Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Re: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) update

Guidance to schools and information relating to COVID-19 is changing daily. We will update you with information about next week very soon.

Dear Parent/Guardian(s)

Further to my previous letter, as I’m sure you are aware the government has issued new advice about COVID-19 (Coronavirus). I’d like to reassure you that at Oak Field we’re taking all the necessary steps to protect our school and wider community, and are continuing to follow official guidance from the government and Nottingham City Council.

The government’s policy is that schools should remain open. All school functions continue to run as normal. We will only close if we’re either officially advised to do so or if we don’t have enough staff to run the school safely.

You should continue to send your child to school if they are well. As we have said before, if you are the parent of a child with complex health needs, especially an underlying respiratory condition, we understand that you might want to take further advice from your child’s paediatrician / consultant / GP, or indeed make your own decision in what you feel is in the best interests of your child, and we will of course respect this.   

If anyone in your household has

• a new, continuous cough OR
• a high temperature (37.8 degrees and above),

then everyone in the household (not just the person with the symptom) must self-isolate for 14 days.

Any child who has been absent (or sent home) with any of these symptoms should not return to school for 14 days from the start of their symptoms. Similarly, any child who has parents, brothers or sisters or anyone else living in their household showing either of these symptoms should not return to school for 14 days and should remain at home.

Trusted advice on the coronavirus can be found here:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19

If you think your child or anyone in your household may have the symptoms of coronavirus, please try to use NHS 111 online if at all possible, before calling 111.

The full stay at home guidance for households where these symptoms are present can be found here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

The Department for Education (DfE) coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about coronavirus relating to schools. Parents can contact this helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687

Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday), 10am-4pm (Saturday to Sunday.

I appreciate that this will bring many challenges for families and the school, but it is vital that we follow government guidelines carefully. It’s a tricky time, and we know you are worried. It is important we keep each other safe and try to find solutions to any issues that arise.

If you would like to speak to me or to Lindsey Sharpe (Family Support Officer), please do not hesitate to contact me.

We will keep you up to date with any changes to the current situation via School Comms (text), letters and our website. In the event of school closure, we would also alert BBC Radio Nottingham.

I hope this is helpful to you and thank you for your continued support. 

Yours sincerely

Patricia Lewis (Headteacher)