It is really important that families let us know if a child has tested positive for COVID-19 by contacting the school office school@georgetomlinson.waltham.sch.uk as soon as possible. The school email is checked daily and a member of the school team will contact you for more details.
We will need to know the following information:
- when your child was last in school
- any symptoms and date of that symptoms started
- date of test and result and if the test was lateral flow or PCR and
- any likely close contacts for your child.
September 2022 update
If pupils or staff test positive they should try to stay home and avoid contact with others if they have symptoms of a respiratory infection and a high temperature, or if they feel unwell.
Those with a positive test result will be advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people:
- Staff for 5 days
- Pupils for 3 days
(returning to school when they feel well enough, and no longer have a high temperature)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms in children
Children and young people aged 18 and under can get coronavirus (COVID-19), but it's usually a mild illness and most get better in a few days. Please do not send your child to school if they are unwell.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:
- a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- shortness of breath
- feeling tired or exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
The symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu.
What to do if your child has symptoms
Your child should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and they either:
- have a high temperature
- do not feel well enough to go to school, college or childcare, or do their normal activities
They can go back to school, college or childcare when they feel better or do not have a high temperature.
- Those with a positive test result will be advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people:
- Staff for 5 days
- Pupils for 3 days
- Both pupils and staff should try to stay home and avoid contact with others if they have symptoms of a respiratory infection and a high temperature, or if they feel unwell (returning to school when they feel well enough, and no longer have a high temperature)
If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school, college or childcare.
Encourage your child to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, and to wash their hands after using or throwing away tissues.
Most children who are unwell will recover in a few days with rest and plenty of fluids.
Help from NHS 111
Get help from NHS 111 if you're worried about your child or not sure what to do.
What to do if your child seems very unwell
Children and babies will still get illnesses that can make them very unwell quickly. It's important to get medical help if you need it.
Urgent advice:Call 111 or your GP surgery if your child:
- has other signs of illness, such as a rash, as well as a high temperature (fever)
- has a high temperature that's lasted for 5 days or more
- does not want to eat, or is not their usual self and you're worried
- has a high temperature that does not come down with paracetamol
- is dehydrated – for example, nappies are not very wet, sunken eyes, and no tears when they're crying
Immediate action required:Call 999 if your child:
- has a stiff neck
- has a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it (use the "glass test" from Meningitis Now)
- is bothered by light
- has a seizure or fit for the first time (they cannot stop shaking)
- has unusually cold hands and feet
- has pale, blotchy, blue or grey skin
- has a weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their usual cry
- is drowsy and hard to wake
- is extremely agitated (does not stop crying) or is confused
- finds it hard to breathe and sucks their stomach in under their ribs
- has a soft spot on their head that curves outwards
- is not responding like they usually do, or not interested in feeding or usual activities
At school we continue to have the following in place to keep children, staff and our families as safe as possible:
- Regular hand washing and encouragement of good hand hygiene
- Classrooms well ventilated - door and windows open as much as possible
- CO2 monitors in classrooms to measure levels of CO2 in classrooms without outside door access
- face coverings for adults in all communal spaces are no longer DfE guidance. Some school staff continue to wear face coverings in communal areas and when meeting parents and carers.
