COVID 19 Frequently Asked Questions
Please note the school follows guidance as directed by the DfE and Public Health England, as such guidance is constantly checked and updated in accordance with the School’s COVID Risk Assessment.
My child has a new or continuous cough / fever / loss of smell or taste, can I send them to school?
No, if your child has any of the recognised COVID symptoms as identified by Public Health England please keep them at home, ring 111 or your GP and follow their advice. You may be asked to arrange a PCR test. Please email admin@devonshirehill.haringey.sch.uk with a reason for your child’s absence including the advice 111 or a GP provided to you. If you are advised to take your child for a PCR test, please inform the school office of the result.
My child has a fever but tested negative, can they come into school?
No, if your child has a fever but has also tested negative, we ask that they stay at home as they are unfit for school. Your child needs to be able to maintain a normal temperature without the aid of paracetamol/ibuprofen for 24 hours to be able to return to school.
Can I use a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test or Rapid Antigen (RA) test for my primary school child?
Yes, Lateral Flow Device (LFD) testing is now recommended to children under the age of 12 and should be used as a preventative measure in the outbreak management response for primary schools starting from reception age (4 years old). New evidence has emerged suggesting that LFD tests are more than 80% effective at detecting any level of COVID-19 infection which is much higher than previously thought. For this reason, the DfE are now recommending the use of LFD tests more routinely within schools as they are a useful public health tool for limiting the spread of the virus but must be used ONLY by those showing no symptoms of COVID-19.
One or both parents have tested positive, and my child has tested positive on a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Test? Do I send them to school?
No, children who have tested positive on an LFD must stay at home and arrange for a PCR test immediately (regardless of having already had a negative PCR test result). Students – from reception age or above – who lives with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and are not showing symptoms, should in addition to arranging a PCR test also take an LFD test every day for 7 days while they continue to attend school or work – testing should start from when the first person in the home tests positive as household transmission is very likely to happen. If at any time the student becomes symptomatic, they must stay at home and arrange for a PCR test immediately (regardless of having already had a negative PCR test result).
What do I do if my child tests positive for COVID?
Please advise the school office.
Is Public Health informed of a positive case in the school?
Yes, a member of the Senior Leadership Team will inform Haringey Public Health of all positive cases within the school. If there are multiple cases within a class/year group, the Public Health team will advise the school as to whether further action including a class/year group isolation may be required. No personal details are shared, only numbers of cases and their year groups.
A child in my child’s class has tested positive, but my child has tested negative, does my child have to isolate?
No, in line with updated Public Health advice, if there has only been a single case within a class, and the school have identified close contacts to the positive case, the school will ask close contacts to take an LFD test as soon as it is possible to do so – and repeat the LFD test 3 days later. PCR testing for close contacts would also still be advised.
A child in my child’s class has tested positive, and my child has tested positive, does my child have to isolate?
Yes, please follow the advice in question 3 above.
My child has tested positive and is now isolating what remote learning be provided for them?
Your child’s class teacher will be informed that they have tested positive for Covid and will not be in school for the agreed isolation period in accordance with NHS guidance. The class teacher will contact you by email or phone to explain how to access Oak National Academy and which areas to focus on whilst they are isolating and well enough to access learning.
My child is very ill with COVID – are they required to complete Oak National Academy work?
No, if your child is unfit for schoolwork, they are not required to complete online work. Once they are fit again and if they are still in isolation, they will then be expected to access the Oak National Academy work in line with the teacher’s recommendations.
How will I be informed about positive cases in school?
You will only be informed about a positive case in your child’s class/year group. Information will be sent by text message and followed up with an email via the school’s ParentMail communication system. All necessary information will be within the communication from school.
We have come back from abroad and are required to isolate what should I do?
You will need to inform the school office if you have been abroad and are unable to return to school due to an enforced isolation. Please email the school office about your child’s isolation period inclusive of the return date. You need to include the reason for isolation e.g. is it enforced by government guidelines (amber or red countries) or your child has symptoms (report as child unwell for school). The class teacher will inform you of work to be completed on Oak National Academy and a member of the school office will contact you.
A member of the family or a close contact has tested positive, does my child still need to isolate?
No, please refer to the information in question 4. A member of staff may contact you for further information.
Can my child attend school if they are awaiting the results of a PCR test due to close contact?
Yes, if your child does not have any COVID 19 symptoms as identified by Public Health and they are well, they should attend school.
If your child has any of the COVID symptoms as identified by Public Health or is unfit for school, they should NOT attend.
