What to do if your child becomes ill?

If your child is not well, please contact the school as soon as possible to discuss the next steps. At this time of year it is inevitable that children will be picking up different bugs, as is the case every Autumn term, and in most cases your child will still be able to attend school should they feel ok to do so.

What symptoms should we be looking for?

The Government recommend that pupils and staff be tested if they develop one or more of the coronavirus symptoms:

• High temperature
• A new, continuous cough
• The loss or change of their sense of smell

If a child is tested because they are unwell, they should stay off school until they receive a result. As in any year, as schools go back, children may pick up common colds or feel unwell with a sore throat, stomach upset or a headache. These children may need to stay off school and parents/carers should call their GP or dial 111 to seek medical advice if they are concerned about their child’s health.

If a positive test is confirmed, swift action will be taken to ask those who have been in close contact to self-isolate.

School must send home those pupils and staff who have been in close contact with the person who has tested positive. They should self-isolate for 14 days since they were last in contact with that person, when they were infectious.

What does close contact mean?

• Direct close contacts- face to face contact with an infected individual for any length of time, within 1 metre, including being coughed on, a face-to-face conversation, or unprotected physical contact.
• Proximity contacts- extended close contact (within 1 to 2 metres for more than 15 minutes) with an infected individual.
• Travelling in a small vehicle, like a car, with an infected person.

The school is working closely with the Local Authority and Public Health England to minimise the risks in school, monitor local developments and take the appropriate actions in response to a positive test result.

Information taken from the DFE Government site.