Coronavirus Response
COVID-19 Advice to Parents
As you will be aware the number of incidents of Coronavirus is increasing, however, in total the number of confirmed cases is relatively small.
Common sense must be used and we need to have a proportionate but active response to this virus.
As a school we would like to take all reasonable steps to support the containment of the virus. We need you help too. Therefore, following advice from the DfE and local authority we would like you to do the following:
1. Understand that the virus spreads largely from contact between hands and face (mouth, nose eyes). If this cycle is broken then the containment is much more likely. Adults and children naturally touch their face so anything that reduces this will help. Getting your child to do the following may help:
Firstly and most importantly, wash hands regularly with soap and water (or an alcohol based hand gel) for 20 seconds (or happy birthday sung twice). Regularly may be before you leave the home in the morning, before eating food, when returning home in the afternoon.
Secondly, reduce contact. This may be, for example, reducing unnecessary contact with the more vulnerable, e.g. elderly people, outside school times or by encouraging actions that reduce hand to face contact e.g. if it is cold anyway get your child to wear gloves outside school (as children generally do not touch their face with gloves).
2. Look at the information attached on the poster from the DfE and follow its advice, ringing NHS 111 if you need medical advice.
3. Be aware of the school’s website information and know that this will be the main source of information for the school’s response.
4. Talk to your child about having a good hygiene regime in a way that does not alarm them. Learning to wash hands is generally a good thing to do anyway.
5. Contact us immediately by telephone 01925 634207 if you or your child come into contact with someone known to have tested positive to the virus or contact with those who may have returned from countries/areas published on the government website.
As a school we are taking steps to try and reduce the spread of the virus. To support we are:
- Implementing appropriate hand hygiene incl hand gel at key points in the day
- Teaching children how to wash hands properly using the DfE lesson plans
- Undertaken a review of our cleaning services processes for classrooms and areas
- Keeping up to date with current advice and informing parents and others of the actions recommended
Should you have any queries initially see our school website and then talk with your child’s class teacher.
Points of information:
Medical information e.g. symptoms, advice: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
DfE Website with poster information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19
Closure of Part or All of School
It maybe necessary, following advice from public Health and/or the local authority, that we have to close the school. This decision is not taken lightly. We will follow our protocols used for this which can be found here: https://www.st-margarets.warrington.sch.uk/school-closure
