Fawley News

Severe weather Warning – Transport Update

We have just had contact with Transport Services for both Hampshire and Dorset regarding implications for tomorrow with the Amber Weather Warning and forecast gales.

DORSET TRANSPORT SERVICES

Dorset have cancelled all transport for students with the following information provided:

Due to the severe weather warnings associated with Storm Eunice tomorrow and the potential risks to travellers, Dorset Council has made the decision to suspend all transport to schools, alternative provisions and adult day care centres for Friday 18th February.

HAMPSHIRE TRANSPORT SERVICES

Hampshire have not yet made a decision on cancelling student transport. However, they have told all taxi companies that if they are not confident they will be able to safely complete both their morning and afternoon runs, then they should not pick up students in the morning.

OWN TRANSPORT – PARENTS/CARERS

Given the current forecast which has winds between 80-95 mph during the morning we would ask parents/carers who provide their own transport for students to make the decision if you are confident/happy to undertake the journey in to school. If you have any concerns or are unable to make the journey due to travel disruption then please do not worry – simply contact the school so we are aware.

We will continue to monitor the forecast and any correspondence from the Local Education Authority and Transport Services and update parents/carers if anything changes.

Kind regards,

Duncan Smith
Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

I am writing to provide some important information as well as updates for the end of this half-term and the start of next half-term.

Severe Weather Warning – Friday 18th February

Please be aware that there is a severe weather warning in place for tomorrow, Friday 18th February, for gale force winds. Whilst we do not anticipate this impacting on school opening, we have made arrangements to minimise travel involving students and staff during the school day as a precautionary measure. Students are being informed today if this means any change to their normal timetable. If any parent/carer is impacted by the gales forecast then please do not hesitate to contact the school and let us know.

End and Start of Half Term Arrangements

The half term finishes tomorrow, Friday 18th February at normal time.

Students return to school on Monday 28th February. 

NB: A reminder that we moved our originally published INSET day from Monday 28th February to Friday 4th March to allow staff to complete the second day of our Read Write Inc Reading Scheme Training. Therefore Students will not be attending school on Friday 4th March

Parents Evenings & Events

I am very pleased to announce that we are able to return to face to face parents evenings and events on our school sites given the steady and continuing decline in COVID-19.

As such we would like to invite parents/carers to visit the school sites for the following initial events:

Parents Evenings

TOTTON SITE

Key Stage 4 Students (Year 10 & 11)
Tuesday 1st March 3:00pm – 6:00pm

Key Stage 3 Students (Year 7-9)
Tuesday 8th March 3:00pm – 6:00pm

DIBDEN SITE

Key Stage 4 Students (Year 10 & 11)
Thursday 3rd March 3:00pm – 6:00pm

Key Stage 3 Students (Year 7-9)
Thursday 10th March 3:00pm – 6:00pm

FAWLEY SITE

Key Stage 2 Students (Year 4-6)
Wednesday 6th April 3:00pm – 6:00pm

The Parents Evenings will be run on a drop in basis (so no need to book appointments), with teachers based in their teaching rooms/areas to discuss your Child’s work and progress. Members of the Senior Leadership Team will also be available to chat with parents.

Final Thoughts

I would like to wish all students and parents/carers a safe and enjoyable half term break. We all look forward to seeing our students again on Monday 28th February.

Kindest regards,

Duncan Smith
Headteacher

Dear Parents & Carers,

I hope this letter finds you all well and that you have all had an enjoyable Christmas Holiday.

I am writing to confirm arrangements for start of next term and share some developments for the start of 2022.

Start of Term Arrangements

Firstly, to remind all parents of the start of term arrangements in January 2022.

Monday 3rd January: National Holiday

Tuesday 4th January: INSET Day

Wednesday 5th January: Students return to school.

As things stand, the Government/Department for Education have not made any changes to advice for schools re-opening therefore we look forward to seeing all students return on Wednesday the 5th of January.

COVID-19 Updates and Measures

Before Christmas I sent out a letter to parents/carers regarding COVID-19 measures and arrangements for on-site COVID-19 testing in January.

This letter also included information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations as well as an additional letter from the immunisation service with a link to the online consent form for COVID-19 Vaccinations. If any parent/carer has not seen these yet, copies can be found on our website:

The online consent form from the Vaccination Service can be accessed here and I would encourage any parent/carer who has wishes their child to receive either their first or second vaccination (if already vaccinated once) to complete the following e-consent form:

https://www.southernhealthimmunisations.co.uk/Forms/Covid

You will need to use the following unique code for our school: SH137279

Change to Our Published INSET Days

We previously published Monday 28th February as an INSET day but would like to give advance notice that this will change to:

Friday 4th March.

We have been trying to rebook the second day of our whole school training for the ‘Read Write Inc’ Reading Scheme. Due to lack of trainers available on the 28th of February we have had to move our planned INSET day to Friday 4th March to ensure this important training is completed.

New Appointments

I would like to share some key new appointments to the staff team at New Forest School.

Becky Rogers: Head of School – Totton

I am delighted to welcome Becky Rogers to our staff team as Head of School – Totton. She will join our other Heads of School – Nathan Lynch (Dibden), Jean Gammon (Fawley) and I as part of the core Senior Leadership Team. She has an array of experience in both Secondary, SEN and Post 16 education establishments. Becky will start in January 2022 but has already spent a day touring all the education provision at New Forest School and I know is excited to get started.

Ricky Carver: Assistant Head Pastoral – Totton

I am also delighted to welcome Ricky Carver to our staff team as Assistant Head – Pastoral. Ricky will be based on our Totton Site and starts formally in January. He is joining us from New Forest Care and as such is well known to many of the staff and students already. Ricky been able to spend several days on site over the last couple of weeks getting to know the school and those students/staff he has not already met.

Caroline Cunnington: Pastoral Support – Totton

Caroline joins our Pastoral Team at Totton in January. She has undertaken a similar role at a local school for several years and we are looking forward to her joining us and sharing her wealth of experience with both students and staff.

Emma Smith: Tutor – Dibden
Loata Kini: Tutor – Dibden
Caiden Cole: Tutor – Dibden

Emma, Loata & Caiden are all joining (or have just joined) our Dibden site as Tutors and we are looking forward to them becoming part of the staff team.

Maternity Leave

We have two staff who have now started their maternity leave.

Jacqueline Fry: Art Teacher – Totton

Jacqueline Fry started her maternity leave at the end of this term. I am sure you will join me in wishing her well as she prepares to welcome a new addition to her family. Jacqueline will return to New Forest School after her maternity leave.

Alex Warhurst: School Admin – Fawley

Alex Warhurst started her maternity leave a couple of weeks prior to the Christmas break and now has a new addition to her family. Again, I am sure you will join me in offering her our congratulations. Alex will return to New Forest School following her maternity leave.

Departures:

Sam Roberts: Pastoral – Totton

Sam Roberts has now moved on from New Forest School. I know Sam will be missed by students and staff alike and we wish him well in his future endeavours.

Final Thoughts

I would like to take this opportunity to wish every student, member of staff and parent/carer a Happy New Year.

I am extremely grateful for the support of all parents, carers, and our wider school community throughout 2021. It has been lovely to see the school sites return to operating more normally over the last term, despite the ongoing pandemic, with activities, trips and visits/visitors alongside normal timetabled lessons. I sincerely hope that this can continue in the New Year.

During the brief periods that any of our schools’ sites have been impacted by COVID-19, the support and understanding from you all has been hugely appreciated by myself, the Senior Leadership Team and all staff.

Kind regards,

Duncan Smith Headteacher