Dear parents and carers,

I am writing to update you on our response to coronavirus. 

Last night the Prime Minister gave a briefing in which he advised social distancing and that anyone who falls into a number of vulnerable groups should self-isolate as a precaution. You can view the latest advice on self-isolation here, and I strongly encourage you to read this if you haven’t already. 

At this stage, Holmleigh Park High School remains open. We are taking – and will continue to take – all reasonable precautions. As such, a number of staff will be self-isolating, mostly because they fall into a vulnerable group. As a result of staff shortages, we have been teaching students today in larger groups than normal. In the next few days, we may have to shut the school for some year groups. We will keep you updated throughout the week; we hugely appreciate your patience as the situation is changing daily.

We have also made the decision to cancel all after-school clubs and school trips from tomorrow. Where you have paid for the trip in advance, we will contact you regarding whether refunds can be issued as soon as we have heard back from the venue.

We are continuing to plan for all possibilities, including a full closure. I have been sharing our plans for Google Classroom with students in assembly. Should we close, please rest assured that we are very well prepared to ensure your children can continue to learn from home.

If you have any queries, please contact the school at [email protected]. I would be grateful if you could avoid calling the office directly unless urgent, as we are currently experiencing a very high volume of calls.

Yours faithfully,

Patrick Farmbrough

Headteacher