Dear parents and carers,

We are 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 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance. We strongly encourage you to read this if you haven’t already.

At this stage, Five Acres High School remains open. We are taking – and will continue to take – all reasonable precautions. As such, we have a number of staff who will be self-isolating 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 are continuing to prepare for all possibilities, including a full closure, including making sure that students know how to use Google Classroom. Should we close, please rest assured that we are very well prepared to ensure your children can continue to learn from home. This will include written guidance for both students and parents/carers on how to access this learning from home.

If you have any queries, please contact the school at admin@5acreshighschool.co.uk. We 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,

Stephen Derry & Simon Phelps

Acting Headteachers