Message from the Director of Education re COVID19 and other matters - 16.07.2021

FAO: All Schools / All Phases

Message sent to all schools-please send a copy to your Chair of Governors

Dear Headteacher/Principal,

I hope you are well and looking forward to the hot weather this weekend and in some schools’ cases the end of term today. Most schools, however, will be continuing next week though and thus the advice and guidance on COVID19 included in the attachments I hope will be useful and will also apply to those schools running “HAF” summer playschemes and summer schools in the case of secondary schools. I have attached a “tracing letter” to be sent by schools on your headed paper to parents and/or for your website regarding the changes to government guidance after “freedom day” on the 19th July. There are also other attachments including a tracing journey and an FAQ. The usual latest dashboard is also attached which reflects the national picture of rising cases but fortunately no fatalities.

i) Public Health Message from Dudu Sher-Arami  - The messages regarding COVID19 are important as we are currently seeing a 3rd wave of COVID cases predominantly among younger age groups. 

  1. Please do continue to manage contact tracing of confirmed cases using the existing processes that are currently in place until the end of the summer term.
  2. Please continue to report cases and close contacts to corona.virus@enfield.gov.uk
  3. Please encourage all of your staff and families to test twice weekly over the summer

(information about testing can be found at https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/your-council/enfield-response-to-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-in-enfield/  )

  1. Please prioritise COVID 19 safety during summer activities
    1. by keeping in place the usual measures such as ventilation, distancing and regular hand washing
    2. by asking all participants to participate in twice weekly LFT tests and ensure that families notify you of any child who is symptomatic or tests positive
    3. by indicating that after the 16th of August close contacts will be contacted and instructed to undertake PCR tests and providing results are negative can resume activity.

ii) NPQs  - Gill Bal talked about these at the headteacher briefing this week and the detailed information on the programmes is now on the Hub. If you wish to register your participants, please complete the registration process using the following link. If you have any further questions or queries, please contact TSH@whtc.co.uk

iii) School leadership changes  - In addition to the previous mentions of headteachers retiring or moving on, I would like to thank Chris Dodds Headteacher of Galliard School for her many years of great service to the children of the borough as she has decided to retire. Remo Iafrate is moving on from the Headship at Aylward Academy to a new headship in East London. Aidan Sadgrove is leaving One Degree Academy to pursue his career in the North of England.

iv) Congratulations  - to St Anne’s Catholic Girls School for achieving the “World Class Schools Quality Mark”, the first school in the borough to achieve this. And also to Wilbury Primary School for the school’s early years practice being put forward as exemplary national practice at a recent Challenge Partners conference.

V) Inspections – Ofsted have been active in the borough this week with two schools receiving Section 8 visits – Highlands and Honilands. I will send on the Ofsted presentation from Mike Sheridan as soon as I receive it.

vi) Enfield Museum – are running a range of food based activities over the summer. Please see attached an advert for an activity at Enfield library. People can book via the website or by calling the Dugdale Box Office: https://www.dugdalecentre.co.uk/whats-on/enfield-to-fork-art-workshop/

vii) Headteacher briefing – 31st August at 11:00am – You will receive an invitation to this shortly. I have put this in the diary before term starts because it is very likely there will be a range of announcements before term starts relating to COVID and other arrangements for the new term. We will also need to alert you to “Natasha’s Law”(relating to food allergens) and a new “Age Appropriate Design code” (relating to IT)– you may wish to google these but we will provide a full update on these two pieces of legislation

As I said at the briefing, I want to say a massive thanks to all you for your work this year, a year like no other any of us have experienced. I really hope you have a good summer break when it comes and you can get away – I have downloaded my vaccination certificates and have my NHS AP and hope to go to a “boot” camp in Lanazarote!! It will be great fun! From my point of view, it has been a real pleasure working with you throughout this challenging school year and I am sure we are all hoping that next year we will be working towards a more normal or new normal school year.  I am very likely to be in contact next week as there is likely to be further advice, guidance and announcements. I hope you have a really good weekend.

 Best wishes,

Peter Nathan

Director of Education

People Department

Enfield Council