COVID updates March 1st 2022

Schools have been advised to take a cautious approach to easing restrictions.

Very small changes will be made to the Operational Guidance over half term. In the main, all schools are required to implement the interventions outlined in the high-risk section of the Local Covid-19 Infection Control Decision Framework for Schools after half-term.  https://gov.wales/local-covid-19-infection-control-decision-framework-schools-html

This is a stepdown from the very high-risk measures that have been in place this term.

Please see below a brief overview of the changes for the return to school 1.3.22 after the half term break. 

Arrangements will be sustained and aimed at reducing close interactions between staff and learners. This includes:

• not holding large group gatherings such as assemblies

• consistent seating plans and physical distancing in classrooms

• forward facing desks Yr1- Y6, as this is not be possible with younger children or with learners that require one to one support

• using outdoor spaces where possible

• floor signage

• Class bubbles and staggered play/lunch times

• Ongoing entry and exit requirements for pupils entering and leaving school

• Face coverings will be worn by staff and visitors in school and when moving around indoor communal areas outside of the classroom, such as corridors, where physical distance cannot be maintained

• Parents/carers will not be permitted to walk through the school grounds and drop off and collection points will still be in operation

• Staff are strongly encouraged to use LFD tests twice a week

This advice does not impact on arrangements for those identified as contacts of positive cases (who are advised to use LFTs each day for 7 days) or those who have symptoms (who should self-isolate and arrange a PCR test as soon as possible). 

• Face coverings will no longer be routinely recommended in classrooms. 
 

We will continue to ensure core interventions remain in place. These include:

-          reminding all staff and learners to follow self-isolation guidance

-          reminding staff and learners to not attend school if they have any COVID-19 symptoms

-          regular handwashing and respiratory etiquette to prevent spread and manage cases, incidents and outbreaks

-          ensuring adequate ventilation

-          maintaining appropriate levels of cleaning.

SELF-ISOLATION & TESTING

The following self-isolation and testing requirements apply from 28.01.2022 and also include anyone already in isolation. 

Updated guidance and important attachment to this email, received today from the Local Authority:-

 My e-mail of 25th of January outlined the position regarding school operations in light of the move to Alert Level Zero from Friday 28th of January, namely:-

As Wales moves to Alert Level Zero, Welsh Government advice is that Schools should plan to move back to using Welsh Government’s Local Infection Control Decision Framework at the start of the next half term (i.e. 28th of February). Face coverings will remain in schools for the time being, just as they are required in most public places, at Alert Level Zero.  

Welsh Government subsequently announced that from the 28th of January, the self-isolation period for confirmed Covid-19 cases would reduce from 7 days to 5 days.  Although the move to Alert Level Zero is not applicable to school operations until after the February half-term, the self-isolation period reduction applies with immediate effect to all (including schools).

 The position is thus:-

• Anyone with a positive lateral flow or PCR test result should self-isolate for 5 days. (Day 1 is the day immediately following a positive test or symptoms starting).
• Individuals can leave isolation after 5 days (i.e. on day 6 of the isolation period).

On day 5 of isolation, they should take a lateral flow test and another on day 6.

If both results are negative, it is likely they are not infectious and they can end isolation and return to school if they are feeling well and providing that they don’t have a high temperature.

• However, if either of the tests taken on day 5 or 6 are positive, they should remain in isolation and take another test the following day– they should continue to isolate and not return to school until they have had two consecutive negative lateral flow tests (24 hours apart) or day 10 – whichever is sooner.
• Individuals do not need a negative lateral flow test on day 10 to leave self-isolation, however if they still have a high temperature, they should continue to self-isolate until their temperature has returned to normal.

All lateral flow test results should be uploaded to www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result.

 Please note: unvaccinated adults (18+) who are contacts of confirmed cases must self-isolate for a 10 day period and take lateral flow tests on day 2 and day 8 ( the 10 day isolation period applies regardless of the outcome of these tests).

