Balfron Matters

Dear colleagues,

I hope that you are all safe and well after the adverse weather that Friday morning brought. Massive thanks to everyone to made it into school and helped supervise and support Neil and Claire with organisation. Thanks to everyone for providing remote learning for our pupils in school and at home.

New Isolation Rules

Thanks for your patience and vigilance in working through the new isolation guidelines that started on Thursday. It can be a bit confusing given changes and updates. For staff the key things to note are:

• Changes refer to new positive cases that have been diagnosed from midnight on 5th January 2022.

• Positive cases (from LFD) are advised to isolate for 10 days. A PCR is no longer required if you are not symptomatic - just begin isolation.

• However, if you test negative on day 6 and day 7 LFD tests (taken at least 24 hours apart), you may leave isolation if you have no fever after the day 7 test.

• A PCR should still be booked if you do have symptoms and isolate until outcome of test is confirmed.

• Close contacts who are fully vaccinated (3 doses), can take daily LFD tests for 7 days instead of isolation - provided they are negative and without symptoms can return to work

• Those close contacts who have not been vaccinated or are partially vaccinated should book a PCR, and even if negative, isolate for 10 days.

I very much appreciate your input in school constantly reinforcing expectations with young people - the reminders to wear face coverings properly, to sanitise and to keep their distance. I will not be able to tannoy during prelims so do please keep reinforcing this.

Please note that regular cleaning and fogging programme continues in the background thanks to our Bellrock colleagues.

Have a great week.

Elaine