Covid-19 Information

We are committed to keeping our school community safe. Please find below some useful information, including national and local guidance.

The Department for Education has provided updated guidance to schools to ensure they remain COVID-safe in September 2021.  The guidance is available to read here. 

We have summarised this guidance in this letter to families.

Public Health England has produced advice for parents/carers on looking after the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.  Scroll down the page to find versions translated into some community languages.

In line with the Government's expectations, students and staff are undertaking twice-weekly lateral flow tests at home. You can read the risk assessment for our lateral flow testing arrangements in the 'Our risk assessment' section below. 

Camden has produced a fact sheet for parents and carers.

Please note that anyone who receives a positive result on with a lateral flow test must take a follow-up PCR test.  If the PCR test is taken within two days of the LFT and the PCR test result is negative, then the individual and their close contacts will be automatically contacted by NHS Test and Trace and told the requirement to self-isolate has been overturned.

Here is some information to help you with testing at home:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Guide for parents and carers.
• Easy-read guide to taking a test.
• Information on the Department for Education website

There is more information on the Camden website.

• If you need information and support relating to the COVID-19 vaccination, visit the Camden website where you will find a range of resources.
• More information is available on the NHS website.
• If you would prefer to listen to videos in home languages, use this page on the NHS website.

You can read our risk assessment to see the measures we are putting in place to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 outbreak.

NHS Test and Trace has written a fact sheet for parents, carers and young people 16 and over to explain how the Test and Trace app works.

Please remember that although we do want all students to continue to attend school, we ask for your support in continuing to keep all our students and staff safe. 
Students must not come into school if they are exhibiting any of the three key symptoms:

• a high temperature – this means your child feels hot to the touch on their chest or back or has a temperature above 38C;
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. If they usually have a cough, it may be noticeably worse than usual;
• a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste – this means they’ve noticed they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

If a student displays these symptoms while in school, they will be isolated from others and parents/carers will be asked to collect them and arrange a test without delay.
Parents must follow the guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. The student should self-isolate for 10 days and their siblings and other members of the household for 10 days, until there is either:

• a negative test result; or
• a doctor’s note explaining that the symptom is not COVID-19 (e.g. the cough is not a "new" cough – i.e. is typical of the child’s pre-existing health condition).

Tests can be booked online through the NHS testing and tracing for coronavirus website, or ordered by telephone via NHS 111 for those without access to the internet. Test results must be shared with the school as soon as the outcome is known.

NHS 111 is also available online at 111.nhs.uk.  More information is available on the NHS coronavirus pages.

A negative result means the test did not find COVID-19 at the time the test was taken. If you have a negative test result, you can stop isolating as long as:

• you are well;
• no-one else in your household has symptoms;
• if anyone else in your household has symptoms they have also received a negative test result;
• you have not been advised to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace;
• you have not arrived into the UK from a non-exempt country within the last 10 days.

Anyone in your household who is isolating because of your symptoms can also stop isolating.

If your test result is negative but you still have symptoms, you may have another virus such as a cold or 'flu. You should stay at home until you feel well. Seek medical attention if you are concerned about your symptoms.

We are encouraging students, staff and visitors to observe good hygiene practices, including:

• washing hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or using alcohol-based hand-sanitiser;
• washing hands when you get home and to school;
• covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue, which should then be deposited in a bin, or your sleeve;
• maintaining a social distance of two metres;
• wearing a mask in communal spaces in school as well as in places like shops, on transport and other indoor locations;
• not touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean;
• trying to avoid contact with people who are unwell.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live our lives.  Sadly, a small number of individuals are taking advantage of this situation and using it for their own criminal gains.  The police have identified a number of scams that have been posted to online social media and mobile phone direct messaging platforms, e-mail and through door-to-door contact. 

The police would like to encourage parents/carers and students to stop, think and research the authenticity prior to engaging or re-posting any message in order to prevent becoming a victim of this criminal activity.

You can read more from the Metropolitan Police in their letter and advice leaflet.

You can also use the Met's Little Book of Cyber Scams and animation videos for online safety and fraud prevention.

Parents, carers and students are also advised to be particularly vigilant to unwanted activity or attention online.  Thinkuknow has information for you about how to stay safe online.

• Visit the UK Government website for updates on COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
• Guidance for educational settings is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19
• Camden Council has also created a series of web pages containing lots of useful information: https://www.camden.gov.uk/COVID-19.  There is also information on their schools, children and families page.
• Camden is also sharing weekly updates through the Camden New Journal.
•  The Camden and Islington Public Health team has created this helpful coronavirus myth-buster document.
• The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has produced this advice sheet for parents/carers.
• If you are self-isolating and need someone to bring you shopping, prescription medicines or anything else, call Camden Council on 0207 974 4444 and choose option 9. You can also visit Camden’s online directory which will help you find a local organisation who can help with everyday tasks you might be finding difficult.