 Updated FAQs are attached and RCT operational guidance will be updated in due course.

 Further information regarding self-isolation is available via - https://gov.wales/self-isolation

 I hope this clarifies the position in relation to self-isolation changes.

UNDER 5s
 

PCR testing requirement does not apply to under 5s – under 5s do not need to PCR test unless a clinician advises they should, or their parent/carer has particular concerns)l.

At Alaw Primary we use Seesaw for communication with parents/carers and for sharing learning. Seesaw gives parents and carers an immediate and personalised window into their child’s school day, helping to answer, “What did you do at school today?”. It is a platform that allows schools and pupils to engage with parents and carers to create an online environment which empowers pupils to take ownership of their learning and to reflect on their progress over time.

It gives pupils tools to show what they know in the way that works best for them. It

inspires pupils to try their best by providing an audience for their work beyond the classroom.

It creates a meaningful home-school connection so that parents and carers can better support their child’s learning.

Children  can “show what they know” using photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, and links. Seesaw helps capture the learning process and children can use Seesaw’s built-in audio recording and drawing tools to reflect on what they’ve learned or explain how they got their answer.

As a parent/carer you can collect pupil work from almost any device – Seesaw exists as an app on tablets and phones, as well as on a desktop computer.

Under the EU law called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), states that in order for your child to use Seesaw, we have to obtain your consent and that in signing a consent form you are allowing the app to use your child’s name in order to be able to associate learning like photographic evidence of work, videos or voice recordings with their account. Seesaw only uses this information to provide the service and doesn’t advertise in Seesaw, create profiles of students, or share or sell your child’s personal information or journal content.  You can read more about their strong privacy promises online at https://web.seesaw.me/privacy

1: Once teachers have received consent for each pupils they will create a class where each student gets their own journal stored in the cloud.  Parents will then be emailed a link of how to access this class and link to their pupil journal.

2: Pupils & teachers then add examples of learning, like photos, videos, or drawings and pupils can also add voice, text or drawing annotations to an item.  At Alaw Primary group photos of pupils will be shared inline with the signed  parental agreements in addition to   photographic and video examples of individual pupil work.

3: Teachers approve new journal items which are then shared with parents and carers via the app.

4: Over time, Seesaw builds an organised, digital portfolio of each student’s learning, accessible via iOS app or on the web.  It is not shared with anyone else as each child has their own individual unique journal.

If you have any further questions regarding Seesaw - please contact the school.

If you are NOT accessing SEESAW on a weekly basis, please can you contact your teacher on the email shown below - Many thanks for continued support.

Dosbarth Coch and Oren - Miss Mason

PritchardH72@Hwbcymru.net

Dosbarth Gwyrdd – Miss Pritchard

WatsonK11@Hwbcymru.net

Dosbarth Glas – Miss Watson

TraceG@Hwbcymru.net

Dosbarth Fioled- Mr Trace

Eye to Eye Young People’s Counselling Service

We are still providing a free and confidential online and telephone counselling service. If you are aged 10-25 and live in RCT you can either Call: 01443 202940 /07541783767

or email: info@eyetoeye.wales

www.eyetoeye.wales

Eye to Eye Young People’s Counselling Service/ Gwasanaeth Cwnsela ar Gyfer Pobl Ifanc-Eye to Eye

https://www.eyetoeye.wales/

https://www.facebook.com/eyetoeye.wales/

https://www.instagram.com/eyetoeyewales/

https://twitter.com/EyeCounselling?lang=en-gb

Beddau CEC

Bryn Celynnog School/Safle Ysgol Bryn Celynnog

Penycoedcae Road/Heol Penycoedcae

Beddau

Pontypridd

RCT

CF38 2AE

Tel/Ffon 01443 202940/ 0751 4038101

Wellbeing Packs, provide a summary of advice and useful links on key theme for parents, professionals and young people with supporting videos being uploaded to the RCT and Merthyr Facebook pages. 　

We hope you are all staying safe and well in these unprecedented times.

