Dear Parent/Carer

 

What a term!  I must start by saying a huge thank you to everyone in our community. To say that this term has been a test would be an understatement. On the one hand, it has been a real pleasure to engage with students face to face and see our community back together; thriving and enjoying being back in school once more. On the other hand, it has been incredibly hard for everyone as we managed the COVID cases.

 

As hard as it has been for us in school trying to add new students to Google Classroom and/or Google Meet on an almost hourly basis, it has been such a trying time for you as parents/carers and we know that many of your working weeks have once again been disrupted by the pandemic. I guess it is a good time to take stock of how strong our community is and to reflect on anything else we can do to stay safe after half term. I do need to remind you that if you have been hit financially by the pandemic and need some support, please do get in touch with us and we will see how we can help. The same applies to our safeguarding support. Staff will continue to check the safeguarding@ email and, whilst we obviously hope that it is not needed, we will always get in touch if you need us.

 

After half term, schools have been advised by the DfE to implement the following additional measures:

 

·           Reintroduce face coverings in communal areas such as corridors when movement occurs between lessons.

·           Face coverings should also be worn on public/school transport.

·           LFTs to continue to be done on a daily basis for the next two weeks (including half term) to help us all manage the spread of the virus.

·           If your child is unwell and has tested negative for Covid 19 they should wait a further 24 hours, post fever, to come back into school or call the school for advice.

 

Attendance is still really important and hopefully this will help:

·           Symptoms:  Should anyone have symptoms (one or more of the main three – new continuous cough, loss/change in taste or smell or a temperature) with a negative LFT, you should call the school for advice before coming in. Students who are advised to remain at home should continue to do LFT tests and book a PCR test. Please advise the school as soon as possible of any positive result. Work will be available for students to continue with on Google Classroom and/or Google Meet.

·           Positive LFT:  Students who test positive on a LFT should book a PCR test and remain at home until the PCR test result has been returned.  Please let the school know of both LFT and PCR test results as soon as possible. Work will be available for students to continue with on Google Classroom/Meet.

·           Positive PCR: Students should remain at home for the isolation period NHS Track and Trace have advised, plus any additional time should the symptoms still be present and are considered to still be contagious. Please advise the school of the result and any additional absence needed. Work will be available for students to continue with on Google Classroom/Meet, should they be well enough to engage with the lessons.

·           Positive LFT/PCR in the household: Students should continue to do LFTs daily and if negative should come into school.

 

Reflecting on this half term, it has been much harder to get everyone online in Google Meet because of the ever changing number of students who have tested positive. Sorry if that has affected your child; it has been much harder doing this than when entire groups were out. We will of course continue to do our best and we hope that the number of cases continue to go down in students and staff.

 

It's half term. If you are managing to go away I hope you have an amazing time and that everyone comes back COVID free and raring to go. Thank you, as ever, for your continued support and we all hope you all have a very enjoyable half term.

 

Stay safe and stay positive.

 

Stephen Brady

Headteacher