A NUMBER of cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed at schools in Warrington – but parents should continue to send their children to school unless told otherwise.
This was the message from the borough council today as the authority moved swiftly to work with schools to manage confirmed cases of the virus.
Schools and colleges have re-opened for students across all year groups, with safety measures in place to help reduce the spread of viruses like coronavirus.
Cllr Matt Smith, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are aware that there are some confirmed cases in schools and are working closely with school leaders at this time. Our schools have been fantastic in following the guidance and adapting to new ways of working to welcome students back safely.
“We know that for some this will be a worrying time, but we are confident that schools are well-prepared to manage any suspected, or confirmed, cases of coronavirus within school communities. They have all undertaken appropriate risk assessments and have robust plans in place to support and protect students and staff.
“I would like to encourage parents, carers and guardians, unless told otherwise by your child’s school, and providing that they are well and showing no symptoms, to ensure all students attend school as normal.
“It is also vital that everyone continues to follow the government’s guidance on social distancing, good hand hygiene, and wearing face coverings, to keep ourselves and others as safe as possible. If you have coronavirus symptoms, no matter how mild, please ensure you follow the guidance and book a test.”
To manage the risks, schools and colleges have put in place a range of protective measures to ensure classrooms are as safe as possible for everyone. These include:
•Ensuring that everyone cleans their hands frequently – including on arrival at school, when returning from breaks, and before and after eating
•Promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach to ensure good hygiene
•Enhanced cleaning – including cleaning frequently touched surfaces more often
•Staggering school start and finish times to ensure social distancing
•Staggering lunch and break times
•Reducing or removing the use of shared equipment
•Introducing one way systems around buildings – including at entrances and exits
•Managing any suspected or confirmed cases of coronavirus in line with current public health guidance
•Students aged 11 and over must wear face coverings on school or public transport and when asked to do so by their school.
Schools will maintain social distancing as far as is possible, which will support the efforts that families should be making at home to adhere to the national social distancing guidelines.
The government has issued guidance for parents, carers and students about schools re-opening, which can be viewed on the on the government’s website.
For more information about the re-opening of schools in Warrington, visit warrington.gov.uk/education-schools-and-childcare-coronavirus-update
