It was wonderful meeting four new students today who will join us after the half term break after arriving recently from Ukraine.  We were so proud of the group of our existing students who joined us in welcoming the students to our family so warmly, and we are very much looking forward to helping our new students settle in to College life.  We can only imagine how difficult it must be for them but we know that the entire community will join us in ensuring that they are welcomed and looked after.

​Ласкаво просимо. Ми знаємо, що це не ваш дім, але ми обіцяємо вам, що зробимо все можливе, щоб ви тут почувалися як вдома. Тепер ти частина нашої родини, і ми будемо піклуватися про тебе.

It is with profound sadness that we share the devastating news of the sudden, tragic death of one of our students yesterday, 13 April 2022.  We have offered our most heartfelt condolences to the student's family, and our thoughts are with them.  Please follow this link to a letter we have sent to our families.

Over the past month, 4 students from our College have been representing Okehampton Otters Swimming Club at the Devon County Championships.

Finley Molyneux (Y9), Ben Webster (Y9), Solomon Marrison (Y8) and Abigail Graves (Y7) all qualified for the Devon County Championships which took place over 3 weekends in January and February. Between them they qualified for 17 events and out of these 17 events they got 12 personal best times and made 8 finals (placing in the top 8 in these events).

Notably, Squad Captain Finley Molyneux marginally missed out on the bronze medal in both the 50m and 100m butterfly coming an excellent 4th position. 

Not only did our students achieve personal bests and make finals, but 3 of the swimmers qualified for the South West Regional Championships. Finley qualified in the 50m and 100m breastroke, as well as the 50m and 100m fly. Solomon qualified in the 50m and 100m breastroke; Abi also qualified in the 50m breastroke.

Their coach (Performance Squad Coach) and ex Okehampton College student Jessica James said ‘I am so proud of all of them; they have been training so hard since I started coaching them in July and this is what they have been working towards. For them to qualify for the Devon’s in itself was a huge achievement, but to go on and make finals and get regional times is incredible. This is the largest number of swimmers Okehampton Otters have ever seen qualify for regionals in one year. Some people don’t realise how hard these guys train – spending 5 hours a week in the pool – and it was just amazing to see it all pay off.’

If anyone is interested in joining Okehampton Otters Swimming Club please contact the Otters at otterscomms@hotmail.com. Whether you are fresh out of swim school, want to swim for fitness, or like these 4 swimmers want to compete, there are different squads to cater for all abilities.

​If you are interested in competing then please do give it a go – you are never too old to start something new! There are always plenty of friendly competitions throughout the year and we know the Otters would welcome some new friendly faces.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) released this information this week on the ‘next steps for living with COVID’.  The Department for Education has also published this blog to clarify how ‘living with COVID’ will apply to schools.  Should there be any significant and material differences in the updated guidance, I will write again to outline them for you.  The key points and changes that will come into effect from tomorrow are:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) tests are no longer be freely available, including to schools, and routine testing will no longer be expected in schools.  (The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have provided new information here on who can access free tests from now on.)
• Adults with a positive COVID-19 test result are now advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days. This of course applies to College staff.
• School students with a positive COVID-19 test result are now advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days. This means that all students currently isolating can return to school on Monday 4 April, if of course they do not have a high temperature and are well enough to attend.
• Adults with symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19, and a high temperature or who feel unwell, are advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and they no longer have a high temperature.
• Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can return to school when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend.
• It is deemed 'sensible' to wear a mask in enclosed spaces, keep indoor spaces ventilated and stay away from others if you have any symptoms of a respiratory illness, including COVID.
  
• Children and young people aged 5 and over are encouraged to get vaccinated, although the in-school COVID-19 vaccination programme will come to an end.

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A letter has been sent today to all families, further to the Prime Minister’s statement to parliament earlier this week on 'living with COVID' and the removal of all remaining domestic restrictions in law from 24 February 2022, to clarify the situation for parents and students as it applies to the College. The letter provides more detail, and links to official guidance, but in summary, key items for parents and students to note from next week are:

• If a student tests positive for COVID-19, public health advice is still that they should still stay at home. They should take LFD tests each day from 5 days after their symptoms started (or the day their test was taken if they did not have symptoms). If test results are negative on 2 consecutive days, they can return to school.
  
• If a student has COVID-19 symptoms, public health advice remains that a PCR test should be arranged and that they should stay at home while awaiting the result.
  
