Welcome Back and Covid Guidance

September 2021

Dear Parents, Carers and Families,

We are really excited to be welcoming our students back to school over the next few days. You should have received information about the start of school times 

Up to one third of people who have coronavirus are asymptomatic. By running our testing programme, we will help to reduce the spread in school and college settings through asymptomatic transmission. I am therefore strongly encouraging those returning to Farnborough Spencer Academy to resume their twice weekly lateral flow testing.

Plan for testing

• Following the initial on-site tests, students will be able to collect their home test kits and continue twice weekly testing at home. 

What if my child tests positive?

• If a pupil tests positive on a lateral flow device, they will need to self-isolate immediately and a PCR test ordered. The PCR test should be taken within two days of the positive LFD test. If the PCR is also positive, follow guidance from NHS Test and Trace and continue to self-isolate. 
• If the PCR is negative the pupil can stop self-isolating and return to school.
• Should a PCR not be obtained the pupil should self-isolate for 10 days from the result of the positive lateral flow test.

What happens if the test is negative? 

• Students who test negative will be able to stay in the Academy and resume their activities as normal. 

What if staff or students have been in close contact with someone in the Academy who tests positive?

• NHS Test and Trace will work with the positive case and/or their family to identify close contacts. We are no longer doing this as an Academy. You may be contacted to help with this.
• You are not required to self-isolate if you live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, if any of the following apply:

• you are fully vaccinated
• you are below the age of 18 years and 6 months
• you have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial
• you are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons

• You will be advised to take a PCR test. We encourage everyone to take a PCR test if advised to do so. Whilst waiting for the PCR test result, you can attend the Academy as normal. 

What if my child develops symptoms?

• If your child develops symptoms (including a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste) they must immediately self-isolate and book a test by calling 119 or visiting https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test. 
• We will support our staff and students, but please contact us if you have any questions. 

Should I still take part in the asymptomatic testing programme if I have recently tested positive for COVID-19?

• If a child has tested positive on a PCR in the last 90 days they should not participate in the return to school testing, as there is a risk it could display a false positive result. 

Other COVID measures

• We continue to encourage good hand hygiene and ventilation measures in the Academy. After that though, things are starting to look a little more “normal”. We no longer require students to wear masks, but they can do so if they would like to. 
• We are also continuing with our policy of students moving round the Academy in a calm quiet manner. This supports students’ safety in the corridors, but it also supports reduction in risk in where contact is close.

We are ready, should we need to, to reintroduce stronger measures (this includes the reintroduction of face masks in the Academy, or asking different year groups to keep apart at social times. We hope that this will not happen but we need to be prepared. I am grateful for your support at this time.

I will send another letter next week, with more information about the start of term and our examination results from the summer. We have much to celebrate

Yours faithfully,

Graeme Smith

Principal