ON Monday, February 22, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that schools would be able to open to all students from March 8.

In the Post area, Launceston College, Budehaven Community School and Holsworthy Community College have all implemented a staggered return system to ensure lateral flow testing can be undertaken safely ahead of the students’ return.

Budehaven

To conform to the government’s guidelines, it hasn’t been possible for Budehaven Community School to have all students return in the week commencing March 8 as the school does not have the capacity to complete COVID-19 testing for all year groups in the manner required by Public Health England, within this period.

Dominic Wilkes, headteacher of Budehaven Community School, has consulted with Cornwall Council and gained their support so the school can stagger the return of students into the week commencing March 15 to ensure safety is the priority for everyone, whilst conforming to central government direction.

Mr Wilkes, said: “We have extensively planned for the full return of all our students in a phased manner from March 8 onwards, in accordance with the directives from the Department for Education and Public Health England. Listening to our students and staff’s comments, they cannot wait to come back and resume a more ‘normal’ way of working. I am really looking forward to next week, and seeing the school functioning as it does so well, with students around the building. We have carried out a thorough risk assessment, to ensure safety is our number one priority in all we do.”?The phased plan set out by the school would see pupils in Year 10, 12 and 13 return on Monday, March 8, with Year 11s joining them on Tuesday, March 9, and Year 7 the following day on Wednesday, March 10. The following week, on Tuesday, March 16, Year 8 pupils will return to school and Year 9 on Wednesday, March 17.

Holsworthy

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, headteacher of Holsworthy Community College, Andrew Sweeney, said: “We were delighted with the decision and we are looking forward to welcoming all students back to full time education. Returning to school is vital for our students’ education and for their wellbeing. Time out of school is detrimental for young people’s cognitive, social and academic development, no matter how hard teachers work to provide remote learning.”

In order to offer the first lateral test to every student before the full curriculum and timetable can resume, Holsworthy Community College will stagger the start of the return to school for different year groups. The first two days back will focus on testing all students.

Mr Sweeney added: “Where possible, we would recommend that for these two initial testing days only, all students only use bus travel if they cannot find any alternative. If, for this two-day period, students can be dropped off and picked up from HCC, it will reduce the mixing of students before we have carried out the initial test.”

On Monday, March 8, the school was opened for Year 7, 10 and only, with remote learning continuing for Years 8 and 9. On Tuesday, March 9, the school was open for Year 7, 8 and 9 only, with remote learning in place for Year 10 and 11, and on Wednesday, March 10, all students are to attend school and the full curriculum and timetable will resume.

Launceston

Launceston College will be making use of its Sports Hall, which in recent week’s has been used as a local COVID-19 vaccination centre. It will now be the site of the school’s first lateral flow tests which will help ensure those students returning do so in a safe manner.

Priority has been given to those year groups with impending exams and staggered return is being undertaken to ensure all students can be tested before they rejoin.

Students were invited by tutor group to a staggered testing and return to college with Year 11 starting on March 8, Year 10 on March 9, Year 9 are due to return on March 10, Year 8 on March 11 and finally Year 7 will be welcomed back on March 12.

Sixth Form students were tested early on March 5 to enable them to begin on Monday, March 8.

Once all students are back the second test will take place during the week of March 15 followed by the third test from March 22. Following the third test, home test kits will be supplied

The college will continue to deliver remote learning via google classrooms to the year groups at home for the additional days required to facilitate a safe staggered return.

Principal Jenn Burns said: “Launceston College is looking forward to welcoming students back to learning from Monday, March 8. We are really grateful for all of the support the college has received from our families and the local community throughout the pandemic. COVID restrictions remain in place as we continue to work together to keep the college as safe as we possibly can. Full return to college details including who to contact for support can be found on our website.”