Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Examinations & Assessments

Examinations

Click here for information regarding Centre Assessed Grades in 2021.

General Information

Coronavirus (COVID-19) information

Coronaviruses are a group of related viruses that can cause respiratory tract infections. The COVID-19 is a particular strain of the coronaviruses. Those infected with the virus may either be asymptomatic (experience no symptoms) or can develop flu-like symptoms such as:
· a cough
· a high temperature
· shortness of breath

But these symptoms do not necessarily mean you have the illness. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.

If any person in a household has a persistent cough or fever, everyone living there must stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days. These people should avoid leaving the house.

What is coronavirus? The different types of coronaviruses

Who is at risk of serious illness?

How does the coronavirus cause illness?

 

Further Advice

Further advice

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is now available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Parents and students can contact this helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

Where to find the latest information:

• Updates on COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
• Travel advice for those travelling and living overseas: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
• Latest Department for Education information: https://twitter.com/educationgovuk https://www.facebook.com/educationgovuk/
• Public Health England: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england
• Department for Education: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
• UK Government: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response
• Ofqual: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual
  
  
• Information for parents and carers about the closures of schools and other educational settings:
  • Closure of educational settings: information for parents and carers
  • Guidance for schools, childcare providers, colleges and local authorities in England on maintaining educational provision
  • Closure of educational settings: information for parents and carers
• DfE: Further details on exams and grades announced
• JCQ Response to the Department for Education’s Statement
• Coronavirus travel guidance for education settings

Support for children and young people:

Provider	Support available
Children’s Commissioner	A downloadable guide for children and young people about the coronavirus, including proactive advice to support mental wellbeing.
PHE	Rise Above is a website co-created and produced by young people. It aims to build resilience and support good mental health in young people aged 10 to 16. The content has been adapted to COVID-19 and includes new mental health content based on insights from young people remote schooling.
NHS	NHS website NHS.UK mental health information section signposting to Every Mind Matters and a range of helplines hosted by voluntary community organisations.
NHS	NHS Apps library helps people find apps and online tools to help manage their health and wellbeing. We are working closely with NHSX to rapidly review apps for children and young people’s mental health and make them available via this apps library. For example, Think Ninja is an app specifically designed to educate 10-18 year olds about mental health, emotional wellbeing and to provide skills young people can use to build resilience and stay well. It has been adapted to COVID-19 to bring self-help knowledge and skills to children and young people (10-18 years old) who may be experiencing increased anxiety and stress during the crisis.
NHS	NHS mental health providers, including children and young people’s mental health services (CYPMHS), are continuing to operate and many have already transitioned to delivering elements of care digitally to help maintain continuity of care and make best use of resources.  For NHS mental health support, children and young people or their parents or carers can contact their GP or refer to NHS 111 online. Local CYPMH services will also have information on access on their websites. Self-referral options are commonly available and many services offer single points of access. This means there is a single set of contact information through which all queries and referrals are channelled through. Find out more about children and young people’s mental health services here.
NHS	For those in mental health crisis, most parts of England have a helpline to access support. You can find out the number to ring for your local area at nhs.uk.
NHS	Children and young people who are caring for someone with a mental illness can self-refer to the NHS Volunteer Responders programme using this link if they are having issues shopping for food or picking up prescriptions.
Voluntary and Community Sector	Children and young people can access free confidential support anytime from Government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations by texting SHOUT to 85258, calling Childline on 0800 1111 or the Mix on 0808 808 4994. For support with an eating disorder, children and young people can ring Beat’s Youthline on 08088010711. Children and young people can also find online information on COVID-19 and mental health on the Young Minds website.
Schools	School nurses continue to have and maintain contact with children and young people, focussing on key public health issues such as mental health and supporting vulnerable groups including young carers. Mental health and wellbeing is also a core part of the new RSHE curriculum. Some schools will offer additional support from counsellors, an NHS Mental Health Support Team or a voluntary and community sector organisation such as Place 2 Be.
Local support	Most council websites have great information about COVID-19 mental wellbeing support, including community and neighbourhood support.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding

We are aware the Coronavirus national emergency will cause all sorts of strains and anxieties in families and in the community. We would like to make you aware of the following services to help and support your sons/daughters whilst isolating at home:

• You can contact school if you have safeguarding concerns for your own children or are aware of risks to other children. This includes any type of abuse (physical, emotional, neglect or sexual), child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, domestic abuse, alcohol or drug misuse. In the event of any safeguarding concern, please contact Chris Gibson directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• You can also choose to self-refer or anonymously report a concern to Worcestershire Children’s First on 01905 822666 (out of hours 01905 768020).
• Kidderminster Food Banks can be contacted on 01562 746600, if you need that support. However, please be aware that these services are currently under strain. We also have a stock of sanitary towels in school for student use. Please contact Chris Gibson if required.
• Students who are young carers will be under great strain. If we are aware of young carers, we will contact them directly. If anyone else becomes a young carer, please contact us for support. Please be aware we expecting some of these services will be very strained during this period so some patience may be needed. However, if you are struggling, please contact us and we may be aware of alternative choices. Information will be updated as we find out more.
• We have compiled a useful list of resources that should help to inform you about how to keep you or your children safe. Many of these websites and services have been updated specifically to advise students and parents/carers on keeping safe during the school closures. You can access these by following this link.

