Covid

We have had no positive cases in the community since the last bulletin.

Lateral flow testing

If your child has completed three tests in school, you should now have received the home testing kits. Please continue to test twice weekly during the Easter holiday and register the results online. If you would like your child to be able to undertake Lateral Flow (Rapid) testing, please complete and return the online form  giving permission for testing in school.  Once three tests have been completed we can supply you with home testing kits for your child.

If your child does test positive please notify the school by emailing jrigby@meadowhighschool.org or texting 07851 254 246 up to and including Monday 5th April.  

Please include:

• your child’s name

• the date when symptoms first appeared

• the date of the confirmed COVID-19 test result

• their last day in school.  

We will inform other parents by email if their child has been a ‘close contact’ and is required to self-isolate.  

For clarity, if your child tests positive for COVID-19, having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted in this case.  Please follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.

What is the point of these tests?  As reported in the news and in our experience at school, many children do not show the typical symptoms associated with Coronavirus or may in fact have no symptoms at all. In these cases there is a HIGH RISK of the child infecting other children and the adults around them. By taking these tests, most children who have Coronavirus will be detected. If the child and family then isolates this will stop the spread of the virus.

Please consider giving permission for your child to have three tests in school and to then have home testing kits.

Timetable

From Monday this week pupils resumed their timetable with their subject specialist teachers. They are remaining in their tutor rooms for the majority of lessons and are only moving to other rooms when they are taking a streamed or option subject.

Summer School

At the end of the summer term we are handing over the main school building to the build team. In addition, there will be a significant amount of building work about the school site.  In light of this, we are unable to offer any Summer School provision this year.  We will advertise other local provisions that you would be able to access for your child.

Assembly

This week we focused on World Down Syndrome Day. It was great fun to have so many staff and pupils wearing odd socks to show our support and everyone learned a lot about the fact that we are all different and how we can support one another.

World Autism Awareness Week

Next week we are raising awareness of Autism as part of World Autism Awareness Week. Pupils can wear any blue clothing to school (any shade of blue) on the last day of term (31st March) and this can be teamed with other colours if desired.  Many of our young people have heard terms like Down Syndrome, Autism etc, but they don't really understand what they mean or how they possibly relate to themselves and others around them.  Raising awareness through the World Awareness days is invaluable as it allows open discussion, appropriate curiosity and safe discussions. 

If you would like to learn more please visit:

https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money/world-autism-awareness-week/waaw-schools

https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/about/campaigns/world-downs-syndrome-day/

End of Term

Term ends on Wednesday 31st March at 2pm and we look forward to welcoming pupils back to school on Monday 19th April for a 9am start. 

Best wishes for a lovely Spring weekend!

Mrs J Rigby
Headteacher