Dear Parents and Carers,
Face coverings
Following updated guidance from the Department for Education, from Monday 29th November, all staff, pupils and visitors should wear a face covering in communal areas in the school. This includes, when entering and leaving school, when moving between classrooms and when in the canteen (except when eating and drinking).
Pupils do not need to wear face coverings when they are outside at break and lunchtimes.
Any pupils or teachers who wish to continue wearing a face covering in the classroom will be supported in doing so.
Pupils who are exempt from wearing a face covering will need to contact their pastoral team to discuss this and obtain an official lanyard.
Pupils should continue to wear face coverings on public and dedicated school transport, unless they are exempt.
Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Testing At Home and On-Site
We appreciate all your support in carrying out the twice weekly Lateral Flow Tests at home. This continues to identify a small number of cases and help keep the school community safe. We are due to send out with pupils this week some more testing kits so please expect these home. If you need any additional tests, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
As you may be aware, over the weekend, the Government advised schools that they need to again set up on-site LFD Testing in schools on return, in January. If you have not previously provided consent for testing and would like to do so please complete this Form. If you have provided consent last year you are not required to do so again.
Contact tracing and isolation
The current guidance on contact tracing and isolation remains in place – which means that close contacts should take PCR test but, if they show no symptoms or PCR is negative, do not need to isolate unless they are over 18 and unvaccinated.
The exception is for close contacts of suspected or confirmed Omicron cases, who will be asked to isolate for 10 days. Our understanding at this time is that you will be contacted by Test and Trace if this is deemed necessary.
New changes to the red list for international travel to England
South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe moved onto the red list at 12.00 midday Friday 26 November.
Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia were added to the UK red list 4am Sunday 28 November. If individuals arrive in England from 4am 28 November, they must follow the red list rules.
If we receive any further information regarding this, we will let you know. If you have any specific questions about isolation, please contact the school office. [email protected] Tel: 0151 639 7531
Information for schools on the 12 to 15 year old vaccination programme
We have had a number of inquiries about the Covid-19 vaccination programme. For any parents who missed the Covid vaccination, we have been asked by the Department for Education to inform parents that NHS England have now offered 12 to 15 year olds the opportunity to get their COVID-19 vaccine out-of-school, such as through vaccination centres.
We have not been informed of any further in-school vaccinations at this current time.
More information can be obtained from the Wirral Immunisation Team on 0151 514 251 or Information about COVID-19 vaccines is also available on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please do not hesitate to contact the school on [email protected] or directly to the pastoral teams:
Regards
St Mary’s Catholic College
