Letter to year 8 close contacts

18th March 2021

Dear Parent/Carer, 

Following on from my correspondence yesterday afternoon, we have been notified of a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.

Your child has been identified as a close contact of the confirmed case. In line with the national guidance your child is advised to self-isolate for 10 days since the last contact with the confirmed case. The date of last contact with a confirmed case is day zero. The 10 day self-isolation period will end on Friday 26th March.

If your child is well at the end of the 10 day period they will be able to return to school on Friday 26th March. Other members of your household can continue normal activities provided your child does not develop symptoms within the 10 day self-isolation period. 

Please see the link to the PHE Staying at Home Guidance: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Work to be provided whilst students are isolating

For today, students should work from their Knowledge Organiser and existing work on Google Classroom. By 3.30pm today students will be sent an email with links for their lessons to access via live streaming. These will run very similar to the most recent lockdown, students need to click on the allotted link when they would normally have the lesson in school. Lessons will run live from 9.00am on Friday 19th March, week 1. 

What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19 

If your child develops symptoms arrange for a COVID test. This can be done via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119

If their test is negative they must still continue to self-isolate for the 10 day period, regardless of the negative test result.

If their test is positive they will need to self-isolate for 10 days from the date when their symptoms start. All your household members must self-isolate for 10 days. 

The date of symptom onset is day zero.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection.

General COVID information

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

•recent onset of new continuous cough or

•high temperature or

•a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness. If you are concerned about your child’s health or the health of anyone else in your house please seek advice from your GP or NHS 111 by phoning 111. 

There are things you can do to reduce the risk of getting COVID-19:

  • wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds 
  • use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
  • wash your hands as soon as you get home
  • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
  • put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Further Information

Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ 

As always, if you have any questions then please do not hesitate to get into contact. I thank you again for your support. 

Yours sincerely

Abbie Thorrington
Principal 

Last updated March 18, 2021