OPA Return to School – Summer Term 1 - Monday 12th April 2021

Dear Parents / Carers,

OPA Return to School – Summer Term 1 – Monday 12th April 2021

I hope that you and your family have been able to have a restful and safe Easter break. We are all looking forward to welcoming your child(ren) back for the Summer Term. I am writing to you with a couple of important reminders on the eve of our return.

COVID19 Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Home Testing
Your son / daughter was issued with home LFD testing kits prior to the Easter break and should have tested themselves twice a week, on a Sunday and on a Wednesday over the two weeks. Please could I ask that you ensure that your son / daughter completes an COVID19 LFD test today (Sunday) prior to returning to the academy on Monday. Our priority is to promote infection control, prevent an outbreak and keep both our academy and wider community as safe as possible.

You may have noticed that Government rules have changed over the Easter break (29th March) and should your child test positive with a LFD test now, this test result must now be confirmed by taking a PCR test at an organised site immediately. As government guidance states: “it remains essential that anyone who gets a positive result from an LFD test self-isolates immediately, as must other members of their household, while they get a confirmatory PCR test.” Thank you for your cooperation with this.

Face Covering in Education
The government has confirmed that face coverings should continue to be worn in secondary school classrooms, when moving around and communal areas, as a precautionary measure.

This safe and cautious approach is to help limit the risk of transmission, promote infection control, prevent an outbreak and keep both our academy and wider community as safe as possible. It is expected that a Government review of the wearing of face coverings in schools will take place week commencing the 17th May 2021.

Children are required to bring their own face coverings school and also to wear them on public transport to and from the academy. In the event of a child forgetting to bring a face covering, the academy will provide a disposal face covering for that particular day in order to keep both the child and the community safe We have a list of children who are exempt from wearing a face covering.

Clinically Extremely Vulnerable Pupils
Clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people in England are no longer advised to shield. All clinically extremely vulnerable children should now attend school unless they are one of the very small number of children under paediatric or other specialist care and have been advised by their GP or clinician not to attend. If this is the case please inform us and send the relevant evidence to the academy. Children who live with someone who is CEV should continue to attend school as normal.

Academy Uniform
Mr Rashid (Senior Vice Principal) sent a reminder letter about academy uniform and our expectations for the Summer Term on Friday 26th March 2021. Our uniform does not include fake eyelashes or acrylic nails or body piercings (except for one small plain stud to be worn in each ear lobe if desired). Please ensure that your child has removed these today before a return to the academy on Monday. Checks will be taking place all week and non-uniform items will be collected and handed back to the child at the end of the academy day on Friday 16th April 2021.

Many thanks to you for your continued support on all of these matters and I look forward to welcoming your child back to the academy for the Summer Term.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Roessler

Principal
Ormiston Park Academy