Worth Valley Primary School

Re: Updated government guidance regarding COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Dear parents and carers,

Today, the Department for Education and Public Health England have issued updated guidance for education settings on COVID-19 and as such, Worth Valley Primary School are implementing the following advice:
• staff, young people and children should stay at home if they are unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature to avoid spreading infection to others. Otherwise they should attend education or work as normal
• if staff, young people or children become unwell on site with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature they should be sent home
• clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces more often than usual using your standard cleaning products
• supervise young children to ensure they wash their hands for 20 seconds more often than usual with soap and water or hand sanitiser and catch coughs and sneezes in tissues
Current advice remains in place: no education or children’s social care setting should close in response to a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case unless advised to do so by Public Health England.
The Chief Medical Officer has advised that the impact of closing schools on both children’s education and on the workforce would be substantial, but the benefit to public health may not be. Decisions on future advice to educational settings will be taken based on the latest and best scientific evidence, which at this stage suggests children are a lower risk group.
Official guidance also recommends schools take proportionate steps to minimise the chance of any infection spreading. We have therefore taken the decision to postpone this week’s Parents Evening and the Early Years Mother’s Day breakfast. After school clubs are also cancelled until further notice, with the exception of today’s kickboxing club.
I would like to reassure parents and carers that careful consideration is taken when making all decisions. This is an unprecedented and unpredictable time; your patience and support, as always, is fully appreciated.