Dear Parents/Carers,

The following information is really important and we ask you to read it carefully and thoughtfully. As a school we do not operate on gossip or rumour and we ask you to do the same.

We have our first confirmed case ever within school (we have been expecting it) and a member of staff who is awaiting a PCR result after two positive lateral flow tests. Other children (not adults) have been positive but either in the holidays or from a family member whilst at home and not immediately in school.

If cases rise and more staff test positive it will have a significant impact on the school and it's ability to function (not a knee jerk reaction but reality). We want to try to control any infection before it gets to a stage where we are forced to close (remote learning can only be offered if we have the staff to do it !).

We want to keep our school open and for our adults/children to be well and safe. Some of our staff live with very vulnerable adults. Our school staff are also very cautious, test regularly and do their utmost to protect your children and families.

There are many different personal views of the current situation and Covid but our responsibility is to keep staff and children safe (staff especially as they are often in situations they do not choose to be in).

We expect parents/carers to :

1. Inform us immediately of any suspected case (keep your child off of school) and then the PCR test result.

2. To work from fact not rumour.

3. If possible to test regularly (tests are easy to order) - lateral flow tests are not absolutely accurate so we would always recommend a PCR test to confirm a positive/negative result. Please do not dismiss coughs as a 'bug' and be extra cautious (as we know many of you are).

4. Not enter the school building at all and if invited in then we would expect you to wear a mask (unless you are medically exempt). A few parents have started coming past the barrier and accessing the hatch. We still ask you to ring or e-mail or ask a school adult on the gates or outside.

Any further rises in cases will result in:

- Parents/Carers being asked to wear mask on-site again and around school.

- the white dots and 2m markings being reinstated.

- reinstating 'bubbles' with separate spaces for breaks etc (classes have separate toilets anyway).

Hopefully we will get through this period with a small number of cases (we are expecting a few more) and with minimum impact/disruption to school if everybody is aware, sensible and works together.

Kind regards

Mr Batstone