School closures – update on Royal Wootton Bassett Academy

Staff at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy say most parents who are key workers have managed to make childcare arrangements to allow them to stay at home.

Deputy headteacher Anita Ellis said that although the school had anticipated 40 pupils arriving for school today, in the event only 11 came in.

“Clearly the message to remain at home unless you absolutely have to come into school had made an impact,” said Mrs Ellis.

The school started the day with ten teaching staff including two members of the leadership and middle management teams and a learning mentor. Two members of the support staff are on the rota, and the school’s data manager is attending school each day to check on uploads and monitor communications from the local authority or the Department for Education.

Mrs Ellis said the response from parents and students on the first day of working at home has been very encouraging.

“We have received some lovely emails from parents of children who are entitled to be in, showing us their new ‘work stations’ at home,” she said.

“We’ve also had an excellent response from students completing their online work, and virtual interactions are taking place throughout the day.

“The students who have come in have been split between five classrooms with internet access so that they can do their online learning - they are all distance learning. At break time and lunchtime students are placed in different areas of the school, and staff are also social distancing.  We have also requested that all rooms are given a thorough cleaning at the end of each day.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to all our parents and students, and of course my fantastic staff, teaching and non-teaching, for all the support you are giving each other to ensure that we can deliver learning as best we possibly can.”