Dear mums, dads and carers

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year. We are all looking forward to seeing our children again on Thursday 6 January 2022.  All staff have been trained on our new Phonics programme to support our children make even faster progress than previously.

It is our absolute priority to keep our school open to children.

To achieve this aim, I am writing to let you know about some changes we have decided to make in the running of our school following the government’s recent announcements regarding the management of the Omicron variant.  It is important that we reduce the potential for transmission as much as possible so that we can ensure that the school can stay open.  We had a real challenge at the end of last term when we had many members of staff self-isolating and were unable to find agency supply teachers to replace them.  We are taking measures within school to reduce transmission, but we are asking for your support.

Trips

We will be cancelling any trips planned for this half-term.  We are working to rearrange the Y6 school journey scheduled for the beginning of February to the summer term. I will write separately about this once we have clarification.

Masks

We ask that parents please revert to wearing masks when onsite when you collect children in the afternoons and if you come into the school office unless you have a formal exemption from wearing one.

Illness, symptoms and testing

Please don’t bring your child to school if they are showing any of the symptoms of COVID, which are:

• A high temperature
• A new, continuous cough
• A loss of or change to your sense of smell or taste

Although the government has not updated guidance on the symptoms for the Omicron variant, we understand that the top five symptoms are:

• A runny nose
• Headache
• Fatigue (mild or severe)
• Sneezing
• Sore throat

If your child displays any of these symptoms, we will call you and ask that you collect your child urgently and take them for a PCR test. We will ask to see proof of the test results before your child can return to school.

Government guidance on the isolation period has now changed.  If you or your child has tested positive, you can now take a lateral flow test on day 6 and day 7 of the isolation period. If you receive two negative test results, you are no longer required to self-isolate for 10 full days. The first test must be taken no earlier than day 6 of the self-isolation period and tests must be taken 24 hours apart. If both tests are negative AND you do not have a high temperature, you may end your self-isolation after the second negative test result and return to your education or childcare setting from day 7.

On your child’s return, please can you bring your child to the school office with the two clear lateral flow tests, so we can record their return and check the dates through our system.

Contacts

Anyone aged 5 years and over, who has been identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 and who is not legally required to self-isolate, is now strongly advised to take a lateral flow test every day for 7 days or until 10 days since their last contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 if this is earlier. If any of these LFD tests are positive they should self-isolate in order to protect other people.

Thank you all for your support: I am confident that if we all stick to this we will be able to make sure that our school stays open to our children.