schools and partners, including our early years and childcare provision to establish our plans, which we will communicate as soon as we are in a position to.

You will have received a letter regarding the return of pupils in August 2020. Further updates will be issued when required and we will be in contact over the holiday period. As you will appreciate, the situation is constantly changing and this impacts on decisions which also may require to be reviewed in the light of new information. The school receives information regularly from North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) and the Scottish Government. Please keep checking our school website and Twitter page for updates.

What will our classrooms look like next year?

Classrooms have been reconfigured to ensure pupils are sitting 2m apart. This has reduced the capacity in each room. This reduced capacity means that we can safely bring pupils into school two days per week on the basis of 2m social distancing.

How will my child be taught?

When they return in August, pupils will study on the basis of blended learning. This will be a mix of learning in school and at home. This could change between now and August. We will continue to supply online work for all pupils during term-time. If there are any issues with accessing materials, please contact your child’s Pupil Support teacher.

How will the pupils enter the school and move around the building?

We are currently planning how we can ensure your child enters/leaves the building safely and can move between classes.   Signs will be in place to direct pupils around the school and remind them to maintain social distancing.  Information about this will be issued nearer the date pupils return to school.

What should pupils wear to school?

We are extremely proud of our standards of school uniform at Taylor High School. Based on current information on clothing and, taking account of the current workplace risk assessment which the Council uses, we expect all pupils to wear their blazer from August but not their school tie in the first instance. I advise the purchase of a tie since the position on this may change at any time.  In addition we recommend that pupils bring a waterproof jacket and/or have an umbrella as they may be outside longer than usual when waiting to enter the building under the new social distancing guidelines

On days when pupils undertake Physical Education, they will be asked to attend school in their PE kit.  In a change from normal practice this will consist of a plain white t-shirt and black jogging bottoms or leggings. We will not be able to offer changing facilities for PE.

How can I order a school uniform?

We have been in contact with Logoxpress and they have provided advice on how to measure your child for a blazer at home. The company will take orders online and arrange delivery to your home. The website is www.logoxpress-schoolwear.co.uk and their phone number is 01786 447454. Please see attached further advice provided by Logoxpress.

S1 – S3 Order form and sizing guidelines.

Taylor High School S1-3 2020 Order Form

Taylor S1-3 Sizing Guidelines

S4 -S6 Order form and sizing guidelines

Taylor HS Senior Phase Sizing Guidelines

Taylor High School Senior Phase 2020 Order Form

Ties will be available to buy from the school office. We will advise you when they are available even if not to be worn in the first instance.

Thank you for your ongoing support

Stay safe everyone!

One Parent Families Scotland has been delivering services for parents across North Lanarkshire for over 13 years.  Our staff team have been working hard to ensure we can continue to support families with the services that they need during the Coronavirus outbreak, both in terms of practical services and, importantly, in terms of being able to access those services.

Current Service Provision

• Completion of crisis applications supporting parents struggling to meet fuel costs
• Referrals to Foodbanks supporting parents struggling to meet food costs
• Completion of charitable grants for essential new household items (electrical appliances, bedding, etc)
• Support with Universal Credit and benefit applications
• Emotional, Well-being & Peer Support via phone call, text, Facebook, Facetime and WhatsApp
• Up-to-date advice and referrals for access to local services & resources
• Free Phone Lone Parent Helpline 0808 801 0323, webchat and local up to date information and ‘Ask a Question‘ on our website www.opfs.org.uk

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to find out more about One Parent Families Scotland specialist package of support package.

T:        01698 239961

M:      07506 904 368

E:        lee.anthony@opfs.org.uk

One Parent Families Scotland enjoys a reputation for providing high quality services and have an unrivalled knowledge and understanding of the issues facing single parent families.

All of our work is underpinned by the alleviation of child poverty.