Education introduces package of enhanced measures before start of new term Education has announced a package of enhanced measures that will be in place when the new term begins next week. These measures have been developed in consultation with Public Health and are designed to support the priority objective of keeping educational settings fully operational and therefore minimising any disruption to young people’s education. While there might be slight variations at each setting depending on their specific circumstances and operational needs, the suite of measures includes: • All students and staff are asked to ensure they have negative LFTs on the day before they return to their setting and on the morning of each of the first three days of term. • Schools may implement changes to drop-off and pick-up times to stagger the number of people on-site at any one time. • Classroom bubbles will be re-introduced for primary schools (last in place earlier this year. • Classroom bubbles will be introduced for KS3 (secondary school years 7-9). • Face coverings are strongly recommended in classrooms for secondary and post-16 students, with additional outside breaks worked into the school schedule. • No off-island trips will take place this term • No on-island trips from one school to another • No school-run extra-curricular clubs or activities for the time being Schools will contact parents and carers to provide further information relevant to the implementation of these measures at their child’s school. Parents and carers are also asked to continue wearing face coverings when on school grounds, and we thank everyone for the excellent take-up of this last term. Routine surveillance testing 2 Staff and all students from primary school age upwards are asked to continue taking LFTs twice a week (on Tuesdays and Thursday) before attending in the morning. Consideration had been given to increasing the frequency of this but it was felt twice a week would guard against testing fatigue while also helping to manage the island’s stock of LFTs. Attending education settings while in enhanced passive follow-up Students who have been diagnosed as a positive case are able to return to school on day 7 following a negative LFT on day 6 and day 7 and as long as they are symptom-free; however they are only permitted to attend core educational provision until they are out of enhanced passive follow-up. This means that they should not attend any club, group or activity during this period of enhanced passive follow-up. Staff are also able to attend if they are in enhanced passive follow-up provided a risk assessment has been undertaken and appropriate mitigations are in place, including the wearing of a face covering and ensuring teaching spaces are well ventilated. Nick Hynes, Director of Education, said: ‘Towards the end of last term we tried to be upfront with the community and staff that things would look different in January. We need everyone involved in the delivery of education, which includes parents and carers as well as staff, to support us by adapting to what is likely to be a new norm – for the time-being at least - of managing disruption as a result of absences while maintaining our absolute focus of keeping settings open and delivering education. ‘This package of measures is designed to help us achieve that as much as possible. There will be disruption, it is unavoidable, but by introducing further measures specific to education we are trying to minimise that disruption, slow or halt the spread wherever we can so that our young people can maintain their studies. That is our priority while the island as a whole manages the implications of this Omicron wave.’

Early End of Term Arrangements

Please find attached a media release explaining that the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture has agreed that term will finish for States-run primary and secondary schools at the end of the school day on Friday 17th December 2021. This decision has been taken following careful consideration of the pressures of keeping schools operational due to on-going staff and student absence and, importantly, the upcoming Christmas holidays where the risk of families having their special time severely impacted by Covid-19 should be limited as far as possible.

However, all schools will remain open on Monday 20th, Tuesday 21st and the morning of Wednesday 22nd December 2021 for the children of any parent/carer who must continue going to work on those days and for those students invited to attend by head teachers. While schools will be open for some students, formal learning will not take place on these days, however some activities will be provided for all students to undertake either at home or while in school if they are attending over the two and a half days.

In order for us to make necessary operational plans, I would be grateful if you could confirm whether you will require a place for your child/children on each of the two and a half days by no later than the end of the day on Thursday 16th December 2021. You can do this by completing this online booking form:

https://forms.gle/AKospPRRVRGi4dB37

Information about school arrangements for next week will be shared when we have final numbers on Thursday.

Some of our festive arrangements will have to change, and we will move Year 3-6 ice skating to tomorrow (Wednesday 15th). Christmas parties will be held later this week, but I will need to chat to the PTFA and caterers to organise this. More information on this will follow later today.

The arrangements for the return to education following the Christmas period have been discussed with Public Health and they have requested that all students undertake a lateral flow test on the first three days back in school after the holiday on 6th, 7th and 10th January 2022. We would be very grateful if you could make sure that your child/children do the tests with appropriate supervision if required.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.