12th November 2018

Dear Parents/Carers,
The safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and visitors is our number one priority.  
Whilst our safeguarding procedures are robust, as endorsed by Ofsted in the last inspection report (September 2017), it is our intention to further improve our site security through implementing some basic measures to restrict access to vehicular and pedestrian traffic during working hours.
From Monday 19th November, the gates on Plymbridge Road and Trelawney Road will be locked at 9am until 3pm daily.  Access between 9am and 3pm will be via the main entrance on Seymour Road only.  A reminder that all staff and students should be on site from 8.30am, so should not be unduly impacted by this measure.
We also have two internal side gates that will be locked from 9am – 3pm and only opened for break/lunchtime supervised access to the front playground (and, of course, when the fire bell sounds).  In a nutshell, the only access to the main school building and grounds between 9am and 3pm will be through the main reception area at the Seymour Road entrance.
Whilst we recognise this may, on occasion, cause inconvenience for visitors, parents, Post-16 students and staff who are used to open access to the site from the Plymbridge/Trelawney gates throughout the school day, we see this measure as a means of making our site – and hence our school community - safer. 
As an associated point, please be advised that we are shortly due to remove the three extra visitor parking spaces at the front of the school building, opposite Reception.  This is to improve the access and safety of Year 7 students whose designated play area is on the front playground.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience that may be caused, but we are sure you will agree the safety of our students and staff is paramount.  We appreciate your support in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Justine Mason     Carl Atkinson
Principal        Chair of Governors