Our current procedures for managing Covid-19 are defined in the following Outbreak Management Plan.
Outbreak Management Plan – September 2021
In July, the school’s most recently published Risk Assessment documented all our current procedures for managing the spread of Covid-19 in our community. This represents version 10, has been published on our blog and shared with the LA.
In September the school is expected to publish and use an Outbreak Management Plan to outline the steps taken if we experience a new outbreak in the school.
As from September, our risk management has been downscaled in line with the government’s guidance. The remaining steps in place are:
• Children and staff should continue to wash hands or use hand sanitiser when entering rooms.
• All members of staff are strongly advised to take two vaccinations to protect themselves from infection.
• Mask wearing is strongly advised for members of staff in all communal spaces and certainly when meeting parents.
• In-person staff meetings will be forward facing and socially distanced whenever possible.
• All rooms need to continue to be well-ventilated.
• All members of staff need to continue to undertake a LFT twice a week and report the results to the school office.
• Access to the site for visitors and parents will continue to be restricted, eg our previous arrangement of having virtual parent consultations will continue and we will delay the return of school events parents can attend until local infection rates reduce.
• All visitors to the school will be asked to undertake a LFT before entry.
• If a child or employee has any or all of the following Covid symptoms he/she should self-isolate and arrange to take a PCR test immediately: a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, a loss or change to sense of smell or taste. The individual should respond accordingly to the instructions from the NHS once the results have been received.
• If a child or employee has been in close contact with a positive case, he/she should be watchful for symptoms of infection, however isolation is not necessary for children or employees who have had two vaccinations. If symptoms develop, he/she should arrange to take a PCR test immediately.
• If an employee records a positive LFT result, he/she should isolate and arrange to have a confirmatory PCR test. The individual should respond accordingly to the instructions from the NHS once the results have been received.
• Any positive cases will be expected to self-isolate in line with the guidance issued by NHS, close contacts are not required to isolate unless showing symptoms, in which case they should arrange to undertake a test immediately. A further response will depend on the results.
• Site cleaning will revert to its usual frequency.
• Parents are reminded to limit close contact with people from other households.
DfE Thresholds for extra controls (confirmed on 18/8/21):
a) if five pupils or staff likely to have mixed closely test positive for Covid within a 10-day period
or
b) if 10 per cent of pupils or staff who are likely to have mixed closely test positive within 10 days
If one of the Thresholds has been passed the school will seek public health advice on next steps. The following procedures will be actioned:
1. Communication of OMP
News of positive cases will be shared with colleagues on our staff blog and any necessary actions to be taken in response. Parents will be informed on the school blog. Pupils will be informed by their class teachers. Governors will be sent a summary report at the regular meetings. The Headteacher will keep the Chairman of Governors informed of developments each week.
2. Current Risk Assessment
If cases warrant it, we will revert to the precautions detailed in the V10 RA as fast as possible, which have so far been very effective in reducing transmission within the school. This will be the school’s response to outbreaks in the school, where infections are confirmed in pupils and/or members of staff and numbers are increasing.
3. Reversion to normal conditions
The management of the school will revert to the September arrangements, as outlined above, once infection rates in the school and local community have returned to safe levels. Decisions will be influenced by LA advice and information from the NHS/DfE.
Background to the current transmission rates in Redbridge: Local transmission rates seem to have spiked alarmingly at the end of term then lowered to the July rate over August, this may have been because school test results were no longer being reported. We are currently at a very high level, similar to the rates at the beginning of July. Vaccination rates locally are low compared to national rates – only 69% with double vaccinations and 60% for first doses. This shows the risks of transmission still present in our community. I expect rates in Redbridge to rise again in September as we will be reporting cases again. It is important to note the government’s strategy is to learn to live with Covid, as opposed to trying to eradicate it.
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