CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

Details of our response to the outbreak, latest news and advice for how to keep the School community safe.

Cardiff Steiner School take our responsibilities very seriously and are adhering to the guidance of Public Health Wales and Welsh Government advice for education settings. We hold regular meetings to adapt as the situation changes and ensure we keep our students and staff safe. We’re managing our response in a way that is proportionate, calm and informed by the latest advice. We update this page regularly as the situation changes and/or as we implement changing measures to keep our community safe. Please do contact us for any questions you have about our response to Covid-19, we’re very happy to talk with you.

LATEST ADVICE

04 Jan 2022

All our pupils are back in School for face to face learning from Friday 7 January 2022. Please see the latest Update on Omicron and our Covid-Safe Measures at School so you can help the School be as Covid-safe as possible and help safeguard the whole School community.

We provide Lateral Flow Tests from Class 6 (Year 7) up (see letter for details). The advice is now for pupils to take these 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 

We have a full risk assessment in place following the ‘Welsh Government Operational Guidance for Schools and Settings’, and ensure social distancing, ventilation and cleaning and hygiene measures, both in the classrooms and around the School.

There is more information for parents regarding measures in Schools with FAQs in the Welsh Government’s ‘Schools: coronavirus guidance’

We make judgments based on our particular school context about how to balance and minimise any risks from COVID-19 with providing a full educational experience for your children.

The guidance is kept under constant review and always follows the latest scientific advice.

What happens during a lockdown?

Our Learning Continues… We have been open in building throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to nursery age children, children of essential workers and vulnerable pupils. As needed, our pupils are able to move to online learning with our ‘Beyond the Classroom‘ programme – an effective learning programme that honours our curriculum; ensures all pupils are able to engage and progress in skills and interest with individual needs supported; and keeps the indispensable human connections alive between us. As the whole world has adjusted and changed during the pandemic, we have looked on this as an opportunity to apply creative solutions and keep alive a tangible sense of the School to which we all belong. See more about our Beyond the Classroom‘ programme.

Qualifications

We offer the Certificate of Steiner Education (NZCSE) in our Upper School. The  structure of the NZCSE, focused on ongoing assessment, means it is particularly well suited to adapt to the current times. Our Upper School Students were all able to successfully complete and achieve their NZCSE Level 2 and 3 certificates in July 2020 and July 2021. We are in regular contact with SEDT, who manage the NZCSE to ensure our Upper School pupils can continue with their qualification without disruption.

LATEST UPDATES

04 Jan 2022

Update on Omicron and Covid-Safe Measures at School for the new term from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

30 Nov 2021

Update on Omicron and Covid-Safe Measures at School   from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

1 Sep 2021

Welcome Back and Update on Covid-Safe Measures at School  from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

19 April 2021

Reminder and Update on Covid-Safe Measures at School  from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

12 Mar 2021

Letter to Parents re Lateral Flow Tests  from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

06 Mar 2021

Update on Return to School Plans following Welsh Government Announcement for Schools on 3 Mar  from College, School Management Team and Trustees

22 Feb 2021

Update following Welsh Government Announcement for Schools on 19 Feb  from College, School Management Team and Trustees

8 Feb 2021

Update following Welsh Government Announcement for Schools on 5 Feb  from College, School Management Team and Trustees

5 Jan 2021

Update following Welsh Government Statement for Schools  from College, School Management Team and Trustees

2 Jan 2021

Update on School Return in January  from College, School Management Team and Trustees

11 Dec 2020

Update following School Announcements from College, School Management Team and Trustees

8 Sep 2020

Caerphilly New Restrictions Update (updated 18.30) from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

3 Sep 2020

Return to School Letter Sep 2020 from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

10 July 2020

End of Year Thank You and update from College, School Management Team and Trustees

26 June 2020

Classes Information for Coming Back into School 

Kindergarten Information for Coming Back into School 

22 June 2020

Risk Assessment from Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager and Health & Safety Lead

17 June 2020

Transition Programme from 29 June to 10 July from College and the School Management Team

9 June 2020

Update following Welsh Government proposals for schools  from College, School Management Team and Trustees

19 May 2020

Welsh Schools and Covid-19 Latest Update  from College, School Management Team and Trustees

8 May 2020

Welsh Schools and Covid-19 Update from College, School Management Team and Trustees

