Coronavirus Updates

24 September 2021

Public Health advice on masks in school

Dear parent/carer

Due to the number of positive Covid cases in our school, Public Health has recommended that we reintroduce masks in communal areas of school for all staff and students. They have also recommended that students in Years 8 and 11 wear masks in the classroom. This is a temporary measure in response to the number of cases in school currently.

We do have some disposable masks in school which we will supply to students as they arrive but students must bring their own reusable masks from Monday 27 September 2021.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we try to keep our community safe during this period.

Best wishes
Zarina Ali, Head of Academy

21 September 2021

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our School – Possible Close Contacts letter Years 8 and 11

Dear Parent or Carer

We have been notified of confirmed cases of COVID-19 within our school community, your child has been identified as a possible close contact.

Action needed

In line with the national guidance, children aged under 18 years are no longer required to self-isolate if they are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Your child and other members of your household can continue normal activities provided your child does not develop symptoms.

As your child is a close contact, Public Health are asking for your child to have a PCR test. This will help us to identify and isolate cases, prevent onward transmission and minimise our case rates in the city.

Please go to: www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test to book this test. You will be asked to identify whether your child has COVID symptoms. If your child has no symptoms, you should select ‘No’ for this answer and proceed through the questions until they get to the question:

Why are you asking for a test?

You should select the box that says – I’ve been told to get a test by my nursery, work or place of education
You can then proceed to book the test.
If this test is positive, they must isolate for 10 days.

Please note:

Children who are aged under 5 years old who are identified as close contacts will only be advised to take a PCR test if the positive case is in their own household.
People should not need to be re-tested via an LFD test or PCR test within 90 days of a previous confirmed positive test, unless new symptoms develop, in which case they should book a PCR.

What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID-19

If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 , even if they have had a negative test result previously, they must isolate and you should arrange a test for your child via: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested or by calling 119.

If the test result is positive, your child will be required to self-isolate for a period of 10 days from the day that their symptoms started. Please inform us if your child has a positive test result.
If your child’s test result is negative, they can continue with their normal activities if they are well enough to do so.

Please visit the link to Public Health England’s guidance for households with possible Covid-19 infections: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-forhouseholds-
with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

In Salford

We are still advising immediate isolation to anyone who is suffering three classical symptoms, namely: new continuous cough; a high temperature (fever); or a loss of or change in normal sense of taste or smell, or have a positive test result
Children who are unwell with any of the symptoms below are not expected to isolate immediately
but we would advise that they go for a test to rule out COVID-19.

Non-classical symptoms include:

Vomiting/nausea/off your food
Diarrhoea
Sleeping more than usual/extreme tiredness
Listless/restless/agitated
Shortness of breath
Feeling cold
Headache
Severe body aches
Sore throat
Congested or runny nose
Skin rash
Complaining of anything that is not feeling themselves

To book a test please visit: www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test and, when prompted, click the box ‘My local council has asked me to get a test, even though I do not have symptoms’ (see below).

Test and Trace Support Payments

If a person is asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and is on a low income, unable to work from home and will lose income as a result, they may be entitled to a payment of £500 from their local authority under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme. This now applies to parents/ carers who cannot work from home and will lose income by self-isolating or staying at home to
care for the child.

Further details are available via: https://www.salford.gov.uk/benefits/test-and-trace-support-payments/my-child-is-having-to-isolate/

Please remember, although COVID-19 is circulating in the community, usual childhood illnesses are too; and it is important that these are not missed. Please contact your GP or NHS111 if you are worried; or call 999 if seriously unwell.

If you have any questions or concerns please refer to the government website, or call The Spirit of Salford Helpline on 0800 952 1000 Further information is included in the information sheet below.

Best wishes
Zarina Ali
Head of Academy

Information Sheet

If you think that someone in your household has come in contact with a confirmed case or you need help or advice about self-isolation, please call the Spirit of Salford helpline on 0800 952 1000.

Public Health Advice on symptoms
If anyone in your household becomes unwell with one of the symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) please isolate them immediately and book a test by ringing 119 or go to: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/

Symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of any of the following:

A new continuous cough
A high temperature (fever)
A loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

Any one of the above symptoms gives reason for high level of suspicion for COVID-19.

Information about COVID-19 symptoms and management of the virus can be found here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

How to stop COVID-19 spreading

There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19

wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
wash your hands as soon as you get home
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Further Information

Further information is available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

15 September 2021

Lateral Flow Testing at home

Please can we remind all parents/carers to continue to carry out a Lateral Flow Test for your child at home, twice weekly if possible, and report any positive cases to us immediately via email at: covidresults@coopswinton.co.uk.

We have a plentiful supply of testing kits in school should you require any. Please just ask your child to come to the main school office and we will issue them with a pack.

September 2021

Covid-19 Lateral Flow Testing

We have been advised to complete Lateral Flow Tests for students before they return to the academy this September. If you consent to your child being tested we will test them a few days before they are due to return. Please see the timetable above for the allocated days for each Year Group. You will then receive an email/text with a specific time for your child’s Form Group.

Before we can test any child you must complete a consent form for each child under the age of 16. The tests carried out in school will be nasal swabs only. You will need to complete a new consent form regardless of whether you have completed a consent form for your child previously, see below. Please complete the form relevant to the Year Group your child will be going into in September, not the Year Group they were in before the Summer break:

If you have any queries, please contact us at: covidresults@coopswinton.co.uk

You will have seen in the government announcements that social distancing measures will not be required from September and students will no longer be educated in bubbles. Students will no longer need to self isolate if they have come in contact with a positive case. More guidance on this to be released. We will still be asking all students to regularly sanitise their hands and will ensure all classrooms and corridors have these provisions. If a local outbreak occurs we may be directed to implement social distancing measures and LFT testing on site. We will continue to communicate any changes with you.

Risk Assessment

Co-op Academy Swinton Operational Risk Assessment for school opening, September 2021

Co-op Academy Swinton Risk Assessment-September 2021 Download