Over the course of the past term (and indeed the past few years), there has been no shortage of interruptions to our regular routines. This term alone, unlike any other time during the pandemic, we have seen many students forced into 7 days of isolation as a result of either contracting COVID-19, or being identified as a close contact of a positive case. These absences are largely unavoidable and are consistent with the current public health orders which are designed to keep us all safe. The recent weeks of storms and floods have raised further genuine challenges in terms of school attendance.

In recognising the realities of late and appreciating the need for students to remain away from school even if experiencing the mildest of symptoms, I take the opportunity this week to highlight the importance of regular school attendance. Particularly given the interruptions to schooling over the past 12 months, I urge all parents and students to do all that is necessary to ensure your presence at school in the absence of a valid reason to remain at home. There is a direct link between regular school attendance and enhanced academic performance and vice versa. Furthermore, regular school attendance has been consistently proven to support social wellbeing and other health outcomes, while regular patterns and routines allow our students to develop habits that they take with them beyond their schooling years.

As we’ve stated on numerous occasions, we welcome any information from parents that may allow us to further support this regular school attendance. We have strong pastoral, counselling and wellbeing supports and structures available should we be able to further support our students and families.

Finally, as has been stated previously, and conscious of the importance of attendance I have stated above, I request that families inform the College immediately should any student test positive to COVID-19 and again stress that should this occur, the student must isolate for a minimum of 7 days, along with any sibling from the same household (unless the household contact has completed 7 days of isolation in the previous 21 days). Finally, I would also ask that students who are displaying any type of flu-like symptoms stay at home until such symptoms have ceased.

Kind regards,

David Cloran

Assistant Principal