Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The government has announced that the measures put in place under plan B in England will be lifted – Read more
Schools – coronavirus information
School Year 2021/22
The government issued guidance which parents and carers may find useful as in the 2021/22 school year.
Please also check your child’s school website for details on specific guidance for that school, as each school has its own arrangements depending on school size and layout. Given the current high level of infections in Portsmouth schools, for any in-person events with parents, schools are being encouraged to either cancel the event or hold it virtually.
Education is integral to a child’s social and emotional development and to getting their education back on track. The benefits of attending school and early years settings significantly outweigh the COVID-19 health risk. We want to ensure that all children and students can experience as much normality and stability in their education and care settings as possible.
All children are expected to be in school unless they are self-isolating because they have coronavirus symptoms, have tested positive for coronavirus or been advised to by NHS Test and Trace.
Some parents and children may feel anxious about being in school, however, schools and settings are following national and local guidance to minimise the risk of infection, including guidance that recommends face coverings in communal areas in all schools for adults and for pupils from year 7 onwards. Please continue to encourage your child to follow the guidance.
Children are at very low risk of becoming seriously unwell from COVID-19. If your child needs support with their mental health, there is some useful guidance here.
Secondary school pupils will need to do two LFD tests a week. Your child’s school will inform you or you can check the school website for details. Order tests for home delivery or collect a pack of tests from your nearest collection point.
Children who have to miss school due to following coronavirus guidance will be given work by their school to do at home but schools are not expected to provide remote education for anyone else.
Staying safe and preventing spread of COVID-19
Self-isolation advice for people with a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed. It is now possible to end self-isolation after 6 days, following 2 negative lateral flow device (LFD) tests on day 5 and day 6, taken 24 hours apart. The first LFD test should not be taken before the fifth day. Check here for more information.
Anyone with coronavirus symptoms must self-isolate and request a PCR test.
From 11 January 2022, if you are asymptomatic but your lateral flow tests result is positive, you must self-isolate and follow the current rules on self-isolation.
From 14 December 2021, guidance around close contacts of confirmed cases has changed. Read the latest update on self-isolation.
All children aged 12 to 15 years have been invited to receive the first dose of the vaccine as part of the school-based COVID-19 vaccination programme. They are now eligible for a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, no sooner than 12 weeks after their first dose. More information about vaccination for children and young people.
Young people aged 16 and 17 are also eligible for both the first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. See the vaccinations page for information on ways you can get your vaccine if you are aged 16 or 17.
Children and young people aged 12 to 17 with a weakened immune system or who live with others at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 are eligible for a third dose of the vaccine if it’s been eight weeks since their second dose and they have a letter from a GP, hospital consultant or the NHS confirming they’re eligible. Find out more
Possible coronavirus symptoms
The Wessex Healthier Together website has useful information for parents if you are worried that your child has coronavirus or another illness and you are not sure what to do.
Not all illnesses need time off school. This is a useful NHS guide on whether or not children can come into school with different types of illnesses.
You must get a test if you or anyone in your household has:
- a high temperature (chest or back hot to touch)
- a new, continuous cough or
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Find out more about getting a test in Portsmouth.
Find out more information about how to self-isolate, what you can and can’t do and what local support is available in our protect Portsmouth self-isolation guide.
You can find the latest NHS information and advice on the NHS website.
FAQs for parents
All Portsmouth schools and early years settings are 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
- All adults and pupils in year 7 and above to wear a face covering in communal areas unless exempt.
Secondary school pupils will need to do twice-weekly LFD tests at home.
Additional measures may be reintroduced if cases in schools rise. Your child’s school will inform you or you can check the school website for details.
COVID-19 safety measures will be reviewed regularly by schools and colleges in line with national guidance and any cases or outbreaks in the school
- Bubbles and staggered start and finish times are no longer advised
- Young people can have breaktimes and lunch together, however, face coverings in communal areas is recommended for children in year 7 and up. They can take part in practical lessons and sports with other classes and year groups
- Face coverings are advised for all adults, visitors and pupils in year 7 and up when moving around the premises and outside of classrooms, such as corridors and communal areas.
- Face coverings on public transport and dedicated transport to and from school.
- From 14 December, close contacts who are fully vaccinated (with at least two doses), and close contacts aged between 5 and 18 years and six months, do not need to self-isolate if they take rapid lateral flow tests for seven consecutive days and the test results remain negative. Read latest guidance on close contacts and self-isolation.
- 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 due to an increase in cases or an outbreak in the school.
Yes, attendance is mandatory. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) 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 continue with twice-weekly testing at home. The tests are easy to do and results come back within 30 minutes.
Order tests for home delivery or you can also collect a pack of tests from your nearest collection point.
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, self-isolate immediately 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.
From 14 December, close contacts who are fully vaccinated (with at least two doses), and close contacts aged between 5 and 18 years and six months, do not need to self-isolate if they take rapid lateral flow tests for seven consecutive days and the test results remain negative. Read latest guidance on close contacts and self-isolation.
However, any close contact who gets a positive result from a lateral flow test during their seven test days should then self-isolate and follow the latest guidance.
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.
Close contacts will be identified and contacted by NHS Test and Trace and advised of next steps.
Yes. The DFE schools operating guidance says that, “All children and young people at risk of becoming seriously ill if infected with COVID-19 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 12 and over are eligible for two doses of the coronavirus vaccination. The vaccine is safe and effective and provides the best protection against COVID-19. You can book your vaccination online.
Some children aged 12 and over may also be eligible for a booster dose. More information is available on our vaccinations page.
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.
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 and most recently, a new variant of concern, Omicron.
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) and follows the recommended guidance of regular testing, ventilation, washing hands, wearing a face covering when required. If you are concerned that you or a member of your household has coronavirus, stay at home and book a PCR test.
A range of measures are in place and will be reviewed regularly. Everyone can play a part in reducing case numbers. You can do this by:
- Encouraging family members to take part in symptomatic testing if they have symptoms 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
- Remaining cautious while cases are high, including by:
- working from home if possible
- wearing face coverings in crowded indoor areas
- being outside or letting fresh air in
- regularly washing hands or using hand sanitiser
- 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
Helpful information and support
Here are some other helpful sources of information and places you can find support:
- Portsmouth Parent Voice has support for parent carers of young people with additional needs and disabilities.
- Portsmouth Local Offer provides information about support and services available in our local area for children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs or a disability.
- The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health has prepared a video and information to help deal with anxiety when returning to school.
- Portsmouth Education Partnership has an overview of the coronavirus support available to children, families and schools.
- Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) has a team of bilingual learning assistants who can be used to help reach families whose first language isn’t English with back to school information.
- Wessex Healthier Together has useful information for parents if you are worried that your child has coronavirus or another illness and you are not sure what to do.
- Mental health support for young people on this page you will find information and guidance for young people who need help and support for their mental health and wellbeing.
- Mental health support for parents and carers on this page you will find information and guidance for parents and carers who need help and support for their mental health and wellbeing.
- Bereavement support HIVE Portsmouth have a bereavement directory on their website.