COVID-19 – Changes to self isolation rules

On Thursday 13 January 2022 the health secretary announced changes to isolation rules for people who have tested positive for COVID-19. In order that people who have had and recovered from the virus can get back to their normal lives as soon as possible, isolation time has been cut to 5 full days (from the date of their first positive test) for anyone who has recorded two consecutive daily negative lateral flow tests.

This will help to reduce the disruption the virus causes in schools for both pupils and staff.

But what will this mean in practice for children, families, schools and other education settings? Here we answer your questions.

My child has tested positive for COVID-19 – how long do they have to stay away from school/college for?

All people – including pupils parents and teachers – have to isolate for a minimum of five full days after the day of a positive test before then going back to school if they have tested negative twice.

The first full day of isolation is considered to be the day following the positive test. Following the fifth full day of isolation – on the sixth day – it will be possible for people who have received two negative LFD tests on consecutive days to go back to school.

People who have tested positive can now take two LFD tests on day 5 and day 6, and if both are negative and they do not have a temperature, they can end their self-isolation on day 6 and return to their education setting immediately.

If either test is positive, they should continue to self-isolate until they get negative results from two LFD tests on consecutive days or until they have completed 10 full days of self-isolation, whichever is earliest

In practice it means that if a child or teacher tests positive on a Saturday, that would be considered day 0. They could then take tests on the morning of Thursday (day 5) and Friday (day 6). If they tested negative on both days and did not have a temperature they would be then able to return to school on the Friday.

What about if someone else in the house has tested positive? Can my child go to school/college?

Yes – and they should. They should continue going to school but test daily. If they test positive they should isolate.

What are the rules for teachers and school staff?

They’re exactly the same. If a teacher or member of school staff tests positive they should isolate for at least 5 full days. If they have 2 consecutive daily negative lateral flow tests at that point and no temperature they can and should return to work on day 6. If someone in a teacher’s household has tested positive the teacher should test daily and as long as they are negative they should continue to go to work. If they test positive they should isolate.

What are the rules for early years settings like nurseries and childminders?

They’re the same. If a child or a member of staff tests positive they should isolate for a minimum of 5 full days. If by that point they have recorded two consecutive daily negative lateral flow tests and no temperature they can return to their setting on day 6.

Covid Update- 18/01/2022

Dear Parents/Carers,

We are sure that you know that there has been another change to the time that your child needs to self-isolation following a positive PCR or LFT.

The isolation period in total is 10 days, but with the new changes, the time spent isolation may be reduced.  All people – including pupils parents and teachers – have to isolate for a minimum of five full days after the day of a positive test before then going back to school if they have tested negative twice.

The day that the positive LFT is recorded is termed day 0. The day after the result is taken is Day 1. This is important so that the isolation periods are correct.

  • Your child can use a LFT on day 5
  • If this LFT test records a negative result, they continue to self-isolate but then take another LFT test on day 6 – this needs to be 24 hours after the test they took on day 5.
  • If the day 6 LFT test is also negative, they can stop isolating if your child does not have a high temperature. If they do, they must continue to isolate.

Another example may be –

  • Your child can use an LFT on day 5.
  • If the LFT test records a positive result, they continue to isolate and take another LFT test on day 6 – this needs to be 24 hours after the test that was taken on day 5.
  • If the day 6 LFT test records a negative result, they continue to isolate and take a further LFT test on day 7. Again this needs to be 24 hours after the test that was taken on day 5.
  • If the day 7 LFT test records a negative result, they can stop isolating provided they do not have a high temperature.

Another example may also be –

  • If your child continues to test positive after day 7, they should continue to self-isolate until they get negative results from two LFD tests on 24 hours apart or until they have completed 10 full days of self-isolation, whichever is earliest.

All results need to be reported to test and trace. Report a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
It is important that you child does not return to school too early as they could still be contagious to others. 

The diagram below sets this guidance out and provides further explanation.

If someone in your household has tested positive or if they are identified as a close contact, your child can still continue to come to school but should LFT daily. If they test positive, please follow the steps above.

Thank you for all of your support – we know it is tough and we want you to know the support it is appreciated by all here at Newdale.

Miss Cook

Headteacher

Newdale Primary School and Nursery

Mrs Bishton is leaving Newdale

Dear Parents/Carers,

As much as I would like to retain all members of the fabulous Newdale team, unfortunately I cannot!

It is with huge sadness, but also huge congratulations, that I have to inform you that Mrs Bishton will be leaving us at Easter.

