Dear Parents and Carers,
I am writing to let you know of the postponement of next week’s scheduled INSET Day by one school week. As you will be aware, we had calendared Friday 12th February, the day before half term, as an INSET day. We will now be continuing teaching and provision on this date and, instead, designating Friday 26th February, the Friday after half term, as a staff training day.
There are two key reasons for this change. We had hoped, by this point, to have some information on two important areas: the proposed phased return to school and the assessment framework for the Centre Determined Grades. As yet, we have neither. Details of both are expected imminently and the opportunity to review these on 26th February as a whole staff and make careful preparations that will benefit your child will be invaluable.
We recognise that swift changes at Welsh Government level are unavoidable at present and we are realistic that this must be the case. All schools are ensuring that they are agile in their planning in response to these changes. The importance, however, of these two key matters - planning for a safe return to school as soon as details are announced and planning a robust assessment process to ensure that our learners achieve the grades they deserve in the absence of exams - require whatever additional time we can devote to them. For this reason then, we will postpone the planned INSET day as described.
With no indication as yet that there will be a full return to school by 26th February, this should not impact on our pupils and their families. Lessons will, then, continue as normal next Friday.
With thanks for your understanding and your support in this matter -
Yours faithfully,
Mrs Pole
Headteacher