Statement: COVID measures in schools following the half-term break

Dear Parents/Carers,

Firstly, I wish to thank you for all your continued support during the first term of this academic year. It has been wonderful to see children transition into their new schools and move up through the schools in a more ‘normal’ way than the previous year.

Covid-19 however has not disappeared and despite excellent efforts within schools in promoting Public Health guidance, managing confirmed cases, keeping spaces cleaned and ventilated and delivering strong messages about symptoms and signs we find ourselves in a position to heighten our control measures on advice from Directors of Public Health South West following the half-term break.

Based on this guidance, we will be implementing the following enhanced measures from 1st November 2021 across all of our schools. This includes:

• Re-introducing face coverings (for Year 7 learners and above) in communal areas such as corridors and on school transport
• Reducing the mixing of large groups of learners where possible, such as assemblies
• Promotion of social distancing where large numbers of learners could cause crowding, such as lunch sessions and entrance and exits
• Reinforcement of social distancing and good infection prevention control amongst staff
• Any close contacts of confirmed cases of Covid-19 identified by NHS Test & trace to book a PCR test and whilst awaiting test results, undertake a LFD (lateral flow) test and only attend school if this is negative

These measures will be reviewed throughout Term 2, and further communication will follow if a change in the measures is required. Changes made in line with local government guidance may affect events and plans that are due to take place in the coming months but wish to reassure you that these decisions are commensurate with the context we now face.

Thank you again for your continued support with these protocols. I wish you all an enjoyable half-term break.

Yours Sincerely,

Gavin Ball

Chief Executive