The importance of testing and reporting in secondary schools and colleges

Testing continues to play a crucial role, in and out of classrooms, in our fight against coronavirus (COVID-19).

Staff should continue to test themselves and report results whilst encouraging secondary school and college students to do likewise.

Reporting test results can be done simply and quickly, from mobiles, online or by phone, and should be completed straightaway. Reporting not only supports contact tracing in the event of a positive case, but assists our understanding of community rates of infection.

To help in communicating the importance of testing and reporting, the DFE have produced a blog on why reporting your test result is as important as taking a test, featuring further guidance and common questions. This also includes details on financial support available to parents whose children are asked to self-isolate after contact with a positive case. 

The government have put all the relevant information together to help parents and carers of children in education, please see this link, Information for parents and carers: coronavirus (COVID-19)

Safety measures
We know that the predominant new variant of coronavirus (COVID-19) is more transmissible however, PHE advice remains that the way to control this virus is with the system of controls, even with the current new variants. 

As a school we have reviewed our system of controls to assess risk and implement measures to mitigate risk, to reflect updated DfE guidance for school reopening from 8 March 2021

We ask all pupils, students and staff to continue to do everything they can to adhere to these measures, because it is vital that they are implemented well and consistently.

Asymptomatic Testing programme
On the first day of opening on 8th March 2021 the school began its Asymptomatic Testing programme

Rapid testing remains an important part of the government’s plan to suppress the virus, in education and childcare settings and across society. This sort of testing means that people who have COVID19 but do not have any symptoms of COVID 19, who might otherwise continue to attend educational settings, can be identified and self-isolate.

You would have received this letter providing details of the rationale and programme for asymptomatic testing with a consent form that provides a timeslot for your child to come to school on Monday 8th March.

Note: This timeslot applies whether consent is given or NOT and therefore All students are expected to attend 

Students who consent will be offered three rapid tests at school in the first two weeks of their return three to five days apart. This will help them to get used to swabbing themselves for the tests. 

We will then provide students with two rapid tests to use each week at home. The home test kits come with clear instructions for use and how to report the results.

Shielding 

• If your child is confirmed as clinically extremely vulnerable, they are advised not to attend school or college until further notice. Find out more on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19). You will be requested to for a copy of  the letter from your GP or hospital confirming that they have been your child needs to shield.
• Children who live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable should still attend school or college. Information for parents is available from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
•  If your child is confirmed as clinically vulnerable or they live with someone who is clinically vulnerable, they should still attend school.

Isolation
A small number of student  may be unable to attend in line with public health advice to self-isolate. You should not send your child to school or college if they:
Pupils, staff and other adults must not come into the school if: 

• they have one or more coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms 
• a member of their household (including someone in their support bubble or childcare bubble if they have one) has coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms 9 
• they are required to quarantine having recently visited countries outside the Common Travel Area 
• they have had a positive test

You MUST inform the school by 9am if your child is not attending due to any of the above and you will be given guidance on what to do next.

If your child has symptoms you will be advised to get your child tested either ordering a home test kit or you can visit a walk through or drive through test site by following this link:
https://self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk/antigen/channel-status

You will be required to let the school know the test result and will only be allowed to return if the test is negative.

Managing confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19)
If your child test is positive  or they live with someone who has symptoms your child MUST not attend for at least 10 days from the day after:

• The start of their symptoms or the day symptoms started for the first person in the household
• The test date even if they did not have any symptoms but have had a positive test 

The school will provide support with remote education and pastoral support if your child has to isolate. Further information about our remote education can be found here.

Use of face coverings in secondary schools
From 8 March 2021, new advice applies to the use of face coverings by staff, pupils and students in schools and further education in England 

All staff and pupils will be provided with a face covering a sealable bag on Monday 8th March.

Principally a students and staff will be required to wear face coverings when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas.

Students will also be required to wear face coverings in the classrooms This does not apply in PE lessons when taking part in exercise.

It is vital that face coverings are worn correctly and that clear instructions are available on how to put on, remove, store and dispose of face coverings here.

 

If you are having difficulties accessing any of the School’s provided ICT services, please email:

ict@thejubileeacademy.onmicrosoft.com

If you have a safeguarding concern, please email:

SafeguardingGroup@thejubileeacademy.onmicrosoft.com

All other concerns, please email:

info@thejubileeacademy.org.uk

The Latest letters from school can be found here, Parental Letters

For the latest local information on Coronavirus, including support for residents, via Harrow Council website.  Click here

For a collection of safe, local offers and commissioned provision for children and young people, via Young Harrow Foundation. Click here

For guidance for parents and carers of children attending out-of-school settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, click here

For information regarding what parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges in the autumn term, please click here

support residents who are unable to access food supplies. https://helpharrow.org/

Travel Planning

You can use our walking maps and tools to get around:

• Plan your journey to find out how to get from A to B and choose walking speeds
• Check journeys that are quicker to walk between lots of central London stations and see walking times and steps between zones 1 and 2
• See walking routes between shops and attractions that are less than 20 minutes in the West End
• Look out for Legible London signs on streets which show walking maps for short journeys