New self-isolation rules from today (Mon 17 Jan)

From Monday 17 January, people with COVID-19 in England can end their self-isolation after 5 full days, as long as they test negative on day 5 and day 6 and do not have a temperature.  

Individuals who are still positive on their rapid lateral flow tests must stay in isolation until they have had 2 consecutive negative tests taken on separate days.

Full details can be found here: Self-isolation rules

Plan B- from Tuesday 14 December 2021

From Tuesday 14 December, a new national approach to daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 is being introduced (including until the end of this term). All adults who are fully vaccinated and children aged 5 to 18 years and 6 months, identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 – whether Omicron or not – should take a lateral flow device (LFD) test every day for 7 days instead of self-isolating. Daily testing by close contacts will help to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 will help protect education settings by reducing transmission and will also help keep pupils in face-to-face education.

Once notified by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact, all eligible staff, pupils and students should take an LFD each day for 7 days and report the results through the Online Reporting System and to their setting. If they test negative, they can continue to attend their education setting. Outside of the education setting, they should continue to follow the advice set out in the Sunday 12 December press release. This approach should also be adopted over the winter break and on return in January.

If they test positive, they should self-isolate and order a PCR test to confirm the result. If the PCR is positive, they must self-isolate for 10 days. If the PCR test is negative, they no longer need to self-isolate but should continue to carry out the remainder of the daily tests, and only need to isolate if it is positive.

Children under five years old do not need to take part in daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 and do not need to isolate.

Anyone over the age of 18 years and 6 months who is not vaccinated, must isolate in line with government guidelines if they are a close contact of a positive case.

Returning to school for 2021-22 (August)

Although most legal restrictions have been lifted at Step 4 and many people have been vaccinated, it is still possible to catch and spread COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated.

COVID-19 will be a feature of our lives for the foreseeable future, so we need to learn to live with it and manage the risk to ourselves and others.

As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, it is important that we all use personal judgment to manage our own risk. All of us can play our part by exercising common sense and considering the risks. No situation is risk free, so we all need to understand the factors and settings that increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission and the actions that we can all take to reduce COVID-19 infection, both for ourselves and for others. 

School will return to most pre-COVID arrangements.  Our latest risk assessment can be found below, along with our contingency framework.

Full government guidance can be found here: COVID-19 Guidance 

Further easing of restrictions from 17 May

The Roadmap is on track and planned Step 3 easements will go ahead on 17 May, the Prime Minister has confirmed.

The data shows that the government’s “four tests” for easing restrictions have been met. Infection rates are at their lowest level since September, while hospital admissions and patients in hospital continue to decrease - with levels now similar to July last year.

Full details of what you can and cannot do can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

Restrictions ease from Monday 29 March

From Monday 29 March, the Rule of 6 comes into force again meaning that you can meet with up to 6 people from different households outside.  You can also meet in private gardens.  2 families, no matter how many children, can also meet.  Full details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

Schools to re-open fully from 8th March

On Monday 22nd February, the government announced that all schools will re-open fully on Monday 8th March.  

This will mean a return to the staggered starts that were used in the autumn term.  Final details for re-opening will be sent out to parents at the start of next week.

The full information from the government can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mass-testing-for-secondary-pupils-as-all-schools-and-colleges-fully-reopenfrom8-march

New national lockdown from 5 Jan 2021

The government announced yesterday that school will close from today until at least 15 Feb 2021 in order to bring the infection rate back under control.  This means pupils will need to access daily online learning.  

School will remain open for key worker and vulnerable children.  This group will access the same online learning from school under the supervision of school staff.

Everyone else should stay at home apart from specific reasons.  The full guidance can be found here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/949536/NationalLockdownGuidance.pdf

COVID-19

A new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) causing respiratory symptoms was first identified in December 2019 in China. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic on the 11 March 2020; this means COVID-19 has spread worldwide.  

Since then, a range of restrictions or lockdown measures have been introduced which has had a significant impact on how we operate as a school.  These control measures are in place to ensure we are COVID-19 secure and are able to operate as safely as possible for all our children, families and staff.  

The Rule of Six came into force in England on 14 September 2020 which prohibits social gatherings of more than 6 people.  In addition, Leicester remains in a local lockdown with further restrictions applicable.  Details can be found on the links below.

I would like to thank all of our parents, staff and governors for their overwhelming support in how we have managed this crisis and the positive messages we have received.