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Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
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News 23.10.20
Fri 23 Oct 2020
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Parent/Carer letter from Essex County Council
Mon 19 Oct 2020Dear parents and carers,
On Thursday, the government approved the request presented by Essex County Council (ECC) and supported by Council leaders to move to Local COVID-19 Alert Level: High. This change came into effect at midnight on Friday 16 October.
You can find the full details on our website at essex.gov.uk/news/government-confirms-essex-to-move-to-high-covid-alert-level
None of the three alert levels introduced by the government have direct implications on the operations of schools and colleges. Education settings in Essex will remain open full-time to all students and pupils.
Schools and colleges have strong measures in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These preventative measures – such as keeping pupils in class or year group-sized bubbles, extra handwashing and phased starts – greatly reduce the risk of COVID-19 being transmitted.
In education settings that teach those in Year 7 and above, students and adults should now wear face coverings when moving around indoors, unless the person is exempt from doing so. This requirement would apply in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain. We have asked schools to review their risk assessments and to inform you of any changes they have introduced. Parents will need to provide their child with a mask and ensure they know how and when to wear it.
It is now more important than ever for young people, parents and families to consider their actions outside education settings.
We must all follow the social contact restrictions that come with Essex’s move to the High alert level. Only one household / support bubble can mix inside. Outside, the rule of six applies.
It is crucial that young people and parents maintain a two-metre distance from others at the school gate during dropping-off and picking-up time. This cannot be stressed enough: you are highly unlikely to catch or spread COVID-19 through air-born particles if you maintain this distance. We urge you to work with our education leaders to keep our settings, schools and colleges safe for staff, pupils and the wider community.
Those who can travel to school or college safely by walking, cycling or scooting are recommended to do so. To help with this, there is a dedicated Getting to School section on ECC’s Stop.Swap.GO! website, which can be found at stopswapgo.co.uk/getting-to-school. It includes maps and information on cycling and walking routes to schools and colleges in Essex, as well as suggested drop-off zones away from the school gate to reduce congestion in some of the county’s busiest areas. Those able to wear face coverings must do so when travelling on home to school or public transport.
Early years and childcare settings – including childminders, after-school clubs and nannies – can still be used under High alert level restrictions.
Informal childcare (defined as unpaid and unregistered childcare) can be provided in private homes by people in your support bubble or your childcare bubble. A childcare bubble is where someone in one household provides childcare to a child aged 13 or under in another household. For any given childcare bubble, this must always be between the same two households. The full guidance on childcare in High alert level areas can be found at gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-level-high#childcare
You may ask why children and young people can mix with lots of other people in schools and colleges but not see their grandparents. The reason is that we are prioritising keeping education settings open, and in order to do this, we need to make difficult trade-offs elsewhere.
Every contact avoided helps reduce the potential for the virus to spread, so your child not having contact with a relative outside their household becomes a really important action in reducing the reproduction rate (the ‘R rate’) of the virus. Closing schools would help but is not something we would want to do because education has a major impact on children’s long-term health, wellbeing and economic outomes. This action would also impact severly on parents’ ability to work and will only be implemented as a last resort.
Moreover, schools, colleges and other sectors are deemed COVID-secure places, with protective measures in place to reduce transmisson. These measures are not required in household settings, nor could they be effectively enforced.
The decision we made with our district leaders and MPs to ask for this move to the High alert level was not taken lightly, and we know this may not be welcome news to many who live in Essex. But we are extremely concerned about the exponential growth of cases and our ability to control the spread of the virus with the current restrictions available to us.
We are confident this swift action now will ultimately help protect residents, businesses and the NHS in the coming weeks and months.
Thank you for your support.
Yours faithfully,
Councillor Ray Gooding
Cabinet Member for Education,
Essex County Council.
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News 16.10.20
Fri 16 Oct 2020
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National Online Safety - Wednesday Wake-Up
Wed 14 Oct 2020
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Flu vaccine update
Fri 09 Oct 2020Flu vaccinations were carried out for those children whose parents/carers applied. The nurses were very impressed with how sensible and respectful your children were.
They will be back to carry out the vaccines for the reception children at a later date.
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News 09.10.20
Fri 09 Oct 2020
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News 02.10.20
Fri 02 Oct 2020
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Advice for Parents of children in the reception class who need to Self-Isolate for 14 Days
Thu 01 Oct 2020Advice for Child to Self-Isolate for 14 Days
Dear Parent,
We have been advised by Public Health England that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the Reception Class.
We have been advised by the national Test and Trace programme and have identified that your child has been in close contact with the individual who has tested positive for COVID19. In line with the national guidance we request that your child now stays at home and self-isolates until Tuesday 13th October 2020 (14 days after contact).
We are asking you to do this to reduce the further spread of COVID 19 to others in the community.
During this period of isolation we will provide remote learning for your child further details will follow.
If your child is well at the end of the 14 days period of self-isolation, then they can return to usual activities, including returning to school.
Other members of your household can continue normal activities provided your child does not develop symptoms within the 14 day self-isolation period.
Further guidance for those who have been identified as a close contact of someone with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19), but do not live with that person, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared. Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and this can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119 .
All other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. This includes anyone in your ‘Support Bubble’.
The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.
Household members should not go to work, school/college or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home. If you require help with buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, or walking a dog, you should ask friends or family. Alternatively, you can order your shopping online and medication by phone or online.
Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community
If you are able can, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period
Please see the link to the PHE ‘Stay at Home’ Guidance:
Symptoms of COVID 19
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- new continuous cough and/or
- high temperature and/or
- a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/ or by phoning 111.
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- wash your hands as soon as you get home
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Kind regards
Jacqueline Blackburn NPQH
Headteacher
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Advice to All Parents - Single case of COVID-19
Thu 01 Oct 2020Dear Parents,
We have been advised by Public Health England that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with Public Health England. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
Parents of the reception class children who potentially have been in direct prolonged contact with the individual confirmed to have tested positive for COVID19 have been contacted directly and will be staying at home for 14 days.
The school remains open and your child should continue to attend if they remain well.
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they must not come to school and should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared. Anyone with symptoms should seek a test and this can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.
All other household members who remain well, must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. This includes anyone in your ‘Support Bubble’.
Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection.
The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.
Household members should not go to work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home only.
If you require help with buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, or walking a dog, you should ask friends or family. Alternatively, you can order your shopping online and medication by phone or online.
Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.
If you are able, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- a new continuous cough
- a high temperature
- a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your child or anyone in the household does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/ or by phoning 111.
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- wash your hands as soon as you get home
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
Further Information
Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Yours sincerely
Jacqueline Blackburn NPQH
Headteacher
