GUST Independent School is closely monitoring the continuing spread of COVID-19. All students and their families are advised to check and follow the official advice from Public Health England (PHE).

As of 24/03/2020: GUST Independent School will be closed. This is for the well being of both pupils and staff. We will update the website regularly. All teaching staff will be available to contact via email during school hours (9:00am-3:00pm Monday – Friday) to support parents and pupils accessing our online curriculum. 

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01/04/2020: The school remains closed however pupils will receive a daily welfare call.

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08/04/2020: The School has uploaded an Online Teaching, Learning and Continuity plan to the policies and procedures page which has online safeguarding advice for parents.

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15/04/2020: We have released an Easter update newsletter - Easter COVID19 Update Letter

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03/08/2020: Updates have been made to our Behaviour and Attendance policies to incorporate government COVID-19 guidance. Read the addendum to our Behaviour policy here and Attendance policy here.

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01/09/2020: GUST has created a school reopening Risk Assessment which is compliant with Government and NCC guidance. This is a record of the specific arrangements in place within our school.

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16/09/2020: As a preventative measure for COVID-19, from today, we will begin taking non contact temperature readings of pupils to monitor symptoms.

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17/09/2020: Some changes have been made to the whole-school Risk Assessment which can be accessed here. We have also created a simple guide on what to do if your child or anyone in the household presents symptoms of COVID-19 which can be accessed here.

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04/01/2021: Mass asymptomatic testing - The government is delivering a programme of rapid asymptomatic testing from the start of January for children and young people in year 7 and above (or equivalent). Rapidly identifying and containing any asymptomatic cases, which comprise up to a third of all cases, will help avoid individuals carrying the infection unknowingly spreading it. This is all the more so in the settings covered by this guidance, where education often involves close proximity between children or young people and staff and social distancing can be harder to observe. Testing is voluntary and no child or young person will be tested unless informed consent has been given by the appropriate person.  The 'COVID-19 National Testing Programme: Schools and Colleges handbook' is available to view in full here.

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The GUST Independent School – COVID-19 Testing Privacy Statement is available to view here.

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The Northumberland Strategic Safeguarding Partnership have compiled this list of lots of useful resources and tools that you as a parent or carer can use to help ensure that your child is safe and happy online - NSSP Safety Online Covid-19

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19/01/2021: The Appendix to the Child Protection and Safeguarding policy can be read here.

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25/01/2021: Providing Remote Education Provision: Information for parents and carers document can be found here. This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education.

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09/11/2021: Due to rising cases in our area, pupils and staff will be required to wear a face mask in communal or crowded areas. All staff and secondary-aged pupils should still be taking a lateral flow test twice per week. More tests can be requested via school admin.

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All urgent safeguarding concerns - please contact Northumberland OneCall on 01670 536 400 immediately.