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Covid 19 Information Summary

This page is designated to all Covid 19 letters and documents we have sent home to parents/carers. Please see the summaries below of information contained in each letter for your reference.

Thank you

20/01/2022- Changes to Face Coverings in Classrooms

You will have heard yesterday that parliament outlined that they are removing the recommendation of wearing face coverings in classrooms (from today 20 January) and communal areas (from 27^th January).

We were alerted to this guidance change at the same time as the UK. We have not unfortunately had a chance to review the guidance, our risk assessments, make decisions and communicate these to our staff, students and parent/carers.

For this reason, we are expecting students to continue to wear masks (unless exempt) until we can communicate our expectations. Students will be given the same message in tutor time this morning.

Thank you in anticipation for your support and understanding. We will be in contact shortly with an update.

18/01/2022- Self Isolation Changes

From Monday 17 January, people who are self-isolating with COVID-19 will be able to reduce their isolation period after 5 full days if they test negative with a lateral flow device (LFD) test on both day 5 and day 6 and they do not have a temperature.

For example, if they test negative on the morning of day 5 and the morning of day 6, they can return to their education or childcare setting immediately on day 6. Day 0 is the day that that the positive lateral flow was taken or when symptoms started.

The first test must be taken no earlier than day 5 of the self- isolation period, and the second must be taken 24 hours later. All test results must be reported to NHS Test and Trace.

If the result of either test is positive, self-isolation should continue until they get negative results from two LFD tests on consecutive days or until they have completed 10 full days of self-isolation, whichever is earliest.

Anyone who is unable to take LFD tests or anyone who continues to have a temperature will need to complete the full 10 day period of self-isolation.

If you stop self-isolating on or after day 6, it's important that you take steps to reduce the chance of passing COVID-19 to others. This means you should:

Wear a face covering in all indoor spaces
Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day
Reduce social interactions where possible

In addition, in the event of receiving a positive lateral flow test result, please ensure you inform covidresponse@waingels.wokingham.sch.uk and include the date the test was taken and when any symptoms started.

We thank you for your continued support in reducing the transmission and spread of Covid-19 within the school community.

04/01/2022- Returning to School Lateral Flow Testing

03/01/2022- Return to School Letter

Tuesday 4th January Lateral Flow Testing
Face Coverings
Changes to Self Isolation Period
Daily Testing for Close Contacts
January Exams/Assessments
Staff Absence and Remote Learning

14/12/2021- New Covid Guidance- Daily Testing for Contacts of Covid 19

We received an update from the DfE last night about daily testing for contacts of Covid 19.

The guidance reads:

From Tuesday 14 December, a new national approach to daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 is being introduced (including until the end of this term). All adults who are fully vaccinated and children aged 5 to 18 years and 6 months, identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 – whether Omicron or not – should take a lateral flow device (LFD) test every day for 7 days instead of self-isolating. Daily testing by close contacts will help to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 will help protect education settings by reducing transmission and will also help keep pupils in face-to-face education.

Once notified by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact, all eligible staff, pupils and students should take an LFD each day for 7 days and report the results through the Online Reporting System and to their setting. If they test negative, they can continue to attend their education setting. Outside of the education setting, they should continue to follow the advice set out in the Sunday 12 December press release. This approach should also be adopted over the winter break and on return in January.

If they test positive, they should self-isolate and order a PCR test to confirm the result and notify us on covidresponse@waingels.wokingham.sch.uk. If the PCR is positive, they must self-isolate for 10 days. If the PCR test is negative, they no longer need to self-isolate but should continue to carry out the remainder of the daily tests, and only need to isolate if it is positive.

All staff and secondary aged pupils and students have access to a box of 7 LFD tests from their education setting.

Anyone over the age of 18 years and 6 months who is not vaccinated, must isolate in line with government guidelines if they are a close contact of a positive case.

Finally, it is important to continue regular twice weekly, at-home testing for all education and childcare workforce and all students of secondary age and above.

Encouraging regular testing and reporting and vaccine uptake: translated resources to engage with the school community – DfE Update

It is important to ensure that families have information that is accessible to them with regards to regular testing and vaccinations.

On GOV.UK there is information and guidance on how to take and report lateral flow tests at home translated in Polish, Chinese, Punjabi, Romanian, Arabic, Gujarati, Persian, Urdu, Slovakian, Turkish, Welsh, Somalian, Bengali, Hindi, Dari and Pashto.

Doctors of the world have also translated information on vaccines, how to register with a GP and COVID-19 topics which you may find useful.

