3 February 2021
Dear Parent/Carer
I hope you are staying safe and are feeling a little more positive given the improvement in the national Coronavirus infection rate figures and the success of the national vaccination programme. At last there seems to be some light at the end of this very difficult period although it is obvious that with new variants and local variations, we still have some difficult times ahead.
As you know, last week the Prime Minister announced that it will not be possible to resume face-to-face learning immediately after the February half-term and instead he hopes it will be safe to commence the reopening of schools and colleges from Monday 8 March. Schools and colleges will remain open to vulnerable children and young people and the children of critical workers after February half-term, as they are now. All other students will continue to receive high quality remote education at home.
The Prime Minister has said that education settings, as well as students, parents and carers will be given at least two weeks’ notice to prepare for a return to face-to-face education. We therefore anticipate receiving further details of the government plans by Monday 22 February, at the very latest, and I will then confirm to you what this means for Collingwood.
Consultation on GCSE, AS and A Levels for Summer 2021
The consultation closed at 11.45pm last Friday and the results are expected to be published in the last week of February. It appears likely that the form of assessments to be used will include a combination of centre assessed grades and subject assessment papers. It is therefore essential that all students continue to stay focussed and work hard as the clear message is that ‘it is still to play for’ in terms of getting the grades they deserve.
Year 11 Interviews for Post-16 Provision
Over the next two weeks all Year 11 students will be offered an interview with a senior member of staff as part of our Information and Guidance process. The aim of these interviews is to ensure all students think carefully about their plans for next year and can make informed choices about their future. The interviews will be conducted via Teams and be audio only, meaning cameras should remain switched off throughout the calls.
Year 8 Option Interviews
All Year 8 students will be involved in remote option interviews via Teams on Monday 8 February. The calls will be audio only meaning cameras should remain switched off throughout the calls. Students will have their interview with either their Form Tutor, a member of the Year 8 pastoral team or a member of SLT. Interviews are happening throughout the day and students will be invited via Teams. Further guidance and information regarding the options process is available on Edulink.
Collingwood College's Sponsored Readathon 2021
We are eagerly anticipating World Book Day on Thursday 4 March. We have been considering how we can continue to inspire and foster a love of reading during this particularly difficult time for everyone at home. And so, with that in mind, we are introducing Collingwood College's Sponsored Readathon 2021.
We are challenging all of our students and staff to read as much as they possibly can over the next month, starting Friday 5 February and finishing Friday 5 March. Each book they read will be worth 'points' - depending on the genre. These are filtered into ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and ‘bronze’ categories - with the more complex genres gaining them more points. Donations will hopefully be set on a ‘per point’ basis, to encourage students to not only keep reading, but also to read genres they may not have read otherwise! All donations are going directly to Frimley Park Hospital to show our unwavering admiration and support during this extremely strenuous time. There will also be certificates for all participants and Amazon vouchers as prizes for those that accumulate the most points!
A flyer has been sent via email to all parents from the English Department with further details. You can also find this set as ‘homework’ in the students’ Edulink accounts. Any questions or comments please email j.roberts@collingwood.surrey.sch.uk or in fact any member of the English Department. Thank you!
Have a good week.
E Tanner
Principal