Students and staff at Copley Academy have returned to school within a ‘new normal’.

Although Covid restrictions have been eased the school chose to provide testing for one week only to get students back into the habit of testing twice weekly at home. 

Social distancing and ventilation and bigger year bubbles will remain part of school life, however, after students returned to the classroom. 

Principal Ruth Craven said: “Students have made an excellent start back at Copley Academy. 

“They are so pleased to be back with their friends and getting back to the routines of learning.

“I am so proud of how we have pulled together as a community to make sure that students have had the necessary support with their well-being and their education. Staff have adapted tremendously well to the measures we have put in place and gone the extra mile to support students and families.

“Our parents and carers have shown incredible support for the work we have done with remote learning and the Covid testing programme to help mitigate the risk of transmission of Covid. 

“Ninety-eight per cent of our parents and carers consented to their child carrying out Lateral Flow Tests.”

She added: “We have maintained many of the measures we had in place last term such as enhanced cleaning throughout the day, insisting on good hygiene including the use of antibacterial hand gel in all lessons, split break times and lunchtimes where students remain in bubbles, and a staggered end to the academy day.

“Safety is of paramount importance, and we will continue to review the situation. 

“I hope the government enables schools to work with the local authority to make local decisions and act quickly if the situation regarding transmission rates increases and we need to revert to our contingency planning.”

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