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