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Y5 Bubble closure
Tue 29 Sep 2020Unfortunately we have had to close our Y5 bubble due to a positive test.
If your child is in Year 5 they should NOT COME TO SCHOOL until 12th October and remain isolated at home until 10th October. If they develop symptoms then you should book a test and inform school if they test positive - email info@balliolprimary.co.uk out of hours or call us during school hours.
Siblings in other year groups can continue to attend school.
We look forward to EYFS children returning to school Wednesday 30th September.
Many thanks for your support at this time.
Mrs Driver
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NHS Covid-19 App
Mon 28 Sep 2020Dear parents, carers and pupils
Please be advised that the NHS Covid-19 App is not recommended for use by people under the age of 16.
Thank you.
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CoronaVirus Symptoms - Advice from the DFE
Wed 23 Sep 2020
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Common cold and Covid-19 symptoms - a guide for parents
Fri 18 Sep 2020Common cold and COVID-19 symptoms?
We know that parents and schools are finding it difficult to work out which symptoms warrant testing for COVID-19. We acknowledge that this is not straightforward, and it is a really challenging time for parents and schools. It is common for colds and similar viral infections to circulate across communities at this time of year. In many cases, children will be well enough to attend school and continue their learning with little or no interruption to their education. It is important to ensure that children are not unnecessarily kept away from school and exposed to inappropriate testing for COVID-19
Common cold symptoms
Children with simple cold symptoms such as a runny nose or sore throat or a mild cough without a fever who would normally have attended school in other times should go to school and do not be tested for COVID-19.
COVID-19 symptoms
If your child (or anyone in the household) has any of the main coronavirus symptoms listed below they need to self-isolate and get a test.
Only children with any of these symptoms need a COVID-19 test.
• new continuous cough
Your child needs tested if they have a cough that has lasted for more than an hour, if they have had three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours, or if they are coughing more than usual. The cough is usually dry.
• fever/high temperature
A high temperature is feeling hot to the touch on your chest or back. If a thermometer is available take the temperature – a high temperature is 37.8C or higher. Your child may feel warm, cold or shivery.
• loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste
This means your child has noticed they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
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Apply now for Admissions - September 2021
Thu 17 Sep 2020
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Covid-19 update EYFS - Nursery and Reception closed until 30/09/2020
Wed 16 Sep 2020Unfortunately we have had to close our EYFS bubble due to a positive Covid-19 test - If your child is in Nursery or Reception they should NOT COME TO SCHOOL until 30th September and remain isolated at home. Please check your school communications for a letter providing further details. If your child develops symptoms then you should book a test and inform school if they test positive. Siblings in other year groups can continue to attend school.
Many thanks for your support at this time.
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Information for parents from Public Health England
Mon 14 Sep 2020Dear parents and carers
Please see key messages from Wendy Burke (Public Health North Tyneside) about Coronavirus and how we can all do our bit to minimise the spread of transmission.
North Tyneside like all other areas across the North East has seen significantly increasing rates of infection over the last few weeks and there is now widespread community transmission of the virus.
Working closely with North Tyneside Council and Public Health England the school continues to ensure that we operate safely, and that we minimise the spread of the virus. This includes maintaining high standards of hygiene inside and outside classroom settings, grouping children in ‘bubbles’ and maintaining social distancing where ever possible.
As parents or carers, you can support the endeavours to help control the virus in North Tyneside by adhering to the national restrictions, maintaining social distancing and good hand hygiene.
We are also asking that you please keep your child at home if anyone else in the household is suspected of having or has had a positive test for COVID-19, or if your child has any of the following symptoms of Covid-19:
· A fever – this means hot to the touch on the chest or back
· A continuous cough - a dry cough and coughing a lot for over an hour with more than 3 episodes per day
· Loss or change of taste and smell - this means no smell or taste, or things smell or taste different to normal
It is important that the whole household self isolates until anyone in the household with symptoms get tested as soon as any symptoms start to occur via www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or calling 119. Only people with symptoms should get tested.
If the test is positive the person will need self isolate for 10 days, the rest of the household for 14 days.
The action we will take in school if a member of staff or a pupil has a positive test result for COVID-19 is as follows
o As soon as we are informed of the positive test result, we will carry out a risk assessment with Public Health colleagues to identify any other children or staff who may have been a close contact with the confirmed case.
o If your child is not identified as a close contact of the confirmed case we will contact you to tell you that you do not need to make any change to your usual routine and that it is safe for your child to continue to attend school.
o If your child is identified as having been in close contact with the confirmed case we contact you and ask you to keep your child at home to self-isolate for 14 days, in line with government guidance. Your child DOES NOT need to be tested. Other members of your household or contacts of your child DO NOT need to self isolate and can continue normal activities. If your child does develop symptoms while self isolating then the household should self isolate and the child should get a test.
The evidence from the Chief Medical Officer is very clear that the balance of risk is strongly in favour of children attending school and that serious illness or deaths in children and
teenagers from Covid-19 are extremely rare. Therefore, it is really important that all children continue to attend school or college (unless asked to self-isolate) for their educational progress, for their wellbeing and for their wider development.
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Coronavirus Advice for parents from the School Nurse
Thu 03 Sep 2020Coronavirus Advice for parents from the School Nurse
The advice around managing Coronavirus in our community can be confusing so I’ve tried to put it into simpler detail specific to the information most parents need to know just now.
The symptoms of Coronavirus are:
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a high temperature
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a new, continuous cough
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a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste
Currently these are the only symptoms we look for to diagnose Coronavirus. Other symptoms such as abdominal pain, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting could be caused by lots of things that aren’t Coronavirus so if you have anything like that ring 111 for advice.
Advice for anyone with symptoms in their house
If someone in your house is unwell with a Coronavirus symptom then none of your children should come into school.
If your child develops a Coronavirus symptom at school, they will be sent home straight away. If they have siblings who live in your house, they will also be sent home at the same time.
If anyone in your house has a Coronavirus symptom you should all isolate at home for 14 days and the person with symptoms should get a Coronavirus test.
If someone in your child’s school has Coronavirus symptoms and your child has been in close contact with them, your child does not need to be sent home and does not need to self isolate unless they develop symptoms as well.
To book a test if you or someone in your home has symptoms dial 119
The best way to prevent Coronavirus spreading is to:
Wash your hand for 20 seconds
Socially distance at least 2 meters apart (in school, children are in class bubbles and do not stay 2 metres apart from each other, instead the bubbles are kept apart.)
If you cough or sneeze catch it in a tissue, bin it and kill the virus
If you’re not sure about a symptom or a test you can dial 111 for advice 24/7
All this information is available at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
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Looking forward to welcoming you back!
Tue 01 Sep 2020Dear parents and carers
We are looking forward to welcoming your child back to school tomorrow. Please check your emails to remind yourself of their starting time and entrance. We can't wait to see you!
Mrs Driver
