Yavneh College students self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19
Headteacher Spencer Lewis confirms a number of Year 13 pupils are self-isolating and 'most are with very mild symptoms'
Yavneh College has written to parents and students after a number of Year 13 pupils tested positive for Covid-19, just days before the new term was due to begin.
In an email seen by Jewish News, headteacher Spencer Lewis said “most are with very mild symptoms” and are now self isolating.
He said: “These students and their contacts will be isolating and not returning to school until after the appropriate period of isolation.”
Lewis added that the school had consulted with Public Health England, outlining that “anyone who has tested positive must isolate for 10 days from the date symptoms began” and that “after 10 days, students can return to school providing they do not have a temperature.”
The letter added: “If a student has had contact with someone who has tested positive, they must isolate for 14 days from the point of contact.”
The headteacher also told parents and students: “I understand that there have been some recent year group gatherings/parties; if a student was at that party the advice from PHE is that they are deemed a contact and they are now required to isolate.”
Lewis told Jewish News: “There are some Yavneh College pupils who currently need to isolate and who will not be able to start school on time next week. Most of these pupils were in direct contact with the few who have tested positive and all I am pleased to say, have only mild symptoms.
“We will soon be contacting those pupils who are isolating with details as to how they can access and complete their school work while they are away from school.”
News of an outbreak among Yavneh College students comes just days before students are due to return.
Year 7 pupils are scheduled to return tomorrow (Thursday), with Year 12 on Friday and the rest of the school back from next Monday.
Yavneh College has been approached for comment.
Earlier this week, Jewish schools including Yavneh, JFS, JCoSS and Hasmonean announced that all staff and students would be required to wear masks in corridors, but not in classrooms.
This comes after the Government issued guidance for students returning to classrooms outlining that masks are not compulsory, but rather at each school’s discretion.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
