SCHOOLS in Pembrokeshire will re-open after half-term on Monday, November 2.

Primary schools, Portfield Special School and the Pembrokeshire Learning Centre will be open to pupils of all ages.

Secondary schools will be open for children in Years 7 and 8.

Pupils who are sitting examinations in the week beginning November 2 must attend for the examination only.

Other pupils (those in Years 9 to 13) will continue their learning from home for that week, supported by teaching staff.

From Monday, November 9, these pupils will also return to school.

The measures are in line with the Welsh Government’s firebreak lockdown guidance.

Cllr Guy Woodham, Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet member for education and lifelong learning, gave a reassurance that schools would be as safe as possible when pupils return.

“Half-term has been an opportunity to deep-clean school premises and we will continue to have effective control measures in place.

“The high number of children returning to school in September was excellent and going forward we are doing everything we can to minimise any disruption to their education.”

School transport routes in Pembrokeshire will run as normal from Monday, November 2, for primary pupils and Year 7 and 8 pupils.

School canteens will also be open as normal.

Parents of pupils in Years 9 to 13 who receive free school meals (who will not be in school from November 2-6) will receive funding directly into their bank accounts from Pembrokeshire County Council during the week commencing November 2.

• Parents and carers should refer to their school’s website if they have any queries.

The Welsh Government has also issued guidance at: gov.wales/schools-coronavirus-firebreak-guidance https://gov.wales/keeping-learners-safe-education

Parents/ guardians have been given the following advice by Hywel Dda University Health Board:

If a child/parent/household member develops symptoms of Covid-19, the entire household should immediately self-isolate, and book a test for the individual with the symptoms. It is unnecessary to test the entire household if they are not symptomatic.

The Covid-19 symptoms are:

• a new continuous cough

• a high temperature

• loss of or change to sense of smell or taste

Booking a Covid-19 test: Hywel Dda recommends testing only for those with a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or loss of or change in the sense of taste or smell.

If a child does not have symptoms of Covid-19 but has other cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, they do not need to be tested and they and you do not need to self-isolate. Your child can go to school if fit to do so.

If a Covid-19 test is required, this should be arranged via the UK Booking Portal, gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-test or by ringing 119.

Testing is available within Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire or via a home testing kit delivered to and collected from your home. The Covid-19 test is undertaken via a throat swab or combined throat and nose swab.

Hywel Dda is aware that some people are experiencing difficulty in accessing testing via these routes. If you have a problem, you can contact the Health Board on 0300 303 8322 and they will arrange testing for you.

Self-isolation:

It is essential that people who have Covid-19symptoms, or who share a household with someone who has symptoms, must self-isolate, even if your symptoms are mild. To protect others, you must not attend school, nursery, other childcare settings, work, or go to or to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

Anyone with symptoms must self-isolate for 10 days from when their symptoms started. They can return to school or work after 10 days if they are well enough to do so.

Anyone in the household who does not have symptoms must self-isolate for 14 days from when the first person in the home started having symptoms.

If a parent thinks their child has symptoms but chooses not to put them through a test all household members must remain in self-isolation for 14 days from the onset of symptoms.

If you receive a positive test result, you will be contacted by the Test, Trace, Protect Team who will advise you further.

If the test is negative, self-isolation can end for everyone, children may return to school and parents can return to work if they are well enough to do so and as long as nobody else in the household has developed symptoms.

Non-household members/contacts:

If a person has been in contact with an individual experiencing symptoms, they should carry on as normal until that individual receives their test result. If this is positive, the Test, Trace, Protect Team will contact those people identified as contacts and advise accordingly.