Sunday July 18th 2021
RE: Bubble closure for Years 1 and 2 (Tigers, Foxes and Rabbits)
Dear Parents/Carers,
Firstly, I would like to say thank you for your help and understanding as we work together to keep all children and adults as safe as possible.
We have had multiple positive test results meaning that staff and children in Key Stage 1 are highly likely to have been a close contact with someone who has Coronavirus.
We are on the very last day when schools are asked to take on the responsibility of advising children’s parents of what to do. (I have to say this responsibility has weighed heavy and I shall not miss it.)
It is very important that we follow the government guidance to keep you all as safe as possible.
If your child is in the Foxes class, they must self-isolate until Tuesday 27th July. This is ten full days after the first symptoms were diagnosed.
They must not play with other children or leave their house. They can play in their own garden but should not mix with other households. (This means you should not invite others to your house during this period.)
If they have a brother or sister who attends a school or nursery setting, they are able to continue going to school unless anyone in your house becomes unwell with Covid-19 symptoms.
If your child is in the Rabbits’ class or the Tigers’ class, then I strongly advise you to be really cautious. I cannot say for certain that your child has or has not been a close contact. It would be safest for you to act as if they have been close to someone who has had the virus and watch closely for any symptoms. This latest variant is much like hayfever or a cold as adults and children have had runny eyes and noses. Some of them have also been sick, especially in the beginning, when they first become unwell.
Lateral flow tests are not always showing the positive result that the PCR test later shows so please be very cautious and help us to keep as many people safe as possible.
If your child or anyone in your house, develops symptoms, then everyone in your household must then isolate and the child or family member should take a PCR test. This can be done at the drive through. Please ring 119 to arrange this.
If the test result is negative, the original isolation period must continue until the 27th of July. If the test result is positive, then the isolation period restarts from the day the symptoms began. This is for everyone in the household.
If your child is entitled to benefits related free school meals, we will be contacting you tomorrow about how we will manage this through meal vouchers.
Your child will be allocated a laptop if they do not have one to use at home. Please send a symptom free adult to school to collect this on Monday. Your child must log on at home at 9.30am and 1.30pm every day so that the adults can teach your child as they did in the last lockdown. They will expect to see every child in each session. The laptops need to be returned to school on Friday afternoon please, by someone who is not isolating. All children should stay at home.
Please know that not all adults will be able to be present at the TEAMs chats as they are resting and recovering from the virus. The staff who are well will maintain the learning for all classes so please be patient and understanding with them as they do this. They will try to make this last week of ‘school’ enjoyable but we are all absolutely saddened that they have missed their last few days of school.
We must carry out home visits to families where we have had no daily contact to make sure that everyone is safe and well.
Logging onto the Teams lessons is the best way to support your child.
If your child is poorly, please ring school to let us know so that we know why they are not accessing their classes and of course, please notify us if anyone in your household tests positive.
I am so sorry for the inconvenience and stress that this will naturally cause you all. I sincerely hope that you all stay safe and well. We look forward to welcoming your children back into school on the 2nd of September. This is not the ending that we wanted for your child but we will try our best to remain upbeat and positive and give them some fun online in their last few days.
Please ring school tomorrow if you would like to chat this all through with myself or a member of the team.
Sincere best wishes and thanks,
Sarah Clarke
1st July 2021
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am so sorry to let you all know that we’ve had a number of children and staff test positive for Covid-19. This has meant that one by one we have had to close three separate bubbles.
I know how difficult this must be for you all, in so many ways and I am so sorry. We have tried so hard and done so well for most of the time that schools have been open, but this new variant seems to be very strong and extremely contagious.
What does this mean for you and your child?
As of today, we have had to close the following bubbles…
Reception and Nursery
Year 3 (Raccoons)
Year 4 (Hedgehogs)
Year 5/6 Robins Class.
The Year 6 children in the Robins class will not be able to attend transition at Magnus or Newark Academy. This is very sad and I am so sorry for these children. The children in these bubbles must isolate for 10 days and, if they become unwell, must phone 119 and have a PCR test that is sent to a laboratory. The whole household has to isolate until the result comes back. The result will tell you if they are positive for Covid or not. The whole household must isolate if it is positive. If the result is negative, the child must still isolate until the date shared in our earlier letter.
Panthers and Jaguars and our three Key Stage 1 classes, are still open but we are waiting for test results for children in these bubbles too. If the results are positive, we will have to contact you to inform you to collect your child and they must isolate for 10 days.
Please do remain extra cautious and limit the number of people that you meet. It would be wise to protect any vulnerable relatives you have at this time by not mixing with them while we go through this tricky patch.
With sincere best wishes and thanks,
Sarah Clarke (Head Teacher)
Letter for direct and proximity contacts
Date: 1/7/2021
FOR PARENTS / CARERS OF CLOSE CONTACTS OF COVID-19 at
The King’s C of E Primary Academy
Advice for Child to Self-Isolate for 10 Days in Hedgehogs and Robin class
Dear parent or carer,
We have been made aware that we have a confirmed positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19) at The King’s C Of E Primary Academy
We have followed the national guidance and, following a risk assessment with Public Health England (PHE) advisers, have identified that your child has been in close contact with the individual who has had a positive test result for coronavirus (COVID-19). In line with the national guidance, your child must stay at home and self-isolate until Sunday 11th July 2021 and return to school on Monday 12th July.
If your child is well at the end of the 10 day period of self-isolation then they can return to their usual activities and attend school as normal.
Other members of your household can continue normal activities, provided your child does not develop symptoms within the 10 day self-isolation period.
For more information, please see the guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who do not live with the person:
Getting a PCR test for a close contact of a case?
It is now also possible for close contacts to have a PCR test even where they do not have symptoms through Get a free PCR test to check if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) or by calling 119. In some areas you may be encouraged to do this by your local authority or local health protection team.
Please note: if your child has a negative PCR test result this does not alter the self-isolation period as a contact. Close contacts should continue to self-isolate for 10 full days, as they could still become infectious and pass the infection onto others. Please make sure you read the full text message from NHS Test and Trace when receiving a negative result. This makes clear that you do not need to self-isolate unless ‘you've been told to self-isolate because you've been in close contact with someone who tested positive’ Negative test result for coronavirus (COVID-19) - NHS (www.nhs.uk).
What to do if your child develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID 19)
Having been identified as a close contact, if your child then develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), they should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared. Symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are a new, continuous cough, or a high temperature, or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia). Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for a PCR test - this is the type of test that is normally available and can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.
All other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 10 days. This includes anyone in your ‘Support Bubble’.
The household isolation period includes the day the first person in your household’s symptoms started (or the day their test was taken if they did not have symptoms) and the next 10 full days. This means that if, for example, your 10 day isolation period starts on the 15th of the month, your isolation period ends at 23:59 hrs on the 25th and you can return to your normal routine.
Household members should not go to work, school or public areas, and exercise should be taken within the home. If you require help with buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, or walking a dog, you should ask friends or family. Alternatively, you can order your shopping online and medication by phone or online.
Household members staying at home for 10 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.
If you are able, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period. If that is not possible, anyone with symptoms should try and stay as far away as possible from vulnerable members of your household.
For more information, please read PHE’s ‘Stay at Home’ guidance:
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from the nhs.uk website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/. If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, or they are worsening you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://111.nhs.uk/ or by phoning 111.
How to stop coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading
There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with coronavirus (COVID-19):
Further Information
Further information is available at
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Yours sincerely
Sarah Clarke
Headteacher