21st June in School
21st June 2020
Dear Parent/Carer
I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones safe and well.
Please find this week’s information letter. As always it’s in sections so you can scroll through
the sections you find relevant; though my advice is that you read it all. Please also have a look
at previous letters (and FAQs) on the website; or the video versions on YouTube.
http://www.obanhigh.argyll-bute.sch.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqVauXoUp5efv8sm1zBk0ig
Thank you
My thanks to everyone for their continuing efforts to keep our children safe, well and educated.
The level of commitment and hard work by all our staff is astounding. Like many of our parents,
our staff continue to work from home whilst having their own competing family commitments to
attend to. They continue to teach classes, prepare materials for this session and to write new
programmes of work to cope with the blended learning approach due to be adopted from
August: and they are now in school whenever possible as well, getting classrooms and
resources ready for the new term. And, our staff continue to staff the Hub schools in Oban and
Tiree daily to support children of essential workers as well as volunteering to prepare and
deliver around 1400 food parcels each week.
I would take the opportunity to thank all the parents who ensure our children engage with us,
despite their own difficult family circumstances. This week in particular, I would like to thank all
the members of the Parent Council who came together for a considerable time to consider,
comment and advise on our recovery plan. Our special thanks goes to our Parent Council
Chair, Maggie Thorpe. Maggie has been an outstanding Chair, whose commitment over the
years has been noteworthy. Her professional approach to her duties as Chair in meetings; her
attendance at Parent’s evenings, Highland Games, Charity events and P7 Gateway evenings;
and her role as panel member to appoint DHTs and successive Senior Pupil Leadership Teams
have been invaluable in showcasing the vital work members of the Parent Council can play in
making our school a fantastic place to learn and work in.
We also wish to thank all the parents, carers and young people who have shown their
appreciation for and support to our extended pastoral team over the last 14 weeks. The regular
welfare checks will continue over the summer break through our partners and we will resume
our supports when school returns. We have detailed and sensitive plans to be there for our
families in August and look forward to continuing the positive parental engagement in a myriad
of ways to help our young people and their families to continue to flourish. For anyone who
might be struggling these links may be of use:
https://young.scot/campaigns/national/aye-feel
https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/our-children-their-mental-health
https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mental_health_resources_updated_april_2020.pdf
https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/
August start dates and Blended Model
This Model for our return has been shared with and agreed by both the Local Authority
and Parent Council. It is likely to change to some degree as events and Scottish
Government guidance develop over the coming weeks and months.
Transport to school
Discussions around transport nationally and local companies and education Transport await
further guidance at this time.
Transition
This week’s P7 / new S1 tasks are from languages. Miss Mackinnon has posted a video and a
task for Gaelic and Mrs Robertson has posted a video and a task for French.
Most learners have now joined their My Time classes on google classroom. My Time teachers
have begun posting tasks to help everyone get to know each other before we meet in August.
Please take part in these tasks to help your My Time teachers get to know you and you them!
Thank you to those parents/carers who requested phone calls. Guidance teachers and Depute
Head Teachers have enjoyed speaking to families this week and will continue to contact those
with appointments next week.
Welfare Checks
Despite it being the last week of term, we are still required and keen to ensure that all our pupils
are safe, well and supported. Please ensure your child completes the Welfare Check on Google
Classroom before midday Tuesday.
Health and Safety
Risk Assessments have been completed for the safe return of young people to the building. Some
of the key areas we are ensuring health and safety include:
To answer two common questions now (although more answers will be in the FAQ sheets
issued next week). Firstly, schools are safe places to learn and work. There is no reason to
wear PPE. However, if a pupil wishes to wear gloves or a mask, they can if this makes them
more comfortable. Secondly, there is no reason not to wear a uniform - we are keen to give the
pupils as normal an experience of school as we can and to help them re-establish good habits.
Information that informed Recovery Plan
All decisions taken with regard to our Recovery Plan are based on discussions with our Local
Authority; Health and Safety department; Parent Council; Head Teacher advisory groups; and
Local Authority Work-streams. We have used information gleaned from two significant surveys
of staff, pupils and parents. Furthermore, much of our decision-making comes directly from the
Scottish Government publications. The links to this key guidance and the Strategic Framework
for re-opening schools and ELC in Scotland can be accessed from this single link:
https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/#educationandchildren
This is a summary of our plans. Full information packs with details of all the changes including
timetables, guidance notes, Google classroom codes, answers to FAQs and other helpful
guides will be issued next Friday, 26th June. We hope the discussions you will have with your
child will reassure all concerned, in readiness for the start of term in August.
If there is anything at all you wish to ask us about, or require support with anything, please
contact us at:
http://www.obanhigh.argyll-bute.sch.uk/contact
Yours faithfully
P A Bain
Executive Head Teacher
Oban High School, Tiree High School & Tiree Primary School