• If a student is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, they are no longer required to test daily for 7 days, and should attend school as usual.
  
• Students are no longer required to take two weekly LFD tests, although they may continue to do so if they wish.
  
• Given current case numbers locally, we strongly advise that students, staff, and visitors continue to wear face coverings, temporarily, in corridors and communal areas, and we retain the option for students and staff to continue to wear face coverings in classrooms should they wish to do so.
  
• We will continue to retain some of the measures we have had in place at the academy to help limit transmission of the virus within our school and the wider community, including ensuring that classrooms and communal areas have sufficient ventilation, and that there continues to be regular enhanced hygiene and cleaning processes in place.

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) today confirmed the support being provided for students sitting GCSE, AS and A- Level examinations this summer 'to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic’ on current Y11 and Y13 students caused ‘by school closures during periods of lockdown and disruption due to absences.'  The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) also published their Advance Information for respective subjects, along with specific detail provided by each Exam Board for each subject and qualificiation.

Information and adaptations are different for each subject and exam board, but include ‘advanced sight of the content… a choice of topics in some GCSEs like English literature and history, and support materials like formulae sheets in maths'.

We have written to all families and students outlining the confirmed changes and Advance Information provided, and have updated the Qualifications and Awards page on our website to provide students and families with easy access to the information.

Today, 19 January, the Prime Minister announced that the COVID-19 Response Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 Plan B measures will be removed in England, with a full return to Plan A by Thursday 27 January.

For schools this means that from 20 January, face coverings are no longer advised for students, staff and visitors in classrooms, and from 27 January, face coverings are no longer advised for students, staff and visitors in communal areas.  From 27 January, staff and students should follow wider advice on face coverings outside of school, when it is still required by law that face coverings continue to be worn in crowded and indoor spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.  This includes on transport to and from school.

All other control measures remain in place, namely: Ensuring good hygiene for everyone; Maintaining appropriate cleaning regimes; Keeping occupied spaces well ventilated; and following public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

Our COVID-19 Outbreak management plan is also still applicable, and we must continue to liaise with UKHSA and local directors of public health regarding the local coronavirus situation.  For example, Directors of public health may advise that face coverings should temporarily be worn in communal areas or classrooms (by students, staff and visitors, unless exempt) as part of local outbreak management.  To this end, we continue to liaise with UKHSA and will of course inform you of any such local actions.

Further to the announcement made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on Thursday 13/01/2022, from Monday 17 January, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, whether via LFD or PCR test, may leave their 10-day period of self-isolation early from 5 days, if they have 2 negative LFD tests over 2 consecutive days, at least 24 hours apart. This means that LFD testing for students who have tested positive with COVID-19 can therefore resume on day 5 of their isolation, in order to leave isolation and return to school on day 6 if day 5 and day 6 tests are negative, and if they do not have a high temperature.

To emphasise, the 2 negative LFD tests to release a student from isolation and allow them to return to school earlier than the full 10-day period must be taken on consecutive days and reported to school.  For example, this means that a student who has tested positive for COVID-19 can return to school if they have:

A negative LFD test on the morning of day 5 and morning of day 6 (can return on day 6).
A negative LFD test on the morning of day 6 and morning of day 7(can return on day 7).
A negative LFD test on the morning of day 7 and morning of day 8 (can return on day 8).
A negative LFD test on the morning of day 8 and morning of day 9 (can return on day 9).
A negative LFD test on the morning of day 9 and morning of day 10 (can return on day 10).

Also, please remember that students who test positive with an LFD test are no longer required to take a confirmatory PCR test. This means that anyone who receives a positive LFD test result should self-isolate immediately, without the need to have a PCR test to confirm the result.  Anyone who has symptoms should continue to self-isolate straight away and arrange to take a PCR test as soon as possible.

Students (and adults who are fully vaccinated, i.e., 2 doses) who are contacts of a person who has tested positive, are not legally required to self-isolate (unless they have symptoms). Instead, they are strongly advised to take a rapid LFD test every day for 7 days, or until 10 days since their last contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 if this is earlier.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed last week that from 11 January, people who test positive with a lateral flow device (LFD) test are no longer required to take a confirmatory PCR test. This means that anyone who receives a positive LFD test result should self-isolate immediately, without the need to have a PCR test to confirm the result. This is a temporary measure introduced by HM Government while COVID-19 rates remain high across the UK.

