Dear parents and carers,
Further to a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school, we have been given guidance by the Department for Education (DfE). We are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with the DfE. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child. Only one case has been confirmed and it is highly likely the source came from outside the school.
As a school, ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and the wider school community has been our absolute priority. As a result, we have closely followed all Government guidance and have implemented all possible safety measures and protocols to ensure everyone’s safety and to limit the transmission of any virus.
The guidance that we have received is to ask any member of staff or students that have had close contact with the infected person, to isolate for 14 days from the last time they had contact with the child (15th September). The DfE guidance states that close contact means:
We have been instructed to remain open and providing your child remains well they can continue to attend school as normal. This will be kept under review.
The students and families of those who are now self-isolating have already been informed and will be accessing remote learning from home to disruption any limit to their education.
I completely appreciate and understand that there are already some inevitable anxieties about returning to school, given the current circumstances we find ourselves in. However, I would like to reassure you that we are doing all we can to ensure everyone’s safety and will be continuing to closely follow and implement advice from the experts to maintain this.
It is important that students, staff and the wider school community remain vigilant and continue to uphold the various safety protocols in place both within the Academy but also when out in the wider community.
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19
If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared and should arrange to have a test for COVID-19. Even if the test is negative, they should continue to self-isolate for the remainder of that period. All other household members who remain well 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. Household members should not go to work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home. Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community. If you are able to, 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.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
If your child or anyone in the household does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from NHS 111 at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/ or by phoning 111.
How to stop COVID-19 spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19.
Do
If there are any further updates we will inform you immediately, but if you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact the Academy and we will be able to support. We have also included a series of frequently asked questions below that will provide some more clarity to the situation.
Thank you once again for your ongoing support and understanding – it is greatly appreciated.
Yours sincerely
Dr Lisa Mason
Principal
Ormiston Forge Academy
.
The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed a case of coronavirus in the Academy. Below are some answers to frequently asked questions.
How many cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed?
Only one case has been confirmed and it is highly likely the source came from outside the school. The infected person will now self isolate and as a precaution, 34 students will also be asked to self-isolate. We have been in touch with all staff who have taught the child and can confirm that nobody has been in close contact. Therefore we do not have any staff self-isolating.
Which year group is affected?
The case is in year 12 and contained within year 12.
Have the classrooms been cleaned?
We know that the virus can possibly hang around on surfaces for up to 72 hours so year 12 classrooms, toilets and regular touchpoints will be cleaned again on Monday 21st September (before school). This is in addition to the thorough cleaning that already happens in school.
Why isn’t the Academy closing?
At this stage, we only have a single case and we have been able to identify all the contacts that person had very quickly; they will all self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution. The advice is to open the school as planned with all the systems of control in place such as hand washing, good respiratory hygiene, enhanced cleaning and protected groups. We will also continue to ask all visitors inside school to wear a face covering.
How do I know if I came into contact with the infected person?
As we keep a record of seating plans, we know who came into contact with the infected person and have notified those who need to self isolate as a precaution.
If we have been in contact with a parent/child that has been asked to self-isolate by the school, are we also required to self-isolate and then track those we have subsequently had contact with also?
No, the advice to self-isolate from DfE is only for those who had direct contact. If you develop symptoms then you should self-isolate along with your household and let us know.
What is close or direct contact?
Direct close contacts – face to face contact with an infected individual for any length of time, within 1 metre, including being coughed on, a face to face conversation, or unprotected physical contact (skin-to-skin). Proximity contacts – extended close contact (within 1 to 2 metres for more than 15 minutes) with an infected individual. Travelling in a small vehicle, like a car, with an infected person.
Is it safe for students to go to school?
The person infected only had contact with some students in year 12. They have all been contacted and will be self-isolating at home. There is no reason at this stage to suggest any other children or year groups are affected.
Will it be better to keep the children home a bit longer until this episode is over?
Due to the systems in place we have been able to quickly identify those who came into contact with an infected person, and have been advised that it is safe for school to be open – only those students asked to self-isolate need not attend.
If the people that have been asked to self isolate get tested and it comes back negative, are they allowed back into school before the 14 days is up?
This only relates to the 32 students who have been asked to self-isolate. These students have to isolate for the full period requested if asked to do so and testing is only required if students develop symptoms. If another student (outside of the 32) is tested and comes back negative, then, of course, they can come back into school.
Can you confirm more details of the infected person?
As you might expect we are not able to release any further details of the person in respect to their privacy. As explained above we know who this person was in contact with and they have been informed and will self-isolate.
I want to keep my son/daughter at home, can I do this?
We can understand your concerns and we wouldn’t open the school if we didn’t feel that situation was contained. You will be aware that the government has announced that all students should return to school and continue their education.
My children were told to self-isolate. How will their Free School Meals be reimbursed?
In Government guidance, schools have been told that they need to provide either a meal or a food parcel for free school meals students if they are isolating. We are in touch with the catering company who will provide these and we will be in touch to discuss further. The voucher scheme has now ended.
What happens if I don’t send my child in?
We will be in touch to have a conversation and discuss your concerns. The majority of students are now back at school and unless your child is self-isolating, then they should be attending school. We haven’t used fines yet, as outlined in the guidance from the government, because we have good relationships with our families and hope that through discussion we can encourage students back to school.