I am writing to inform you that this morning I tested positive for Coronavirus and I am consequently self-isolating for 10 days in line with Public Health guidance. As Principal, I have chosen to wave my right to anonymity and make staff, learners, parents, and carers aware of this.

I am currently working with Public Health England (PHE) and with the Department for Education (DfE) to take the necessary steps to ensure that all staff and learners are safe. In line with the advice issued by PHE, anyone that had ‘Direct Contact or Close Contact’ with myself from Thursday 22nd October 2020 must isolate for 14 days. Please see the definition of ‘direct contact’ and ‘close contact’ below:

Direct contact without PPE:

• being coughed on, or
• having a face-to-face conversation within 1 metre, or
• having unprotected skin-to-skin physical contact, or
• travel in a small vehicle with the case, or
• any contact within 1 metre for 1 minute or longer without face-to-face contact.

Close contact without PPE:

• Extended close contact (between 1 and 2 metres for more than 15 minutes) with a case.

I have already been in contact with several staff, parents and learners that I believe I have had ‘direct contact’ with and instructed them to self-isolate.

We have worked swiftly to identify staff and learners that need to self-isolate through examining my movements, diary commitments and meetings I have had with individuals. These individuals have been or will shortly be contacted via a text with a link to a letter notifying them to self-isolate for 14 days.

Whilst I appreciate that this will be unwelcome news for some of our learners and their parents/carers, please be assured that our Distance Learning Programme will be implemented for all learners who are having to self-isolate. These learners should log onto Microsoft Teams to access their learning for all subjects so that they can continue to access high-quality provision.

If you have not been contacted by the academy, then you should continue to come to school as normal on Monday 2^nd November 2020. If however, your child thinks that they may have had ‘direct contact or close contact’ as stated in the definition above, then please email helpline@beaconhillacademy.org.uk.

Yours sincerely

Mr S Dhami

Principal