Corona Virus Information Update
Test and Trace service
How NHS Test and Trace works for someone with coronavirus symptoms
- isolate: As soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, you should self-isolate for at least 7 days. Anyone else in your household should self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms.
- test: You should order a coronavirus test immediately at nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access.
- results: If your test is positive you must complete the remainder of your 7-day self-isolation. Anyone in your household should also complete self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to isolate.
- share contacts: If you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS Test and Trace service will send you a text or email alert or call you within 24 hours with instructions of how to share details of people you have been in close, recent contact with and places you have visited. It is important that you respond as soon as possible so that we can give appropriate advice to those who need it. You will be asked to do this online via a secure website or you will be called by one of our NHS contact tracers.
How NHS Test and Trace works for those contacted if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus
- alert: You will be alerted by the NHS Test and Trace service if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. The alert will come either by text or email and you’ll need to log on to the NHS Test and Trace website, which is the easiest way for you and the service to communicate with each other – but, if not, a trained call handler will talk you through what you need to do. Under 18s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue.
- isolate: You will be asked to begin self-isolation for up to 14 days, depending on when you last came into contact with the person who has tested positive. It’s really important to do this even if you don’t feel unwell, because it can take up to 14 days for the symptoms to develop. This will be crucial to avoid you unknowingly spreading the virus to others. Your household doesn’t need to self-isolate with you, but they must take extra care to follow the guidance on social distancing and washing your hands.
- test if needed: If you develop symptoms of coronavirus, other members of your household should self-isolate at home and you should book a coronavirus test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access. If your test is positive you must continue to stay at home for 7 days. If your test is negative, you must still complete your 14 day self-isolation period because the virus may not be detectable yet.
More information can be found on this page.
School Closure & Potential Re-opening Update
On Sunday, the Prime Minister gave his much-anticipated update in terms of the next phase of the lockdown policy.
Children in Years 7-9
From this address, we believe that the current lockdown learning arrangements will remain in place for years 7-9 until the end of the summer term, meaning it is likely that children in these year groups will not return to school until September at the earliest. We will continue to provide regular updates to learning via Show My Homework, issuing praise points, weekly awards and regular updates in our weekly blog. We thank you for your patience, support and dedication to your child’s education. We are committed to providing the resources your child needs to learn effectively at home and welcome any requests for additional support. It is crucial
Children in Year 10
The Prime Minister also gave an indication that the first year group which may return to have some ‘face to face’ learning in secondary schools will be children who have examinations next year. The only year group this would affect in Sandhill View is Year 10.
We do not have a date
We do know that if it happens:
- Students will not follow their usual timetable.
- The day will be shorter than the usual school day, allowing for staggered arrival, departure, break and lunch times.
- Arrangements will be made for strict social distancing to take place.
- We will introduce non-negotiable ‘social safety rules’
- Desks will be set 2 metres apart and facing the same direction
- Class sizes will be halved with an absolute maximum of 15 (more realistically 8-10)
- Students will not move around the building from lesson to lesson, but they will remain in one classroom for each learning ‘session’
- Once students have left their classroom, it will be ‘enhanced cleaned’ before its next use.
- Official DfE guidance states that PPE will not be necessary: we anticipate that it would be desirable and safe to use for secondary age children. We are working on manufacturing machine washable
Children of Key Workers:
As was previously the case, the children of ‘Key Workers’ are able to attend school.
The DfE has confirmed there will be no penalty for families who do not send their children back to school, but that families “will be strongly encouraged to take up these places – unless the child or a family member is shielding or the child is particularly vulnerable due to an underlying condition”.
It is likely that the experience of being in school will feel very different to the way it was in the past. We must all accept that we must prepare to learn a new normal way of living, where safety of our whole community is at the forefront of our consciousness at all times.
We will continue to give you updates as and when we receive them. In the meantime, we thank
The information above was first released in a letter to parents on 12/05/2020. Click here to view the letter.
Keeping Children Safe Online
Parents are reminded to carefully monitor their child’s online activity and speak regularly to them about digital safety at this time of heightened use. Please contact your child’s head of year via the MyEd app if you have any concerns.
Free School Meal Voucher Update
Due to school closure the government will now be providing access to £15 a week shopping voucher per child, if a family is entitled to free school meals, from next week. If you are not currently in receipt of free school meals but believe you may qualify please check and complete the online application by clicking here.
The vouchers currently being provided by Sandhill View Academy as emergency support for children who are working from home will finish this week, further details will follow.
How to qualify for free school meals
To be eligible you must be in receipt of one of the benefits listed below:
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue that does not exceed £16,190 or
• Guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit run-on paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit
Children who receive Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.