Covid-19 Plashet School Closure for Years 7, 8, 9 & 10

Due to unprecedented levels of staff absence, I have taken the decision to close the school to all students apart from Year 11.

This means that from tomorrow, Wednesday 18th March 2020, Year 11 students will be the only ones in school. This will continue to be the case on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March. At present, I am unsure of how long Plashet will remain open for Year 11. I feel it is likely that in coming days the Prime Minister will make further announcements in relation to schools.

Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 will remain at home for the rest of this week and all of next in the first instance and we will enact our remote e-learning plan for them. We will keep you updated on developments regarding any national schools closure via email and this website.

Your daughter’s safety and welfare is my highest priority. We have already taken steps to minimise contact in large groups, and all students who are coughing or who have fever are being kept at home. Please remember that the government guidance is now for households to self-isolate for a fortnight if anyone living in the household has a cough, which doesn’t go away, or a high temperature.

I communicated to families how our remote e-learning plan will work to you last Friday, 13th March 2020.

Many parents/carers received my email communication last Friday. If you did not but have given us your email address, I ask that you check your spam or junk folder and add parentmail@plashet.newham.sch.uk to your contacts.

I appreciate that there will be many views on my decision amongst parents/carers, and trust that everyone understands the ongoing challenges of the situation. 

A significant number of my staff are experiencing symptoms themselves or live with someone who is.  All of these individuals are self-isolating as per NHS guidelines. This scenario seems to be playing out in increasing numbers across our school communities in Newham, London and the wider UK. 

Plashet is a school of over 1,600 staff and students. There are a large number of families who have concerns for their daughters being within a confined school site with so many others. I have a significant number of staff who have complex underlying health conditions, are pregnant or have vulnerable family members with whom they live and I have a duty of care to put in place the most secure of measures to minimise the transmission of Covid-19 for them and your daughters.

The wellbeing of students, staff and the wider families of Plashet is my main concern, and while I understand the impact this may have on the education of our girls, and disruption to the working practice of parents/guardians, I believe this decision is in the best interests of our School community. 

I appreciate your patience and understanding in this unusual time and hope you will extend me grace as we move forward.

Rachel McGowan

Head Teacher

Plashet School