Information & Updates for Parents/Carers regarding COVID-19

Useful Documents & Links

Online Learning Guides:

01 April 2022: Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

Updated Guidance: Covid-19

I write further to my communication on 02 March to provide the latest update from the Department for Education about Covid-19 in School settings. You will be aware that from today many of the control measures and practices in place for coronavirus management at a national level have been lifted.

From today please therefore take note of the following points which align with the Government’s ‘Living with Covid’ national guidance:

Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can return to School when they no longer have a temperature, and they are well enough to attend.
If your child becomes unwell whilst at School, staff will make contact with you to arrange for your child to go home – as we ordinarily would for their wellbeing.
Regular asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended in education settings, and therefore Schools will no longer be able to order or distribute Covid-19 tests.
If you have any tests remaining which have previously been distributed then of course these may still be used, and we would ask that positive results are still reported to School via our Attendance Officer and reporting channel covid@uobschool.org.uk, which will remain live and monitored.
Covid-19 tests are being made available free of charge to people in certain categories and circumstances, and will in due course be available for purchase here.
If a Covid-19 test is undertaken for a child (aged 18 and under) and the result is positive, they should stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days.
Whilst most of the specific Covid-19 guidance for education settings will be withdrawn by the Government on Friday 01 April, as a School we shall maintain routine, relevant health and safety practice including good ventilation, enhanced cleaning within School, and encouragement of hand and respiratory hygiene. Face coverings will remain optional should anyone so choose.

As we enter this next phase of Covid-19 management, I shall continue to monitor circumstances in School, liaising with Public Health Services should any concerns arise.

Kind regards,

Colin Townsend

Principal

02 March 2022: Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

I write to provide an update about the School’s ongoing management of Covid-19 at this time.

You will be aware that the Government has recently lifted legal requirements around self-isolation as the country moves to a ‘Living with Covid’ national strategy. That said, many aspects of Public Health advice remain in place – with a shift from ‘must’ to ‘should where you can.’ Schools and workplaces have a duty to put steps in place to promote a safe environment – and that is no different to at any other time.

We are therefore asking that you note the following steps:

We shall continue with facilitating good ventilation, good hand hygiene, good respiratory hygiene practice, day time cleaning, and the optional use of face coverings.
There is no longer a request from School that you undertake routine twice weekly Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing for your child – but if you have spare kits previously given out to your child, you may of course continue with that practice. There will be no further distribution of LFD kits through School.
If your child develops symptoms of Covid-19 (continuous cough, temperature, or loss of sense of taste or smell) then you should order a PCR test in the now familiar way, and you are advised to keep your child at home and avoid contact with other people while you are waiting for the test result.
In the event of a positive test result, many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days. You may choose for your child to take a LFD test from 5 days after symptoms started (or the day the test was taken if you did not have symptoms) followed by another LFD test the next day. If both these test results are negative, and your child does not have a high temperature, the risk that they are still infectious is much lower and they can safely return to their normal routine. LFD tests remain available only for this purpose for the time being from School – although this is due to be reviewed nationally on 01 April 2022 – and we can post tests to you if you do not have any or arrange for you to pick up a set from our main reception. In such circumstances, please make contact with our main reception.
Please continue to report positive Covid-19 test results to the School’s reporting channel: covid@uobschool.org.uk as we shall still be monitoring the overall Covid-19 profile within School, daily, and where necessary I shall take advice from Public Health England in relation to stepping-up temporary protective measures.

Thank you for your continued partnership with the School.

Kind regards,

Colin Townsend

Principal