COVID-19
Important message re Covid cases in schools - Monday 21st June 2021
Dear Parents and Carers
As some of you are aware, we have had an increase in cases within our families over the last couple of weeks, including
our children contracting the virus. We have had some bubble closures due to infection and isolation. It has impacted
our ability to continue with some of our regular activities and each school will notify you of any changes as we look at this
on an individual school basis.
Today, the Headteachers and I held an online meeting to discuss our risk assessments and look at if we needed to make
any further adaptations to mitigate risk even further. There may be some additional changes up until the summer
holidays and we will inform you of these if we feel they need to be introduced.
In the first instance, we have reverted to no movement around the trust or bubbles by staff. This may mean that should
staff become ill for any reason (not just Covid) we may have to look at the practicality of keeping certain classes open. I
want to reassure you that we will do everything we can to avoid this as we know the impact on families is huge and will
only be done as an absolute last resort.
If your school had returned to swimming lessons, we have had to make the decision to cancel these for the rest of the
term as we consider these high risk, where children are going into a warm, damp environment after other schools have
just been who may be infectious. We know how important it is for your child to be proficient in the water but we had to
balance the immediate risk.
Further educational visits and activities off-site are being reviewed and you will be informed as soon as possible as to
whether they are going ahead.
As we have noticed an increase in children contracting the virus, please can we ask that you check on the NHS website
for the list of symptoms as they may vary for differing age groups; we are aware of children who have tested positive
who have different symptoms from the ones we were used to hearing about last year. The rule of thumb is, if you are at
all concerned that your child is unwell and may have some of the listed symptoms, please get a test, and isolate the
whole of the household until you get the results back.
School will not close a bubble until we have a confirmed case, either through a LFD in the first instance, which is then
followed up by a PCR test which is more accurate. Should the PCR come back negative, bubbles will reopen. If a
bubble closes, home learning will be triggered and online by the next day.
If you have more than one child in school and their class is still open, they still need to be in school so it may be helpful
to get a plan in place for such an eventuality.
Please remember to use the covid reporting email address out of school hours as leaders check this all the time. This is
to be used to report confirmed cases only. State your child’s name and school and leave a number we can contact you
on and we will get back to you as soon as we can. The address is
covid@bronteacademytrust.org.uk
May we thank you for your continuing support over the coming weeks.
Kind regards
Mrs Gill Holland
CEO
Important - Reporting of Covid Symptoms during the Spring Bank Holiday
We must remind you that school bubbles can still close and children within those bubbles asked to self- isolate even after the close of school on Thursday 27th May 2021.
If your child displays any Covid related symptoms up to and including Sunday 30th May 2021 then you must inform the Bronte Academy Trust by emailing the following details to
covid@bronteacademytrust.org.uk
1. The School your child attends (e.g.Lees Primary School)
2. Your Child’s Name and Year Group
3. The Date your child is booked to have a test
4. A mobile number you can be contacted on
Do not use the school email address as messages will not be picked up during the holidays. If reporting symptoms you must use the covid email address above.
As soon as you receive the results of your child’s test, you must notify us using the covid email address.
Should your child display any symptoms after Sunday 30th May, you do not need to contact us as it will not necessitate any bubble closures.
Thank you
In light of recent news about the possible early closure of some schools for Christmas, please see below the Trust's viewpoint on this matter.
Please follow the links below to read our whole school COVID risk assessment & remote learning guidelines:
Whole School COVID-19 Risk Assessment
Trust Remote Learning Guidelines
Trust Remote Learning Policy
Government advice as at 23rd September 2020
Letter from Public Health England - Advise for Parents September 23rd 2020