YOU SHOULD BOOK A TEST IF YOUR CHILD HAS:

a high temperature, or

a new continuous cough, or

a loss of or change to your

sense of smell or taste

This means they feel hot to touch on their chest or back (you do not need to measure their temperature).

This means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more episodes in 24 hours (if they usually have a cough it may be worse than usual)

This means they've noticed they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

If your child DOES NOT have symptoms of COVID-19 but has other cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, they do not need to be tested and they or members of your household do not need to self-isolate.

Your child can attend school if fit to do so.

What to do if…

Action needed

Back to school…

My child has COVID-19 (coronavirus) symptoms*

• Child shouldn’t attend school
• Child should get a test
• Whole household self-isolates while waiting for test result
• Inform school immediately about test results

…when child’s test comes back negative and symptom free for 48 hours

My child tests positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus)

• Child shouldn’t attend school
• Child self-isolates for at least 10 days from when symptoms* started (or from day of test if no symptoms)
• Inform school immediately about test results 
• Whole household self-isolates for 14 days from day when symptoms* started (or from day of test if no symptoms) -even if someone tests negative during those 14 days

…when child feels better, and has been without a fever for at least 48 hours

They can return to school after 10 days even if they have a cough or loss of smell / taste. These symptoms can last for several weeks once the infection is gone.

What to do if…

Action needed

Back to school…

Somebody in my household has COVID-19 (coronavirus) symptoms*

• Child shouldn’t attend school
• Household member with symptoms should get a test
• Whole household self-isolates while waiting for test result
• Inform school immediately about test results

…when household member test is negative, and child does not have COVID-19 symptoms*

Somebody in my household has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus)

• Child shouldn’t attend school
• Whole household self-isolates for 14 days from day when symptoms* started (or from day of test if no symptoms) -even if someone tests negative during those 14 days

…when child has completed 14 days of self-isolation, even if they test negative during the 14 days

NHS Test and Trace has identified my child as a ‘close contact’ of somebody with symptoms* or confirmed COVID-19 (coronavirus)

• Child shouldn’t attend school
• Child self-isolates for 14 days (as advised by NHS Test and Trace)–even if they test negative during those 14 days
• Rest of household does not need to self-isolate, unless they are a ‘close contact’ too

…when the child has completed 14 days of self-isolation, even if they test negative during those 14 days

We / my child has travelled and has to self-isolate as part of a period of quarantine

• Do not take unauthorised leave in term time
• Consider quarantine requirements and FCO advice when booking travel
• Provide information to school as per attendance policy

Returning from a destination where quarantine is needed:

• Child shouldn’t attend school
• Whole household self-isolates for 14 days –even if they test negative during those 14 days

…when the quarantine period of 14 days has been completed for the child, even if they test negative during those 14 days

We have received advice from a medical / official source that my child must resume shielding

• Child shouldn’t attend school

Contact school as advised by attendance officer / pastoral team

• Child should shield until you are informed that restrictions are lifted and shielding is paused again

…when school / other agencies inform you that restrictions have been lifted and your child can return to school again