Schools and COVID-19 – Information for Parents
1. Can I chat to other parents in the playground?
Yes, but it is really important to stick to the 2m social distancing rule in
the playground, as well as everywhere else. We know that it is really
tempting to greet people you’ve not seen in a long time with a hug or
kiss, or to join a chat with a group of parents, but COVID-19 is still with
us. Even if you are wearing a mask, social distancing is essential.
2. Will my children be doing PE?
Yes, PE is really important for children, but lessons will be adapted to
reduce risk of spread of COVID-19. You can make it much easier by
checking when your child has PE lessons and making sure that they go to
school in their PE kit on those days.
3. Can children go to school with a cold?
If a child does not have symptoms of COVID-19 but has other cold-like
symptoms, such as a runny nose, they do not need to be tested and they
and you do not need to self-isolate. Your child can go to school if fit to do
so.
4. Are children able to go to school if a parent or another
sibling, or anyone else in their house has symptoms of
COVID-19?
If a child/parent/household member develops symptoms of COVID-19,
the entire household should immediately self-isolate, and book a
test for the individual with the symptoms. It is not necessary to test
the entire household if they are not symptomatic.
The COVID-19 symptoms are:
a new continuous cough
a high temperature
loss of or change to sense of smell or taste
5. Are children able to go to school if they have been in contact
with someone who they don’t live with but who has
symptoms of COVID-19?
If a child has been in “contact” with someone experiencing symptoms,
they should carry on as normal until that individual receives their test
result. If this is positive, the TTP Team will contact people identified as
contacts.
Contact means:
face-to-face contact with someone less than 1 metre away
(including when you have worn a face covering or face mask)
spending more than 15 minutes within 2 metres of someone
travelling in a car with someone (even on a short journey)
6. What happens if the school has a positive case for COVID19?
When a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified as attending an
educational or childcare setting (staff or pupil) contact will be made with
the case (or parent) to assess whether they attended the school during
their infectious period and whether further tracing of contacts in the
school is needed. If any staff member or child within the school is a
contact of the case, they will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and
contacted by your local Test, Trace, Protect (TTP) team or Education
Department. If a staff member or child from the school is not a contact of
the case, they will not be required to self-isolate.
7. Booking a COVID-19 test:
Only people with symptoms (a new continuous cough, a high
temperature, or loss of or change in the sense of taste or smell) should be
tested.
A COVID-19 test can be arranged via the Portal, or by ringing 119.
Testing is available in person or with a home testing kit delivered to and
collected from your home. The test is a throat swab or combined throat
and nose swab.
Some people are having difficulties obtaining tests. Your TTP team may
be able to help if you are having problems.
8. Self-isolation:
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, and anyone who lives with them, must
self-isolate, even if symptoms are mild.
You must not go to school, nursery, other childcare settings, work, or
places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
Anyone with symptoms must self-isolate for 10 days from when their
symptoms started. They can return to school or work after 10 days if they
are well enough to do so.
Anyone in the household who does not have symptoms must self-isolate
for 14 days from when the first person in the home started having
symptoms.
A test is only needed for people who are symptomatic. People who are not
symptomatic should not have a test.
Receiving a negative test result when you are a contact of a case does
not shorten the isolation period, you will still be required to isolate for 14
days if you are a confirmed contact of a positive case.
If a parent thinks their child has symptoms BUT chooses not to put them
through a test all household members must remain in self-isolation for 14
days from the onset of symptoms.
If you receive a positive test result, you will be contacted by the TTP
Team.
If the person who has symptoms has a negative test, self-isolation can
end for everyone, children may return to school and parents can return to
work if they are well enough and as long as nobody else in the household
has developed symptoms.