Thank you for your support during our full return for all students. On the whole the last three weeks have been extremely successful, our students have been an absolute credit to themselves and their families. They have coped well with the new arrangements and their positive attitudes to learning have been evident.
I would be grateful if you could read the following updates to ensure as far as possible the term continues to be a positive one.
Covid in Leicestershire schools
As you may have heard, there have unfortunately already been a number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in other Leicestershire schools, leading to varying levels of disruption.
- Whilst we have not yet had a confirmed coronavirus case within our student or staff population, this is of course a very real possibility. I have attached an updated FAQ which includes the considerations and steps Redmoor are likely to take should a case be confirmed.
- Please be assured that we will do all we can in the coming months, carefully balancing the need to remain open against the increased risks that coronavirus may bring. Any response to outbreaks will be guided by Public Health England. Please avoid speculation and speak with your child about not making up rumours or speculating about coronavirus – it can be hurtful and upsetting.
General illness & absence
Like many schools, we are receiving a number of queries regarding general absence and what to do if your child falls ill with non-coronavirus symptoms.
There is a bewildering amount of advice from external sources, some of which is contradictory. In all cases we would ask for the following:
- If your child or anyone in your household is displaying one of the three known coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, do not send them to school under any circumstances. Get a test for the symptomatic individuals and the whole household must then self-isolate until the test result is returned.
- If your child who attends this school is ill but not presenting any of the three known coronavirus (COVID- 19) symptoms, they are allowed to come into school as long as they are well enough to do so. Please only send your child to school if you are sure they are healthy enough to complete the whole day and are not likely to pass on more general illnesses to others.
Unfortunately, the return to school seems to have coincided with a number of non-related bugs and illnesses which have certainly added to the pressure schools and families are currently facing. Many students also seem a little tired after a long period away. If your child is off school for any reason, please remember that every subject is setting online work for every year group and we expect students to complete this when they are absent if they are well enough to do so.
Contacting the school I do appreciate that there remain many uncertainties about how the school and our students will be impacted in the coming months. I would ask that you contact school only where absolutely necessary, as this is an incredibly busy time for all staff.
We will do our best to keep you informed appropriately with what is an ever-changing picture, but please be assured that student safety and the wider support of our communities remain our primary concerns.
Thank you once again.
Mr Nicolle
Principal
Frequently Asked Questions
What will happen if there is a single isolated case at Redmoor? Where there is a more isolated case in school, ourselves and Public Health England will consider all available risk factors, including when the student / staff member was last in school and who else may have had direct contact. If this is the case it is hoped that the need to self-isolate may be restricted to individuals or small groups. Redmoor or the Test and Trace System will contact these parents only to discuss the next steps.
What will happen if there is a confirmed coronavirus outbreak at Redmoor? Where we have a number of confirmed cases amongst our students or staff, we will consult with Public Health England to fully assess the situation and consider possible actions. This may include asking whole year groups to self- isolate for 14 days or closing the school temporarily for a deep clean. In the case of an outbreak such as this, all parents will be informed via email. In addition, individuals that may have had direct contact with a confirmed case will be contacted separately by either Redmoor staff or the Test and Trace System.
If my child is well, why would they have to stay at home for 14 days if they have no symptoms? We will only ask students to self-isolate if a member of the school community has tested positive for coronavirus and the school has been advised / directed by Public Health England. This is to ensure the virus is not transmitted further, affecting even more members of our community.
Will parents be informed of the class or name of the student concerned? We will not release any names or specific information regarding students or staff that have a confirmed case of coronavirus. In the case of an outbreak, please avoid speculation, it can be incredibly upsetting for the families concerned and indeed the wider school population. Please do not contact the school asking for further detail about specific cases or rumours.
If a year group is asked to self-isolate, how will online work be made available? For all year groups, remote learning for every subject is now set up and Year 7 students have been given access to Google classroom for this purpose. This means that if any student is absent from school as a result of general illness or due to Covid19 symptoms, they will be able to access their learning from home. The work set online will mirror as closely as possible the work being covered in lessons on that week and will be updated every Monday morning. Every student, if well enough to work, is expected to complete the online work for every subject during their period of absence.
Should I get a test for my child if they do not have symptoms but live with someone who does? There is now a vast amount of guidance regarding the various scenarios of symptoms / tests / isolation. Whilst in all cases we would ask parents to follow government advice, even this seems conflicting and confusing at times. We have attached the following sheet as a guide, but ultimately do recognise that parents are doing their best, often in very difficult circumstances and we ask you to recognise that we are doing the same.
Please note that the attached guidance is accurate at this point and is subject to change.
This document and the attached flowchart can be found on our website and will be updated in line with new guidance.
