I hope that you are looking forward to a warmer and relaxing Easter long weekend. We will be pleased to see everyone again on Tuesday.
New guidance has been issued as regards managing COVID going forward. The guidance is available here. There are significant changes.
The expectations around children are slightly different from the expectations as regards adults: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19#Children
COVID remains very prevalent but is not presenting as a serious illness for the vast majority, especially children. Testing is not as readily available anymore and children are now explicitly advised not to test unless advised to do so by a health professional.
Children that are unwell with confirmed or suspected COVID are now expected to remain away from school for 3 days if possible. If they no longer have a temperature after three days, and are generally well enough to be in school, they can return. No one seems to define what ‘if possible’ means and it would be our strong expectation that this guidance is met. I don’t see how we could safely manage a positive case of COVID in school in the first few days of infection. We do have vulnerable staff and children (and family members) in school. Children and young people with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting.
Staff that are unwell with confirmed or suspected COVID are now expected to remain away from school and work from home for 5 days if possible. If they no longer have a temperature after 5 days, and are generally well enough to be in school, they can return. Again, no one seems to define what ‘if possible’ means. I would not expect to have a staff member in school with COVID symptoms or a positive test result unless we could have a very remote role for them e.g. grounds work.
Neither staff nor children are now expected to get a negative LFD before returning to school after 5 or 3 days respectively. The absence of a high temperature seems key.
I have attached a flow chart of guidance for reference.
Very best wishes,
Peter Harris
Headteacher
