As I’m sure you will appreciate, we are currently dealing with a complex and rapidly changing situation. My first priority will always be the health and safety of the pupils and staff in our school. Now more than ever, this remains our primary focus.
We will do all we can to remain and stay open.
Already in school we have:
- Updated our Emergency Covid-19 Action Plan
- Updated all risk assessments
- Planning work for all children should the school close
- Increase handwashing of all pupils, staff and visitors:
- On arrival
- Before break time
- Before lunch
- Before leaving school
- Amended our absence policy (see below)
- Withdraw the use of communal water coolers, please ensure your child has a FULL, water bottle provided from home, on arrival to school. This can be replenished by adults at certain points throughout the day.
- Increased our cleaning routines throughout the day
This is an entirely unprecedented situation and we are following official advice from the government and the NHS. This advice is being added to on a daily basis and we are monitoring and responding to that as it is published. This official advice will underpin all the actions we take.
Whilst I appreciate that there will be a wide range of different views about how we should be responding and what action should be taken, I hope you will appreciate that I am duty bound to follow the official advice from government.
Therefore in addition to the above action, from today the following will apply in order for the school to mitigate against the virus spreading within our school:
Absence and Illnesses in children
- If pupils have a persistent cough or high temperature, they should remain at home for 7 calendar days
- If pupils arrive and have either a persistent cough or high temperature, we will contact families to collect their child and must remain home for a period of 7 calendar days
- If a pupil has an unexplained absence, school will immediately contact the family to ascertain the reason for absence
Suspected symptoms with a family member
- If a family member of a pupil has suspected symptoms, the child can still attend school
- Please ensure your child washing his/her hands before leaving the home
- School will continue to heavily monitor your child
Confirmed case with a family member
- If a family member has a confirmed case of the Coronavirus, the pupil living with that family member must remain home for 14 days.
- Please telephone the school to confirm this and we will ensure the necessary actions are taken in school to prevent further infection.
Confirmed case with a pupil
- Parents to immediately notify the school
- Public Health England Protection Team will contact the school to discuss with the Headteacher what action to take (This will also happen in the event of a staff member being a confirmed case)
Family members travelling back from affected countries
Staff shortage planning
- We have plans in place to remain open and have plans in place to stay open should staff have symptoms and need to stay at home for the 7 calendar day period.
Reducing contact point activities
- We have taken the decision to limit all planned trips and activities for the foreseeable future, this will include:
- Newtown Community Bookshop will be closed
- All scheduled trips will be postponed including the Year 3 Search trip planed for the end of March
- Parents’ Evening will be postponed
- All Family Collective Worship will be postponed
- All non-essential training for staff will be cancelled
- The year 4 sleepover will be on hold until further notice
- Please note that the school office will be busy during this unprecedented period. Please can all parents limit phone calls and messages to the school unless absolutely urgent and necessary.
- Please ensure all changes to pick up and collection arrangements are planned for in advance and please limit the amount of last minute notifications to the school office regarding changes to arrangements
I am aware that you may have additional questions, worries or thoughts regarding the current situation. Please can I reassure all parents and carers once again that I am doing all I can to ensure the school remains open. However, I am duty bound to follow all official advice from the Government, Department for Education and Public Health England.
I will of course continue to keep you updated with any further developments as and when they happen. Please refer to the NHS website for all Coronavirus queries: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/