Covid-19 Revised Measures from 1st November 2021

Dear Parents/Carers

You will be aware from the Prime Minister’s announcement on Wednesday evening that Covid 19 rates across the country are rising. This is particularly the case in the South West of England, where there has been a rapid rise in recent weeks.  

 As a result, when we return to the Academy after the half term break, our local Director of Public Health has requested that we increase our measures to curb the spread of infection.  

What we will be doing as an Academy: 

•  We will not be holding large gatherings with mixed age groups for at least two weeks after the half term break.  
• We will continue to enhance our cleaning routines. 
• We will keep spaces well ventilated; this may occasionally mean that your child will be invited to wear their coat indoors. 
• We will continue to support the wider vaccination programme and share any information that is passed to us about how those who are not yet vaccinated may access this service. 

What we need our families to do:

• Your child should come to the Academy with a face covering from Monday 1st November. They should expect to wear this throughout the day, with the exception of those who are exempt from wearing a face covering for health reasons (if this is the case, please let us know). It would be sensible to ensure that your child has spares in their coat pocket and in their bag. 
• Students should take a test using the lateral flow devices provided before returning to the Academy on Monday 1st November, and then continue to test at home twice weekly for the coming weeks.  
• Please ensure that your child stays at home if they are unwell with Covid 19 symptoms. They must continue to stay at home until 48 hours after the fever passes. They should do so even if they have tested negative for Covid 19.  
• If someone in your household tests positive, your child may still come to the Academy until their own PCR test result comes through if they take a lateral flow test each day and continue to receive a negative result. 

 As a reminder, the symptoms of Covid 19 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 one of these symptoms. 

Thank you for your considerable support throughout this period, and for your flexibility in working with these new, revised arrangements. We will be sure to contact you with any other changes as we are asked to make them in the interests of public health. 

Dream BIG // Work Hard // Be Kind 

Kind Regards 

Mr O’Callaghan | Academy Principal