Post on 20-Jul-2020
1
The Gattons Infant School
Returning to full opening – working document
Risk Procedures and Risk Assessment – September 2020
At The Gattons Infant School we are committed to keeping the staff and children safe and cared for through our best endeavours to reduce the risk
of COVID 19 to everyone.
Area to
consider Trigger Key Actions Who
Review
Hygiene
procedures
Increased risk of virus
transmission
- Children and staff to wash hands on entry to
school and regularly throughout the day.
Supervised to ensure social distancing
maintained whenever possible.
- Children to bring book bags but no back packs or
bags to school unless they have a packed lunch.
- Children to bring own named water bottle to
school, sunhat and suncream (they must apply
this themselves)
- Warm air dryer or paper towels for hand drying
(WHO guidelines)
- General reminders regularly for hygiene and how
to wash hands at the beginning of return to
school. Reminders not to touch mouth, nose and
eyes and coughing and sneezing into tissues,
throw them away into lidded, double lined bins
and wash hands. E bug website resources.
- Effective handwashing facilities and soap
available.
Anti bacterial gel used on entry to school –
permission gained from parents.
All adults
and
children
2
- Exclusion from school for those with symptoms
of 7 days, 14 days for siblings. (see below for
suspected case)
- Sending home any children or staff with
symptoms – suspected temperature of over 37.8
degrees Celsius or continuous cough. Loss of
sense of smell and taste.
- Additional cleaning including deeper cleans – anti
bacterial spray on door handles, hand rails,
tables and surfaces. Carried out by cleaning
staff daily.
- Staff to clean surfaces that children and young
people are touching, such as toys, desks, chairs,
doors, sinks, toilets, light switches, bannisters,
more regularly than normal. Include cleaning of
photocopiers, phones, keyboards and desks
carried out by those using them.
- Ensure that bins for tissues are double bagged
and lidded. They will be emptied weekly by staff
unless used regularly.
- Where possible and weather permitting, all
spaces should be well ventilated using natural
ventilation (opening windows).
- Prop doors open, where safe to do so (bearing in
mind fire safety and safeguarding), to limit use
of door handles and aid ventilation.
- There is no need for anything other than normal
personal hygiene and washing of clothes
following a day in an educational or childcare
setting.
3
- Parents, carers and settings do not need to take
children’s temperatures every morning. Routine
testing of an individual’s temperature is not a
reliable method for identifying coronavirus.
- Reiterate to parents the need to follow the
standard national advice on the kind of
symptoms to look out for that might be due to
coronavirus, and where to get further advice.
- Staff can wear lanyards but wear badges on
clothing if preferred.
- Hand sanitiser available inside the school for
adults to use after touching keypad and door
handle.
- Risk assessment in place for staff using
staffroom.
- Computer workstations to be regularly cleaned
using antibacterial wipes by staff using them.
Deep cleans to be carried out by cleaning staff.
Staffing
across the
school
Staff availability
Shielding staff
Pregnant staff
Vulnerable staff
Isolating staff
- All staff will be returning to school.
- Plan how to cover absences for isolating staff.
- Produce and implement risk assessments with
individual staff as needed.
- Individual staff who are clinically extremely or
clinically vulnerable to take medical advice from
Consultant or GP as appropriate.
- Absence due to Covid 19 related self-isolation will
be recorded and managed in line with HR guidance.
- Refer any staff who are clinically vulnerable /
clinically extremely vulnerable to Occupational
Health as appropriate.
All staff
4
- Isolating staff working from home allocated jobs as
appropriate.
- Staffroom set up with risk assessment in place for
use of fridges, microwaves, crockery, cutlery,
dishwasher and cleaning of surfaces after use.
Social
Distancing
measures
across the
school
Identified from
Government guidelines
specific to staff and
children
- All staff and children reminded and encouraged to
social distance at all times in offices, first aid room,
staffroom and around school.
- Staff meetings to take place in the hall or classroom
so social distancing can be observed.
- Follow DfE guidelines on the use of PPE - Wearing a
face covering or face mask in schools or other
education settings is not recommended. Staff to
provide their own if they wish to wear a mask which
is washed daily. Gloves available for those who wish
to wear them but they can transmit the virus so
hands must be washed before wearing them and
they should only be used for one task and then
replaced.
