Message from the Headmistress
Dear Parents,
Covid Update
I need to reiterate the requirements regarding testing and the difference between cold symptoms and Covid symptoms and to enable parents to make judgements on whether a child needs testing. Senior pupils are getting confused over why some children are permitted in school (with a cold) and others may be asked to go home possibly symptomatic. Whist we are explaining the rules to them, I am seeking your support to help reassure the pupils. As a school we are following the guidance as set out by the NHS and Public Health England. The continuity of education is very important to us and we are hoping that we can keep this in school rather than online. As yet all pupils who have been tested have been negative.
The detail below reinforces the national stance and is produced from a letter to parents from the NHS:
This is an important note to share some information on how we can work together to make sure we can continue to give children and young people the best education in the safest way possible.
One important part of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of pupils, parents and our communities is testing for coronavirus. We all have a duty to make sure that the right people have access to get tested at the right time. Every time a test is used inappropriately, a person with Covid-19 symptoms may miss out on getting tested.
Therefore, we ask that you all follow these principles:
You should only book a test if your child has any of these three coronavirus symptoms:
- a high temperature: any new high temperature where your child feels hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure the temperature)
- a new continuous cough: coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- a loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste: a noticeable loss of smell or taste or things smell and taste different to normal
Your child does not need a test if they have a runny nose, are sneezing or feeling unwell but do not have a temperature, cough or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste because these are not normally symptoms of coronavirus.
If you are unsure about whether to get a test, please check the official list of symptoms on the NHS website, which is reviewed regularly: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/
Only the person with symptoms should get a test. You do not need to get a test for anyone else in the household unless they also have any of the three symptoms listed above. All members of the household need to self-isolate whilst waiting for the test result.
If the person with symptoms’ test comes back positive, other members of their household should continue self-isolating for 14 days and only get a test if they develop coronavirus symptoms.
If a pupil in a class or bubble tests positive for coronavirus, anyone who is advised to self-isolate does not require a test unless they subsequently develop symptoms.
No one else in the same class or bubble as the symptomatic person needs to take any action unless advised by the school. Schools have detailed guidance and access to a Department for Education and Public Health England helpline for advice and support.
Contacts of a person who has tested positive must follow the guidance carefully and in full, which means they must stay at home for 14 days. This is because it can take several days following contact with an infected person before an individual develops symptoms or the virus can be detected. Students should only book a test if they get symptoms.
The NHS has produced some guidance to help parents understand when their child can and cannot attend school which you may find useful: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
It is vital for children’s learning and future opportunities that they are able to return to school. It is therefore vitally important that all we work together and do our bit to make this possible.
It is important for all of us to mitigate risks in larger society to avoid the possible spread through school children and staff. On Wednesday the government added to its guidance the following additional restrictions:
You will be aware of the changes to government:
- From Thursday 24 September pubs, bars and restaurants will be restricted to table service only and will close at 10pm. Table bookings of more than six are not allowed
- You should work from home where possible. Where homeworking is not possible and in agreement with your employer you should continue as you are
- Face masks are compulsory for bar staff and non-seated customers, retail workers and waiters
- The “rule of six” now applies to indoor organised team sports for over 18s
- The phased re-opening of stadiums for sports events has been paused
- From Monday (28 September) the limit on guests at weddings will reduce from 30 to 15 (further detail below)
- Fines for not wearing face coverings or following rules will increase to £200 for the first offence
We are grateful for your cooperation on all these Covid-19 related matters. Family life and school life is far more complicated at the moment!
Other News
Pop up shop: Raaj from Schoolwear Solutions will be in the hall at 9 Villa Road to deliver online orders or place orders, by appointment on a 1:1 session for 10 minutes, socially distanced on Wednesday 30th September, 4pm-5pm. TEXT Raaj to book a slot on 07728 535853. Provisionally, if there is the demand for the service, Raaj will repeat this every two weeks. We will announce successive dates pending the demand. There is also the online click and collect service- to remind parents our school name is Hollygirt (do you need reminding of this?) and the password is Ivy on www.schoolwearsolutions.com or follow the link from the Hollygirt School website.
Thank you for your donations for the St Ann’s foodbank appeal, as our Harvest giving. We have many supplies.
I am delighted that our Year 7 and new pupils seem to be settling in so well. We had a sudden insurgence of interest following our wonderful Virtual Open Day last Saturday.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend and are enjoying following our lovely curriculum stories on social media… this week the juniors have done some spectacular things!
Mrs Hutley
Headmistress
Message from the Head of Juniors
Click here to view this week’s Stars of the Week
Dear Parents,
As we reach the end of another week, I would firstly like to thank everyone for their generous donations for the Food Bank; I am sure they will all be gratefully received.
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we will be working with Nottingham City Council and the Urban Room on the Broadmarsh Temporary Hoarding Art project; these workshops will begin next week and I am sure the children will thoroughly enjoy them. Please visit https://co-place.org/children to see some of the activities which the children will be involved in.
The children are producing some amazing work and really enjoying their new topics. Please remember to follow us on social media to see just what we get up to in the classroom.
Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Wright
Head of Juniors