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For the latest Government Guidance please use the link below

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Updated 06.10.2021

Dear Parents and Carers

Update on Covid measures and the number of positive cases in school

There has been some confusion of late about regulations in schools on isolation and reporting procedures on positive cases.

There is the added complication that the body dealing with community health issues in relation to Covid changed on October 1st. It appears that communications between the new UKHSA (the Uk Health Security Agency ),  which took over from Public Health bodies , with the Department for Education and Local Authorities has not been as clear or as prompt as would be expected.

The upshot of this was our school receiving contradictory advice about guidance for Special Schools at the beginning of the week.

We have resolved this now and the arrangements to be followed are set out in the Gov Uk circular of September 27th :-

The school no longer has a role in tracing contacts of positive cases for staff or children and their families.

This will be undertaken by the NHS Track and Trace service.

When a member of staff or a child is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid , they will be advised to get a PCR test.

Those who are double vaccinated and those under the age of 18 years and 6 months who do not have Covid symptoms can continue to attend school.

They do not have to wait until they get a negative PCR.

Staff and children are recommended to take LFTs at least twice a week and to follow the existing hygiene and social distancing measures in place , particularly where their class has had positive cases.

We realise that parents can have mixed feelings about these arrangements

On one hand it may be a relief not to have the disruption( and distress to some children) which isolation periods have caused.

On the other hand parents may well be anxious about the potential for their child to be infected when close contacts of positive cases are still attending school.

We do however have to follow DfE guidance which is squarely aimed at maintaining maximum attendance in all schools including specialist settings.

As explained previously our internal risk assessment ,in the context of the area's infection rates , persuaded us to retain some of the restrictive measures in place during the lockdown and tiered periods.

For example we still work in units and midday meals are taken in class to minimise across bubble mixing.

We will continue to provide parents with regular information about cases in the school .

This is provided at the bottom this letter.

It is possible ,that as the new monitoring body , the UKHSA might advise the Government to reintroduce a threshold procedure for Special Schools to identify and act upon possible outbreaks.

As it stands however the 'rules' are clear as set out in the latest Gov Uk Update 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/send-and-specialist-settings-additional-covid-19-operational-guidance-applies-after-step-4

See the section on Tracing Close Contacts and Self Isolation.

If you have concerns about your child's attendance or their safety whilst at school , please do hesitate to get in touch

Positive cases of Covid in the school week beginning 4th October

Pupils 2

Area Class 10

Staff 3

Area Class 10

Regards

Andy Zielinski

Headteacher 

Humberston Park Special School Academy

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