24th March 2021

Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers

We are delighted by the start the students have made since returning from the National Lockdown. Thank you to all of you that have supported us in getting your children back to school. It is great to see them all around school again!

In this letter we will inform you about Free School Meal Vouchers over Easter, the new Test and Trace Support Payment, reporting positive cases over Easter and home testing.

Free School Meal Vouchers If you are entitled to FSM vouchers over Easter we will have already made contact with you. Please call the relevant school office if you have not heard from us.

Test and Trace Support Payments Parents and carers of children who have been advised to self-isolate by their school or by NHS Test and Trace are now able to apply for a test and trace support payment or discretionary payment of £500, if they meet the eligibility criteria. The extension of the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme, which is administered by Local Authorities in , ensures that parents receive the financial support they need if they are unable to attend work due to childcare responsibilities.

You should apply to the council to receive a payment. Applications for the test and trace support payment scheme are made via the local authority in which you reside, not the local authority where the setting is situated, if these are different.

To be eligible applicants must meet all of the criteria that:  you are the parent or guardian of a child or young person in the same household and need to take time off work to care for them while they self-isolate. This is limited to one parent or guardian per household for the child or young person’s self-isolation period;  you are employed or self-employed;  you cannot work from home while undertaking caring responsibilities and will lose income as a result; and Company Number: 07965316 Registered Office: 157 Walderslade Road, Chatham . ME5 0LP Telephone: 01634 861593 Email: office@greeenacre..sch.uk www.SFLT.org.uk

 you meet all the other means-tested eligibility criteria for a Test and Trace Support Payment or locally determined criteria for a discretionary payment.

 your child must be aged 15 or under.

Positive cases over Easter All our phone lines will remain open throughout the Easter break. If your child tests positive, please report this by calling the relevant school office number as soon as possible.

Home testing All students within our secondary schools have now been issued with Covid home testing kits. It is important that this is reported accurately. This process will continue over the Easter break and into Term 5.

Greenacre students should be reporting their results here - Student COVID-19 Lateral Flow Test Result Walderslade Girls students should be reporting their results here – Walderslade Girls Covid- 19 Lateral Flow Test Results All Secondary students should also be reporting at https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19- result as well.

In our Primaries, if your child is displaying any symptoms you should be booking them in for a test at your local testing centre.

Best wishes

Gavin Evans Head of Primary Education Skills for Life Trust