News

Coronavirus Update

23 March 2020

Please see Mr Walker’s latest update below:

Thank you for your patience and messages of support during this time.

As many of you will know, this weekend saw a call for the nation to follow social distancing measures more responsibly. We are doing all we can to adhere to these instructions.

We have been working really hard on providing the very best education for the pupils in our care. Despite the limitations of remote working, and varying personal circumstances for staff, students, and their families, our aim is, of course, to ensure that we provide pupils with the very best education. Additionally, we want to provide the very best care and support for all members of our school community, and ensure that all of our students and staff are kept as safe as possible.

We have a number of documents that are going to be available so you can support your child’s learning during these testing times. These documents will be available via our website by 9.00am tomorrow morning.

These documents are:

Resource 4: Guidance for students for working at home;

Resource 5: Guidance for parents of students working at home.

This week, we want to test our plan. Our aim is to get students used to having work set via the Virtual School, and using Showbie and other online resources to complete their work. Please support your child so they are organised, prepared, and able to complete work to the absolute best of their abilities. They will need their iPad and access to Wi-Fi. If this is a problem, please don’t hesitate to contact the school on 01326 372379.

So:

  • By Wednesday morning at 9.00am this week, each student will have one piece of work from each of their subjects set on the Virtual School;
  • This work should be completed and submitted by 10.00am on Friday;
  • Staff will then spend time ensuring this work has been completed, and providing feedback, if necessary;
  • We will, of course, reward excellent work via our Achievement Manager system;
  • If work is not completed, or is completed, but to a low standard, staff will record this on the Behaviour Manager system. There will be no points attached, but it will allow us to identify where students are not completing work so both staff and you, as parents/carers, are aware.

If this plan works well, we will, of course, inform you of the schedule for a full working week.

From Wednesday, if your child is poorly and unable to complete work, please let us know each day using the normal absence procedure (calling the school on 01326 372379).

Communication

I will continue to send an e-mail to you each day this week, to keep you up to date with our progress. Our school office should be staffed between 8.00am – 6.00pm, so please call us if there is anything we can help you with, or, alternatively, contact us via e-mail: secretary@penryn-college.cornwall.sch.uk.

Year 11 exams and set work

This is such a worrying time for all of our students, including Year 11, and, of course, we are really sad about this situation given all of the hard work they have put in while working towards their exams. We have a number of parents/carers who have contacted members of staff to enquire about predicted grades. At this stage, we can only inform you of the information that the government has communicated: teacher grades will be used as the basis of students’ grades. The details of this plan, including how it will be achieved, are very minimal, meaning we simply cannot give any clear information. If you wish to talk anything through as a matter of urgency, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Lushington. We ask that you do not contact subject teachers at this stage. As soon as we know more, we will let you know.

In terms of setting work for Year 11, we feel, at this current time, with such uncertainty, it is best that they continue to study the subjects that they wish to take in their post-16 education, along with English and Maths. Again, when we have more clarity, we will let you know.

Key workers

We are pleased that we have put together a provision plan for our students who are children of key workers. The government has made it clear that the safest place for children is at home. This provision is here for you as a last resort if you are a key worker and have no other way of looking after your children. Please contact Mrs Schouten for more information if you need any clarification.

Free school meals

We have had some feedback on our proposals for free school meal provision during this time, and we are currently looking to make these changes by this coming Wednesday. Mr Cunningham will directly contact those parents who will be impacted.

Stay safe and keep posted for daily updates.