letter to parents 16th March 2020
Dear Parent/Carer,
Today we have shared a basic information session with our pupils in the form of a social story, about the Covid 19 virus. You can find this information on our website.
We have also been reviewing our attendance, and we do have pupils off school with flu like symptoms. As per Government directive, we are remaining open as we have no confirmed cases. In the event that we do have confirmed cases, current Government Guidance is as follows:
The childcare or educational setting will be contacted by the local Public Health Wales Health Protection Team to discuss the case, identify people who have been in contact with them and advise on any actions or precautions that should be taken. An assessment of each childcare or education setting will be undertaken by the Health Protection Team with relevant staff. Advice on the management of pupils or students and staff will be based on this assessment.
As you will all be aware, this is a rapidly changing, unprecedented position globally, and we can only act on the directives that we are being given to follow by the Government . However, please be reassured that we are taking all possible measures that we can to maintain hygiene at school and to keep the children in our care safe and calm. You can help by making sure that your child washes their hands before leaving the house and when they return home.
There are a number of meetings taking place today, both locally and nationally, and we hope to have further guidance after these have taken place.
If at any point you choose to keep your child at home, this will be understood. We just request that you keep us updated. Again, I would reiterate that you keep your child at home if they are showing any of the symptoms linked to Covid 19.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the staff for all their hard work in pulling together to keep our children and community as safe as we can at this time. They also have the same concerns for their own families.
Please be patient with us in this ever-changing time. We are doing our best and hope that you understand the reasons for any decisions that we are making.
Kindest regards,
Mrs R Barker
Headteacher
UPDATE LETTER TO PARENTS 15/3/20 12PM
Dear Parent/Carer,
As you will all be aware, we are in the unprecedented position of a global pandemic relating to Covid-19.
As announced by the Prime Minister, there will be no blanket closures of schools at the moment.
As a school, we are receiving the same information from Public Health Wales (PHW) as is being published for the general public. The LA is advising schools to follow PHW guidance.
Our first priority, as ever, is the health, safety and well-being of our children, staff and the families and friends that make up our school community.
The latest guidance from PHW is as follows:
*People who have returned from Category 1 specified countries or areas in the last 14 days should self-isolate. This includes avoiding attending an education setting or work until 14 days after they return.
ACTION : Therefore, please inform the school if you have travelled to any of the countries on the list in the last 14 days.
*Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms
Stay at home for 7 days if you have either:
• a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
• a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
ACTION: Therefore, if your child has ANY of the above symptoms, please DO NOT send them to school.
If any child displays these symptoms during the day, you will be contacted immediately.
If as a parent, you feel your child is vulnerable due to an underlying medical condition, then please inform the office and we can use an attendance code for self-isolating if you feel this is the safest option for them. The safety of all our community is utmost at this time.
What is happening in school now:
We have already taken a number of measures in school. These include:
*ensuring regular hand-washing with anti-bacterial hand wash. You can help us with this by also emphasizing the importance of washing hands at home.
*children are being reminded of personal hygiene.
*staff are cleaning surfaces with anti-bacterial spray at regular intervals during the day.
*Computers and electronic devices are being wiped/sprayed regularly with anti-bacterial wipes / spray.
What may happen in the coming days:
There are a number of measures that we may take, if necessary. This would include measures such as temporarily stopping assemblies, eating packed lunches in classrooms, reducing time sitting as a whole class on the carpet and cancellation of school visits to any crowded locations or where the children would come in to contact with large groups from other schools. These measures will come in to effect as we believe they become necessary.
What could happen in the future:
It is a possibility that it may become necessary to close the school- whether directed to do so, or if this is a decision we need to take ourselves. Any closure could be partial or whole school in either the short term (for example, for a deep clean, or where staff levels become critically low) or longer term as advised. We are aware that we may get very little notice of school closures and therefore we are planning at a number of levels behind the scenes so that we are prepared for a short or a longer-term closure. If this does become necessary, we will prepare a simple package of learning for the children to complete at home.
As you will be aware, this situation and therefore advice, is changing on a daily basis. We will keep parents updated of any changes viatext and our website. Please check your messages daily. We will inform you of any developments as rapidly as we are able to.
We hope you understand the necessity of any measures we will need to take over the coming weeks and thank you in advance for your support in keeping our community safe for all.
Kindest regards,
Mrs R Barker
Headteacher
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 15TH MARCH 2020
As we continue to follow UK, Welsh Government and Public Health Wales advice, the Council has advised us that all schools in Swansea are open as normal on Monday. The situation is being kept under continuous review and we will advise immediately if something changes. It is also worth noting that the number of days any school is open and the date of school holidays are decided by the Welsh Government and not the Council’.
No additional measures need to be taken above the advice already provided by Public Health Wales.
If you need any further information please go to: https://phw.nhs.wales/coronavirus and there is also general information here for the public: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/coronavirusadvice.
Coronavirus – Information and Guidance
As you will likely be aware, a confirmed case of Coronavirus has occurred in Swansea, the person concerned is receiving care and self-isolated immediately on becoming symptomatic. To reassure schools and their wider communities the Local Authority are working in partnership with our colleagues in Health. Please be assured that the risk remains low and no additional measures need to be taken above the advice already provided by Public Health Wales.
For up to date information and advice regarding Coronavirus, please click on the following links:
www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
www.phw.nhs.wales/coronavirus