Contact with school during Easter Holidays
26th March 2021
Dear parents and carers
With the current rates of COVID-19 in North Tyneside, we are asking parents to let the school know if their child tests positive for COVID-19 during the Easter break. Please note the following:
Where a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted. Parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.
For the first 6 days after teaching ends, if a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school, the school is asked to assist in identifying close contacts and advising self isolation, as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school. If your child develops symptoms within 48 hours of being in school and subsequently has a positive test, please notify school immediately using this emergency email address for Western: wcps.covid.emergency@gmail.com and provide the following information.
Name of child:
Class/year group:
Date of the COVID-19 test:
Does the child have symptoms? Yes or No
What date did the symptoms start?
What date did the child last attend school?
Parent/carer name:
Best telephone number to reach you on:
It is very important that you provide this information so that the school can identify any close contacts that your son or daughter may have had in school during their infectious period. The school will then follow up close contacts and request that they isolate for 10 days to prevent further transmission of COVID-19.
Please note that you should also report any close contacts that your child has had outside the school setting through NHS Test and Trace.
School staff are not asked to remain on-call or conduct any contact tracing more than 6 days after the final day of teaching. Where a school’s last teaching day is on Friday 26th March (as is the case with Western), there should be no pupil contact tracing beyond Thursday 1st April.
Also in line with this guidance, the school email (wcps.covid.emergency@gmail.com) for notifications of positive cases of any child who developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school on Thursday 25th or Friday 26th March, will not be monitored from 12.0 noon (lunchtime) on Thursday 1st April and from that point all track and trace responsibility will be undertaken by Public Health England.
Thank you for your help in this matter
Yours Sincerely,
Wendy Burke - Director of Public Health England
Diane Buckle - Assistant Director of Education
Sarah Dixon - Acting Headteacher
