Dear Parent/Guardian,

We hope you all had a relaxing half term. Following the COVID-19 update from our Prime Minister over the holiday period, we wanted to confirm how this affects your son/daughter at Saint George Catholic College. A summary of updates is below.  All students are being informed about this in assemblies this week.
 
Self-Isolation Period Ends: Students and Staff
There is now no legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test. Children who test positive will continue to be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least 5 full days, and then continue to follow the guidance until they have received 2 negative test results on consecutive days up to 10 days. If you are still testing positive on day 10 you should return to school. Therefore, please can I stress that although it is now not a legal requirement that students isolate if they test positive for COVID-19, we can take the decision to refuse the student on site at school if, in our reasonable judgement, it is necessary to protect other pupils and staff from possible infection with COVID-19.
 
Contact tracing now also ends. Therefore, contacts will no longer be required to self-isolate or advised to take daily tests. Staff and children can attend their education settings as usual. This includes students who have been in close contact within their household.
 
Saliva Testing/Asymptomatic Testing
You will be aware that there is now no requirement for staff and pupils in mainstream secondary schools to continue taking part in regular asymptomatic testing. However, many students and staff may be apprehensive about this. Therefore, while the offer of free saliva testing is still available until June, we will continue to offer it and ask that your son/daughter continues to submit a sample on a Tuesday and Friday morning. This will help to ensure we are doing all we can to keep us all safe and limit any further impact of COVID-19.
 
Face Coverings
As you will be aware, from before half term there was no requirement for students or staff to wear a face covering, however your son/daughter can continue to wear one and we will review this at Easter.
 
If you have any questions please ask. Thank you once again for all your support during the pandemic. We are incredibly proud of all our students; their positive attitude and resilience has kept us all going and I am sure will stand them in good stead for the future.
 
Kind Regards,
 
Mr. James Habberley
Head Teacher
Saint George Catholic College
Leaside Way
Southampton
SO16 3DQ
 
Telephone: 02380 322603
Mobile: 07900455991
Email: head@stgcc.co.uk