LF Tests for Teachers

Dear Parents / Carers

With the availability of Lateral Flow Tests for staff some of the processes around the isolation of bubble groups and the communication related to that will need be modified. We have been directed to administer the tests at the same time on the same 2 days each week. These will be carried out around 6pm on Sundays and Wednesdays and following Public Health Wales instruction, contacts are traced back 48 hours from the administering of the test.

We will send out any messages required using our texting service. Any 10 day isolation period resulting from a positive LFT test is started pending the result of a confirmation PCR test; these PCR tests are the standard tests administered at official testing centres and are used to validate the LFT result. If the PCR test confirms the positive result, the class will return to school on the 11th day (or soonest day after that if the 11th day falls on a weekend or in a school holiday). If the PCR test is negative the children and relevant staff will be able to return the next school day following the negative result. If the negative result is received early enough in the day there is of course the potential of the children being able to return that same day but this will be responded to on a case by case basis.

This measure has been brought in by the Welsh Government to help identify asymptomatic people and consequently reduce the chance of spreading the virus. There is the potential that there will be more frequent bubble isolations taking place and I appreciate the frustrations this may cause but I would emphasise that some of these might only be for a day or two if the follow-up PCR test is negative. This new measure is in addition to all the other TTP / isolation protocols that we have followed since the return to school which still stand. Therefore, if we are informed at any point in the week outside the normal school day of a positive test returned by one of the pupils a text message will go out as soon as we know and a notification will go on the website of a bubble’s need to isolate. The same will be true if any staff become symptomatic and subsequently return a positive result in between the designated test days.

With the numbers involved and the timeframe with which we will have to work it is not possible to make a phone call to each household to inform you of the need to isolate if this occurs outside of the normal school day. It is therefore essential that you are signed up to our texting service and/or are checking the school website for updates daily.

This continues to be a changeable time and a period of much uncertainty with situations constantly altering - sometimes in the course of a single day - so we need to ensure that we are able to communicate with you all as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you are already signed up to our texting service please make sure that the respective school offices have the most up to date number for you. If you have yet to sign up I would encourage you to do so as it means that you will be receive any news immediately. Notifications will still be posted on the website but the alerts of updates to the site come through each afternoon and if you are only using the website rather than the texting service you will need to check the site each day in case your child’s class has had to isolate.

As yet we have no further information about the return to school for the Key Stage 2 children. As soon as we know anything further we will let you know.

The Federation of Bedwas Junior and Rhydri Primary Schools

Adam AnkinCOVID19, Bedwas, Rhydri