Letter from the Director of Education

Dear Parents/Carers

From September 2021, Welsh Government introduced a new framework that sets out the arrangements for delivery of learning in Schools. This guidance includes the actions school leaders should take to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in our schools. On Monday 13 September 2021, Dr Keith Reid, Executive Director of Public Health for the Swansea Bay region (Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Local Authorities) indicated that the Regional Incident Management Team (IMT) considers that the level of risk in Swansea Bay is currently equivalent to the “High” rating on our schools framework. This decision has been communicated to our schools and extra measures are now being put in place across all our schools.

Covid has not gone away in our region or in Wales and levels of infection are now as high as December 2020. Schools are not themselves a high risk, but we are asking them to take steps to help prevent the continuing spread of the virus in the wider community.

If your child develops symptoms of COVID -19 (a new continuous cough, fever or high temperature or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste), your child should not go to school, self-isolate (stay at home) and arrange a test. If they cannot be tested or they test positive symptomatic individuals need to self-isolate for a minimum of 10 days from the start of symptoms.

Amongst the control measures that schools will be considering are:

• not holding large group gatherings such as assemblies or concerts
• the use of one way systems within the school building
• using outdoor spaces where possible
• Floor signage
• Physical distancing and seating plans in place in classrooms. This may include forward facing desks depending on room capacity and risk assessment, recognising that this may not be possible with younger children or with learners that require one to one support.
• Twice weekly LFD testing available for staff and secondary learners to help identify and isolate asymptomatic cases as soon as possible.
• Face coverings should be worn by secondary aged learners when moving around indoor communal areas outside of the classroom. Face coverings continue to be needed on school transport.
• Face coverings should be worn by staff and visitors in schools when moving around indoor communal areas outside of the classroom, such as corridors, where physical distance cannot be maintained.

Any schools, based on their risk assessment, can put additional mitigation and control measures in place as they see fit and we ask that you support our headteachers and their staff with this.

We are asking everyone to continue to wash your hands regularly, to avoid heavily crowded places and remember that fresh air is important so if you are out socialising, meet outdoors if you can.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Thomas

Director of Education, Leisure & Lifelong Learning