19 April 2020

Wellbeing and Safeguarding Briefing for Parents from Miranda Knight

3 April 2020

Check In and Update from College and the School Management Team

23 March 2020

Update on Learning in the Classes from the Teaching Team

20 March 2020

Update and School Plans

18 March 2020

Update from College, the School Management Team and Trustees

17 March 2020

Class 6/7 Theatre Trip Cancellation Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager

17 March 2020

Update for Kindergarten Parents Anna Podesta and Gail Chester, Kindergarten Teachers

13 March 2020

Coronavirus: School Measures and Update Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager

28 February 2020

Coronavirus Infomation to Parents Miranda Knight, School Administrative Manager

REPORTING SYMPTOMS

Your Child

Do NOT send your child to School if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.

The most important symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of any of the following:

  • a new continuous cough
  • a high temperature
  • a loss of, or change in, your sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

If your child develops one of these symptoms they should follow the self-isolation guidance and you should apply for a coronavirus test. Please email the test result to the School.

If you are unsure if your child’s symptoms are COVID-19 or cold-like symptoms please use the symptom checker

Omicron is presenting with the same symptoms as a bad cold – headaches, sore (or scratchy) throat, runny nose – so if your child starts experiencing these the advice is to take a lateral flow test immediately and act on the results appropriately. If the result is negative your child can go to School if they are well enough to do so.

Other household members

If you or other household members have COVID-19 symptoms or have received a positive test result, please report your symptoms and/or result to the School.

WHO TO CONTACT

Parents and pupils should contact the School to:

Report any symptoms, and associated absence:

Nicola Robinson – Administrative Officer:

Ask any questions or to share any concerns:

Miranda Knight – School Administrative Manager /Designated Safeguarding Lead/ Health and Safety Lead

WELCOME BACK

A short video [03:02 min] we prepared for pupils to watch and get a feel for what returning to the building would be like for our return in June 2020.

VISITING US

Based on the risk level in the UK, we have increased precautions in our Admissions processes to ensure the safety of our students and teachers.

Prospective parents are able to visit on online Virtual Visits or to visit the School in person by prior arrangement.

Group visits are kept to individual or very small groups and we ask all visitors to confirm that they are not displaying symptoms before they visit and to observe our ‘Reducing Risk’ advice below on any visit.

If you are concerned that you may be displaying symptoms, please follow the Welsh Government’s self-isolation guidance arrange to take a test and do not attend the School.  See ‘Who To Contact’ in order to speak to us about arranging a private tour on another date in the future.

Thank you for helping us take all the appropriate precautions at this time. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

AFFECTED AREAS

If you are travelling abroad or returning to the UK,  get advice including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s advice page

REDUCING RISK

The Welsh Government has published guidance on how to reduce the risk from coronavirus in education settings.

To help stop the virus from spreading:

  • wash your hands for 20 seconds often – with soap and water, or use alcohol sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if handwashing facilities are not available. This is particularly important after taking public transport.
  • cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin.
  • pupils, students, staff and visitors should wash their hands :
    • before leaving home
    • on arrival at school
    • after using the toilet
    • after breaks and sporting activities
    • before food preparation
    • before eating any food, including snacks
    • before leaving school
  • avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
  • all secondary aged children (Class 6/7 up) and staff are asked to take 3 lateral lateral flow tests a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, kits are provided by the School
  • arrival and departure are at staggered entrances
  • pupils, parents or staff who display signs of the main COVID-19 symptoms should follow the self-isolation guidance, apply for a coronavirus test, and email the test result to the School
  • secondary aged pupils are reminded to remain socially distanced as far as possible
  • the School ventilate as much as possible
  • students from Class 6/7 upwards must bring a face covering to School and wear this except when socially distanced and static in a classroom (unless they are exempt). Staff are advised to wear face coverings where social distancing is not possible
  • Welsh Government Guidance for Schools asks parents to wear face coverings at pick up
  • hand washing or sanitising, and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces and desks takes place as needed. Enhanced disinfection of toilets and bathrooms takes place daily. All food waste and food wrapping from snacks and lunches are taken home at the end of the day

USEFUL LINKS

There are a number of additional resources that you may find useful for further information on the coronavirus, the Government and international response and how best to talk about the outbreak with your children. Links to these can be found below:

WHO: HAND WASHING

BBC: TALKING TO CHILDREN

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