In order to protect everyone involved in the personal data sharing aspect of the Covid19 pandemic, we have produced and attached a Privacy Notice to cover the safeguarding and wellbeing calls being made from school staff to pupils.

Stay Safe. Stay Learning - Links to Advice and Support
Stay safe. Stay learning - Distance learning support
This area is changing daily; check back regularly for updates for resources and support available for:
• Senior leaders
• Practitioners
• Parents and carers

Safeguarding is still everyone’s responsibility

Status and Update of Safeguarding Arrangements during COVID-19

The Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board (CTMSB) is a statutory partnership made up of the agencies that are responsible for safeguarding children and adults at risk in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg area. 

During these unprecedented times, safeguarding children and adults at risk remains a priority throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend. In order to ensure that safeguarding functions continue, the Regional Safeguarding Board and its partners have been working to implement revised operating models which enable us to comply with Government advice and still provide a safeguarding service and response within the region. 

National and regional updates are provided on a regular basis via the Safeguarding Board’s website.  The website also contains information, advice and resources for professionals and those within the community on how to respond and stay safe during this pandemic:

We ask everyone, that during these uncertain times, that you please be vigilant and look out for friends, families and neighbours and if you see any signs at all that you think they may be experiencing any type of harm, please report your concerns on the numbers below:

§  Rhondda Cynon Taf (Adults) - 01443 425003

§  Rhondda Cynon Taf (Children)- 01443 425006

§  Merthyr Tydfil - 01685 725000

§  Bridgend (Adults) - 01656 642477

§  Bridgend (Children) - 01656 642320

Opening Hours:

§  Monday - Thursday: 8.30am - 5.00pm

§  Friday: 8.30am - 4.30pm

§  Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays: Closed

Out of Hours Emergencies

To contact social care services outside office hours, at weekends and bank holidays, contact the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Emergency Duty Team on 01443 743665(this covers RCT, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend).

If you suspect a person is at immediate risk of harm call 999 and speak to the Police.

Finally, the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board Co-Chairs would like to thank all those incredibly hard-working key workers throughout our partner agencies who are helping to ensure our communities remain safe and that people are safeguarded.

Nessy Online Reading and Spelling

As a school we have been looking at ways of supporting your child with their reading and spelling, but in a more individualised way, whilst they are home learning. We have been given access to an online learning platform called Nessy.

The programme allows your child to do a quick quiz in reading and in spelling to assess what phonics or spelling patterns need to be worked on. The quiz keeps going until 5 questions are wrong. It then highlights which games your child should play to help develop them, exactly where they are.

This is a highly regarded online platform and when used daily for 15 minutes can really improve reading and spelling. The children find it great fun too! Currently this is being offered free for schools, although to access this we need your email address so that you can authorise their accounts.

If you are interested, please respond to the announcement sent on Seesaw to your families with the email address you’d like us to use and we’ll send you the username and password.

Many thanks.

Alaw Staff

Coronavirus Advice & Information for Parents

You can help to slow the spread of Coronavirus.

Make sure you and your children follow these general principles to prevent spreading any respiratory virus:

Wash your hands often – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or an alcohol-based sanitiser if soap and water aren’t available.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

If you feel unwell, stay at home and don’t attend work or school.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home.

If you’re worried about your symptoms, please call NHS 111 – don’t go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment.

For the latest information from the NHS Wales website, please visit https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/

Department for Education Coronavirus helpline - this helpline has been set up to answer questions about the virus related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline.

Phone: 0800 046 8687

Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk

Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

Stop germs spreading with our fun
e-Bug resources

You can help stop germs spreading by using our range of fun lesson plans on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.

KS1: Horrid Hands
KS1: Super Sneezes
KS2: Hand Hygiene
KS2: Respiratory Hygiene
KS3: Hand Hygiene
KS3: Respiratory Hygiene

These resources are on the e-Bug website.

social story that may work for older pupils:

https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemics-and-the-Coronavirus.pdf