14th July 2021

Dear Oldway parents and carers, and staff

These last few weeks have been particularly challenging for all of us.  Cases of COVID-19 have risen sharply within Torbay and across the country and many of us have had to self-isolate due to being a direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. This has caused disruption and challenges for our children moving to remote learning, families juggling childcare and work, and staff working in school who are also parents who have their own children isolating at home.

While we are hopeful that all of our children - and particularly our year 6 children - will be able to attend school until the very end of term, next week could still present with some challenges for our school.  Despite lockdown restriction lifting next Monday 19 July, until 16 August 2021, all children and adults will need to continue to isolate if they have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.  

Attached is a letter from Dr Lincoln Sargeant - Director of Public Health - who has urged all Torbay schools to keep the current protective measures in place for the last week of term to minimise the risk of transmission within school.  This means that until the end of the summer term, we will continue with our staggered start times and year group bubbles so that the children in school do not increase their number of direct contacts.  We want to ensure that all of our children and staff are able to enjoy the start of their summer holiday.

When the children return to school in September, the majority of these protective measures will no longer need to be in place, apart from handwashing, ventilation and regular cleaning.  I will write next week with more information about the autumn term in our Oldway end of year newsletter. 

Thank you for your support throughout 2021-22.

With very best wishes

Mrs Meyer
Head of School
 

Announcement from Torbay Council and Director of Public Health

22 June 2021

The Prime Minister’s decision to delay the further easing of coronavirus restrictions has brought about a review of the events that have been planned for children within Torbay Schools. Our transition events for children moving from early years to primary schools, and year 6 to secondary school, would bring together a number of children that would not normally be in the same bubble.  This type of activity brings additional risks for the transmission of the Covid 19 virus. In consultation with the Local Authority Public Health Team we have taken the decision to cancel our planned events.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant (Director of Public Health) supports this action and thanks all schools for their vigilance to risk assessing all activities and continuing to take difficult decisions that will help to manage the ongoing pandemic.

We are aware of the importance of these transition events in supporting children to feel settled and ready for the next phase of education.  We will continue to review the situation and will aim to offer additional support to pupils in their new school when the roadmap allows.

OUT OF HOURS EMERGENCY CONTACT WITH SCHOOL

If the school office is closed and you need to contact school to report a confirmed, positive test result of COVID-19 for a child in school, please phone the emergency contact number: 07958 205052.