Dear Parent or Carer,
As we start our new school year you will notice there are many changes in how we are operating as a school. We are following government guidance and putting in several controls to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19. You can see a full copy of our Covid-19 risk assessment on our website. We will regularly review our risk assessment as guidance from the government is updated.
Whilst the government have indicated that the prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) has decreased the NHS Test and Trace system is up and running is important that our whole school community work together to protect each other.
We have organised our school to keep children in clear and consistent ‘bubbles’. This will help us as a school to limit the number of contacts children have with different people whilst still delivering an effective curriculum. We have considered the age of our children and their curriculum needs as well as the logistics of our school site in order to determine the size of our ‘bubbles’. Every school will have had to do this, and each school will determine the best way to do this for their school community.
Since the lockdown started in March, each of us will have had different experiences and we ask that everyone in our school community is respectful of each other and their individual feelings. If you are dropping off or picking your child up from school, we ask that you respect other people and comply with social distancing guidance. We ask if it is possible that you walk your child to school to reduce congestion at the school gate.
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you and your children can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- wash your hands as soon as you get home
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
Symptoms of COVID 19
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- new continuous cough and/or
- high temperature and/or
- a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
It is important that outside of school we all follow the government guidance around Covid-19, particularly the Stay at Home guidance below and do not bring your child into school.
If you do keep your child off school due to Covid-19 symptoms please ensure that you let us know this when you register your child’s absence.
As a school if your child is off school we will provide school work, so they can keep up their studies.
If your child presents Covid-19 symptoms in school we will take your child to a safe area in school and contact you immediately to pick them up. Please make sure that your emergency contact details are up to date and correct.
If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/or by phoning 111.
It is vitally important that anyone who presents with Covid-19 symptoms get tested as soon as possible.
If someone from within school is confirmed with Covid-19 we will get in touch with the parents and carers of any children who have been in close contact with this person. This is likely to be children from their class or ‘bubble’ or if they have been in close contact through other groups such as after school or breakfast club. These children will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Other members of the household do not need to self-isolate, unless your child also develops symptoms. Full details and instructions will be provided at the time. We will also send information to our wider school community as a reminder to our families of what actions you can take to reduce the spread of the virus.
All families returning from overseas must inform school. As you know there are restrictions in place regarding travel from some foreign countries and some people returning to the UK may need to isolate for 14 days as soon as they arrive, depending on where they have travelled from.
Any pupils returning from countries that are subject to restrictions should not return to school for 14 days and should isolate at home. This is a vitally important measure to help control and contain COVID-19.
The list of countries requiring isolation for 14 days is constantly changing so please regularly check the latest version here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors
These arrangements will not affect attendance and there will be no fines for non-attendance.
I would like to close by reminding all of us that we have a role to play to ensure that our children and school community remain safe.
Thank you for your continued support and patience.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs M Walsh
Headteacher