E-Safety

During the school closures, we are aware there will be a strain on you to supervise your children. Please make sure you are checking laptops/PCs/tablets and phones and that parental controls and privacy settings are set on social media. It is advisable that you do regular checks to ensure your sons/daughters are safe online.

• We have compiled a useful list of resources that should help to inform you about how to keep you or your children safe online. Many of these websites and services have been updated specifically to advise students and parents/carers on keeping internet safe during the school closures. You can access these by following this link.
• "Think You Know" have produced new activity packs with simple 15 minute activities you can do with your child to support their online safety at a time when they will spending more time online at home.
• If you feel your child is at risk or you know something has happened, please contact CEOP (Child Online and Protection Agency) on https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/ or use the Report Abuse button which you can search on Google.
• If there are serious cyberbullying issues ring 101 and a PCSO will assist.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is a particularly anxious time for everyone. There may be a strain on students’ mental health and wellbeing during the school closures. We have compiled a useful list of resources that should help to inform you about how to look after your, or your child’s, mental health and wellbeing. Many of these websites and services have been updated specifically to advise students and parents/carers during the school closures. You can access these by following this link.

Asymptomatic Testing

Asymptomatic Testing

How to do your test

Report a result to the NHS test and trace service

We have been asked by the Department for Education to implement a testing programme when the students return to school. We fully support the programme as we can see that it will potentially reduce the disruption that has been caused previously by the required self-isolation of positive contacts. For further information please follow this link to the Four Stones Multi-Academy Trust website.

When will my child receive their home test kits?
Students will be given their test packs during their morning tutor time. Pupils will be required to sign for these upon receipt of them. Please note that we can only distribute the home testing kits to the students where consent has been received.

When does my child need to test?
Students should take their tests on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

What happens if my child does not take the test?
If they forget, please encourage your child to take the test on the next evening. The days we have suggested tie in with staff tests days, and allow for us to act upon any positive results in a timely manner. If results are not submitted for test kits we have issued, we will not be able to issue further test kits. If your son/daughter is struggling to take the tests at home, we have an on-site testing centre that is available with a trained member of staff who can assist. The on-site testing centre is on the Hillgrove site (in the medical room) and is open from 3.15pm-4.00pm on a Monday and Thursday. Please contact via email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you think your son/daughter will require this service.

What happens if my child’s test result is positive?
Staff and pupils 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 the pupil can return to school, as long as the individual doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms.

Individuals are not 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, and any of the following apply:
• they are fully vaccinated
• they are below the age of 18 years and 6 months
• they have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial
• they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons

Further guidance on self-isolation can be found at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment.

How long will we continue to receive home testing kits for?
Home testing kits will continue to be provided for as long as we are instructed by the Government. If your child does not receive their home testing kit, please inform This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Covid-19 home testing kits for households of school children
Covid-19 home testing kits are now available for households of school children and members of support and childcare bubbles. These can be ordered direct online and for collection locally. Please see the www.gov.uk link for more details.

A negative test result does not remove the risk of transmission. In some cases, someone who has tested negative may still have the undetected disease and be infectious. It is therefore essential that everyone continues to follow good hygiene and observe social distancing measures regardless of whether they have been tested. If someone develops symptoms (high temperature, new continuous cough, loss or change in sense of smell or taste) they still need to book a PCR test via the national website or by calling 119.

Testing of both staff and students is offered free of charge.

Vulnerable students and children of critical workers

Vulnerable students and children of critical workers

During school closures the advice to all parents/carers is that: if it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be. If someone in the household, or in the childcare support bubble, is not a key worker then they should be caring for the child. However, if a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker and cannot arrange alternate childcare, then educational provision will be available for them.

In the event of school closures, the following provision will be put in place:
- All students will be located on the Hillgrove site. Students in Years 7 and 8 will be in the 6th form study room and students in Years 9-13 will be in TP1 and TP2.
- We do not have to keep the students in year group bubbles due to the duration of the closures.
- Students are required to wear their school uniform.
- Students will need to bring in their own equipment (as they would on a normal school day) and also a pair of headphones.
- Students arrive from 8.30am and go to their allocated location.
- Students have a break at 11.00am-11.20am. They will need to bring their own snack/drink.
- Students have a lunch break at 12.20pm-12.55pm. They will need to bring their own packed lunch into school as the catering facilities are not available. Students that are eligible for free school meals have been allocated food vouchers to support.
- When in lessons, students should access MS Teams for their daily tasks. This includes watching any videos, narrated PowerPoints and virtual lessons for Year 12 and 13. Students also can access their work booklets and textbooks where required. This is the same provision that the students working at home receive.
- We insist students and members of staff continue to be mindful of the safety measures in place including regular hand sanitising, improved ventilation and air circulation, wearing of face coverings when moving around site and maintaining a social distance at all times.
- Students will finish at 2.55pm.

If your son/daughter requires access to this provision then please contact the school via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please note that it may take us around 24 hours to confirm that your son/daughter has secured a place.