24 March

Cancellation of GCSE's

The coronavirus outbreak is expected to continue having a significant impact on the education system, and the country, for months to come. Therefore exams have been cancelled now to give pupils, parents, and teachers certainty, and enable schools and colleges to focus on supporting vulnerable children and the children of key workers. The Government has released some Q&A's surrounding this; please see the link below:

Please click here to read the latest Government information.

23 March 

Letter from Mrs Watson

Parent Timetable tracker

20 MARCH

Please click here to view a letter from Mrs Watson

Dear Parents/Carers

We now have further information from the Government, giving details of those who are considered to be key workers. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW LIST.

You will see that the Government has said, "if it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be'.  This is the safest place for your child and the rest of the community.

If you are a key worker and your child is unable to stay at home, please contact the school before 1.30 pm today (Friday 20 March) to let us know.    

Provision in school will be the same as at home - online learning but students will be supervised in school in order that key worker parents can go to work. School staff are engaged in supporting all students at home and school, following timetables and all students will be following online timetables.

If you tell us that your child will need to come into school, we will treat this the same as usual school attendance, ie we will contact you if he/she is not in school.  Students in school will continue to wear school uniform.

Best wishes

Mrs Watson

19 MARCH

The Cabinet Office will be sending schools a list of key workers today. We will share this list with you on our website.  If you are in any doubt whether you qualify as a key worker, please check this list.  Again, please restrict phone calls to the school for the moment so that we can focus on getting things in place for the children.

LETTER FROM MRS WATSON - 19 MARCH

Click here for Mental Health and Wellbeing support and advice.

SCHOOL CLOSURE 

Letter from Mrs Watson - 17 March

Advice for places of education 

BBC advice for parents: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51734855

How to keep safe: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51711227

Advice for those with asthma: https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/#Advice

Guidance on the use of ibuprofen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/51929628

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

• new continuous cough and/or
• high temperature (37.8 degrees and above)

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.

Main messages

If you live alone and you have symptoms of coronavirus illness (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (See ending isolation for more information)

if you live with others and you or one of them have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill

it is likely that people living within a household will infect each other or be infected already. Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community

for anyone in the household who starts displaying symptoms, they need to stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms appeared, regardless of what day they are on in the original 14 day isolation period. (See ending isolation section for more information).

if you 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

if you cannot move vulnerable people out of your home, stay away from them as much as possible

if you have coronavirus symptoms:

• do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital
• you do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home
• testing for coronavirus is not needed if you’re staying at home plan ahead and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home and consider what can be done for vulnerable people in the household
• ask your employer, friends and family to help you to get the things you need to stay at home
• wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water, or use hand sanitiser
• if you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999

Where to find the latest information

• https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice:  https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

The importance of hygiene

Personal hygiene is the most important way we can tackle COVID-19, especially washing hands more; and the catch it, bin it, kill it strategy for those with coughs and sneezes.

How to wash your hands properly

Wash your hands more often for 20 seconds with soap and hot water.

Watch this short NHS film for guidance:

·         https://youtu.be/bQCP7waTRWU

Teach young children how to wash their hands with the NHS handwashing song:

·         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9VjeIWLnEg

Public Health England recommends that in addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.

Department for Education coronavirus helpline

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday

Latest Department for Education information:

·         https://twitter.com/educationgovuk

·         https://www.facebook.com/educationgovuk/

Thank you to all the parents who either work in the NHS or public health who have added to our knowledge.