Parents are contacting me about two recurring niggles:

• use of streets around the school following the removal of LTN21;
• self-isolation with COVID symptoms, especially relating to pupils in ethnic minority groups.

I need our community to unite around shared values of respect, tolerance and understanding.

LTN21, School Streets and privacy

The implementation and then removal of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN21) around the school remains contentious and divisive. There are many different views. The school remains neutral and passive about the control and management of streets around the school site. Our role is to educate pupils, helping them to learn to stay safe while using any road. The Council is best placed to decide and implement any measures, including a School Streets approach, to manage and control use of streets around the school site.

Campaigners for and against control measures have different views. Whatever views, all are asked to:

• respect the privacy of families around the school site by avoiding taking any images or video without agreement.
• respect the neutral position of the school and direct campaign efforts elsewhere.

COVID symptoms and ethnic minorities

Some parents, especially those in ethnic minority groups, are telling us that they feel blamed by others for spreading coronavirus infection. Comments from one parent to another range from remarks about a child coughing, children having COVID symptoms and spreading infection to others by attending school.

Parents know their own child best. It is for parents to decide whether their own child has COVID symptoms. All of us must do the right thing, self-isolate and test as soon as their is any sign of symptoms.

There is no history of any cases in school where parents, including those in all ethnic minority groups, have knowingly sent children to school with coronavirus.

Please can everyone:

• respect and trust the decisions of other families
• continue to be vigilant and keep children at home if needed
• avoid commenting about the decisions of other families.