COVID-19 update Tuesday 17th March 2020

Tuesday 17^th March 2020.

Important COVID-19 Update.

Dear Parents and Carers,

As I am sure, you appreciate, the national situation with Coronavirus is changing rapidly on a daily basis and we are responding to the latest advice as it is provided.

If your child develops any symptoms of Coronavirus, which may appear in children as cold like symptoms, it is very important that they are kept at home for at least fourteen days. Government advice is asking families to self-isolate if one member shows COVID-19 symptoms.

If symptoms do not improve after seven days, you should contact the NHS helpline on 111.

The following measures will be put in place from tomorrow, Wednesday 18th March and will be reviewed during the planned Easter Break:

• Children will wash their hands, for at least 20 seconds, as they enter school first thing in the morning and after break times in addition to before they eat their lunch.
  
• All School trips and visitors into school have been postponed. This now includes Coverdale’s trip to the Mercer Gallery, the Drama Club’s trip to the Theatre and the Gardening Club’s trip to the allotments. Netball Club will not run on Thursday after-school until further notice.
  
• Parents are asked to avoid entering the school building and should not go beyond the school foyer. After school club requires all parents to remain in the foyer whilst waiting to collect children.
  
• Children will need to bring their water bottle from home, washed and filled with water every day. There will be no cups available in classrooms.
  
• Parents and carers are asked to spend as little time as possible on the school grounds at the start and end of the day – we will try to hand over children as quickly as possible.
  
• If you need to speak with the class teacher, please can you telephone school. If the teacher is not available, we will arrange for them to return your call.
  
• Having spoken to the friends of RTS the Bunny Bounce planned for next week will be postponed until a later date, please keep collecting your sponsorship the children will bounce in happier times later in the year.
  

If you have recently changed your e-mail address or telephone number, please contact the school office and update you contact details. If your child presents with symptoms at school, we will contact you to arrange for them to be collected.

Following government guidelines Mrs Atkinson, Mrs Whitely and Mr Starkey have already been advised to work from home until further notice. I must stress that none of these staff are ill but have specific circumstances, which require the school to take necessary action to protect their health.

From Tuesday, Mrs Norman will teach Ribblesdale on a full time basis until Easter, with Mrs Trenham and Mrs Dallaston providing cover in both Swaledale and Nidderdale.

Finally, Ciara the Therapy Reading Dog will not be joining us in school until after Easter.

Whilst it is our intention to remain open until instructed to closed, we are expecting a number of staff to be required to self-isolate with their families, if and when they develop viral symptoms. This could lead to a shortage of staff and the closure of certain classes for a period of time. Our secondary colleagues have already begun to implement these arrangements as they manage staffing stortages.

Please check the school website regularly for updates via the headteacher’s blog and be assured we are doing everything possible to take care of everyone in our community during this extraordinary time in the life of the nation.

Whilst we are taking these measures to delay the spread of the virus, we are also trying to ensuring that life in school continues as normally as possible and would like to thank you for your ongoing support.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Symonds