Anyone who has symptoms should continue to self-isolate straight away and arrange to take a PCR test as soon as possible.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, whether via LFD or PCR test, can now stop self-isolating after 7 days if they do not have a high temperature and if they take a rapid LFD test on days 6 and 7 of their 10- day self-isolation period, at least 24 hours apart, with both tests being negative.

Students who are contacts of a person who has tested positive are not legally required to self-isolate (unless they have symptoms) and are strongly advised to take a rapid LFD test every day for 7 days, or until 10 days since their last contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 if this is earlier. The student should of course self-isolate if any of these test results are positive.

​On return to school this week, in addition to the continued requirement that all students and staff wear face coverings in corridors and communal areas, unless exempt, we are reinstating the requirement as now recommended by the Department for Education for all secondary schools across the country, that all students and staff wear face coverings in classrooms unless social distancing can be maintained (for example, a teacher when teaching from the front of a classroom more than 2m away from students).

This is a temporary recommendation, made in light of the Omicron variant surge, and will be reviewed by 26 January, when HM Government's Autumn and Winter 2021 Plan B requirements are currently scheduled to expire.

Staff will request that face coverings are worn as students enter buildings and classrooms, unless exempt.  If your child is exempt, and you have already informed us, we have this on record and your child will have been provided with an exemption card and/or badge. If you have not already informed us, please do so.  (Some circumstances where people may not be able to wear a face covering are outlined on page 8 of the DfE's recently updated COVID-19 Operational Guidance for schools.)

We would be grateful if you could please ensure that your child has appropriate face coverings for the entirety of the school day (when inside buildings) including travel to and from school on school or public transport.  Whilst we will provide face coverings for students who do not have them, to do so consistently for large numbers of students is difficult.

In recent weeks our Year 10 students have participated in a 'reverse advent' community project.  Instead of receiving a gift, those taking part in a reverse advent calendar donate an item each day.  At the end of advent, the calendar will result in a collection of goods that can be donated to a good cause in time for Christmas.

Students across the ten tutor groups worked together and coordinated a Christmas parcel for local families and/or individuals in need, as identified by Okehampton Community Kitchen.  Each tutor group was allocated a family (kept anonymous) and given some details (again anonymised) from which they could select some personalised gifts, and write appropriate notes of goodwill, to accompany the food items that were suggested by Ms Teixeira, Head of Y10. 

The enthusiasm and community spirit generated by our students' participation in the project was genuinely heart-warming.  Natural leaders in each tutor group took on specific roles, made checks (including date checks) and co-ordinated the collection. 

Okehampton Community Kitchen came to school on the last day of term to collect the students' offerings, and were thrilled with how the students have responded to this: As you can see, the car was bursting at the seams.

Student representatives photographed are Elliott Willis, Amie Chambers, Ruby Noyes, Matilda Tarry, Ebonie MacDonald, and Stanley Everitt.

All staff return to College on Tuesday 4 January, for a staff development day.  Students in years 11, 12 and 13 return on Wednesday 5 January.  Students in years 7 and 10 return on Thursday 6 January.  Students in years 8 and 9 return on Friday 7 January.
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On their return in January students will take one lateral flow device (LFD) test at our asymptomatic testing site in school, followed by one LFD self-test at home 3-4 days after later. Identifying positive cases and isolating those that are the most contagious as soon as is practical will help reduce the risk of transmission and support the continuation of face-to-face education.

Consent must be provided for any student who has not previously had consent given to participate in the testing, but parents and carers do not have to give consent again if they have previously done so and do not wish to change their decision. If any parent or carer has not yet given consent, or if they wish to change their previous decision, they should do so by 23:45 on Sunday 2 January 2022 by completing the brief form linked in our letter of 17 December. (Terms of Consent and associated Privacy Notices on the ‘Coronavirus Information’ page on the website.)

The phased return to school is necessary to facilitate this asymptomatic testing on site, and welcome everyone back to school safely whilst ensuring a return as disruption free for families and students as we can make it.

A huge thank you to our students and their families for their generosity and kindness in donating £1800 for BBC Children in Need recently.  This is in addition to the phenomenal amount of money our students raised earlier in the term through our sponsored 10 mile walk across Dartmoor: £7250 was raised and shared between the British Heart Foundation, Devon Air Ambulance, and the Malala Fund, helping the latter in their work championing every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education.