COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan

These procedures are applicable to all

Governors, staff, associates, volunteers and Student Teachers,
all pupils in the School, including those in an EYFS setting,
plus any other visitors, guests and hirers of the School’s facilities.

As the Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic moves away from stringent restrictions on everyone’s day-to-day lives, towards advising people on how to protect themselves and others, alongside targeted interventions to reduce risk - the School must have outbreak management plan in place which outlines how the School would operate if there were an outbreak within CHS or the local area.

Symptoms:  Immediate Response Procedures

Pupils, staff and other adults should follow public health advice on when to self-isolate and what to do.  They should not come into school if they have symptoms, have had a positive test result or other reasons requiring them to stay at home due to the risk of them passing on COVID-19 (for example, they are required to quarantine).

Staff Developing Symptoms

If staff develop COVID-19 symptoms whilst in school, however mild, they should either inform their Line Manager, a member of SLT, HR, or First Aid straightaway, and go straight home and follow public health advice.   For everyone with symptoms, they should avoid using public transport.

The Line Manager, HR Manager and/or SLT will need to ensure that the Cover Team is made aware to cover any staff absences as soon as possible.  The Line Manager should be alerted to other staff in their team displaying symptoms and be prepared to act swiftly.

The HR Manager or SLT member will make contact with the symptomatic person -  requesting that they email or telephone the HR team to inform them of the outcome of the test result.  Line Managers should ensure that plans are put in place to work from home (where appropriate), and communication and support plans should be agreed.  If a member of staff cannot work from home, options of sick pay or other leave can be discussed with the HR Manager.

Pupils Developing Symptoms Whilst in School

In the event that a pupil in School develops COVID-19 symptoms, staff should take the following action:

• Either take them directly to the isolation room or sit them in an area near an opened classroom door which is at least 2 metres away from other people.
• Contact First Aid on 0161 488 3347 or by radio.
• Reassure the pupil and make them as comfortable as possible.
• Make sure all the windows are open.
• Keep your distance from them until First Aid arrives.
• If they are coughing, provide them with tissues and ask them to cough into the tissue which should be put in the bin.  They should try to avoid touching people, surfaces and objects.
• Wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds after any contact with someone who is unwell.

If not already there, First Aid will come and collect the pupil from the classroom and take them to the isolation room, along with any belongings they have brought in from home - including their own water bottle.

One member of the First Aid team will supervise any pupils with symptoms.  PPE (apron, mask and gloves) should be worn by staff caring for the pupil while they await collection if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained.

First Aid will inform either the Junior School Office team or Main Reception Attendance Team to contact parents of the pupil and either their Head of School or Head of Year as soon as possible. The Head of School / Head of Year and Student Managers /Class Teacher should be alert of other pupils in the bubbles displaying symptoms and be prepared to act swiftly.  The Head of Year / Student Manager will also need to liaise with academic departments to ensure appropriate home learning is in place.  

Parents in the Senior School will be directed to come to the Tower Stairs Entrance, parents in the Junior School will be directed to the Junior School to collect their child. First Aid will advise them of the next course of action in terms of self-isolation and testing - requesting that they email or telephone the First Aid team to inform them of the outcome of the test.

First Aid will also ensure that the SLT is aware of any suspected COVID-19 cases.

Once the pupil is off site, the First Aid team will sanitise the area that they have been using, and the Cleaning Team will be called to clean and disinfect the isolation room and toilet.  All PPE and rubbish will be placed in yellow clinical waste bags.  (See Covid-19 Emergency Cleaning Procedures (when someone has symptoms).

Reporting COVID Related Absences

Where a child is required to self-isolate or quarantine because of COVID-19 in accordance with relevant legislation or guidance published by PHE or the DHSC they should be recorded as code X (not attending in circumstances related to coronavirus).

Where they are unable to attend because they have a confirmed case of COVID-19 they should be recorded as code I (illness).

Further guidance about the use of codes is provided in the school attendance guidance.

Staff should follow the normal sickness absence procedure and should provide a self-isolation note which is available from https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/ or the NHS mobile phone app.  Further details will be on the HR pages of the Staff Site.

Testing and Responding to Positive Results

Testing is widely available and remains an important tool in reducing the risk of transmission of infection.

Asymptomatic testing

All Senior School pupils are offered on-site lateral flow device tests on their return to School in the Autumn term.  Pupils should then continue to test twice weekly at home until the end of September, when this will be reviewed.

Staff should undertake twice weekly home tests whenever they are on site until the end of September, when this will also be reviewed.

Confirmatory PCR tests

Those with a positive LFD test result should self-isolate in line with the stay at home guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. They will also need to get a free PCR test to check if they have COVID-19.

Whilst awaiting the PCR result, the individual should continue to self-isolate.

If the PCR test is taken within 2 days of the positive lateral flow test, and is negative, it overrides the self-test LFD test and they can return to school, as long as the individual doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms.

Tracing close contacts and isolation

Close contacts of positive cases will be identified via NHS Test and Trace and they  will work with the positive case to identify close contacts.

Contacts from school will only be traced by NHS Test and Trace where the positive case specifically identifies the individual as being a close contact. This is likely to be a small number of individuals who would be most at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of the close contact.

From 16 August 2021, children under the age of 18 years old will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.  Instead, children and their parents will be informed they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. Those over 18 are subject to the same rules as adults and so if they choose not to get vaccinated, they will need to self-isolate if identified as a close contact.

If someone thinks they have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, but they do not have symptoms and have not been told to self-isolate, they should follow advice on how to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19.

Outbreak Management

If there is an outbreak in School or within the local area, the School may be advised to temporarily reintroduce some control measures. Depending on local circumstances these could include:

• reintroducing ‘bubbles’ for a temporary period, to reduce mixing between groups.
• reintroducing face coverings to temporarily be worn in communal areas or classrooms (by children, staff and visitors, unless exempt). The Government has removed the requirement to wear face coverings in law but expects and recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
• Consideration of work from home for staff wherever possible.

SLT will convene an Outbreak Management Team to review what measures will be stepped up, and how these will be implemented and communicated.  Procedures will temporarily be adjusted and staff, pupils and parents will be informed.

The School Risk Assessment will be regularly reviewed and updated as the circumstances and any public health advice changes and measures will be put in place to monitor whether the controls are effective and working as planned.

Remote Learning

For those pupils who are required to stay at home for a COVID-related absence, but are well enough to attend lessons remotely, the protocols and safeguarding measures detailed in the Safeguarding Procedures must be in place.  

SLT member responsible:

Head

Governor sub-Committee responsible:

Safeguarding, Compliance & Pupil Welfare Committee

Date of approval:

August 2021

Proposed review date:

August 2022

Primary policy:

Health and Safety Policy 

Other related policies and procedures:

Equality and Diversity Policy        

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures

To view previous versions of this document please email enquiries@chschool.co.uk