As I write, I am looking out of my office window at the rain falling. It appears that summer has gone! I am writing to offer a warm welcome to all of our families at the start of the new academic year. I hope that the summer break provided our students with some time for relaxation and recuperation. It has been such challenging 18 months in many ways for us all. We are mindful that the pandemic has taken its toll on the mental health of many members of our community and we will continue to do all that we can to facilitate our students and staff in securing their resilience through partnership, friendship and support.

It was wonderful to see all of Year 7 to 11 arriving for school this morning. Beautifully presented and ready to learn. We are very much looking forward to a full house on Monday when Year 12 and 13 join us. We have been grateful for your patience and understanding regarding the staggered start to term. Safety remains our priority and we are committed to following the guidance from the Department for Education. The testing centre has, once again, been instrumental in ensuring that we have identified asymptomatic cases and minimised the risk of transmitting the virus amongst the school community. We have registered 39 positive cases amongst the staff and student body. This large number could have resulted in a local outbreak in school but the staggered start has prevented that from happening. Our risks assessments have been updated and are available on the website if you wish to view them. We will continue to ensure that we are focused on hygiene, distancing and ventilation as crucial control measures on our site. The wellbeing and safety of all will remain at the centre of our decision-making and planning moving forward.

The return of the students today has brought laughter, energy and renewed purpose back into our school. We are extremely proud of the young people we work with and our staff consider it a privilege to be part of their learning journey. As a Church of England School, we have a strong vision for the personal development of our students. Our vision comes from the teaching of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It is ‘Go and do likewise’. We will encourage and empower our students to live their lives with love and compassion whilst asking for help when they need it. As a school, we are focused on the very best outcomes for our students, both academically and personally. All that we do aims to provide opportunity for personal growth, spirituality and happiness.

The Piggott Church of England School is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England and Wales, registration number 7682284 The Piggott Church of England School is an exempt charity. Through our curriculum, assemblies and tutor time, we will be encouraging our students to develop their own values and beliefs. Our school values of Courage, Respect, Honesty, Dedication, Equality and Love define our behaviours towards each other. This year, we will continue to provide space and time for our students to learn about the world around them. We will encourage them to be curious, articulate and forward thinking. They will learn to advocate for what they believe is right, listen to others and develop an understanding of how to lead change through educating those around them. All of these skills will empower them to ‘Go and do likewise.’

Whilst it has been impossible to welcome you into school in recent months, we are committed to the partnership that we have with you as parents. We are a team around your son or daughter and we value working alongside you to support them holistically with their learning and development. I am extremely lucky to work with a committed and hardworking pastoral team who take pride in doing all that they can to support the students in their year groups. If you are concerned about the welfare of your son or daughter, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Your child’s tutor is the first point of contact and then relevant Head of Year will support moving forward. If your concern is a safety related, please contact Jo Colby, our Safeguarding and Child Protection Officer. We are ready to support you. Please be assured that all contact and information will be managed sensitively and next steps will always be agreed in partnership.

Thank you for your continued support of the school. We are excited to see what this term will bring. I believe that I speak for the majority of students, staff and parents, when I say that we are hoping for some ‘normality’ to return. We shall see! I hope that you have a restful weekend.

Yours sincerely

Rebecca Alexander

Deputy Headteacher