URGENT CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Covid-19 (Coronavirus)
Daily Update 18th March 2020 (19.00)
- College Closed at End of School on Friday, 20th March
The Prime Minister announced today that all schools in England would close on Friday. This will be “until further notice”, and the Prime Minister gave no indication of possible timescales.
- Setting Work for Absent Students During the Closure
As from Monday, teachers will e-mail tasks and activities to students according to their timetables.
- Public Examinations
The Prime Minister said earlier today that public exams will not take place in May and June, but that students would receive their qualifications and not be disadvantaged. I am trying to stay positive, and cannot imagine what Year 11 and 13 students will be thinking and feeling, but I honestly do not know what this means, except perhaps using teacher assessments of some kind, and hope that some clear guidance comes out very soon.
- College Opening for “Front-Line” or “Key” Workers, and Vulnerable Students
The Prime Minister also announced that schools should remain open next week and through the Easter holiday period for the children of parents who are key workers. As yet, there is no list of what roles are “key workers” other than NHS staff, police, social and adult care workers and delivery drivers. Vulnerable students include those with Education & Healthcare Plans, and those on Free School Meals. Most of our relevant staff who support these children have children of their own, and it is not clear how we would manage this, especially during the holiday. Please await further updates.
- School Transport
Devon has informed us that all school transport will stop as from Monday. This is of relevance to “key workers” and parents of vulnerable children. Again, please await further updates.
6. Status Report, and the situation tomorrow (Thursday 19th March)
Today, student attendance fell to 61.7% We just about had enough teachers and cover teachers to run a full timetable of lessons.
If we have a similar level of staffing, or even a small number less, we should be able to run a full timetable if we combine some classes.
If there is a significant drop in the number of teachers, we would need to ask one or two year groups to remain at home.
If we need to part-close in this way, we will contact parents through our messaging service and via the website at 7.30 – 7.40 a.m.
7.Should I send my child in tomorrow and Friday ?
Yes ! Although students with the symptoms of coronavirus should not be sent in, and should be isolated at home for fourteen days. The specific symptoms are a raised temperature/fever and/or a “new, continuous cough”. This also applies if a member of the family has such symptoms.
Please do not send your child in if you have any doubt about her/his health, especially covid symptoms. Through staff absence, we have a reduced number of First Aiders, and we do not have the facilities to deal adequately with several students simultaneously presenting with possible covid symptoms.
If your child is absent for any reason, please contact Student Absence in the usual way. Please be clear as to whether your child has covid symptoms, or is poorly with something else. If your child has covid symptoms, s/he should be isolated with the rest of the family for fourteen days. If a child presents at school with possible covid symptoms and is sent home, we would expect that the family would follow government advice and self-isolation.
KEY LINKS AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION
The following link is the government’s advice to schools, last updated on 16th March.
Guidance to Educational Settings About Covid-19
The next link is Devon County Council News Centre: Health and Wellbeing (Coronovirus advice) page:
Devon CC News Centre – Health & Wellbeing – Coronovirus advice
Department for Education Coronavirus helpline:
Phone: 0800 046 8687 Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)
Should you have any specific queries regarding Covid-19 and Clyst Vale, please call the main switchboard on 01392-461407 and ask for Mrs Ann Hopkins (College Manager).
Thank you once again for your support and understanding at a very challenging, rapidly-changing and worrying time. We will continue to do our best for your sons and daughters, but it will be in a very different, evolving and remote way.
Kevin Bawn, Principal