Sudbrook School

Plan Administration: Mariana Pandi

Version number 2
Date of Issue August 2021
Electronic copies of this plan are available from
Date of next review As and when required
Person responsible for review Mariana Pandi/Patricia Casswell

Introduction

This plan is based on the DfE’s Contingency Framework which lays out how to manage local outbreaks of COVID-19. The guidance states schools should have “outbreak management plans”, outlining “how they would operate” if any of the measures described in the guidance were recommended for their setting or area.  (See Appendix A)

Local authorities, directors of public health (DsPH) and PHE health protection teams (HPTs) are responsible for managing localised outbreaks. They play an important role in providing support and advice to education and childcare settings and can recommend certain measures as part of their outbreak management responsibilities.  Where there is a need to address more widespread issues across an area, “ministers will take decisions on an area-by-area basis”.

Schools will need to consider the implementation of some, or all, of the measures in this plan in response to recommendations provided by HPT, the DfE or the government.

It may be necessary to implement these measures in the following circumstances: 

  • to help manage a COVID-19 outbreak within the school
  • as part of a package of measures responding to a ‘Variant of Concern’ (VoC) or to extremely high prevalence of COVID-19 in the community
  • to prevent unsustainable pressure on the NHS

COVID-19 Guidelines:

In the interest of everyone’s safety we urge you to follow the government guidelines in relation to COVID-19.

Please refrain from coming to nursery either if you suspect having COVID-19 or have been identified by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact until you obtain a negative PCR test result. This request applies to your children alike. Please inform the school if you have COVID-19 in your household.

In dealing with the COVID-19 virus Sudbrook School will ensure that :

  • Staff will engage in twice weekly Lateral Flow Tests.
  • Minimise contact with individuals who are unwell. Unwell children must be kept at home and looked after so that they can return to a happy and healthy school life soon.
  • Encourage and facilitate thorough cleaning of hands
  • Ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ approach
  • Follow an enhanced cleaning programme
  • Minimise contact between individuals by staggering drop-off and pick up times
  • Engage with the NHS ‘Test and Trace’ programme
  • Manage confirmed cases within the School community. Children who test negative  for COVID can continue to come to nursery if a household member suffers from COVID. We urge you to carry out a PCR test on your child and household members for everyone’s safety.
  • Contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice

Please make sure that you follow the government guidelines in relation to COVID-19 tests and self-isolation if you have returned from abroad.

From the 16th of August fully vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals under the age of 18 years and 6 months who have been identified as a close contacts of a COVID -19 case are no longer required to self-isolate even if they live in the same household. However, if you or your household members develop symptoms at any time in line with government guidelines you are advised to take a PCR test and self-isolate whilst awaiting the result. Asymptomatic vaccinated individuals and vaccinated young people aged 18 years and six months and under do not need to self- isolate while awaiting the test result.

Unvaccinated adults who are over 18 years and 6 months are required to

self-isolate for ten days if they display COVID-19 symptoms or if they have been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case. A PCR test must be taken and self-isolation rules will still apply whilst awaiting the outcome. This applies even if you have a negative PCR test result since symptoms could appear later.

COVID-19 symptoms include:

  • A continuous temperature
  • A continuous cough
  • Loss of the sense of smell and taste.

NHS Test and Trace will inform close contacts and provide guidance about:

  • Getting a PCR test even if not symptomatic
  • Children aged 4 and below will only be asked  to have a PCR test if the positive case was someone in their household. They can otherwise continue to attend nursery.
  • Vaccinated people can also get COVID-19 so please self-isolate if either you are either symptomatic or have been identified as a close contact.
  • A Lateral Flow Test should be taken if you are identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case, if you display symptoms or are in doubt. A positive result should be followed up with a PCR test and if the outcome of this test is negative within 48 hours of taking the Lateral Flow Test the individual is in the clear.
  • The isolation period starts 10 days from when symptoms appear or from when you have last been in contact with the positive COVID-19 case.
  • If asymptomatic , the 10 day isolation period starts from when the PCR test was taken. Should symptoms appear within this period the self-isolation period will extend by a further 10 days .

