11 September 2003

Dear Parents and Students

I am sorry that we have not been able to update you by letter sooner. We have been working very closely with the County Council and a variety other partners to resolve as quickly as possible a number of complex difficulties and this all takes a great deal of time. Meanwhile, as I am sure you can imagine, school staff and staff of the County Council are dealing with an enormous workload. I must pay tribute to the magnificent teamwork which they have shown - everyone really is doing their utmost to get the school back to a reasonably normal situation.

I can confirm that we will be moving to Kettering Leisure Village (plus our current additional sites) next week but will phase in the full-time education of students during the week beginning 15^th September. KLV will not be generally open to the public during school hours in the areas we will inhabit so you have no need to worry about anyone wandering around our temporary school site.

On Monday, there will be no classes as we have to start getting furniture in place, teachers settled into the areas in which they will teach and make sure staff know new routines. After that we will organise full time education for each year group as follows:

KLV is already booked on October 1^st so we will have to take that day off.

For specialist facilities for science, technology, I.T., Business Studies and we hope for other subjects, local schools have very kindly offered their rooms when available and we are co-ordinating these into the timetable. We will organise transport around the town as necessary. We have also booked some after school sessions elsewhere. More details will be given to students during the coming weeks.

The County Council is organising changes to transport for students with bus passes. Until Thursday 18 September, all students who are entitled to free school transport or who have purchased bus passes from the County Council will be collected by their usual bus each morning in the same place and at the same time as normal. Parents/carers will be notified if this arrangement changes from Thursday 18 September. Year 9 and Sixth Form students who have bus passes will be taken to Southfield so that they can walk to Wicksteed, the Rugby Club or the Scout Centre whilst students with bus passes from other age groups will be delivered to KLV, although this might involve a change of bus which will be provided.

Also, a limited service will be provided between the town centre and KLV for other students who may need transport. The precise arrangements are being worked out and we will do our best to provide final information via local press, radio and our emergency web-site so please look and listen for that.

For the time being, please could you continue to provide a packed lunch. We will continue our arrangements for sandwiches for those in receipt of free school meals delivered from Bishop Stopford School.

I know that students are concerned with completed coursework within the school. The contractors who will deal with the decontamination of the building will set up a method of retrieving it and I have asked all staff to give clear details of where it can be found so it can be brought out. If it is in cupboards or filing cabinets it is probably fine but will be tested to make sure. If not, the contractors will organise a controlled method of copying it. For art work, the method will depend on the shape and surface. Fortunately we have managed to find a way of getting into our IT network so that any students’ work saved there has already been recovered by Mrs O’Malley.

I promised to set up a parents meeting. Unfortunately the Health and Safety Executive representative cannot be there but has promised a letter to all of you offering information and a way of contacting him if you have particular concerns or questions. The meeting will be at KLV at 7.00 p.m. on Thursday, 18^th September in the Monet Suite. Our independent consultant, who is an expert on our particular problems, and some members of staff will be present to answer your questions.

Contact information is again a problem. We have, as a precaution, been advised to abandon our kitchen so yet again we have no telephone. I will try to provide a telephone number by making sure it is advertised in local papers, radio and our emergency web-site as soon as possible and will be given to students when they are in school at the various sites when, hopefully, we will have an easier means of communication with you.

Now that most of the tests carried out in our buildings have been analysed, it is apparent that the extent of contamination is extensive. Proposals for bringing the school back into use at the earliest opportunity are being worked on and at the same time the Council is assessing the best means for interim accommodation. At present it is likely we will not be back in our own surroundings until Easter. The positive news is that our school will be extensively refurbished and will provide a modern, safe and healthy environment when we do move back.

I must appeal to you to ignore any rumours that may be circulating. The only information that is accurate is that communicated to you through the web-site or letters from the school. Staff do attempt to respond to the e-mail group but we have to prioritise - getting daily timetables ready for our students, planning lessons and arranging more settled accommodation must come first. Sending letters to you is extremely difficult as we have none of our normal means of producing and distributing information so we cannot communicate as often as we would like – please don’t ask why we still have no photocopier as the attempt to answer would reduce me to tears! Several local schools have been magnificent in offering to copy work for lessons and letters but, obviously, they have their own work too so we can’t impose too much.

I must thank everyone - staff, students and parents - for the patience, understanding and support they have shown over the past three weeks.

Yours sincerely

Christine Pinder, Headteacher