Letter and information – January 2022 return to school

Please note, there are important additional documents and further Local Authority information at the end of this page.

Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s)

I would like to begin by wishing you all a very happy New Year and hope that you are well and have enjoyed a restful break over Christmas.

In December, I informed you that the Welsh Government had designated Tuesday January 4^th and Wednesday January 5^th as planning days for schools due to increased transmission levels of Omicron and the impact that this might have on staffing levels.

During these planning days, we have revisited our risk assessments to ensure that there are robust procedures and processes in place to mitigate risks, whilst keeping things as normal as we possibly can for our learners and staff. Many of the measures outlined below were already in place last term but there are some additional precautions whilst infection rates are high:-

• designated entrances for learners
• staggered break and lunch times
• designated zones for year groups during break and lunch times
• one way systems, where possible
• seating plans
• desks forward facing, where possible
• good ventilation in classrooms
• not holding large group gatherings such as assemblies
• pupils to wear PE kit to school on days when they have PE
• face coverings to be worn by all staff and learners in corridors and communal areas and in classrooms, where 2m social distancing is not possible. If your child is exempt please ensure that you have completed the google form (please find the link here: https://forms.gle/susxGS6xa49PWLUS7 )

Following a review of current staffing levels, I wish to confirm that Mountain Ash Comprehensive School will be open for all year groups on Thursday 6^th January. We are looking forward to welcoming all learners back to school.

We are committed to keeping the school open and doing our very best to ensure that all learners are in school, provided it is safe to do so. We will continue to monitor staffing levels on a daily basis. Should staffing levels be severely impacted, I will communicate any decisions about moving to a remote learning provision as soon as I possibly can. Examination classes will be prioritised for face to face learning, should this be necessary.

Welsh Government have advised that staff and secondary aged learners take further precautions by undertaking LFD testing three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings) to help identify and isolate asymptomatic cases as soon as possible.

I will keep you updated with any further information and guidance, as and when it is issued.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours faithfully,

S J Evans

Headteacher

Additional guidance and information from the Local Authority and Public Health Wales:

Covid-19 Frequently Asked Questions – RCT – Updated January 2022

Please note any highlighted text in this document reflects updates in the January 2022 version:

Procedures for testing and isolation

Person	Has tested positive	Has symptoms	Identified as a close contact	Routine testing arrangements
Learners aged under 5 years	Self-isolate for 7 days.	Not required to self-isolate. Not required to test (unless advised by a doctor or if a parent/carer believes a test is absolutely necessary and in the best interests of a child). (see section below).	Not required to self-isolate. Not required to test (unless advised by a doctor or if a parent/carer believes a test is absolutely necessary and in the best interests of a child). (see section below).	None.
Learners aged 5-11 years	Self-isolate for 7 days.   Negative LFTs required on day 6 and day 7.  If not, must self-isolate for 10 days.	Book a PCR test, self-isolate until the test results are back, if positive continue self-isolation for 7 days from date symptoms started, if negative leave isolation.	Use LFTs daily for 7 days. If negative, no requirement to self-isolate. If positive, they should self-isolate for 7 days from the date of the positive LFT and book a PCR test.	None.
Learners aged 11+ years and fully vaccinated adults	Self-isolate for 7 days.   Negative LFTs required on day 6 and day 7.  If not, must self-isolate for 10 days.	Book a PCR test, self-isolate until the test results are back, if positive continue self-isolation for 7 days from date symptoms started, if negative leave isolation.	Use LFTs daily for 7 days. If negative, no requirement to self-isolate. If positive, they should self-isolate for 7 days from the date of the positive LFT and book a PCR test.	Strong expectation that LFTs are used three times a week to identify asymptomatic cases.
Unvaccinated adults	Self-isolate for 7 days.   Negative LFTs required on day 6 and day 7.  If not, must self-isolate for 10 days.	Book a PCR test, self-isolate until the test results are back, if positive continue self-isolation for 7 days from the date symptoms started, if negative leave isolation.	Must self-isolate for 10 days. Should also take a PCR test on day 2 and day 8.	Strong expectation that LFTs are used three times a week to identify asymptomatic cases.
Working in special educational provision	Self-isolate for 7 days. Negative LFTs required on day 6 and day 7.  If not, must self-isolate for 10 days.	Book a PCR test, self-isolate until the test results are back, if positive continue self-isolation for 7 days from the date symptoms started, if negative leave isolation.	If fully vaccinated –  can undertake return to work testing consisting of: – one PCR test prior to attending work (the result of which must be negative) – followed by daily lateral flow tests. See – https://gov.wales/children-and-young-people-higher-clinical-risk-and-clinically-extremely-vulnerable-adults-guidance: whichalso contains a document entitled – ‘Guidance for staff in special educational provision following potential contact with Covid-19:key steps for staff and employers’, which provides a return-to-work checklist template which should be used if the staff member has been identified as a contact of a positive case of Covid-19. This should be completed (via phone or video call) before the staff member returns to the setting.   If the staff member does not agree to the scheme of testing, they should either be redeployed to a role where they are not facing individuals who have higher clinical risks or instructed not to attend work.	Daily lateral flow tests at all times for staff working in special educational provision