Suspected Case of COVID-19

Any individual who develops  COVID-19 symptoms at nursery will be asked to go home. Whilst awaiting collection children will be made comfortable in an isolated well ventilated area whilst  accompanied by a member of staff who will be wearing PPE.

Measures:

a pupil/staff has symptoms at school

 

 ·       Symptomatic person needs to be isolated immediately

·       Book a PCR test at a testing site within 48 hours.

·       Only the person with symptoms needs a test.

·       Continue to isolate whilst waiting for the results.

·       Enhanced cleaning carried out
Child/staff with symptoms tests positive

 

 ·       Continue to isolate for 10 days.

·       Isolation should start from the date of positive test or onset of symptoms.

·       Pupil/staff to liaise with NHS test and trace for close contact purpose and inform school of positive result

·       Parents will be emailed to inform them of the positive test and advised to have PCR tests.

·       Enhanced cleaning to be carried out

·       Record details of the positive case

·       Inform Ofsted

·       Inform AFC adviser
a pupil/staff with symptoms tests negative

 

 ·       Inform https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result and school of negative result

·       Return to school/work when better
a parent reports their child has symptoms and is staying home

 

 ·       PCR Test to be taken and child to remain at home whilst awaiting the result. A positive result will require 10 days of self-isolation.

·       Record child’s absence as Covid using DfE attendance code  X01 if child is non-compulsory school age.

·       Keep in contact with family for update.

·       Refer to school attendance policy procedures for any concerns about persistent absenteeism
a member of staff /child with no symptoms tests positive

 

 ·       Continue to isolate for 10 days.

·       Isolation should start from the date of positive test.

·       Pupil/staff to liaise with NHS test and trace for close contact purpose and inform school of positive result

·       Communicate information on positive cases to parents and the school community.

·       Enhanced cleaning carried out

·       Record details of the positive case using the Educational Settings Cases Template

·       Staff advised to take a PCR test. They do not need to self-isolate whilst awaiting the outcome.
a pupil with symptoms or who should be self-isolating still comes to school Attendance will be refused.
someone in a pupil’s/staff household has symptoms or tests positive

 

 ·       Fully vaccinated or aged under 18 years and 6 months are not legally required to self-isolate if household contact has tested positive for COVID-19

·       If well and not showing any symptoms should take a PCR test and attend nursery whilst awaiting result. If the outcome is positive the individual must self-isolate and inform the school.
a close contact of a confirmed case then has symptoms/tests positive

 

 ·       Symptomatic person needs to isolate immediately and book a PCR test at a testing site within 48 hours.

·       Continue to isolate whilst waiting for your results.

·       For a positive result the individual will need to follow PHE guidance and continue isolation period.

·       Inform https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result and school of positive result
the outbreak threshold is reached

 

 ·       Establish if close mixing has taken place (Bear Club, nursery and DSL children), sports team, afterschool club/activity group)

·       Refer to school’s outbreak management plan

 When and how to seek public health advice

For most education and childcare settings, whichever of these thresholds is reached first:

  • 5 children, pupils, students or staff, who are likely to have mixed closely, test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day period; or
  • 10% of children, pupils, students or staff who are likely to have mixed closely test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day period
  • There are any admissions to hospital for COVID-19

We will seek public health advice if a child or staff member is admitted to hospital with COVID-19. We can do this by phoning the DfE helpline (0800 046 8687, option 1), or in line with other local arrangements. Hospitalisation could indicate increased severity of illness or a new variant of concern.

 Actions to consider once a threshold is reached

Review and reinforce the testing, hygiene and ventilation measures already in place.

Considerations:

  • whether any activities could take place outdoors, including exercise, assemblies, or classes
  • ways to improve ventilation indoors, where this would not significantly impact thermal comfort
  • one-off enhanced cleaning focussing on touch points and any shared equipment

We seek additional public health advice if they are concerned about transmission in the nursery, either by phoning the DfE helpline (0800 046 8687, option 1) or in line with other local arrangements.

