Welsh Government published the
Public Health Advice for Schools: Coronavirus on the 5
th of May 2022. This brings schools and education settings into line with other sectors in Wales in terms of public health advice and Covid-19.
Although many of the measures that were in place in previous academic years have now been removed, there is still a need to do everything reasonably practicable to ensure health, safety and welfare of individuals, hence, certain measures including risk assessments, hand and respiratory hygiene, ventilation and following Welsh Government’s guidance for self-isolation continue to be in place. Additional measures are implemented as and when required, based on local circumstances and advice and guidance from Welsh Government and Public Health.
A checklist has been provided by Welsh Government to help schools identify additional measures that could be considered dependent upon local circumstances - checklist-public-health-control-measures.pdf (gov.wales).
View Frequently Asked Questions published by Welsh Government which cover a variety of areas relating to operational arrangements in schools.
Additional information is provided on the Welsh Government’s website - https://gov.wales/coronavirus
Anyone with any of the three key symptoms of Covid-19 should not attend school but should follow the self-isolation guidance and arrange to take a lateral flow test. Tests can be ordered online through the NHS website at gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests or by calling 119 between 7am and 11pm (calls are free).
The three key symptoms of COVID-19 are:
- a new, continuous cough
- fever or high temperature
- a loss of or change in, sense of smell or taste
Self-isolation and Examinations
Welsh Government guidance on self-isolation has been updated to include those sitting examinations - Self-isolation: guidance for people with COVID-19 and their contacts | GOV.WALES
Please could parents/carers/learners ensure that learners sitting examinations have LFTs available at home so that any symptomatic learners can quickly undertake a test and urgently contact their school in the event of any positive test result.
Guidance relating to examinations has also been produced by the WJEC and JCQ and the links are below:
Attendance
There is well documented evidence and correlation between positive attendance and learner outcomes. School attendance is compulsory. Welsh Government have advised Councils they can reintroduce the use of fixed penalty notices for non-attendance at school where the threshold is met and requests will be considered from schools from the 9th of May 2022 onward.
Further detail can be found in the FPN Code of Conduct in RCT and the school’s attendance policy.