Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Access to testing for those who are symptomatic
Families requiring a test should first try the national routes. This is via the web site: www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or through ringing 119.
If families continue to have problems getting through or the offer is not practical, for example the test offered is a long distance to travel then use the following email address to request a test:
d-ccg.cornwalldevon.urgenttesting@nhs.net as this may help.
This offer is for households where there is a child 0-19 who is attending an early years setting, school or further education college. School staff can also use this offer.
Important message for Parents/Carers
It has been great to see so many children and young people returning to school and the work that has been conducted locally to ensure a safe return. It is inevitable that for some children and young people they will feel unwell and for many this could include Covid related symptoms.
This message contains important information about how you can get a test. You cannot get a test by arriving at the Testing Centre without an appointment and you should not go to the hospital (Emergency Department) or your GP for a test.
Evidence to date has shown that children usually have much milder symptoms and they have tended to pick up the infection from home rather than from school. However it remains extremely important that any child with symptoms of Covid stays away for school, to avoid the risk of spreading infection to others, including the more vulnerable. These symptoms are:
• high temperature – feeling hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• new, continuous cough – coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different from normal
Over the last week we have seen a number of children being referred for a Covid 19 test in accordance with national guidance. If your child has been in close contact with a confirmed case, they will be asked to self-isolate at home. Please DO NOT try to get your child tested unless they have developed the symptoms of COVID19. A negative test result does not mean that they can go back to school; it simply means that they had not fully developed the illness at the time of the test, and they could develop the illness at any point in the 14 days.
We are very aware that in Plymouth, as elsewhere, there have been delays in accessing tests. This is a national issue as laboratory capacity for analysing tests is being directed to areas in the country with the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases. We are doing all we can to work with national agencies to increase the capacity available.
We understand how frustrating this can be, particularly with children returning to school and being asked to stay off school until they can get a COVID-19 test. However, it is crucial that we keep our schools open, and continue to keep our children and communities safe.
We therefore ask that you continue to follow government guidance and keep your child at home, and book a test as soon as you are able. You only need to get a test if your child has the symptoms listed above. If your child has these symptoms, it is really important that you do not send them to school. The test is best done in the first 5 days of having symptoms.
The current routes for getting a test are :
• Parents book a test online at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/coronavirus-in-children/ or by calling 119
• If parents or carers are unable to book a local slot then they can email d-ccg.cornwalldevon.urgenttesting@nhs.net explaining that the test is for a child attending a Plymouth school and they will be supported to access local testing.
If you cannot book a test immediately, we ask that you try again as the system is currently very busy and your patience is appreciated.
If you are not able to secure a test, it is important that your child remains away from school for the 10 day isolation period. As part of creating a Covid safe school, children must not return before the isolation period is over. Please work with your school to keep all children and young people safe.
You can also use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:
• you're worried about your symptoms
• you're not sure what to do
Call 111 if you cannot get help online.
More advice on what to do can be found here. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/
We would like to reassure you that we are working hard to put additional local arrangements in place to boost our local testing availability until national testing capacity can be increased and we will update you as soon as the situation changes.
Judith Harwood
Service Director for Education, Participation and Skills
02.09.20
Dear Parents and Carers,
We hope that you have all enjoyed a good summer break and are ready for the start of the new school year. After so many months of disruption, we are excited to have our St Andrew’s school family together again and look forward to welcoming everyone back and to meeting our new Foundation intake for the first time. The first day of the new school year is Monday 7th September for all pupils, old and new. School staff have been working hard over the summer and have put in place an offer that keeps everyone as safe as possible.
Arrangements for the start of the new school year - September 2020
Arriving at school and leaving school. So that the times of the school day can remain unchanged, we will be utilising all of our school gates at the start and end of the school day. Doing so will also help to ease congestion and minimise the chance of large groups gathering. We really appreciate your cooperation with this. A member of staff will be on the playground side of the gates to welcome your child into school. We are asking parents to observe social distancing and not enter the playground. Parents are also asked to communicate with teachers via email, telephone calls and notes in children’s bags. Unfortunately, it is not possible for staff to talk to parents at the school gates or meet face to face in the current circumstances.
Breakfast Club. All children will need to be booked into breakfast club using the SchoolMoney booking system by 12 noon on the previous Friday. There will be a maximum of 30 places. Breakfast Club will start at 08.00 each day. A member of the Senior Leadership Team will greet your child at the main entrance and send them into the hall for their breakfast. The children will remain seated in the hall until it is time to move to their classrooms.
Kids Club (After School Childcare) All children will need to be booked into Kids Club using the SchoolMoney booking system. There will be a maximum of 20 places. Kids Club will end at 17.30 each day to allow time for cleaning.
All children will need to wear full school uniform and bring a packed lunch or order a hot packed school lunch. The CATERed – Hot Packed Lunch Menu is on the school website. If your child is in YF, Y1 or Y2, they are entitled to a Universal Free School Meal. Please send your child in with their own named water bottle. Your child may bring a small bag or St Andrew’s book bag. All stationery will be provided and children do not need to bring a pencil case. Children from Y1-6 will need to wear their PE kit and not their school uniform to school on the day(s) that they have PE. Unfortunately, we will not be able to store children's bikes or scooters in school this term.
Attendance from September 2020 is compulsory. We want your child’s school experience to feel as normal as possible and we have a clear risk assessment and safety measures in place to ensure that they can learn in a positive and safe setting. We know that you will support us in this, but welcome any suggestions as we continue to review and refine our systems.
Best wishes,
Mrs Allchurch