APPENDIX A
Additional control measures

Details on the types of control measures schools might be asked to put in place by their local HPT to manage an outbreak may include:

Additional Control Measure  
Review and reinforce existing control measures Sudbrook School will continue to review and reinforce testing, hygiene, ventilation and follow PHE advice on self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Checklist

The school will ensure:-

·       we sufficient supplies for on-site ATS and LFD home test kits, PPE, face coverings, cleaning materials and hand washing/sanitising liquids that meet DfE/PHE requirements;

·       an enhanced cleaning schedule is in place which includes frequent cleaning of rooms, shared areas and equipment that are used by different groups and frequently touched surfaces;

·       verbal reminders are given about frequent hand washing and posters are displayed to promote Covid-19 hygiene awareness;

·       suitable and sufficient bins are provided to support pupils/students and staff to follow the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach;

·       sufficient tissues are in all rooms;

·       occupied spaces are kept well ventilated i.e. windows, doors and roof vents opened to increase air flow, rooms purged after use;

·       any individual who becomes unwell with COVID-19 symptoms will be isolated, sent home and provided with information on what to do next;

·       confirmed cases are managed by following PHE guidance;

·       all visitors and key contractors are required to sign in using the visitors’ Log and to wear a mask whilst on school premises..

We will consider:

·       whether any activities could take place outdoors, including exercise, assemblies, or classes;

·       ways to improve ventilation indoors, where this would not significantly impact thermal comfort;

 
Additional Control Measure  
Testing at home All staff will be reminded to undertake twice weekly testing.

We will ensure:

·       the school has sufficient stock of LFD test kits for distribution to staff ;

·       if a staff member/student has a positive LFD result then they will be encouraged to take a free PCR test within 48 hours;

·       if a staff member/student has a positive PCR test then they must self- isolate, liaise with NHS test and trace to identify close contacts, inform Sudbrook School of result and follow PHE guidance;

·       if a staff member/student has a negative PCR test they should attend Sudbrook School as normal, as long as the individual doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms.

Individuals are not required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, and any of the following apply:

v  they are fully vaccinated

v  they are below the age of 18 years and 6 months

v  they have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial

v  they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons

Instead, they will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, informed they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test.

 
Face coverings ·       Visitors are asked to wear facemasks whilst on school premises.
Shielding Shielding can only be reintroduced by national government.

If recommended should :

·       identify staff on the shielded patient list (SPL)

·       carry out an individual risk assessment;

·       speak to individuals required to shield about additional protective measures in school;

·       consider arrangements for home working or learning;

 
Bubbles ·       It may become necessary to reintroduce bubbles and social distancing for a temporary period to reduce mixing between groups and the decision will need to take account of detrimental impact on delivery of education. The bubble would include, Bear Club, nursery children and DSL children who will be joining the afternoon sessions.
Residential educational visits ·       visit leaders will consider carefully if the educational visit is still appropriate and safe;

·       only pupils/students who are attending the school will go on an educational visit;

·       schools will consult the health and safety guidance on educational visits when considering visits.

https://www.e-visit.co.uk/Gloucestershire/eVisit/Login

 
Additional Control Measure  
Other measures If recommended, the school will limit:

·       residential educational visits;

·       open days;

·       transition or taster days;

·       parents coming into school;

·       live performances in school.

 
Attendance restrictions  

If further restrictions are recommended, we will stay open for:

·       vulnerable pupils and young people;

·       children of critical workers.

 
Transport In line with national government advice, the school will recommend face coverings are worn by students and staff (unless exempt) when using:

·       public transport

·       dedicated transport to school or college;

·       coach/minibus for trips.

The school will consult with transport providers to establish COVID safe practice and procedures are in place.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-to-school-and-other-places-of-education-autumn-term-2020/dedicated-transport-to-schools-and-colleges-covid-19-operational-guidance

 
School meals Children bring their own food to school.
Safeguarding A trained DSL or deputy DSL will be available on site at all times

 
Large numbers out of school When a large number of students need to go home and isolate, the school will:

·       communicate with students/staff/parents/carers by email;

·       ensure procedures in place to maintain contact and welfare checks.

 
Download this document: Covid 19 Handbook 2024