Dear Parents/Carers,

Further to our notification earlier today regarding nursery closure, I would like to stress the following:

Impact of bubble closure

Closing a class bubble, and in the case of nursery, the entire nursery provision, has a huge impact on all children and staff who are working in that bubble. Today, that has meant that 118 nursery children and 24 staff have had to self-isolate for 10 days. This unfortunately included myself and our two deputy headteachers who also worked in the nursery, covering for staff absence last week. We have now been left with staff absences across the school which has an impact on the smooth running of the whole school, as many of our staff have to cover in different year groups. Nursery closure also has a significant impact financially as we will be refunding places in nursery, lunches and breakfast and afterschool club as well as having to ask staff to work additional hours to cover the absences. 

In addition, class closure has a knock-on effect in that parents of children isolating will also have to arrange childcare, and personal plans will have to be cancelled. It also means that drop off/pick up for any siblings of children who are self-isolating becomes an issue, as the isolating child cannot be brought on site. 

In most cases, it is unavoidable, and we are all in the same boat, trying to deal with Covid-19 symptoms and related absences. However, I would like to take this opportunity to stress that it is absolutely crucial that you keep your child at home if your child or anyone in your home has any of the following symptoms:

A persistent cough

A temperature (above 37.5 degrees)

A loss of sense of taste and/or smell

Parents are also reminded NOT to administer Calpol/medicine and send children in with symptoms, however mild.

We are learning that the new Delta variant has presented itself in the form of cold symptoms, although this has yet to be confirmed by the PHE. It is for this reason that we ask for your support and understanding in keeping us informed of any child with cold symptoms or any cough that lasts more than a day. This is purely to safeguard everyone in the school community and ensure that together, we keep the school open for as long as possible and to avoid any further disruption to the children’s education. The last 15 months have been hugely disruptive and all our children have suffered as a result of interrupted schooling.

I would therefore like to reiterate that you follow our Covid-19 guidance for parents: 

COVID-19 Important Actions

Please do get in touch with the school office if you have any concerns, or are unsure of what to do with your child if they are feeling unwell. Our staff will be able to help you determine whether or not your child should be in school. 

Summer holidays and foreign travel

As we approach the summer holidays, I would like to ask for your support in keeping our school community safe and remind you to check the current government guidance around foreign travel, which clearly states that you should not travel to red or amber listed countries. Although this is the case, we are aware of some families who are intending to travel. We therefore ask that if you are planning to travel overseas, that you ensure that your return date allows adequate time for you to self-isolate at home or at a quarantine facility in line with the government’s travel advice. 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england

Travel to green listed countries is still permitted. However, the government advises that if conditions change in a country, it can be moved from the green list to the amber or red list. If there is a sudden change in conditions, a country or territory may be moved between lists without warning.  

If you are travelling to a country where there is a requirement to self-isolate, we will require a confirmation of booking in a quarantine hotel, or a return flight date which confirms the appropriate quarantine period and ensures that your child will return to school on the first day of the new term, 2nd September. Please note that absences at the beginning of the new term due to self-isolation following travel will not be authorised.

Kind regards,

Mrs S Yay-Walker, Headteacher