Over this week we have been highlighting two areas where we are looking for
improvements and I wanted to share with parents what these changes are and why we
are making them.

The first relates to eating arrangements. I have for some time been concerned at
pupils eating their lunches off floors and in some cases in toilets. This is not hygienic
and it is not dignified. In addition we see a lot of food waste discarded in the corridors
and on stairs. This increases the risk of slips/accidents and creates work for janitors to
clean up the mess. In order to reduce the problem we are keeping the dining hall and
snack bar open through all of lunchtime and also creating an additional seating/eating
area at the back of the main hall. Anyone who wishes to eat should do so in one of
these areas and not in the corridors. We would prefer if food bought outside the school
was eaten outside the school and for litter do deposited in a bin prior to returning to the
building. We are going to trial this through to Easter to see if it improves things for our
pupils.

The second related to wearing outside jackets within the school. For some time we
have made clear to pupils that in order to keep them safe all staff/visitors wear and ID
badge and all pupils should have their uniform clearly visible. The vast majority of
pupils accept this and remove their outside jackets as they enter the building. There
are, however, some pupils who we regularly see with outside jackets on inside the
school and who are putting the safety of everyone else at risk. This is not something
which I can allow to happen as I have a duty to protect young people. We do get
intruders in the building from time to time and when this happens we need to be able to
identify them quickly. We shall continue to ask pupils to remove their jackets but when
this does not happen or when we come across the same person doing so time and
again we will take possession of the jacket during the time they are in the building and
return it at the end of the day. We do try to show a degree of understanding eg last
week when the heating had come on late and the building was cold we let pupils keep
jackets on until the building was warmer. I trust parents and pupils recognise that this
is not a step we will take lightly but it is based on a wish to keep everyone safe during
the school day.

I trust I have the support of both parents and pupils in these two areas as both are
intended to make the school experience better/safer for pupils. I will be seeking
feedback from pupils and I am happy to receive any feedback from parents on these or
other suggestions to improve the school.