Coronavirus Q & A
UPDATED FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2021-2022
As a school, we follow the government protocols regarding keeping our children safe from COVID-19. Please click on the link below for the current guidance:
To help you understand how current guidance works in our school, here are some Q & As which should answer your concerns. If however you have any other queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
What preventative measures are the school keeping to keep the children safe?
- Hygiene will remain just as important! We will be ensuring that the children to wash their hands frequently with both soap and gel sanitiser, and maintain the availability of cleaning materials.
- We will maintain frequent cleaning of classrooms and resources – this has helped mitigate any spread in the school during last academic year.
- We will ensure the school remains well ventilated (whilst balancing a comfortable temperature)
- Any children or staff who demonstrate any symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home and required to have a test (as per the above operational advice)
What happens if my child shows symptoms of the virus?
You should follow the NHS and government guidance shared above:
‘Pupils, staff and other adults should follow public health advice on when to self-isolate and what to do. They should not come into school if they have symptoms, have had a positive test result or other reasons requiring them to stay at home due to the risk of them passing on COVID-19 (for example, they are required to quarantine).
If anyone in your school develops COVID-19 symptoms, however mild, you should send them home and they should follow public health advice.’
Lateral Flow Tests
Staff and pupils with a positive LFD test result should self-isolate in line with the stay at home guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. They will also need to get a free PCR test to check if they have COVID-19.
Whilst awaiting the PCR result, the individual should continue to self-isolate.
If the PCR test is taken within 2 days of the positive lateral flow test, and is negative, it overrides the self-test LFD test and the pupil can return to school, as long as the individual doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms.
If your child shows symptoms of Covid, please keep them home and organise a PCR test.
What would happen if there was a positive case in school?
We would follow national guidelines on this – currently if there was a single case, that person would self isolate, but there would be no pupil close contact tracing as pupils are below 18years and 6 months. If there were multiple cases within potential close contacts, we would contact our local public health team and follow their advice. Please see our Outbreak Management Plan: https://www.prestonhedges.northants.sch.uk/covid-19/
Do we need face masks in school?
There are no longer any requirements for face masks in school.
What are the systems around arriving & leaving school?
School is fully open again. The school day begins at 8.45 am and ends at 3.15pm. We no longer have one way systems operating.
Will the current circumstances last all this academic year?
Truthfully, we don’t know – but we hope so! The local and national government have the power to step measures up and down, and, in the event that there is a local outbreak, a variant of concern, or unsustainable pressure on the NHS, they may require the school to put some measure back in place.
Please see our Covid-19 page for how this might work.