02/12/2021- Lateral Flow January 2022 Testing

01/12/2021- Year 7 Letter Home: Home Learning

30/11/2021- Year 7 Covid Update: Meeting a Threshold

Following on from my letter to you on Friday, we have had further positive cases in Year 7 reported to us over the weekend and yesterday. The cases span over different classes/tutor groups and therefore we have sought advice from the LEA who have asked us to implement the following intervention:

- All Year 7 students to conduct a daily lateral flow test for 7 days before arriving to school starting Wednesday 1st December and ending 7th December

- All Year 7 students to have a PCR test this Friday 3rd or Saturday 4th December. In order to allow this to happen, all Year 7 students should stay at home and lessons will be taught remotely on Teams on Friday 3^rd December. Further instructions about accessing remote learning will be sent separately by Miss Crang.

Year 7 students who have tested positive within the last 90 days should not participate in the testing however they will still need to remain at home on Friday 3^rd December.

Please report the PCR test result here before Monday: https://forms.office.com/r/EJEqYYQb7s

If a student tests positive on a lateral flow test or PCR test, please inform covidresponse@waingels.wokingham.sch.uk and please do not send your child to school. Further advice and guidance will be given at that time.

If you have any questions, please contact this same email address.

When advised by the LEA to do something similar in Year 11 before the half-term, the intervention was highly successful in identifying asymptomatic cases and stopped the spread of the virus within the year group.

Thank you in anticipation for your support

15/11/2021

Thank you for your continued support in keeping Waingels as Covid safe as possible. Your support with encouraging your children to wear masks in school and regularly lateral flow testing are really making a difference in limiting onward transmission and ensuring that interruption to young people’s learning and education is minimised.

Local case rates are steady post half term but the LEA are expecting them to rise across the autumn term. The Berkshire West Health Protection Board have recently reviewed their advice to ensure that we are doing everything possible to reduce the transmission within educational settings in the borough.

Wokingham Borough Council’s guidance, in line with the Berkshire West Health protection Board’s advice is that schools implement the following measures for the remainder of the Autumn term:

Use of face coverings in communal areas (unless exempt) for staff, students and visitor. Face coverings should continue to be used on public transport and dedicated transport to school.
Continued 2-3 times weekly lateral flow testing and reporting of the here for all staff and students.

In addition, any student or member of staff who has a household member test positive or has been identified as a close contact of a positive case via NHS Test and Trace or via other means should be advised as follows:

To take a daily lateral flow test for 7 days, in addition to taking a one-off PCR test on day 3
Whilst engaging in daily LFD testing, anyone who tests negative can continue to attend school provided they are not displaying any symptoms.
Anyone who has tested positive via PCR in the last 90 days should not carry out either LFD or PCR testing.

22/10/2021- Principal's Letter

21/10/2021- Covid 19 Out of School Offer

21/10/2021- Covid Update: During and After Half Term

â01/10/2021- Letter to Parents & Carers

Pandemic Response Update
Vaccinations

27/09/2021- Covid Flyer for Parents & Carers

14/09/2021- Letter to Parents

Welcome Back
Covid Update
New Intake
Parent Forum
Open Evening & Morning

14/09/2021- Update on Covid Restrictions

06/09/2021- Waingels Risk Assessment September 2021

02/09/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

Results
Covid
Staff
Uniform
Timings for Monday 7th
50th Anniversary

02/09/2021- New/Updated Covid Guidance & Covid Keeps

21/07/2021- Return to School September Arrangements

Summer Closure
Emergency Safeguarding Contact
Start Days/ Times for September

21/07/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

Covid-19 Testing in September
Consent
Risk Assessments & Policies

21/07/2021- Privacy Notice

19/07/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

Changes to Contact Tracing
September Lateral Flow Tests

06/07/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

Number of Covid cases
Self Isolation
Working at home

â21/06/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

Suspension of the lifting of restrictions and the impact on planned events
Teenage mental health
Grading 2021

21/06/2021- Letter to Parents from Assistant Director of Children's Services

15/06/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

Confirmed Covid case
What to do if your child develops symptoms of COVID 19
What to do if your child / family member tests LFD positive
Symptoms
How to stop COVID-19 spreading

11/06/2021- Quick Look Guide

11/06/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

09/06/2021- Letter to Parents 1

COVID-19 variant

09/06/2021- Letter to Parents 2

COVID-19 Variant
How you can help

07/06/2021- Letter to Parents & Carers

Masks
Lateral Flow Tests
Catering
Parent & Student Surveys

28/05/2021- Letter to Parents & Carers

Kitchen staff isolating
Inset Day 7th June
Waingels Unplugged
Parents Survey
50th Anniversary Celebrations

20/05/2021- Covid Amendments in Summer Term

Changes to staggered starts
Changes to Lunch time
Changes to end of day

14/05/2021- Letter to Parents & Carers

Wearing of face coverings in lessons
Home Testing

07/05/2021- Letter to Parents & Carers

Covid Update
Year 11 and 13 Awarding of Grades
Additional Inset Day
End of Year Assessments
Waingels Awarded Funding

19/04/2021- Letter to Parents & Carers

Start of term
Lateral Flow Tests
Face Coverings
Uniform

19/04/2021- Face Coverings to Remain in Place after Easter Break

On Tuesday 6 April, the government confirmed that face coverings should continue to be worn in secondary school and college classrooms as a precautionary measure when students return after the Easter holiday. Further information can be found here.

