Dear Parents/Carers

Due to a rapid rise in the number of confirmed Covid cases in school over the last 10 days, we are now classed as being at a Level 3 outbreak. This means that despite national Covid-19 guidance changing on the 24th February, in an outbreak situation, Directors of Public Health will still advise education settings to re-introduce additional measures to help minimise the number of people absent and reduce the risk of further transmission.

Despite added measures this week outlined on Sunday 13th March's email, our cases are multiplying daily. After careful consideration I have decided to close the school from Friday 18th March 2022 and will re open on Tuesday 22nd March 2022 to act a circuit breaker. 

On the morning of Tuesday 22nd March I would like all staff and children to carry out a Lateral Flow Test before they return to school please.

If your child tests negative whilst the legal requirement to isolate following a positive COVID-19 test has now ended, it is still advised by the Government that people stay at home when they test positive. In order to keep people in our setting safe, we do ask parents and carers to follow this advice.

5 days after their symptoms started (or they tested positive if they did not have symptoms) they can start to LFD test. Once they have had 2 negative LFD test results 24 hours apart, they can return to the setting (as long as they do not have a high temperature). So, for example, if your child has a negative LFD test on the morning of day 5 and then again in the morning of day 6, they can return to school on day 6. If their LFD continues to be positive, they should continue to stay at home and LFD test daily until they go 2 days without having a positive result (or until they reach day 10 after developing symptoms / testing positive) – whichever comes first. More information is available here.

We also recommend anyone eligible in your household gets the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done so already.

In the meantime, please be vigilant in looking out for the main symptoms of COVID-19 in your child, however mild (a high temperature of 37.8°C or above, a new continuous cough and / or change to sense of taste and smell). In children symptoms can also be tummy bugs and cold like symptoms. 

Home schooling

Your child will receive home schooling for Friday and Monday, if your child already has Covid, they are classed as being poorly and there is no expectation to complete the work. This work will either be in their bags as they leave school tonight or on Seesaw, or mix of both for Year 1-6 or Tapestry for  Nursery and Reception. 

This is not what we want for our children or for you as families but I have a duty of care to all the children and staff in my school. I have tried to minimise disruption by including a weekend in the closure in order to help with your work load and commitments too. I have also tried to give as much notice as I possibly can so you have time to make arrangements.

We know this can be an anxious time for some people so please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. 

I will email again over the weekend with more information if needed. 

Thank you for your understanding 

Yours sincerely 

Mrs L Hemingway