CV&CC Update Wednesday 18th November

CV&CC Update

Tuesday 17^th November

Key Points to Remember, please

• Please do not send your child to school if they have covid symptoms.
• Please do not send your child to school if they have had symptoms and are waiting for a test result even if they seem better.
• If any member of a household has symptoms, everyone must stay away from school or work until the test result is known. If positive, everyone must isolate for 14 days from the start of symptoms or 14 days from the test date if there were no symptoms.
• Please tell us [student absence; AtHoS] if your child or household member has symptoms; test dates and results; dates you have been given for a return to school. We want to do our best to support your child and protect others, so we would prefer this information three times rather than not at all !
• Please use the number below for reporting an “out-of-hours” positive test result.
• Students should wear masks at all times unless exempt. Except lessons, when actually eating/drinking, and if outside AND at 1m+ distance from one another.

Situation Update

Student attendance since half-term has been 91.3%, compared to a national figure for secondary schools of 83%. There have been two positive tests among students who were already in isolation and posed no risk to others. There have been four positive tests among students who had been in school prior to symptoms and/or a test, all in Year 9, and the entire year group is self-isolating until 24^th November. 36 students from different years who travel on the CV01 school bus will return on 20^th November. Four members of staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable continue to work from home. Otherwise, staff absence still remains very low, with no positive cases to date, and only two 14-day isolations due to positive tests for household members. Since September, there have also been a total of 18 positive tests among parents or household members resulting in students self-isolating for 14 days; 7 of these 18 have been since half-term. Last week, 64% of secondary schools nationally had at least one student self-isolating because of contact with a positive case or suspected case [DfE figures reported in TES].

Local Rates

According to the NEU covid map for schools East Devon has risen to 164 cases per 100,000; Broadclyst, Cranbrook, Stoke Canon and area is back up to 152/100,000 which is around 15 actual cases; Exeter is up slightly from last week to 153/100,000, and Exeter steady at 130. The BBC, with slightly different dates, has 159 cases for East Devon and 162 for Exeter. The national average for the BBC figures is 221/100,000.

National Lockdown

Since last week, there has been revised guidance which has clarified many points. The most important points are

• Students and staff to wear face masks at all times except lessons, when eating, and when outdoors AND socially distanced. If you believe your child has a reason for exemption on the grounds of health or disability, please contact us
• No face-to-face meetings unless essential or unavoidable
• The restrictions will continue up to and including 2^nd December, although the government has made it clear that this could be extended if necessary
• There has been late clarification on after-school activities which confirms that detentions, educational activities and “childcare” are permissible. In reality, this means that one or two subjects can now offer revision sessions to Year 11 in particular.

Guidance, for Reference

Schools: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-and-childcare-settings-new-national-restrictions-from-5-november-2020

…and: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools

Face coverings: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

Clinically Extremely Vulnerable: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

NHS Covid-19 App

• The new NHS COVID-19 app is available to download.It’s free and will help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) by supporting the NHS Test and Trace service.

Symptoms (from the NHS web page)

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Most people with coronavirus have at least 1 of these symptoms.

If you have any of the main symptoms of the virus:

1. Get a test to check if you have coronavirus as soon as possible.
2. Stay at home and do not have visitors until you get your test result – only leave your home to have a test.

Anyone you live with, and anyone in your support bubble, must also stay at home until you get your result.