Principal’s Update 13th August, 2020 - Return to Campus Dates

Dear Parents,

I hope this message finds you and your families well.

I am writing further to my previous updates to keep everyone informed of the beginning of term arrangements. This email will be followed by further emails from both the primary and secondary leadership teams containing further important details. Please check for these messages over the coming days.

The single most important factor in opening our school campus for face to face teaching is the timetable set by the Beijing education authorities. As you will know from my previous update our teaching and learning programme will start on-line on the 17^th of August. We have now received the dates, after which, we can receive students back on campus. It is no surprise that these dates follow a similar pattern to previous reopening’s with the education authorities putting into place a phased return starting from the end of August and running into September. Bearing in mind the disruption to the last academic year we are keen to get students back on campus as quickly as possible but balancing this desire, to do so in an orderly fashion and with proper induction and also with high regard for the safety of our whole school community. We also have to be mindful of the many virus control protocols that will need to be in place and follow these fully, as I say to, ensure our students are best protected as possible. For our Pre-Nursery (Teddies) students, we hope to have them back on campus after Golden Week.

I would just like to take this opportunity to reassure parents of students still overseas that the virtual schooling on-line will continue in line with our face to face teaching for as long as it takes for these students to return to China and re-join the school.

I have listed below the on-campus start dates for each year group and phase. These accord with the dates given to us by the education authorities. I have also included the date from when the temperature tracking for students needs to commence:

The plan above, as I say follows the guidance we have received and also allows for a managed and well-structured return to on campus teaching. We are anticipating that the strict rules around entry onto the school site will be continued so I am afraid that visitors and parents and extended family members will not be allowed onto the campus for a while yet. When we receive the full and detailed requirements we will let you know straight away. As the remaining staff and students return to China parents will see some changes to classes, forms and timetables. This is unavoidable in the first few weeks of term but this will settle fairly quickly and the published classes will be established once all families and staff have been able to return.

The school day will operate as usual with the normal start times and the school day will finish at 3:30pm. However we will not be allowed to extend this to include ASA’s initially but we hope to be able to be allowed to run a full programme of activities soon. We will be discussing this with the education authorities over the next week or so and hope to be able to review this after the Golden week holiday.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming our students back over the next few weeks. It will be a joy to have a full school again. Please do look out for the detailed messages from both the Primary and Secondary schools which will be with you at the end of this week.

I look forward to our school returning to normal practices very shortly.

Best regards

Richard Thornhill

Principal