St Anne's Catholic School St Anne's Catholic School

Parent Update 21st September 2021

21st September 2021

Dear Parents,

In summary:

Ensure your daughter or son is completing a saliva test weekly (or LFD Test twice weekly).

Years 7, 8 and 9: Mondays
Years 10, 11 and Sixth Form: Thursdays

Ensure they come to school with a face covering so they can wear it whenever they would like to or when asked to.

We remain light in COVID cases compared to other schools in the locality and region. However, we have had a small number of cases over the last week.

I need to stress the importance of testing. We currently have a significant number of pupils who are not completing a saliva test every week, and we cannot see that the LFD tests are being completed in its place.

Our expectation is:

Years 7, 8, 9: Saliva Test handed in every Monday

Years 10, 11 and Sixth Form: Saliva Test handed in every Thursday

As contact tracing is no longer taking place by schools but by NHS Test and Trace, there is no longer a need to communicate with families every single case. However, I will keep you updated on a regular basis, and will let you know if we need to introduce new contingency plans if case numbers rise above Public Health England's threshold for action, which is: 5 children, pupils, students or staff, who are likely to have mixed closely, test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day period.

We are currently below this threshold.

However, as a precaution, we are increasing our expectation of wearing face coverings around school and would encourage pupils to wear them in communal areas and in classrooms if they would like. This is not mandatory, but may become so if case numbers increase beyond the threshold. Also, they may be asked to by an adult in certain circumstances.

We have had a few pupils off with diarrhoea, which, although not one of the main symptoms of Covid-19 according to the NHS, is mentioned by the World Health Organisation as a less common symptom, so please be very aware of this and if there are any of the more common symptoms, no matter how mild, do book a PCR test.

God Bless

James Rouse

Headteacher