Dear Parents / Carers

I am writing to you with the latest updates during the coronavirus outbreak. I hope that you and your families are well and are coping during these difficult times. Please read through the following bits of information carefully.

Easter Holidays:

Greenford High School WILL NOT be open during the Easter holidays (Monday 6th April - Friday 17th April 2020). Although some schools in the borough will be open, we are unable to open due to pre-booked, significant engineering work that is taking place on site. If you are a key worker and you need your child to attend a school setting so that you are able to go to work and there is no-one else at home to look after them, then there are other settings that your child can attend. This also applies if your child has an EHCP or Social Worker. You can find out where these settings are at:

Family Information Service
020 8825 5588
children@ealing.gov.uk
www.ealingfamiliesdirectory.org.uk

The safest place for your child is at home. 

School closure after Easter:

If you are a key worker or your child has a social worker or EHCP and you wish to send him or her into school as from Monday 20th April, you must let us know at least one day in advance by 12pm  so that we can plan staffing. If you know that your child will attend school for a full week or for a number of days during the week, you can let us know this in advance the week before. To let us know, you need to email us at keystudents@greenford.ealing.sch.uk by 12pm the day before you wish to send your child in.  We are expecting the school to remain closed for quite some time after Easter. Due to low student numbers this week, the Local Authority has advised that we ask parents to inform us in advance if they wish to send their child into school. This only applies to the children of key workers or those with an EHCP or social worker. All other students must remain at home. 

Community Connect:

We want to make sure that students are being supported in more than just their academic learning , so we have sent all students a  link to a document called ‘Community Connect’. This document from Mrs Grimley provides contacts and links to help with well being and support, should students be feeling anxious or worried at this time. Some members of staff have also been working on a pack with some top tips, some academic and some not, on how to get through the school closure and ensure that personal wellbeing and good mental health is maintained. The document is called The GHS Guide to Surviving Home Learning and can be found at https://www.greenford.ealing.sch.uk/schoolclosure and is also available on the student VLE.

Online Learning:

After the Easter holidays, teachers will continue to provide work for students via online learning. Students are required to submit work back to their teachers online for marking and feedback.  If a student doesn’t complete his or her online learning, parents will receive a text message informing them of this.  Please support this process by asking your child about the work they have been set and monitor its completion at home. If your child is having technical difficulty in submitting work to his or her teachers on Google Classroom, please make use of the Online Learning Guide which can be found at https://www.greenford.ealing.sch.uk/schoolclosure.   For support or further guidance with tasks set, students should  email their teacher directly for help.  Please contact the IT team at helpdesk@greenford.ealing.sch.uk for any issues with passwords or online access.  

Safeguarding:

If you have any concerns about your child’s safety, then please alert the school at childprotection@greenford.ealing.sch.uk. Our designated safeguarding lead, Mrs Grimley, will pick up your message and will be able to support you. Depending on the nature of your concern, a member of the Child Protection Team will either contact you in person or signpost you to an appropriate agency.  

Free School Meals:

If your child is entitled to free school meals, you will soon be provided with vouchers as part of the national vouchers scheme that the government has launched.  The vouchers will be provided via email. If your email address is not up to date, please let us know the correct one asap.

Any updates regarding school closure will be posted on our website and on GHS Twitter. I do apologise for the inconvenience that the school closure will be causing you and your families, however, as I am sure you understand, this situation is beyond our control. 

I wish you all the best once again for the coming weeks at this difficult time. Please remember that we are available to support you if you need any help. I will remain in touch as soon as I hear more. 

Best Wishes,

Mrs M Pye
Headteacher