Dear Parents and Carers, I have just uploaded to https://www.throstonschool.org.uk/covid-19-information-page/ the latest government leaflet about your child’s return to school in September. I have also added a few links to the above page, that you may find useful. The key points are as follows:

No more bubbles, children will once again have breaktimes and lunch together and take part in activities and assemblies with other classes and year groups.

Face coverings are no longer statutory for staff or visitors.

If your child is identified as a close contact they will NOT need to self-isolate.

Please note we will, however, continue with regular handwashing*, cleaning regimes, and keep spaces well ventilated. We are now awaiting new carbon dioxide monitors that will help to identify areas that need more ventilation. Staff will also continue with biweekly testing. Children only need to bring in essential items from home such as bags, reading books, PE kits etc.

*Children will continue to wash their hands: on entry to school, after playtimes/lunchtimes, before food, after toilet visits, after coughing and sneezing and after sport/forest school activities.

We also have a contingency plan to reintroduce more stringent measures if needed. Guidance states if we have 5 or more linked positive cases in a 10-day period we need to deploy our outbreak management plan. Please note staggered start and finish times are no longer advised, however we will still be keeping our 8.45am to 9.00am buffer at the start of the day. Our school collection time will now revert to 3.20pm to 3.30pm (3.30pm for Nursery). We are still requesting parents and carers socially distance wherever possible.

Please note if you are anxious about your child’s return we can still create an individual risk assessment. To do this please contact your child's class teacher or Mrs. Black via ClassDojo.

Most importantly, your child should not come into school if they have symptoms or have had a positive test result. If a child develops COVID-19 symptoms at school we will continue to send them home, and request they have a PCR test (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/).

If you have any specific questions, about your child’s return next month please e-mail, the school office at: admin@throstonschool.org.uk  and we will respond as soon as possible.

I cannot wait to see all our children back on Tuesday 7th September 2021.