Update to Parents

I wanted to inform you of the steps we are taking today following the incident that took place yesterday in the local area. I would like to begin by passing our condolences on to the family and friends of the victim.

As an Academy we have taken a number of steps to support students today and I would like to make you aware of what these are. Firstly, our dedicated Pastoral Support team have been available throughout the day to provide spaces for students who have been affected, directly or indirectly, by this bereavement. Our School Counsellor has also made himself available to work one to one with students and small groups. Secondly, our Safeguarding team planned sessions to be delivered to all student in key stage four about steps they can take to ensure their safety as well as providing students with a safe space to talk about their thoughts and feelings. Finally, I have delivered assemblies to all students in years 7, 8 and 9.

It is possible that your child will want to talk about the incident. I would encourage you to support your child with these discussions. If you are concerned about anything your child says to you, please contact your child’s Head of Year so that we can put the appropriate support in place. If your child reports any intelligence to do with the incident, please report this to 101.

It is possible that your child may wish to access some external support. Please remind them that they can access any support they made need to discuss their feelings and emotions at www.kooth.com, an online service where students can access a trained counsellor 24 hours a day. Please also remind them that any member of staff at the Academy can support them.

Best wishes

Ben Tucker

Principal

City Academy