Advice to all parents and carers – Confirmed Cases of Covid-19

13^th November 2020

Advice to all parents and carers – Confirmed Cases of Covid-19

Dear parents and carers,

We have been advised that there have been three additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 within Budehaven Community School, one each within the Year 7, Sixth Form and the staff team.

As a result, we have sent a separate communication to all parents and carers of pupils who are possible close contacts, insisting that they self-isolate for 14 days.

We are continuing to monitor the situation and have taken advice from Public Health England/Department for Education and Cornwall Local Authority. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness. If your child develops symptoms, please inform us straight away, and keep us updated with test results so we can monitor the situation.

The school remains open and, providing your child remains well, they can continue to attend school as normal. We will keep this under review. Whilst speaking with parents and carers today prior to sending pupils home, many of them asked whether siblings and parents need to self-isolate. The guidance from Public Health England and Cornwall Council is that when a child is told to self-isolate, other members of the household can continue normal activities provided the child does not develop symptoms within the 14-day self-isolation period.

What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19:

If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19, you should organise for your child to be tested via the NHS online portal or by calling 119. Your household should isolate until you receive negative test results.

Symptoms of COVID 19:

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

• new continuous cough and/or
• high temperature and/or
• a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

How to stop COVID-19 spreading:

There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with COVID-19

Do:

• wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• wash your hands as soon as you get home
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Curriculum

From Monday 16^th November, online lessons will commence for Years 7 and 13. Year 12 will be set work online via Google Classrooms. For access to instructions on how to use this provision, please refer to our remote curriculum hub via the school website http://www.budehaven.cornwall.sch.uk/remote-curriculum-hub/

We will send further details on Monday regarding the rest of the week.

Further Information

Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.

If you do have any specific school-related questions, please email enquiries@budehaven.cornwall.sch.uk

Yours faithfully,

Mr Dominic Wilkes
Headteacher