Symptoms and Testing

The guidance above is the most up to date guidance from the government about Covid-19 and what role schools play if they have a suspected or confirmed case within the school.

NHS Test and Trace

• All members of staff and parents need to get a test completed if they display symptoms of Covid-19.
• All children can be tested, including children under 5, but children under 11 have to be helped by their parents.
• Tests are booked online
• Schools do not do anything unless a test comes back positive – if your child or you are displaying symptoms I will simply tell you that you must have a test booked and completed. 
• All staff have the option taking a lateral flow test twice a week which they report to NHS Track and Trace.

IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL

• Your child is ill not showing symptoms of covid-19. Please inform the school office each day of absence.
• Your child can return to school as soon as they are well.

IF YOUR CHILD IS SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

Symptoms of Covid-19 according to the NHS website

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
  
  Most people with coronavirus have at least 1 of these symptoms.

• If you or your child is ill and you have a test and it is negative then the child can return to school when they have recovered from whatever cold or illness they have.

A POSITIVE COVID TEST RESULT

• If a test comes back positive the school notifies the local health protection team immediately; this team will also contact the school if they become aware that someone who has tested positive for coronavirus attended the school.
• The health protection team will carry out a rapid risk assessment and then tell the Head teacher what actions to take.

THE REST OF THE BUBBLE

• If your child is sent home to isolate, the rest of the household do not need to isolate.
• If your own child starts to display symptoms you would book a test. If they test positive they will begin a ten day isolation period. Your household does not need to isolate.
• In order to close a bubble or the school the Public Health Department need to deem there to be an outbreak in school. Please send your child to school until told otherwise, as this will be classed as an unathourised absence. 

IF A CHILD IS ILL IN SCHOOL

If a child is ill in school but NOT with Covid-19 symptoms, but are not well enough to stay in school, you will be contacted to pick them up.

They will be brought to sit outside the main offices in school.

IF A CHILD IS ILL IN SCHOOL WITH COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

If a child is displaying any of the above Covid-19 symptoms they will be isolated from the rest of the school in a room or one of the school offices.

A member of staff with PPE will remain with the child until they are collected.

If the child needs the toilet they will use the disabled toilets by the office. This will be cleaned once the child has gone home.

When collected the parents will be told to book a test for the child.

The office will then be cleaned and wiped down once the child has gone home and the PPE equipment put in the medical waste bins.

Any staff member who has dealt with the child will thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water.