Dear Plashet students, parents and carers,
Happy New Year to you all.
We will be holding parent/carer/teacher meetings for all year groups this term. These will all be in person meetings held in school from 1.30 until 5.30pm.
We will continue to use the SchoolCloud platform for parents/carers to book meetings with their child’s teachers. Before your child’s parents/teacher meeting your child will bring home a letter with details of how to use the system and your pin code which will allow you to book your appointments.
All students will be dismissed at 12.30pm on each of the dates below to enable staff to conduct appointments with parents/carers. There will be food available at breaktime for all students, including those entitled to free school meals.
Year 11 Parent/Carer/Teacher meetings 17th January
Year 8 Parent/Carer/Teacher meetings 30th January
Year 10 Parent/Carer/Teacher meetings 22nd February
Year 9 Parents/Carer/Teacher meetings 13th March
Year 7 Parent/Carer/Teacher meetings 27th March
A reminder that parking outside Plashet School on Plashet Grove is prohibited and causes major disruption on a main thoroughfare.
I ask that those parents/carers who have been parking outside school please park more safely much further away so that everybody’s child is safe, not just their own, and that they do not impede other road users, local residents and most especially the emergency services.
To improve the safety, the Council has painted zig zag and yellow lines in specific areas outside the school. There should be no stopping or parking outside school between 8.00am and 5.00 Monday to Friday. Please show students good examples by obeying the rules.
Newham Council has a parking enforcement officer patrolling the area and issuing penalty notices to those drivers parking illegally.
I realise that there are some parents who have no alternative but to drive their children to school, however many are driving short distances where walking is a real option.
I do appreciate that most parents/carers walk, use public transport or drive responsibly to school and your cooperation is much appreciated.
Finally I would like to remind you all of Plashet’s Severe Weather Procedure which follows below.
I wish you and your family happiness and good health in 2024.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs Rachel McGowan
Head Teacher
Plashet School
Severe Weather Procedure
As we are now in winter where poor weather is more likely to affect us, I would like to take this opportunity to outline for everyone the procedures we will follow when weather conditions are severe such as heavy snow and/or icy conditions.
The procedure in light of severe weather will be as follows.
At 7:00am on any day where weather looks like it could prevent us from opening, parents/carers will receive an email from Plashet informing you of one of five positions:
School Open as normal
School Open: Severe weather procedure in place
School Open: Years 10 & 11 ONLY
School Open: GCSE Examination Contingency Plan ONLY
School Closed due to severe weather
If the “School Open: Severe weather procedure in place” position is adopted, students should delay their journey into school, aiming to arrive at 9:45am. The day will then run as follows:
9.45am Registration
10.00 Lesson 1
10.45 Lesson 2
11.30 Lesson 3
12.30 Lunch
1:30 Lesson 4
2:30 School ends
If we are concerned about lunchtime safety, students will be instructed to remain in the building through these sessions, with staff on duty to ensure the safety of our students is maintained.
If the “School Open: Years 10 & 11 ONLY” position is adopted this means that only students in those year groups are to attend school. My decision to adopt this position will be driven by the number of staff who can safely get to school. KS4 students should delay their journey into school, aiming to arrive at 9:45am. The day will finish at 2.00pm, as lunch will be 30 minutes due to reduced numbers. Years 7, 8 & 9 will be set learning tasks via Google Classroom.
If there are timetabled examinations scheduled on a day when I have decided that the school should be closed to staff and students, the “School Open: GCSE Examination Contingency Plan ONLY” position will be adopted. In such an eventuality, the school will only be open to candidates sitting timetabled GCSE examinations. All candidates are expected to make the effort to come in and sit their examination.
If the weather is sufficiently bad that enough staff can not get to school for us to safely open and I make the decision to close the school all year groups will be set learning tasks via Google Classroom.
I will endeavor to keep the school open but the need may arise to send students home early should extreme weather arrive during the school day. In this eventuality, the school website will indicate “Emergency Closure due to severe weather”; we will email parents/carers to alert them and your daughter will bring home a letter with her outlining my decision. If, due to travel arrangements or issues regarding gaining access, students are unable to go home we will keep them at school until arrangements can be made.
In the event of severe weather, students should wear footwear appropriate to the conditions. This means footwear with good grip in snow or icing conditions or wellington boots or other suitable waterproof shoes.
