Dear Parents/ Carers,

As you are aware, if a child attends school and then tests positive for Covid, I may need to shut their class bubble to stop the virus spreading around the school. This inconveniences lots of children and their parents, but I have to follow the advice I am given.

As parents, the choices you make regarding your child’s symptoms will impact our school heavily if procedures and guidelines are not followed.

If your child has any of the symptoms below (please note, there are many other symptoms which could relate to Covid and the list below is far from exhaustive) you MUST act in the best interests of our whole school community and NOT send them in. I understand it is difficult to know what the best course of action is with so many symptoms seemingly pointing to Covid, but I would urge you to please err on the side of caution with any symptoms your child may be displaying.

The disruption caused when I am forced to close a bubble impacts hugely on every single member of our school and if I can avoid doing this, it benefits us all. The children have lost so much time in school over the past year and we all know that being here, working hard, playing well, learning and thriving, is the best environment for them.

Therefore, please be clear in your own mind before you send your child into school. If you are in any doubt about any symptoms, please contact 119 in the first instance. School can advise also but we would be inclined to tell you to book a test if in doubt.

Please help us to help you going forward as our goal is the same; we are all striving for a Covid-free environment for everyone here at St John’s School.

SYMPTOMS AND TESTING – REMINDER

If children display the following symptoms, they need to stay at home and be booked to get a PCR test:

· A new, continuous cough

· A high temperature (hot to the touch)

· A change in or a loss of their usual sense of taste and smell

If children display these symptoms in school:

· They will be isolated (along with any siblings)

· Parents/carers will be then called to collect and asked to book a PCR test for the child who is displaying symptoms.

This test result then needs to be emailed to the school office before the child/children can return. If you do not wish to test your child, they will have to stay at home for 10 days since their symptoms started.

The symptomatic pupil and the rest of the household need to follow self-isolation guidance until the test result returns also.

As a school, we are aware that there are other symptoms that can result in a positive coronavirus result. These are being recognised by NHS Test and Trace. Public health are not altering the guidance that is nationally issued, therefore the official documentation around symptoms remains the same.

So that you can support us with this, some of the symptoms that children can display that can result in a positive coronavirus test are: headaches, fatigue, stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhoea. We understand that these are very typical illnesses for children to be suffering from but we want to be as vigilant as we can to ensure that we can keep our bubbles and our school open.

Staff are aware of these and, if you report one of these symptoms, you will be advised to phone 119 for advice or to book a PCR test. We ask that siblings do not come into school until further advice has been taken or you have the result of a PCR test.

If we are in doubt and siblings are sent in, they will be isolated and sent home.

Best wishes,

Mrs Seymour