Dear parent/carer,

I hope you are well and keeping safe with your nearest and dearest.  I wanted to write and update you on what is happening at Hope Valley College.

Support for key workers

On some days this week we have had a small group of staff in, looking after the students of key workers. They have provided a safe, supportive place for our students, with all the necessary social distancing and hygiene measures in place. On many days there have been no students in school and we have closed at lunchtime. We will not be in school on Monday 30^th March or Tuesday 31^st March as no one has requested our support, the building will only be open for a short time on Monday and Tuesday so please bear this in mind if you need to drop off or pick up anything. We will, of course be there again on Wednesday if we are required and keeping on top of emails from home too.

If you are a key worker and require further details, please email attendance@hopevalley.derbyshire.sch.uk before 6pm the day before so that we can ensure we have the staffing to support you. Please note, that in line with government guidelines, this is only for when it is absolutely necessary to keep a child safe.

 

Adjusting to our new Virtual School

Meanwhile, we are making the transition to being a Virtual School for the rest of our staff and students. This week has been about getting used to this new way of learning and working. I know that it has been challenging for all of us. As well as practical barriers, many of us are having to cope with big changes at home and, of course, the many emotions that we feel.

Please reassure Y11 students that their teachers are still here to help them with any areas of their GCSEs that they want to develop, work on or improve. We are taking all evidence into account and will be using any work you do now or in the next few weeks to support our recommendations for GCSE grades when the time comes.  It’s not too late for Y11 to improve their performance if they need to do this – they would have had another two months in school and every year many students do improve between their mock exams and the real thing. Tell them to keep emailing teachers and working on GCSE Pod if applicable.

On that note, don’t forget there are some really good support resources on our website for students, from a wide range of organisations – and not just about dealing with the current situation. You can find these at: https://www.hopevalley-chorustrust.org/studentwellbeing

If you have any safeguarding concerns please contact us at: safeguarding@hopevalley.derbyshire.sch.uk

 

Home Learning

Thank you for supporting your students with home learning.  Please do not worry if your child has not done everything that has been set. We know that this is going to take some adjustment. As previously mentioned, the ClassCharts app has the most up to date Home Learning activities set by teachers.  If you need help accessing it, please see the guide at: https://www.hopevalley-chorustrust.org/itsupport  If you want advice on how to structure a day of learning for your child, please see: https://www.hopevalley-chorustrust.org/remotelearning 

The following link has been provided by Derbyshire County Council colleagues and is designed to support parents and carers with e-safety information. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhLWwQ4Ay5s I think we all know how important it is to check that any websites used by children are suitable and that they are not spending too much time on a screen.

 

Team Check-ins

We understand that the current situation can be worrying for many of our students, others will feel isolated and for many they will miss the structure, safety and support they receive from school. Therefore, our teams will be checking in with students to see how they are, if they have any issues, if they need support and enquire how they are getting on with the home learning set by teachers. The Teaching Assistants and tutors will be contacting students via school email in the coming weeks and will do this repeatedly and as necessary. Please remind your child to check their school email regularly and that a reply is important so we know our students are safe and well. If you have asked us to do this less regularly then we will continue with those arrangements unless there is a good reason not to do so.

 

Thank you for the many messages of support you have sent in. We really do appreciate them.

Stay safe and please follow the government guidelines during this difficult time. Please see the following linkhttps://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/health-and-wellbeing/health-protection/disease-control/coronavirus/schools/schools-parents.aspx with the latest advice from the council.

With best wishes to you and your family and wishing you a restful weekend.

Mrs G Jones
Principal
Hope Valley College