Woodbridge School and Sixth Form
+44 (0)1394 615000
Woodbridge School Prep
+44 (0)1394 382673

It is lovely to see all our pupils and teachers back in School and settling into the usual routine.

Miss Norman was on hand to greet parents and pupils, as they arrived at the School after such a long time away, and it was a mixture of excitement and slight concern from most pupils, which is to be expected.

A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to make sure that everyone is as safe and secure as possible on the School site, and the Sports Dome has been transformed into a temporary Testing Centre…it is certainly proving to be a very flexible venue! Well done to all involved, in what is a very efficient and impressive operation.

We wish all our pupils an enjoyable rest of term, before the Easter holidays later this month.

It has been lovely to see so many of our CCF Cadets throwing themselves into the Friday afternoon challenges that have been posted on itslearning, and Years 7 and 8 joining in with games.

Now, we would like to encourage our whole School community to get involved, by joining in with ‘Feel Good Fridays’, a selection of some of the Common Room’s favourite ways to while away a couple of hours. https://www.woodbridgeschool.org.uk/woodbridge-feel-good-fridays/

Miss Richardson, our Director of Co-Curricular, says:

“If you are at loss as to what to do with yourself after a week of academic lessons and needs a little guidance, then please do have a look at some of the activities that we, as a Common Room, would like to be doing with our time. Covering four different themes – ‘Creative’, ‘Community’, ‘Challenge’ and ‘Chill Out’ – hopefully there is something to grab your attention.”

We would love to see what you have been up to, so please do upload pictures on social media (but please make sure that you have the permission of everyone in the photos), using the hashtag #woodbridgefeelgoodfridays. 

Following on from my email dated 18 March 2020 I would like to provide an update. As you can appreciate, this is an ever changing process and I will let you know anything further as the situation develops.

Firstly, can I say how proud I have been of our boarding students. It has been an unsettling experience with everything going on around the world whilst our students have been far from their homes but the care and support offered by Mr and Mrs Pineo together with our teaching body has meant that each boarder has felt reassured.

Those boarding students who have stayed with UK guardians over the Easter holiday will be allowed to return to the boarding house for the start of the summer term on 20 April 2020  provided that they have not had to self isolate since 5 April 2020. As with the children of our key workers, they will be able to access our curriculum and day school whilst being part of the care we are offering to our key workers.

Those students who remain with their families overseas or in Great Britain will be able to continue to access our curriculum and teacher support via our remote learning programme.

As a school, we are awaiting further clarification about how our GCSEs and A Levels will be awarded and I shall be in touch with further information on this area in due course. Mr Simon Stafford, our Head of Finance, will also be in contact soon to clarify any queries there may be about fees.

I am keen to have our boarding family all back together again and look forward to being able to update you with more detail on when this will be. As mentioned, however, the situation is constantly evolving and changes may occur to the arrangements I have outlined here. I will be sure to update you as necessary.

Following on from my letter of last week, the Government has now clarified the most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19.  If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.  As you know, staff have been extremely busy, and will remain so, providing education remotely for those children with us who are working from home.

As Head, I am asking for your assistance and help in adhering to the Government guidelines.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

  1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
  2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
  3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
  4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus.  They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
  5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision.  I have attached advice from the Government which outlines the categories for key workers:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

Nicola Mitchell and I have already received some contact from parents who fall into the above categories for key workers.  If you have not done so then please can you email me by 3pm today so that we can support those in our care.  We will only be able to assist those who have made themselves known to us by this time.

Later on this afternoon, Mrs Mitchell and I will be in touch with those who have registered to confirm what support will be in place next week.