Illness

Autumn is that time of year where we see coughs, colds, snotty noses and lost voices as the autumn starts to seep in with the season's germs - especially now that the children are back together again. I have attached to this email the guidance that we would like to apply to our school in the first instance which link to COVID-19 current symptoms. 

However, the message is very clear. If your child, or anyone in the household displays any one of the three main COVID-19 symptoms

• high temperature
• new continuous cough
• loss or change to taste and smell

you must isolate and test and await the result. If the result is negative and the child does not have the symptoms above they can return to school. 

If the result is positive, please contact the the Station PTC and also the school as a mater of urgency and we will give you the latest advice on what to do next.

Anyone told to isolate by NHS Test and Trace or by their public health protection team has a legal obligation to self-isolate, but you may leave home to avoid injury or illness or to escape risk of harm.

If anyone develops a new and continuous cough or a high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), in school we:

• must send them home to begin isolation - the isolation period includes the day the symptoms started and the next 10 full days

• advise to follow the guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection

• advise to arrange to have a test as soon as possible to see if they have coronavirus (COVID-19)

Other members of their household (including any siblings and members of their support or childcare bubble if they have one) should self-isolate. Their isolation period includes the day symptoms started for the first person in their household, or the day their test was taken if they did not have symptoms, whether this was a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test), and the next 10 full days. If a member of the household starts to display symptoms while self- isolating they will need to restart the 10 day isolation period and book a test.

If anyone tests positive whilst not experiencing symptoms but develop symptoms during the isolation period, they must restart the 10 day isolation period from the day they developed symptoms.

It is very important to note that tests must be done within the first 5 days of the individual being symptomatic. If you are not able to obtain a test within this time frame, the whole household will need to isolate for 14 days.

In the event of a child being off due to isolating or waiting for a test, we have created some packs of work so that learning is not being missed. If we send a child home from school with COVID-19 symptoms, we will pop a pack of work in their bag.

If you call in to say your child will not be coming to school, we will leave a pack in the lobby for a friend or neighbour to collect on your behalf. 

Protective Measures

Measures that we have in place across the school to mitigate the speed of the COVID-19 Virus are:

• Children are in class bubbles and they share resources in that bubble amongst themselves only.
• Children play in their class bubbles in an area designated for their bubble and have equipment that only they use. The children are VERY good at not crossing into another designated area.
• Children have their hands sanitised at many points during the day and wash their hands after visiting the toilet and before they eat.
• An enhanced cleaning schedule for each class has been put in place which includes tables and chairs being wiped during the school day
• Staggered starts and finishes to the school day as well as staggered lunch and playtimes
• Children eat in the hall with 2 other bubbles but they are not in close contact as each bubble is 2m away from another with tables and benches thoroughly cleaned before the next group comes in
• Parents and non-regular visitors must wear masks when entering the school building