Classrooms have been deep cleaned at John Masefield High School in Ledbury after a Year 12 student tested positive for COVID-19.
Headteacher Andrew Evans confirmed the news in a newsletter to parents at the end of last week:
COVID-19 testing has been working well with students testing themselves in supervised conditions carefully and sensibly. There has been one positive test so far on Monday for a Year 12 student and we were able to rapidly
identify close contacts so that they could self-isolate. Classrooms were deep cleaned and parents of close contacts were notified and they collected their child quickly.
At the time of writing all students have had their second test and older students their third test. All students will have completed their third test by Monday 15 March. We are issuing home test kits with instructions when students have their third test in school. It is important that students and parents read the instructions for home testing carefully, clean the testing area, and wash or sanitise their hands before carrying out the test. After the 30 minute waiting period and results are obtained, students and parents need to log the results twice:
Online with the government test and trace site at www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result
You will also need to inform the school of the result by completing a short form, using this link Student test result reporting form
If a positive result is received, your household will need to self-isolate and you should also immediately inform the school by either phoning Reception or emailing admin@jmhs.hereford.sch.uk as we will need to identify close
contacts and ask them to self-isolate. The letter we sent out on Wednesday and accompanying the home test kits contains detailed instructions about home testing and full guidance in the event of a positive result.
Students should conduct the test twice a week. To maximise the effectiveness of home testing, we recommend that students take one test per week on Sunday evening or early Monday morning before coming to school and their second test on a Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning or evening or on Thursday morning. We appreciate that taking two COVID-19 tests per week at home is an additional imposition on students and families.
However, we would also like to stress that doing this makes an excellent contribution to keeping all students, staff and our community safe. We would like to thank you for your continued support.
Members of households, childcare or support bubbles of school staff and students.
From 1 March 2021, if you are a member of a household, childcare bubble or support bubble of staff or a student (but not a secondary school student, a primary or secondary school staff member), it is recommended you also get 2 tested twice a week, 3 or 4 days apart. You can follow this link to find out how to access rapid lateral flow tests, https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-3/stay-home-stay-safe/13?documentId=900&categoryId=200250 .
