COVID19 – Update on Control Measures

Further to my letter dated 30th September 2021, I am writing to update you on control measures for the Academy after the half term holiday.

As you are aware, the Academy recently experienced a high number of cases which has severely affected the attendance of both students and staff in Academy. The good news is that we now have students and staff returning to the Academy and numbers of new cases are gradually reducing. The NHS Mobile Testing Units which came onto site recently carried out over 500 PCR tests and in addition, RDASH, (Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humberside) NHS Foundation Trust will be visiting the Academy after half term to deliver Covid 19 Vaccinations to our students for whom consent has been received.

Our priority remains to deliver face-to-face, high-quality education to our students, while maintaining proportionate control measures. Therefore, we will continue to follow DfE and Public Health guidance to:

  • Strongly encourage all staff and students to complete twice weekly LFD tests.
  • Maximise ventilation of classrooms
  • Carry out additional cleaning, with a focus on frequently touched surfaces
  • Use fogging machines to clean communal areas and classrooms on a rota basis
  • Carry out activities such as PE outside, as much as possible
  • Encourage hand and respiratory hygiene amongst staff and pupils.
  • Advise visitors to stay away if they have any symptoms. As an Academy we will continue with our enhanced measures for a further three-week period and will review on Monday 22nd November 2021. We will write to you before this date with an update on our plans.

The enhanced measures are:

  • Students will remain in their year group at break times
  • Students will remain in their year group at lunch times
  • Face coverings will be required rather than expected and recommended on buses to and from the Academy, unless exemptions apply
  • Face coverings will be required in communal areas unless exemptions apply. Your child should continue to attend school unless they develop symptoms of Covid-19 or are unwell. If they do develop symptoms, please keep your child at home and book a PCR test for them. Thank you for your understanding and support. Yours sincerely Mrs H Thornton Principal