18/03/2021 Rapid Testing: What you need to know

16/03/2021 Letter to Parents and Carers- Lateral Flow Tests

LFD Testing
Close Contact
LFD v PCR
Remote Learning
Home Testing

15/03/2021- Message from Department for Education re. Lateral Flow Tests

About 1 in 3 people with coronavirus do not have symptoms but can still pass it on to others. Regular testing of people without symptoms is important to help stop the virus spreading and protect your loved ones. As lockdown restrictions gradually ease we all need to play our part to help protect each other.

The following people in England will have access to regular rapid lateral flow testing made available to them:

secondary school pupils and college students
staff of primary and secondary schools, nurseries and colleges
households, childcare and support bubbles of nursery children, primary and secondary-age pupils and college students
households, childcare and support bubbles of staff of nurseries, primary and secondary schools, and colleges

Children of primary school age or younger will not be asked to test at this time.

If you’re a member of a household, childcare bubble of a pupil, student or staff of a school, nursery or college, you can get a twice-weekly test:

through your employer if they offer testing to employees
at a local test site
by collecting a home test kit from a test site
by ordering a home test kit online

Get a test through your employer

Your workplace may offer rapid lateral flow testing to you. Contact your employer to find out more.

Take a test at a rapid lateral flow test site

You can take a rapid lateral flow test at a local site. Testing at these sites is assisted, which means you will swab yourself under the supervision of a trained operator.

You may need to book an appointment.

Find your nearest rapid lateral flow test site.

Collect test kits

You can collect 2 packs of home test kits at a local collection point. Each pack contains 7 tests.

Anyone 18 or over can collect.

Most collection points are open from 1.30pm to 7pm. You can check online if the location is open or busy before you go. You do not need to make an appointment.

Do not visit a collection point outside opening hours, as it may be used to test people with coronavirus symptoms outside these times.

Find your nearest home test kit collection point.

Order home test kits online

If you cannot get tested at your workplace, or are unable to go to a test site or collect test kits, you can order a home test kit online.

Do not order online if you can get a test through other methods. This frees up home delivery for those who need it most.

Order rapid lateral flow home test kits

For more information, please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

Testing Progress Letter

Lateral Flow Testing
Vigilance
Expectations

Updated Testing Announcement- 09/03/2021

Lateral Flow Test Results

We are really pleased with how well the lateral flow tests have been going and especially the way the students have conducted themselves.

We wanted to give you an update about the results of the tests. We will know within 30-35 minutes whether your child has had a positive test result. If that is the case, we will contact you and your child as soon as possible. Therefore, if you are not contacted by us please assume your child’s result is negative. Uploading the results onto the Track and Trace software is time consuming as it is a large administrative task. For this reason, there will be a delay from when your child takes a test to you receiving the result of that test. Students should continue to attend school unless we have contacted you to inform you of a positive result.

Thank you

Testing Announcement- 05/03/2021

The Department for Education (DfE) has asked us to share the following information with our Parent/Carers. If you have any queries please use the phone numbers in the DfE message below – unfortunately we do not have any additional information and therefore we will not be able to answer any queries about this.

Asymptomatic testing information for parents and adults in households with children at school or college

NHS Test and Trace announced earlier this week, that all adults in households with school and college age children without symptoms can now access regular rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing.

Test kits can either be collected or ordered online, as set out below. Schools should not give test kits to parents, carers or household members and should not order more test kits for this purpose. Secondary school and college students will continue to access testing through their school or college.

Please share the information below with your parent networks to help answer any questions they may have.

Undertaking regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing helps reduce transmission of the virus. Parents and other adults in households with children at school or college, who do not have symptoms, can now access regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. This includes childcare and support bubbles.

Tests are fast, easy and completely free. There are different ways for a household, childcare or support bubble to collect their test to take at home, twice-weekly:

through your employer, if they offer testing to employees
by collecting a home test kit from a local test site – anyone aged 18 or over can collect 2 packs of 7 tests
by ordering a home test kit online – please do not order online if you can access testing through other routes, this frees up home delivery for those who need it most

If you have any queries about the tests, and you live in England, please call 119 (free from mobiles and landlines). Lines are open every day from 7am to 11pm.

