Teacher tests positive for Covid-19 at Exmouth Community College

An Exmouth Community College teacher has tested positive for Covid-19, the college's principal has told parents.

Community college principal Andrew Davis has written to students and parents to reassure them that measures are being taken at the college to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

The member of staff concerned had been teaching key worker and 'priority children' on Friday (July 10) but has no contact with any other group of children.

The teacher had not shown any signs of coronavirus and presented as asymptomatic. The case is similar to another recent case at the college, where the student concerned also presented as asymptomatic.

All the students taught by the infected staff member have been told to isolate for 14 days and not return to the college this week. The students' parents and carers have also been told to isolate themselves.

Below is the letter sent to parents by the college's principal Andrew Davis.

"I am writing to inform you on that on Sunday afternoon we were contacted by a member of staff who had just tested positive for Covid.

"The member of staff concerned had taught our Key Worker and Priority children on Friday 10th July. However, had not been in College since the 3rd July when they had also taught these children.

"Public Health England (PHE) have been contacted. The member of staff presented in College as asymptomatic and therefore, according to Public Health England, presents as a lower risk since they were not coughing or sneezing.

"The member of staff had only taught Key Worker and Priority children and had no contact with any other student group.

"The parents and carers of all the students they taught are currently being contacted to advise that they now need to go into isolation for 14 days and not return to College this week. As different student groups are taught separately from each other, and have different breaks and lunchtimes, only those students taught by this member of staff will be asked to self isolate.

"To reassure you the Year 10 sessions, Year 12 sessions, Key Stage 3 1:1 and Year 10 1:1 sessions and Key worker/Priority student sessions all take place in different areas of the College with students not allowed to go from one area to the other. Therefore, only those students taught by this member of staff need to self-isolate and all those potentially affected have now been contacted.

"The member of staff has also given us a list of the staff with whom they had socially distanced conversations with during the day. According to PHE, unless these staff show symptoms, or the conversations were face to face, then these staff are able to return to work where required on Monday. However as a precaution, we will be advising them to remain at home for the week.

"To further reassure you, given the range of measures put in place to help keep students safe, transmission within school is far less likely than when out and about within the community, for instance, when using shops, parks, skatepark or the beach.

For students we have:

-Staggered starts.

-Regular hand washing.

-Supervised staggered breaks and lunches.

-One way systems.

-Areas for different groups to socialise.

-Regular cleaning of equipment such as chairs, tables, PE kit, keyboards between each student use,

well ventilated rooms.

-Small student groups which we keep as consistent as we possibly can given the numbers of -key worker children varies daily.

-Year 10 and 12 teaching groups are by invite only so that groupings can be managed.

-Students are supervised by staff between lessons to maintain social distancing as far as possible.

-Staff and students are briefed each day at the start of the sessions to remind them about the importance of the safety measures in place.

"We are pleased to report that the member of staff is feeling well. If you have any worries or concerns please do not hesitate to get in touch with us."