As the Government began relaxing restrictions in England from Monday 29th March 2021, the four-step roadmap begins to offer a route back to a more normal life. This will allow people to make their own informed decisions about how to manage the virus. All legal limits on the numbers meeting indoors and outdoors will be removed. All businesses will be allowed to re-open, limits lifted on named visitors in care homes, and no restrictions on the number of people attending concerts, theatre and sporting events. There will be no rule on social distancing, and the legal obligation to wear a face covering will end (although you may choose to wear one). The government will no longer instruct people to work from home, and no COVID-19 certification will be required as a condition of entry to any venue or event. The virus will continued to be managed through a test, trace and isolate system that is proportionate to the pandemic.

While we must all remain vigilant - in particular against the threat from new COVID-19 variants - and continue to protect the NHS, a safe exit from lockdown can begin. It will take place in four steps; and at each step, the Government plan to lift restrictions across the whole of England at the same time. The Prime Minister's statement at coronavirus press conference: Monday 12th July 2021 can be read here.

From Monday 16th August 2021, unvaccinated young people up to the age of 18 years and 6 months and fully vaccinated adults, are no longer required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19. Those identified as a close contact will be informed by NHS Test and Trace that they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. We strongly encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so. There is no requirement to self-isolate while awaiting PCR test results and so individuals can attend their setting as usual.

Children and young people who attend an education or childcare setting and who have been identified as a close contact, should continue to attend their setting as normal. 18-year-olds will be treated in the same way as children and young people until 6 months after their 18th birthday, to allow them the opportunity to get fully vaccinated. At which point, they will be 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.

The Government have updated the frequently asked questions on changes to contact tracing of close contacts and self-isolation. These can all be found on the document sharing platforms for primary and early years, secondary schools, further education and higher education and children’s social care.

I must reiterate, both I and the Governors of Fair Acres Federation hold the safety and well-being of our children, their families and our staff of paramount importance. Any decision to make a partial or full school closure, the reintroduction of face coverings, individual temperature taking and the one way system may need to be brought back into operation for a temporary period in response to particular localised outbreaks, including variants of concern. This decision will be made based on local and national data, and with the guidance of Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive

Your continued support and kindness has been greatly appreciated during the past 18 months and we look forward to continuing to work with you. I have written a set of frequently asked questions which are attached to this update and are also available to download further down this page.

Kerri Grummell

Headteacher

	FAF Covid Contingency Feb 2022	[docx 196KB]
	Coronavirus (COVID-19) Contingency Plan Fair Acres Federation	[docx 1MB]
	Risk Assessment Covid 19 Schools FAF Sept 2021	[docx 58KB]