Schools – coronavirus information

All Portsmouth schools and early years settings will be following the latest government guidance, including:

• Making sure hands are washed properly and often
• Following ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ guidance around coughs and sneezes
• Cleaning regularly, focusing on frequently touched areas
• Keeping occupied spaces well ventilated
• Following government guidance on coronavirus testing for staff and pupils

Secondary school pupils will need to do two tests  at school before term starts. They will then need to do twice-weekly tests until the end of September. This process will then be reviewed.

Your child’s school will inform you or you can check the school website for details.

School or college will feel different as COVID-19 measures are relaxed.

• Bubbles and staggered start and finish times are no longer advised
• Young people can have breaktimes and lunch together. They can take part in practical lessons and sports with other classes and year groups
• Face coverings are no longer advised for pupils, staff and visitors
• If your child is under 18 and 6 months and is identified as a close contact they won’t need to self-isolate. Instead, they will be advised to take a PCR test
• Schools and colleges will have plans in place covering what to do if anyone at school tests positive for COVID-19, or if additional measures are needed for a limited period

• Schools and colleges are advised to continue with regular handwashing, cleaning, and to keep spaces well ventilated.
• Rapid COVID-19 testing of secondary and college students should continue even for those who have been vaccinated.

Yes, attendance is mandatory. Public Health England and the Government’s Chief Medical & Scientific Officers agree that there is a very low risk and rate of severe illness in children and young people from COVID-19.

The benefit of attending school or college significantly outweighs the COVID-19 health risk to children and young people.

If you have concerns, you should discuss these with your school or college and local authority so that your child is able to continue attending school or college.

Yes. Secondary school and college students should test when they return at the start of term. They are advised to take two on-site rapid COVID-19 tests (3-5 days apart), followed by twice weekly testing at home. The tests are easy to do and results come back within 30 minutes.

You should report the results straight away, whether positive, negative or void, either online on Gov.UK or by calling 119 free from your mobile or landline.

If the test is positive then the person should also take a PCR test to confirm the result, and follow the latest government guidance.

Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 have no symptoms and can spread it without knowing. Taking regular rapid tests will help give you peace of mind that your child is not spreading the virus without knowing.

If your child has any of the main COVID-19 symptoms (a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste), they should not attend school or college and should stay at home.

You should arrange for them to get a PCR test and tell your child’s school or college the test results. Your child shouldn’t attend school or college while you are waiting for test results, even if they are feeling better.

If the test is negative, they should go to school or college as normal. If they test positive, they should continue to isolate and follow public health advice.

If your child has been identified as a close contact, they will be advised to take a PCR test.

They will not have to self-isolate, unless they have a positive PCR test result.

Not necessarily.

Parents aren’t normally told the reasons why other children are away from school unwell (for example with flu or a sickness bug). A similar approach will be taken with cases of coronavirus.

All 16 and 17-year-olds in England are now eligible for their first COVID-19 vaccine dose. Anyone in this age group can find their nearest centre through the ‘grab a jab’ NHS online walk-in finder.

The NHS will also contact 12 to 15 year-olds to receive the vaccine if they:

• were previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable,
• have an underlying health condition
• live with an individual who is immunosuppressed.

Yes. The DFE schools operating guidance says that, “All clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) children and young people should attend their education setting unless they are one of the very small number of children and young people under paediatric or other specialist care who have been advised by their clinician or other specialist not to attend.”

Further guidance will be given to parents of children who were previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable where necessary.

Yes, all children should be in school.

Everybody aged 16 and over is now eligible for a coronavirus vaccination. The vaccine is safe and effective, and provides the best protection against COVID 19. You can book your vaccination online.

If your child is isolating due to a positive PCR test, schools and colleges will continue to give them high-quality remote education so that they can learn from home if they are well enough.

Schools will be following government guidance on the best approach to minimising the spread of infection within school while avoiding further disruption to children’s education.

The latest government guidance says that as COVID-19 becomes a virus that we learn to live with, it’s now important to reduce the disruption to children and young people’s education. This is especially as the direct risks to children are extremely low, and every adult has been offered a first vaccine and the opportunity for 2 doses by mid-September.

All positive cases, regardless of age or vaccination status, are contacted for three reasons:

• To help ensure that they self-isolate and to check whether they need support to do this
• To determine who they might have infected
• To establish where and when they might have been infected, so that we can identify potential local outbreaks.

Tracing close contacts allows us to give them appropriate advice on testing and self-isolation, depending on their vaccination status and age.

No. In recent weeks we have seen many confirmed cases of coronavirus in Portsmouth. Rates are highest amongst people who have not yet had two doses of the coronavirus vaccine. You can view the latest coronavirus figures in Portsmouth here.

It’s important that everybody remains alert for symptoms of coronavirus (high temperature, persistent cough, loss of sense of taste or smell). If you are concerned that you or a member of your household ha coronavirus stay at home and book a PCR test.

A range of measures are in place, and will be reviewed over the coming months. Everyone can play a part in reducing case numbers. You can do this by:

• Encouraging family members to take part in symptomatic testing and targeted asymptomatic testing in education and high risk workplaces
• Self-isolating if you test positive or are contacted by NHS Test and Trace, or when advised to by the NHS COVID-19 app
• Following the rules about quarantine when arriving from red and amber list countries. Full details about travel rules are on Gov.UK Travel section
• Remaining cautious while cases are high, including by:
  • gradually and safely return to workplaces
  • wearing face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport
  • being outside or letting fresh air in
  • minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts
  • encouraging and supporting businesses and large events to use the NHS COVID Pass in high-risk settings to help to limit the risk of infection