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Ellen Wilkinson
Primary School

Update – Tuesday 17th March @ 1 pm

Update – Tuesday 17th March @ 1 pm

Dear Parents/Carers,

EWPS Update – Tuesday 17th March @ 1 pm

I am writing in response to the government’s announcement yesterday and the new measures they are introducing including social distancing. We obviously wish to continue providing a safe learning environment, and the health and wellbeing of pupils and staff are always our first consideration, and we will take all possible steps to protect our community.

The governments’ announcement places all schools in a challenging position. All families have their own unique circumstances and therefore it is highly likely that our normal provision will be affected over the coming days and weeks. We will of course endeavour to provide the best possible care and education for our children but wanted to be realistic with parents about what amendments this may need.

Government guidance – high risk groups

If your child or a close family member is in any high risk group we encourage parents to consider keeping their child home at this current time. You may also want to consider that siblings may also be affected by this.

The high risk groups are those with:

  • auto-immune diseases
  • severe asthma
  • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) , emphysema or bronchitis
  • diabetes
  • heart conditions or chronic kidney disease
  • auto-immune issue or are immune-supressed
  • chronic neurological conditions such as Parkinsons, motor neurone disease
  • HIV
  • over 70’s

The government also included pregnant women, although they are currently not considered high risk

So what does that mean?

Children

We are in the process of contacting all families with pupils who may be in these groups to discuss this advice with them. If you feel that your child, or a member of your immediate household, is in one of these groups we would ask you to follow the same measures. Please inform the school of this in the usual manner.

 

If a child falls ill with either a temperature or persistent new cough we will use our isolation room and contact you to collect them. Please note siblings will also need to be collected. Any child that has been sent home for these reasons may not return to school for 14days.

Staff

This advice also applies to a large number of our staff who we are having similar discussions with.

Impact

Due to this we will be having less staff in school. Therefore in addition to the measures shared yesterday please note:

  • All morning booster sessions will be stopped from Wednesday 18/03/20.
  • We may not have enough staff to run all year groups and therefore in the coming days we may need to close nursery provision as this is non-statutory. We will text you as soon as possible if this is a decision we need to make.

 

EWPS Specific

As of today we currently have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within our school community, although I am sure you appreciate we have a number of children and staff who are self-isolating following the governments guidance to protect vulnerable groups.

However, we have been made aware today that a member of the external catering company we use has come into contact with a family member who has since been diagnosed with COVID-19. This family member does not live with them and the member of catering staff has no symptoms, however as a preventative measure they are now in self-isolation. We have contacted Public Health England and the Local Authority who have both confirmed that we need to continue to follow PHE advice which means that the setting remains open with the same stringent hygiene measures in place.

Please be assured your child’s and the staff safety are our primary concern which is why we sought external confirmation of the measures in place.

What if I have other questions?

School specific: If you have any questions that are school specific please consult the school office or speak to any staff at the gate.

Medical support:  If you think you or your child may have the symptoms, use NHS 111 online if at all possible before calling 111.

 General Information:

DFE COVID-19 (Coronavirus) related to education helpline.

  • Phone: 0800 046 8687
  • Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
  • Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

 

I will ensure that I will continue to update you regularly as government guidance unfolds.

Thank you for your continued support in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

 


Sue Ferguson

Headteacher

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