COVID-19 – Key Information

All students and staff who are attending school during the current lockdown will be regularly tested; the lateral flow test provides an indicative result within 30 minutes

A rapid Covid-19 test involves a simple swab, which the child can administer themselves in their mouth under the supervision and guidance of a trained test assistant.

Participation is voluntary and active consent is required. If you decide that you would NOT like your child to be tested this does not prevent them coming into school. It would mean that if they were confirmed as a direct contact they would have to self-isolate for 10 days as opposed to being given a daily test on site at school for 5-7 days which allows them to remain in school each day if they are negative.

This first round of testing is known as mass testing. This is where we test all members of our school community. To complete the testing process, you must be tested twice, approximately 3 days apart as per our draft schedule.

Following the initial  three tests, students will be issued with kits so they can test twice weekly at home.

Your test result will be shared with NHS Track and Trace and should also be emailed to school covid@prospect.reading.sch.uk

Your child and their household must self-isolate and follow the government guidance linked here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/. They will also be required to complete an additional PCR home testing kit test which is available nationally.

Students will have immediate access to live lessons taught by their teachers with links to lesson resources with instructions of what to do.

Make sure you follow the teacher’s instructions, particularly where you have been asked to send work back to them. This allows them to see how you are doing and provide you with help and advice.

If you are in need of extra help, email your teachers directly.

If you need any other help or advice, contact your form tutor.

We teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate. Therefore, all students will follow their school timetable for each day of lessons. These will be live lessons by their classroom teachers or in some cases another teacher from the same department.

The school day will be followed as if students were on site, 8:30 – 3:15. The day will begin with a tutor session and then followed by the 5 period day timetable including scheduled break and lunch time.

We expect that remote education (this includes remote teaching, either live or through interactive tasks and students completing work independently) to take broadly 5 hours each day.

Students will access their work through Microsoft Teams and all links to lessons will be placed in the individual calendars.

Your child will need their Microsoft Teams log-details. Please contact remoteit@prospect.reading.sch.uk if they do not have these.

They may also be asked to use other platforms such as HegartyMaths and Tassomai. Please contact their subject teacher if they do not have these.

We recognise that some students may not have suitable online access at home. We take the following approaches to support those students to access remote education:

Where needed, students have been given access to a laptop so that they can have access. We are also able to apply for additional data for your child, if you do not have fixed broadband at home and cannot afford the cost of additional data. If you have any questions about this, please email Mrs S McCavish smccavish@prospect.reading.sch.uk.

We will ensure that students needing printed materials receive them; students can return work to the main reception in school periodically to allow teachers to give feedback on their work. Any further resources required will be available during specified pick up times.

We use a combination of the following approaches to teach students remotely:

• Live teaching via Microsoft Teams. The can be accessed through a variety of devices:
  • Laptop/Computer/Chromebook/Mac
  • Mobile
  • Tablet/iPad
  • TV (with appropriate smart adaptation)
  • Games console (Playstation/Xbox)
• Recorded interactive presentations
• Activities to complete using online platforms
• Worksheets to complete

We expect students to get started with work at 08:30am and follow their usual school timetable, including tutor time.

Parents can support in encouraging and praising the work their child is producing. We suggest if possible, parents engage with children at lunch and end of the day to see the work they have done.

If asked by teachers, work is to be submitted for marking/checking through Microsoft Teams. If your child has not attended lessons or has not been submitting work, you/they will be contacted by their tutor or teacher.

We have asked teachers to monitor the engagement of students through the below methods:

• Attendance of students at live lessons on Class Charts
• Setting quizzes which shows teachers your child’s performance
• Checking if students are submitting work as requested by the class teacher

Parents will receive regular updates from their child’s tutor/year progress lead with any questions or concerns. If a child is not behaving appropriately on a live lesson they will be removed and parents informed.

Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children. Our approach to feedback on pupil work is as follows:

• Whole-class feedback during live lessons. This could be done through questioning or self-marked activities.
• Whole-class feedback by providing example answers.
• Quizzes marked automatically via digital platforms
• Verbal feedback throughout live lessons or through MS Teams on work completed

A combination of these approaches can appear in every lesson.

Where engagement and participation is excellent, students will receive online praise cards from their teachers.

We recognise that some students, for example some students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may not be able to access remote education without support from adults at home. We acknowledge the difficulties this may place on families, and we will work with parents and carers to support those students.

Students with a SEND will receive the following provision:

• Access to onsite learning for all those with an EHCP
• Regular calls from a member of staff
• Video calls from any appointments where this is already part of a child’s provision
• Access to a laptop is this is required

Any concerns picked up during a conversation will be passed on to the school Senco, Mr J Birk jbirk@prospect.reading.sch.uk

• Do not come to school
• Contact school daily
• Self isolate
• Get a test

Inform school immediately about test result – your child can return when they have a negative result

• Do not come to school
• Contact school daily
• Self isolate for at least 10 days

Inform school immediately about test result.

Your child can return when they feel better. They can return to school after 10 days even if they still have a cough or other minor symptoms – these can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.

• Do not come to school
• Contact school daily
• Self isolate
• Household member to get a test

Inform school immediately about test result.

Your child can return to school when the household member gets a negative result.

• Do not come to school
• Contact school daily

Self isolate for 14 days.

Your child can return when 14 days of isolation have been completed.

• Do not come to school
• Contact school daily

Self isolate for 14 days.

Your child can return when 14 days of isolation have been completed.

• Do not take unauthorised leave in term time
• Consider quarantine requirements and FCO advice when booking travel https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
• Provide information to school as per attendance policy

Returning from a destination where quarantine is needed

• Do not come to school
• Contact school daily

Self isolate for 14 days

Your child can return to school when the 14 day period of quarantine have been completed

• Do not come to school
• Contact school as required by your Head of House

Shield until you are informed that restrictions are lifted and shielding is paused again