Dear Parent/Carer

 As you will be aware, the Government announced their ‘Living with Covid’ plan earlier this week and therefore we are writing to update you as to how this affects school.

Asymptomatic Lateral Flow Testing

From Monday 21^st February, staff and students in mainstream secondary schools will not be expected to continue taking part in regular asymptomatic testing and should follow the same asymptomatic testing advice as the general population.  Students in Horizon should continue to test.  

Isolation

From Thursday 24 February, the Government will remove the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test. Adults and children who test positive will continue to be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least five full days, and then continue to follow guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days.

Symptomatic Testing

The guidance has not changed here. Those with the Covid symptoms of a high temperature, new continuous cough etc are advised to obtain a PCR test and follow the recommendations below for isolation.

Face coverings

These are no longer advised for students, staff and visitors in classrooms or communal areas. They may be worn by those who choose to do so. Some shops and public transport providers are still encouraging people to wear face coverings due to close mixing with others in poorly ventilated environments and we would ask all students to respect these rules.

Contact tracing

From Thursday 24 February, routine contact tracing will end. Contacts will no longer be required to self-isolate or be advised to take daily tests. Instead, guidance will set out precautions that contacts can take to reduce risk to themselves and other people. Those who test positive are still advised to inform their close contacts of a positive result to facilitate them testing if they were to become unwell.

Vaccinations

The Government’s approach is that vaccines will remain the first line of defence against COVID-19.  We currently have no plans to offer further Covid vaccinations in school. If your child still requires his/her vaccination, please book via

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

Some local vaccination centres have a much reduced capacity now that the demand for vaccination has reduced so you may need to travel further to the larger vaccination centres.

 Illness

If your child is not well enough to attend school for COVID or other reasons, then they should remain at home and only return when well enough to do so. Please note the 5-day advice written above in the isolation section with regards to COVID.

Please continue to report absence to the school attendance team via attendance@oaksparkhigh.org.uk in the usual manner.

If you have any queries, please contact the office: office@oaksparkhigh.org.uk

Yours faiithfully

 

Mr A Amin

Headteacher