Executive Principal’s Blog – 30.4.21: “A Change in Direction”
With the gradual easing of restrictions in society as a whole planned from Monday 17th May it has been an opportune time to review some of our Covid-19 procedures and protocols.
Introduced following the advice of Public Health Nurses who visited our school on a few occasions during the Autumn Term, our One-Way System has always been a topic of discussion. At times many staff and students who clearly know the school environment well, have perceived that the disadvantages of the One-Way System have unfortunately far outweighed the benefits.
Although we made adaptations to be able to continue to follow the advice from Public Health, a number of areas of our school have remained ‘bottle-necks’. With all students moving in the same direction at the same time, crowding and the potential for infection to be spread has inevitably increased. Punctuality to lessons has also dramatically declined as students have had far further to walk to get to lessons. This has been at a time when every second counts in our efforts to catch up with missed learning.
Over the past two weeks students at all levels of the school have been thoroughly consulted and have made suggestions via their CDC Groups which align with the views of the staff; these support the removal of the One-Way system from Monday 17th May. From that date students will be able to choose which way they walk around the school.
Despite this clear restriction being lifted from that date, I would like to remind all students to continue to:
- walk on the left around the school site and especially inside the buildings
- continue to wear face masks inside the building
- continue to show respect and maintain distance from each other (particularly students from outside their year group bubble)
- follow the staggered starts to breaks, lunches and the end of the day, by year group, in order to reduce congestion when moving around the school site
- use the separate year group food outlets to support the minimising and mixing of year group bubbles
Until Monday May 17th remember to follow the existing One Way System and do bear in mind that we will continue to maintain our Year group Zones before school and at break and lunchtime, but will also review these in due course.
With best wishes for a good bank holiday weekend and as usual, do click on the link to read the latest BMS News.
Jeremy Turner
Executive Principal