Mrs Bishton has been successful in gaining a really exciting promoted post and I know you will join me in wishing her the very best of luck.

Mrs Bishton joined Newdale in 2007 and has spent the last 8 in the position of Deputy Headteacher. She has made a very significant contribution to so many areas of our school development and her experience in education will be gratefully received across very many other schools in her new role.

We have already put plans in place to ensure continued stability when she leaves.

Kind regards,

Miss Cook

Headteacher

Ahoy! Pirate Science

Year 2 had a fantastic afternoon creating pirate ships and testing if they would float or sink. We had some amazing efforts and really enjoyed sailing them on the water.

After school clubs this half term

The following after school clubs are now live on Parentpay for this half term. All clubs start next week w/b 10th January unless stated.

Monday- KS1 Football

Year 3 Cartoon drawing club

Year 4 Dance club (starting on 17th January)

Tuesday- KS2 Football

Wednesday- Year 1 – 6 Basketball

Thursday- Year 1 – 6 Girls Football

Year 5 Drama club

Friday- Year 5 Dodgeball

Year 2 Spring term 1 overview

Happy New Year to our Year 2 families or should I say Ahoy there shipmates! welcome aboard the Year 2 pirate ship. We cannot wait to get back in to some fantastic learning this term.

Here is what we will be focusing on. 

ASC/Nursery Invoices

Good Afternoon,

Unfortunately we are having issues logging into our online banking. We have been told  this should be resolved within ten working days.    Online payments made into the ASC/Nursery account in December can not be accessed by us therefore we are unable to  credit payments onto the January invoices.  This months invoices will be printed in mid January.  

If you would like to make a payment before you receive Januarys invoice you are welcome to ring the office where we will be able to tell you how much your child’s/children’s fees for this month will be.

Parents who pay by child care vouchers are not affected and will receive their invoice on time.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Kind regards

 

4.1.22 Return to school information

Dear Parents & Carers,

Happy New Year! Let us hope that 2022 is a lot less stressful for everyone than 2021 seemed to be.

All staff are in school today completing a full day training programme on our new phonics scheme, Read Write Inc. After this, they will be completing final touches getting classes and lessons all ready to welcome back your children tomorrow. We are all looking forward to welcoming you all back!

As you will not have failed to realise, Covid continues to interfere with our ‘normal’ operations in school. It is important that we do all we can to keep COVID out of our school community and we ask for your support once again.

If your child is displaying of the main COVID symptoms (Loss of taste and / or smell, high temperature, persistent cough), they should isolate at home until a negative PCR test has been confirmed.  We would encourage you to be alert to the precautionary symptoms identified by Telford and Wrekin council and consider getting them PCR tested to rule out a possible COVID infection. Many of our most recent cases have come from pupils where there were no symptoms or where the symptoms were precautionary. More information on these can be found via Do you have main COVID-19 symptoms or other symptoms? – Do you have main COVID-19 symptoms or other symptoms? – Telford & Wrekin Council

To book a PCR test for you or your child, please visit

Get a free PCR test to check if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If your child has been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID and they are aged between 5 and 18 years old, you are strongly advised to take a Lateral Flow Test (LFT) every day for 7 days. By doing this, they are able to attend school provided no symptoms appear or a positive LFT is recorded. We are allowed to use our reasonable judgement in allowing your child to return to school.  You can order LFT tests online or by checking with a local chemist if they have stock.

To order LFT tests, please visit  Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and to find where has LFT tests to collect, please visit Find where to get rapid lateral flow tests – NHS (test-and-trace.nhs.uk)

One of our greatest fears is staff absence due to Covid infections. Our staff will continue to LFT test at least twice a week, observe social distancing and wear face masks in communal areas. We will continue to use the control measures set out in the January 2021 guidance –

  1. Ensuring good hygiene for everyone
  2. Maintaining appropriate cleaning routines
  3. Keeping classrooms and teaching spaces well ventilated
  4. Following all local and national guidance, including that provided by our local Health Hub.

One of the last actions we want to take is moving year groups to remote learning.  Please rest assured this would be a last resort for us and if the case is that we need to move to remote learning, we have systems in place to allow this to happen with no interruption to learning.

We appreciate that there is a lot to take in and that guidance changes frequently. We will always put the safety, wellbeing and education of your children first and thank you for your continual support.

If you can get your children tested this evening or in the morning using a lateral flow test, that would really help us in keeping more control of the virus.

Kind regards

MIss Cook

Headteacher