Coronavirus Information

Please find below information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) and advice from the Government relating to Walkley Primary School.

Step 4 of the Roadmap from 19th July 2021:

In light of the decision taken by the Government to have ‘Freedom Day’ and on further guidance provided by the DFE, Learn Sheffield and Sheffield City Council we can announce that we will begin our new procedures from the start of school in September. As the country moves to Step 4 of the roadmap, the government will continue to manage the risk of serious illness from the spread of the virus. This marks a new phase in the government’s response to the pandemic, moving away from stringent restrictions on everyone’s day-to-day lives, towards advising people on how to protect themselves and others, alongside targeted interventions to reduce risk. As COVID-19 becomes a virus that we learn to live with, there is now an imperative to reduce the disruption to children and young people’s education - particularly given that the direct clinical risks to children are extremely low, and every adult has been offered a first vaccine and the opportunity for two doses by mid-September.

Key protections to be kept in place:

• testing when you have symptoms and targeted asymptomatic testing in education, high risk workplaces and to help people manage their personal risk.
• isolating when positive or when contacted by NHS Test and Trace or when advised to by the NHS COVID-19 app.
• border quarantine: for all arriving from red list countries, and for those people arriving from amber list countries, other than those UK residents fully vaccinated in the UK vaccine programme.
• cautious guidance for individuals, businesses and the vulnerable whilst prevalence is high including:
  • whilst Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, Government expects and recommends a gradual return over the summer;
  • Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport;
  • being outside or letting fresh air in; and
  • minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.

Management of a Suspected Case of Covid-19

Any children with coronavirus symptoms  MUST NOT attend school. These are:

• a high temperature (above 37.8C)
• a new continuous cough
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

If they have any of these symptoms, they should stay at home and seek a PCR test as soon as possible.  If your child develops any of these symptoms whilst they are at school you will be contacted and they will be sent home.

For more information on the management of a suspected case of Covid-19 click here