Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ

FAQ

1. When can my son/I return to School?

First, see our timetable for mass testing in Appendix 4 below. It is not possible to test all pupils in one day, so the first round of tests is staggered over three days. Provided pupils test negative, they will return to their usual in-school timetable on Thursday 11th March. The second and third tests will be conducted once boys are back in lessons. Prior to their return on 11th March, boys will continue to have their lessons online, although on the day a year group has its first Covid tests, live lessons on MS Teams will not take place: teachers will instead be able to set tasks on eQE.

2. What happens on the day of the first test ?

Boys should attend at the School site at their appointed time (which will be sent to them in due course). They should arrive at the Main Gate on Queen’s Road wearing School uniform and a face covering. The testing process will be fully supervised by trained staff and volunteers, and boys will be kept socially distanced. The result will be received from the NHS by text and/or email shortly after the test is processed. Boys should return home immediately after their swab is taken. They will not need to wait on-site for the result. We hope that the whole process should not take more than 30 minutes.

3. How will home testing work?

Families will be provided with home testing kits via the School for twice-weekly home testing. These tests will include the necessary operating instructions, as well as details on how to log the test and the result with the NHS Test & Trace service. These tests will require pupils to self-administer the swab of the throat

and nostril before testing the sample using the lateral flow device. A video showing how to conduct such tests is available here. The result should be read at 30 minutes and reported as positive, negative or void at that point. Results need to be communicated to the School independently, so that we can conduct any contact tracing necessary. All positive test results should be sent to absence@qebarnet.co.uk. Void tests should be repeated once. If two void results are received, a PCR test should be booked. A small in-School testing centre will remain in place to support those unable to conduct tests at home.

4. What if a pupil is not participating in asymptomatic testing?

Whilst it is not compulsory to participate in asymptomatic testing, it is strongly advocated by both the Government and the School, as the higher the uptake, the more effective testing will be at limiting case numbers within the School and at reducing disruption. Asymptomatic testing can help protect your loved ones at home, as well as your friends and peers. Notwithstanding, those not participating in testing should return to School on Thursday 11th March. They will still need to isolate if they are identified as a close contact of a positive case.

5. I thought close contacts were going to be tested, so they wouldn’t have to isolate. Why is that not happening?

The Government had planned for daily rapid testing (using LFD) to replace self-isolation for the close contacts of positive cases. However, public health advice was updated whilst further studies were conducted into the effectiveness of this form of testing; current guidance is that identified close contacts must isolate for the full ten-day period.

Go first to the front office. You will then be told where you should go. (Note that any pupil assisting you should maintain a safe distance). In addition to the medical room, where there will be PPE for first aid staff, other venues have been identified as isolation rooms, or auxiliary medical rooms, so that safe distances can be observed and those with Covid-19 symptoms can be kept separate from those needing medical assistance for other reasons. Seven additional members of staff have been trained

in First Aid to increase capacity.

7. And what if a boy feels unwell or develops Covid-19 symptoms at home?

If a boy develops Covid-19 symptoms, he must not attend School. Our normal absence procedures will be in operation, so absence because of sickness should be reported through the normal channels – by replying directly to the text message sent at 9.30am to the parents of boys absent on a School day, or by emailing absence@qebarnet.co.uk, or by leaving a voicemail on Option 1 of the School’s main system. Prior notice of absences should be made by email. Please be assured that we do fully understand that if pupils, or others in their families, are showing symptoms, they will need to stay at home and isolate. If a pupil is absent for a reason associated with coronavirus, the School should be notified at the earliest opportunity and then kept up to date, so that appropriate support can be put in place.

8. If there is a suspected or confirmed case of Covid- 19 in my son’s form or year group, will he and his classmates be sent home?

Not necessarily. The School will advise, in consultation with Barnet’s Public Health team, and national tracers. The School conducts targeted and risk-based

contact tracing (using the NHS definition of ‘close contact’) on a case-by-case basis to reduce the risk of onward transmission, whilst limiting the number of pupils who need to isolate.

9. If my son develops coronavirus symptoms, can he stay in isolation at School for the rest of the day?

No. Should a pupil display Covid-19 symptoms, parents will be asked to collect him without delay. We recognise that many parents live or work a distance from School, but it is vital that boys (and any brothers, who would also need to go home to begin household isolation) are collected as swiftly as possible.

10. What will happen if a pupil has to isolate?

As in the Autumn Term, pupils and staff isolating at home, but who are themselves well, should join their lessons using MS Teams.

11. Will eQE still be used now?

Although all boys are expected to come back to School on 11th March, we will continue to make use of eQE’s functionality to support in-School learning, drawing on our successful experiences during the two lockdowns. Examples of this will include: teachers sending resources to pupils on eQE for printing ahead of a lesson; boys submitting some work and having it marked via eQE; staff using eQE to issue Merits, Good Notes and Bad Notes electronically; and teachers delivering information virtually, in certain cases where it is still not possible to hold meetings or other events on-site.

12. What about those who are extremely clinically vulnerable?

The Government has expanded the shielding list to include additional citizens identified as being at higher risk. Those on the shielding list – who will have

been specifically contacted by the NHS – should not attend School at the current time and should continue to access lessons online. All other pupils should attend, including those who live with family members who are shielding, taking particular care to ensure they follow the measures in place.

13. Can you travel outside of your local area for School?

Yes. Attending a place of education is one of the exemptions to current travel restrictions.

14. Will extra-curricular activities take place?

Yes. Extra-curricular activities resume, with Covid-19 management measures in place. The exception is actvities in the pool building; this will remain closed until at least 12th April.

15. I am finding things really tough at the moment. What should I do?

The School understands that the mental health and wellbeing of some have been under pressure because of the pandemic and lockdowns. Keeping boys safe and healthy is a priority in our pastoral care. Boys can seek support from form tutors or their Head of Year, while peer mentors are also available to lend a friendly listening ear to younger boys. If parents have any concerns that they would like to discuss with their son’s form tutor or Head of Year, they should contact enquiries@qebarnet.co.uk. Expert external help is available from our School Counsellor, while boys may find the Young Minds site helpful.

16. Do I need to take any special measures when cleaning uniform?

No. All QE uniform, including the blazer, is machine-washable, and maintaining normal standards of cleanliness and hygiene is sufficient. Upper School pupils are responsible for maintaining the hygiene of their suits.