What happens if symptoms of Coronavirus are evident in school or at home?

Dear parents, please read the attached documents carefully which is based on the latest guidance from the Department of Education and the Public Health Agency.

This message is even more important during the pandemic. We cannot keep children safe without the cooperation and partnership of their families. It would be really helpful if families got accustomed to taking their child's temperature in the morning; a raised temperature is a symptom of coronavirus.

It is of paramount importance that if your child has been unwell the night before or in the morning that they remain at home especially if they are showing Covid-19 symptoms (high temperature, a new persistent cough, loss of taste/smell). Please do not send a child who is unwell in ANY WAY to school. Calpol does not help keep the virus out of the school. We are all in this together and by doing this we all can keep each other that little bit safer.

We ask that parents take their child/children’s temperature in the morning before leaving for school.

If a child presents unwell during the school day we will contact parents immediately and arrangements must be made to take the child home.

Please bear this in mind and have arrangements in place for child’s collection in this situation.

The school will follow strict PHA guidance at all times when dealing with suspected cases of Covid-19 and parents will be informed accordingly.

If children present with, or complain of symptoms of coronavirus (persistent cough, sore throat, lack of taste or smell) we will bring them to a separate, isolated room. Staff will wear a mask to supervise the child and an apron and gloves if needing to be closer than 2m.

Children in their group will be moved outside or to a place inside if possible while the area they have worked in is cleaned.

Parents or carers will be expected to collect their child without delay. They will be expected to arrange for a test for their child. When the child leaves school the isolation area will be cleaned before it is used again.

Once again we implore that families must not send in children who are unwell. The rule of thumb must be very different with the current crisis: if in any doubt, keep your child at home. This includes the 48 hour rule for any sickness and diarrhoea.