Children of primary school age (and below) without symptoms are not being asked to take a test.

Testing is voluntary, but strongly recommended to all who are eligible. Alongside the vaccine, washing hands, wearing face coverings, and maintaining social distancing, rapid testing plays a vital role in reducing transmission rates. Getting into the habit of regular testing as part of our everyday lives will help us all to play our part and do what we can to protect each other.

02/03/2021- Year 7 Student Letter- Return to School

02/03/2021- Year 8 Student Letter- Return to School

02/03/2021- Year 9 Student Letter- Return to School

02/03/2021- Year 10 Student Letter- Return to School

02/03/2021- Year 11 Student Letter- Return to School

02/03/2021- Key Worker Students Return to School

01/03/2021- Lateral Flow Testing Consent Letter

Covid-19 Testing
Consent- By Wednesday 3rd March deadline (3pm)
First Test Year Group Dates (before school re-opens)
Second Test Year Group Dates
Third Test Year Group Dates
Risk Assessments and Policies
Covid-19 Cases
FAQs

COVID-19 Testing Privacy Statement

26/02/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

8th March- Inset Day
Lateral Flow Covid Tests
Staggered Starting and Ending Times
11th March- Year 9 Parents Consultations
Wearing of Masks
Welcome Back

â12/02/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

05/02/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

29/01/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

25/01/2021- Remote Education Provision: Info for Parents

22/01/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

20/01/2021- New Student Code of Conduct for Microsoft Teams

15/01/2021- Letter to Parents and Carers

Digital Parenting by Vodafone

06/01/2021- Letter to Year 11 Parent and Carers

GCSEs cancelled
2pm Meeting for all Year 11 students on Teams with Mr Bartlett on 07/01/2021
Parents Consultations postponed until 28th January

A detailed page of our Home Learning FAQs can be found here. If your question has not been answered, please fill in the form below where we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Quick Guide to Downloading and using Office 365

Quick Guide to Downloading the Teams App to your Smart Phone

Using XBox or PlayStation to Access Remote Learning

05/01/2021- Letter Update

FAQ- Live Streaming

Lockdown Lesson Tariff for Parents and Carers

31/12/2020- Letter Update

Lateral Flow Testing
Schedule for Return Dates and Times

â21/12/2020- Letter Update

17/12/2020- Year 10 Close Contact Covid Letter

17/12/2020- End of Term Letter

Covid 19 Pandemic Response
Mental Health

11/12/2020- Letter Update

Contact Tracing during Christmas Break
covidresponse@waingels.wokingham.sch.uk

08/12/2020- Letter Update

Christmas Dinner
Jerusalema Dance

01/12/2020- Letter Update

Corona Virus updates and thank you's
Student Mental Health and Well-being
End of Term Jerusalema Dance
Christmas Dinner
Food Bank & IT Recycling

30/11/2020- Letter Update

Year group working from home schedule

23/11/2020- Government Guidance Published in Various Languages

20/11/2020- Letter Update

10/11/2020- 1 day year group closures

Wednesday 11th Nov: Year 9 working at home
Thursday 12th Nov: Year 8 working at home
Friday 13th Nov: Year 12 working at home
Monday 16th Nov: Year 10 working at home

09/11/2020- Notification of a Confirmed Case of Covid-19

School closed to students in Year 10 on 10/11/2020

06/11/2020- Letter Update

Ventilation & winter clothing
Covid related staff absence
Covid related student absence
Face coverings, Extra Curricular and other measures
School opening times
Travel to and from school
Drop off and pick up
Parent Consultations
Children in Need

â19/10/2020- Key Worker Provision Letter

15/10/2020- Changes to A Levels 2021

15/10/2020- Changes to GCSEs 2021

13/10/2020- Contingency Plan Letter Home

Link to live Microsoft Teams consent form

12/10/2020- Face Mask Video

06/10/2020- A Quick Guide for Parents & Carers on Covid 19 Absence

02/10/2020- Introducing Compulsory Face Coverings

From 12/10/2020 Year 7 & 8 students will move for all lessons
From 12/10/2020 the wearing of face masks when students are moving between lessons and when using the toilets or buying food will be mandatory.

25/09/2020- Re-opening of Food Cube

Public Health England have produced a letter for schools to distribute to parents which explains when a person requires a coronavirus test and what the symptoms of coronavirus are. The Department have asked us to share and circulate this letter amongst parents at our school.
The intention of the letter is to help prevent children being taken out of school unnecessarily and answer some of the questions you may have around testing.

24/09/2020- Public Health England Letter

18/09/2020- Adjustments to Covid 19 Measures