Dear Parents and Carers, Re: School Closure I thought it important to update you following the Government’s announcement to close schools with immediate effect announcements. As I wrote in my earlier letter we have been concerned about the rapidly increasing rate of infection in our surrounding area and our ability to keep everyone safe in our school setting. Barking and Dagenham has been identified as an area where infection rates are high and the Department for Education contingency framework applies. T This change in approach by the Government has given us a sense of relief. We welcome the request to revert to online learning for the majority of our students. School Opening Arrangements: We will be open only for the children of critical key workers and vulnerable children on both the primary and secondary site. We appreciate that some of you will not be able to continue the very important work that you do to protect our community if we are closed. Therefore, if you belong to one of these categories may I ask you to consider your decision very carefully. If you have the capacity to care for your child/ren at home, please keep them at home. If you have no other option but to send your child/ren to school please e-mail office@sydneyrussellschool.com to notify us of your intent. You will be required to complete an information form and should they be in year 7 to 11, a consent form for them to have a lateral flow Covid test. This test is crucial for detecting asymptomatic cases and for keeping us all safe. I would be grateful if you would complete the consent form in advance using the link below. This test is crucial in keeping us all safe. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DC7QG8N Remote learning began for all of our primary children and Years 11 and 13.  Remote learning for all other year groups starts on Monday 11th January 2021. Primary children must log on by 9am. Secondary students will be expected to log on to Teams at 08:40 where they will be registered by their class teacher or form tutor. The school will operate normal working hours, 8:40 to 3pm and students will follow a normal timetable, albeit remotely. All lessons will run at the following times: Period 1 – 9am -10am Period 2 – 10am – 11am Break – 11am – 11:30am Period 3  – 11:30m -12:30pm Period 4 – 12:30pm – 1;30pm Break – 1:30pm – 2:00pm Period 5 – 2:00pm – 3pm Please read the full letter here