16 March 2022
Dear Parent/Guardian
Last week Schools received an update from DE:
“The Minister of Education made a written statement to the Assembly on 11 March that from 21 March the DE COVID Guidance to Schools and Educational Settings will no longer strongly recommend the use of face coverings by post-primary pupils in classrooms. At this point their use is still recommended for use in corridors, communal areas and on public and school transport.”
The guidance goes on to say:
“In continuing to manage the risks of COVID in our schools, schools should continue to reduce the risks of virus transmission wherever possible. It is for this reason that if any individual wishes to continue to use a face covering in class, they should be free to do so.”
Given that we continue to have staff and students absent due to Covid, I would ask for your support in moving forward a little more cautiously. For the moment I would encourage students and staff to continue wearing masks in class, as well as on corridors, communal areas and on public and school transport, and we will review the situation in school at Easter.
The summer exam season is just around the corner. Therefore, it is essential that we do all that we can to ensure that senior students and staff can be in school, working together, to prepare students for their GCSE examinations.
Students and staff have endured a lot over the last two years in terms of the mitigations we have had to put in place to protect our school community and they have done this with patience and good grace. It would be a shame, given recent reports of rising levels of infection, if we were to let our guard down too soon.
Thank you, as always, for your support. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact myself or your child’s Head of Year.
Yours faithfully
Mrs Catriona McAteer
PRINCIPAL