Covid Update for Parents and Carers

Symptoms of Covid-19:
Pupils with any symptoms of Covid-19 should not attend school. The government has asked us not to allow those with confirmed or suspected case of Covid-19 to attend site. Anyone with symptoms of Covid, should book a PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result, and if they have a positive result, should follow the steps below. Symptoms concerned are: a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or a loss of or change in your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

Self-Isolation:
Although some aspects of the legal guidance have changed, pupils who test positive for Covid will need to stay at home for at least 5 full days, and then continue to follow this guidance until they have received 2 negative test results on consecutive days or until day 10, whichever is earlier. Please notify us if your child has symptoms and has booked a PCR test, and/or if your child tests positive for Covid, as we have to use a different attendance code.

However, from 1st April, the Government will update guidance, setting out the ongoing steps that people with COVID-19 should take. It is not yet clear whether this will include schools, and we will share further details around this with you when they are available to us.

Close Contacts:
Close contacts will no longer need to test daily for seven days, or report to us that they are a close contact, although we would encourage close contacts to test regularly, to check out symptoms straightaway and to take precautions. Children should attend school as usual. This includes those who have been in close contact within their household.

Proactive measures:
• We will encourage children and staff to continue to sanitise and/or hand wash regularly, to minimise infection.
• We will encourage the ’catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach.
• We will continue enhanced cleaning routines with a focus on frequently touched surfaces.
• We will continue to encourage good ventilation and to monitor the ventilation of areas.
• The government recommend that all school staff and eligible pupils take up the offer of a vaccine.