Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Dear Parent / Carer,
We would like to take this opportunity to update you on developments at Gilded Hollins in light of the letter circulated on Wednesday from James Winterbottom, Wigan’s Director of Education.
We will be at Lowton CE High for the whole of next week. Obviously, our aim is to return to Gilded Hollins as soon as possible. However, this date of return is dependent upon the outcome of further air quality tests set for Tuesday 20th October, and on subsequent remedial works being completed. As Mr Winterbottom outlined, works planned for school will include replacing carpet tiles, installing new windows to provide for additional air flow, and fitting a brand new ventilation unit to supersede the old model recently taken out.
We shall relay information on a projected return date at the earliest opportunity.
We continue to liaise with Public Health England throughout this process and will discuss with their representatives the outcome of our latest tests as soon as the results are available. The samples that will be taken on Tuesday will require a number of days’ analysis in the lab. Hopefully, this further testing will finally establish what the issue has been within school.
Only once we are satisfied that the problem has been resolved will we return to Gilded Hollins.
Mr Winterbottom will write to parents next week with a further update and details of the latest timescale for a return to school.
In the meantime, all our staff are working tirelessly to provide ‘business as usual’ while we remain at Lowton. Your children continue to receive our high standards of education and have responded brilliantly.
There is an incredible sense of community among all of us connected with Gilded Hollins and Lowton CE High. We are greatly in their debt for the assistance they, and Lowton J and I (in whose kitchen we are preparing our school lunches), have provided.
It goes without saying, also, that your continued support, co-operation and patience during this period are greatly appreciated.
Please note that the Friends of Gilded Hollins Halloween Disco planned for next Thursday 22nd October will not now take place. We shall also be in touch about rescheduling Parents’ Evenings once we are back at Gilded Hollins.
If you have any questions about any of the above please feel free to call into school to speak to us, or catch us outside at Lowton CE High before or after the school day.
Many thanks,
D Nash
Dear Parent / Carer,
As I am sure you are aware, work has been taking place at Gilded Hollins over recent days to extract an old air handling unit from the roof space, remove ducting and build a new section of ceiling. A deep clean of the entire building has also been completed.
We have also been awaiting the results of various air quality and bacterial tests carried out around school. Those results were finally received this Wednesday afternoon (a week later than originally promised). Having spent a large part of yesterday working through the data, then liaising with Mr Ian Jones (Chair of the Governors’ Building Sub-Committee) and subsequently meeting during the evening with Mrs Haworth (our Chair of Governors) the decision has been made to remain at Lowton CE High School for at least a further week.
As we have stated before, this is never a decision to be taken lightly. The reason we are not able to re-occupy school just yet is that we feel some of the air analysis results require further investigation. This will obviously take time.
We appreciate how supportive and understanding parents, children, staff and Governors have been throughout this process. Like you, we want to return to Gilded Hollins, but will only do so when we are 100% certain the building is safe for your children and our staff.
Our continued thanks to Mr Pollard and his all staff at Lowton CE High School, and also to Lowton J and I School for allowing use of their kitchen. All the help we have received is very much appreciated.
Dear Parent / Carer,
An update for week beginning Monday 5th October.
Contrary to reports in one of the local newspapers, and to our own hopes expressed in our previous update, we will not be able to return to Gilded Hollins just yet. We will, therefore remain at Lowton CE High School for a further week.
Unfortunately, work to remove dozens of metres of overhead ducting, along with a very bulky Air Handling Unit that has to be cut up while still in the ceiling void, has taken longer than originally anticipated. Once this has been completed, ceilings will be replaced and reinstated and then a deep clean of the entire building will be instigated, which will in itself take between two to three days.
In addition, at the time of writing this, we still await the results of the swab tests we were promised by Tuesday this week.
These results are crucial to our decision making. As we have stated from the outset, we will not expose our children, staff and parents to risk.
Thank you, as ever, for your patience and support.
A message from your Chair of Governors
I would like to thank Mr Nash and his staff for their professionalism and their determination to maintain their usual high standards in what could have been a very difficult situation. Mr Nash has managed the situation so very well, proving himself to be an excellent leader, and we are very lucky to have such a committed team of staff supporting him. They are working even harder than usual, to adapt to teaching in a totally different environment so the children continue to learn and progress.
I would also like to thank you for your continued tolerance. It has been wonderful to hear the many comments of support made by you for the way in which the situation is being handled. I can assure you that as soon as we get information Mr Nash passes it on to you. We are very much in the hands of the experts who have been carrying out the tests and the company doing the work at school at the moment, so there is often nothing to report. As Mr Nash has already said, we are still waiting for more results which we were expecting to receive by Tuesday this week. Everything possible is being done to keep life as normal as possible for the children. If anyone wants to discuss the problem with me in person please do not hesitate to contact me via email or school.
Mr Pollard and his staff at Lowton CE High have been wonderful. They could not have been more accommodating, welcoming and supportive. The pupils have also been wonderful with your children, treating them with respect and kindness and displaying impeccable manners. An added bonus of being based at the High School is that your children are able to access specialist facilities such as food technology and art rooms and equipment, so further enhancing their learning experience. I’m sure they will remember this as an adventure. Thank you so much to all at the High School.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to your children, who have taken the change in their stride without breaking step. They are a credit to you and the school and as usual we are very proud of them.
Liz Haworth