Contact Tracing over Christmas

17^th December 2020

Dear Parents/Carers

Before we break for the Christmas holidays I just wanted to thank you for continuing to social distance and follow guidance, with the announcement today that Leeds will remain in Tier 3. (see the graphic at the end of this letter for what that means for you and your family).

Everyone must continue to be vigilant in making sure that you wash your hands, use face coverings and keep a 2m distance from people who do not live in your household.

As we move into last couple of days of term, we would ask that nobody takes any chances; if your son / daughter is unwell, with known COVID-19 symptoms or any other type of illness, please do not send them to school.

Contact tracing over the Christmas Holiday

We have received notification from the DfE relating to our responsibility as a school for contact tracing for students over the Christmas break. As you will know, the staff at school have worked hard to support contact tracing out of normal school hours to ensure that our school community has kept safe. We have had a very limited number of cases and this is thanks to everyone continuing to following guidance which has served to protect our students, their families and our staff. 

The DfE have recognised that this responsibility cannot continue across the entire Christmas break when close contacts will not have been on school site.

Below are some different scenarios and how students and parents should respond:

• For the first 6 days after teaching ends (Saturday 19 –Thursday 24 December inclusive), if a student or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school  (on  or  before  Sunday  20 December),  the school  is  asked to  assist  in  identifying  close  contacts  and  advising  self-isolation,  as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school.
• In such cases please complete send an email via the school website ‘contact us’ page.

• Where a  student or  staff  member  tests  positive  for  coronavirus  (COVID-19),  having developed  symptoms more  than 48  hours  since  being  in  school (later  than  Sunday  20 December),  the  school  should  not  be  contacted.  Parents  should  follow  contact  tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.

• Where students are required to self-isolate due to contact with a positive case after the first 6  days  following  the  end  of  term,  schools  do  not  need  to  be  informed  about  their absence until the first day of the new term. Please do this by notifying the school attendance in the usual way.

Thank you for your continued support, we wish all of our school community a very safe and happy Christmas.

Yours faithfully

Miss S Millard

Headteacher