Dear Parents/Carers

As we approach the half-term break, I would like to thank you for your continued support for and partnership with our school community.

As the lifting of lockdown continues, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of a few important messages to keep our school community safe.

Lateral Flow Tests
Students and staff should continue to test themselves twice over the half-term break. All students should have enough LFT kits to last them. Results should continue to be logged on the NHS Test and Trace website.

COVID 19 Symptoms
If your child develops symptoms then you should arrange a PCR test. Positive results need to be reported to the school via email (admin@ems.bhcet.org.uk) up to and including Tuesday 1st June. This is to enable us to identify and contact any other students to advise them of the need to self-isolate. Your child would also need to self-isolate for 10 days; along with any family members who have had close contact with them.

We are striving to get students back into the routines of school life after two lengthy periods of lockdown. In the remaining six weeks of this academic year, we will be having a big push on standards – ensuring that our students are always striving to be the best that they can be.

I would like to remind you of the following elements of our uniform policy (full details are available on our website):

Uniform
Black Skirt (A-line, flared or pleated of a knee length) to be worn with plain opaque black tights. Skirts with front or side splits must not be worn
We insist that all students wear formal plain black shoes.

Bags
Students must have a bag suitable for bringing planners, books and other basic equipment(pen, pencil, ruler, rubber, all books for the day’s lessons, PE kit when required) to the academy each day.

Hairstyles
Hairstyles are expected to be reasonable with no obvious artificial colouring. Hairstyles incorporating shapes/patterns are not acceptable. Any student attending with an unacceptable hairstyle will be unable to access lessons in the normal way until this has been attended to. This action is to save the student involved from possible humiliation and embarrassment and to maintain high standards. Similar action will be taken with regards to shaved eyebrows, body piercing and tattoos. Boys must be clean-shaven unless for reasons of religious observance.

Jewellery
Apart from the items below, the wearing of jewellery is not allowed:

Students may wear a wristwatch and one small stud in each ear lobe.

There is a risk of accidental injury from wearing jewellery in the academy and we cannot take responsibility for loss or damage to items of jewellery.

Make-Up
The wearing of make-up, nail varnish false eyelashes and false nails is not allowed.

School resumes at 08:45 on Monday 7th June and we close for the summer break at 15:00 on Friday 16th July.

With every good wish

Stephen Hammond
Headteacher