Corona Virus
COVID-19: March 2022 Measures for School Reopening
On 21 February 2022 the Prime Minister set out the next phase of the government’s COVID-19 response ‘Living with COVID-19’. COVID-19 continues to be a virus that we learn to live with and the imperative to reduce the disruption to children and young people’s education remains.
Our reviewed and updated COVID-19 Risk Assessment and COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan are below, but the main information you need to know to help keep everyone safe is summarised below.
All measures are in line with the most recent and updated government guidance for schools published at the end of February.
*You can email head@winningtonpark.cheshire.sch.uk at any time to notify school of a positive lateral flow test or PCR test.
- There is no longer a legal requirement for people with coronavirus (COVID-19) infection to self-isolate. However, if you have any of the main symptoms of COVID-19 or have a positive lateral flow test result, the public health advice remains to self-isolate and book a PCR test. Self-isolate whilst you await the result. This includes children of 5 years and older.
- People who have tested positive will continue to be advised to self-isolate for five full days and then receive two negative test results on consecutive days before returning to their workplace or school as long as they feel well enough to do so and do not have a temperature.
- The main symptoms of Covid-19 are: a high temperature, a new continuous cough; or a loss or change in sense of smell or taste.
- Be aware of other symptoms linked with COVID-19 that include: shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle ache, sore throat, headache, stuffy or runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. Any of these symptoms may also have another cause of course!
- A child with symptoms of COVID-19 or a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, should not be sent into school, and admission can be refused if this is necessary to protect other pupils and staff from possible infection with COVID-19.
- Regular testing of asymptomatic people in primary schools (children/staff/families) is no longer advised.
- Contacts of suspected/confirmed cased of COVID-19 are no longer required to self-isolate or advised to take daily tests.
- Parents and staff need to be extremely vigilant to the symptoms of COVID-19 and organise tests immediately for anyone who is unwell or displaying symptoms. Report absence and illness immediately to the school office.
- An outbreak of cases within school may lead to the stepping up of preventative measures for a time limited period. This will be coordinated with the CWAC Local Outbreak Management Team.
- Parents and other visitors to school are asked to ensure they have no symptoms of COVID-19 before entering the school building.
- If a child is self-isolating, but in parents’ opinion is well enough to complete some school work then this can be arranged by contacting school.
- Practise good hand and respiratory hygiene at home and before coming to school.
- School will continue to promote positive messages around respiratory hygiene, will continue an enhanced cleaning schedule, increased ventilation in all rooms throughout the day, and enhanced hand hygiene for all children at all transition points throughout the day.
We want all children to attend school, but if you are in any doubt about how well they are, give the school office a call and we are happy to discuss your concerns with you in relation to the current government guidance.
For additional information, you may find the following documents useful.
- What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19
- ‘Living with COVID-19’
- COVID-19: people with COVID-19 and their contacts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Please contact school if you have any concerns or queries.
