South Tyneside has been identified as an “Area of Enhanced Support” for Covid due to the rising number of cases within the borough.
To help stop the potential spread of Covid within school, from Monday 21st September, the following will apply:
We will be encouraging all of our secondary pupils to wear a face mask in school when they are not in the classroom or the dining hall. Pupils will be asked to wear a mask while on transport, when coming into school and when moving around school. Once out on the yard in their Key Stage Bubble, pupils will not have to wear a mask. When not worn, these masks must be kept in a re-sealable bag.
Parents / carers dropping off and collecting pupils from school will be required to wear a mask while waiting outside the gates. The secondary pupils they are dropping off will be asked to wear a mask until they enter their classroom.
We know our pupils may take little time to get used to the new rules and we will be working with them and yourselves to encourage them to wear a mask.
We would ask that parents supply their child with a clean mask each day.
You will beware of local and national incidents where year group bubbles (and in some cases, the whole school), have been sent home to self isolate due to positive Covid tests within the school community. We are trying to avoid this and I hope you will join us in supporting the use of masks.
Please note – this is a requirement for secondary pupils only; our primary pupils can wear masks if they wish but it is not compulsory.