COVID-19 Overview
The following information relates to Autumn Term 2021 and the details build on the provision developed over the previous 18 months:
COVID Symptoms:
The NHS outline the main symptoms of COVID-19 as being:
- A high temperate – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back.
- A new continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 coughing episodes in 24hrs.
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
- If you show these symptoms then the clinical advice is to isolate and get a test to check if you are infected.
COVID-19 Risk Assessment:
We regularly update our COVID-19 risk assessment regularly and in association with our external Health & Safety provider, Elite Safety in Education.
The full risk assessment can be viewed here.
We also have a range of other area and individual risk assessments which ensure risks are mitigated as much as is possible.
Lateral Flow Testing:
We would advise all families to continue to test regularly, especially if they are showing COVID symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
If a lateral flow test comes back positive then we would advise obtaining a PCR test to confirm the result.
There is no need for child to miss school if they have been in contact with a positive COVID case but are not showing symptoms and have tested negative.
Vaccinations:
The Autumn Term will see both COVID and flu vaccinations delivered by the School Immunisation Team. More details on the School Immunisation Team can be seen here.
Our optional flu vaccinations were due to take place in October but logistical issues meant the School Immunisation Team could not fully deliver them as intended. They will now be delivered – to those children whose families consented – on 30 November.
Some of our optional COVID vaccinations were delivered in October 2021 but again logistics got in the way of some jabs. We are expecting a new date soon and will pass this onto parents as soon as it is confirmed. Again, these vaccinations will only be delivered to those children who families have granted consent.
We have some parents who get confused and think that we as a school deliver the vaccinations. This is not the case – we are not medical practitioners, we are not trained to deliver jabs, and we do not get access to your child’s medical records.
If you have any queries about the COVID vaccinations you should contact your local GP or the School Immunisation Team, as part of the Midland Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, via enquiries@mpft.nhs.uk or 0300 790 7000.
COVID-19 Protests:
We have had contact from local anti-Vaxxers and even had a small protest outside the school one morning. This was totally under control and our students handled it superbly, taking it very much as a learning experience.
We have been in contact with the local police throughout events and share our experience with other local secondary schools who face the very same challenges.
COVID-19 Communication:
All parents are emailed COVID updates as appropriate and these are also published on the school website in the newsfeed, as well as on our various social media platforms.
If you have any queries relate to COVID-19 then please email office@friary.greywoodmst.co.uk.