After the flurry of emails from me, in addition to the inevitable rumours and speculation during the past two weeks regarding Positive cases of Covid, I thought it might be helpful to you if I provided a summary of where we are.

What we do know:

• Since Tuesday 3 November we have had 15 students and one member of staff tested Positive.
• The breakdown for students is as follows:
  • Year 11: 11
  • Year 12: 2
  • Year 13: 2
• All Year 11 have been absent from College and isolating since Thursday 5 November
• Year 12 and Year 13 have had periods of absence as directed by Contact Tracing
• 26 staff members deemed to be Direct Contacts have been isolating for varying periods of time while awaiting their second test
• All Year, 12, 13 and staff have been tested - 50% of our entire population
• The College was deep cleaned on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November
• Unless directed to isolate, Year 12 and Year 13 students are already back in College
• Year 11 return to College on Monday, unless they have been told to isolate
• For those students and staff isolating, learning & teaching has been continuing online

What we don't know:

• If your daughter is already isolating and receives a Positive test, we will not be contacted by Contact Tracing. This is because the student is already not in College and has not been for a period of time. Therefore, please contact us so we know the reason for the absence and can support her.
• Absence: absence is only authorised if your daughter has to self isolate, is shielding or has COVID. Online learning will be provided.

Reminders from Contact Tracing:

• If someone is designated to be a Direct Contact or a potential DC, they are told to isolate immediately, await a test and remain isolated until they receive a negative result of Day 5 and Day 8.
• If someone is designated to be an Indirect Contact, they are offered a test as precautionary measure though there is no obligation to do so. They do not need to isolate or wait for the test result.
• If you are unsure call Tel. 445566
• Further information can be found at gov.je

I have been immensely proud of the manner in which our students and staff have adapted quickly and calmly to changing situations. I am also grateful to our parents for your many messages of support. We have had teachers in school, standing alone in their classroom, teaching their entire class online. We have had entire classes sat in their classrooms being taught by the teacher who is online. We have had classes where some students are physically present and others are online. It has tested our ingenuity and I am deeply impressed by how everyone has risen to the challenge and calmly found solutions. As an example, our poignant Remembrance ceremony on Wednesday had contributors from five locations, both in and out of College.

Equally, I know there is anxiety in the air. We all feel this. I am anxious too as are our young people. But they look to us to tell them that it will be ok, that you can never avoid risk completely in life, that they do have the most incredible futures ahead of them and that we will always do our very best for them.

Take care,

Carl Howarth