- Notices around school to remind children and staff
to social distance.
All staff
Organisation
of Year group
in the
classroom
All children - Children use book bags but not bring in back
packs or other personal items from home.
- Tables set up as work stations with max 2/3 at
each or children sitting side by side facing the
front where possible.
- Children in Year 1 and 2 sitting in rows if
appropriate and facing the front where possible.
- Coats on pegs.
- Jumpers if removed to go on backs of chairs.
SLT
All staff
5
- Carpet area – staff to maintain social distancing
from the children when they are sitting on the
carpet.
- PE sessions ideally to take place outside.
- Children to come to school dressed for PE on PE
days – navy blue or black leggings or shorts or
jogging bottoms with normal polo shirt and
cardigan or jumper with trainers or plimsolls. .
- Music – Singing to take place with classes facing
forwards. No blowing instruments to be used.
Instruments to be cleaned or left for 48 hours
before use by another class.
- Equipment to be cleaned after use.
- Trim trail, mud kitchens and sand pits in use
with additional risk assessment.
- Classroom resources to be cleaned more
regularly than normal. Resources can be left 48
hours if non-plastic material and 72 hours for
plastics.
- Soft toys, cushions and surface resources to be
cleaned more regularly and if moved between
classrooms.
- Assemblies to take place in the classroom via
Teams three times a week.
- Free flow inside and outside within year groups.
- Year groups will not mix. (Yr R and 1 children
may mix whilst in the toilets)
- Only max of 3 children in girl’s toilets and 3
children in boy’s toilets at a time – staff to
monitor.
6
- Staff to plan curriculum and catch up as
appropriate for all learners – more detail in
School Development Plan.
- Wellbeing activities planned for all returning
pupils.
- Staff to plan and send home continuation of
learning for children in isolation.
- Staff to have a staff meeting in September to
discuss and organise remote learning in
preparation for another lockdown.
Organisation
of Year
groups for
arriving and
departing
Increased contact of
children and parents
- Parents encouraged to walk / cycle to school.
Scooter parks will not be open.
- Parents to socially distance.
- SR on front gate socially distanced – gate to
opened at 8.45 in the morning. 5 mins before
first arrival to stop congregating outside school.
- Year 1 and Year 2 will arrive at 8.50 and leave at
3pm.
- Reception will arrive at 9am and leave at 3.10pm
- 2 metre markings outside school gate to stop
parents congregating and on the approach to
Reception playground gate so parents wait
without congregating.
- Parents of Reception groups to drop at
Reception playground gate.
- 2 metre markings on the approach to Y1
classrooms. Parents to drop behind tables.
- Reception and Y1 parents to leave the school
through Y1 playground gate.
SLT
All staff
7
- Yr 2 parents drop behind the wall and leave via
gate by Puffins. Parents to socially distance –
signs up.
- Staff on Y1 and on Yr 2 playground gate socially
distanced.
- Sign in Y1 playground signposting the way out.
- Parents asked not to bring siblings to drop and
pick up unless in a pushchair and to only have 1
parent picking up. Where possible, ask a
consistent adult to drop off and pick up to help
us and to limit the numbers of people on site.
- No parents or volunteers to enter the building –
review October half term.
- Vulnerable parents identified and given
different dropping off and picking up times and
places.
Organisation
of Year group
for lunch
Increased contact of
children with other
groups of children
- Children to remain in their Year Groups for
lunchtimes both inside and outside.
- Hall to be laid out for classes to sit and eat
together. Markings on floor to show one way
system.
- Children to wash hands before lunch.
- Children to sit in classes within their Year group
in the hall.
- MMS staff to stay with class consistently
whenever possible.
- MMS staff to have risk assessment review
training on 7th September.
- MMS staff to socially distance wherever
possible.
SLT
All staff
8
- Tables cleaned before and after each service.
- Children to remain seated throughout until told
to leave the hall.
- Normal hygiene routines to continue including
cleaning between sittings, tabards to be worn by
staff, handwashing by staff. All staff to
socially distance from the children where
possible. Tabards to be washed once a week on a
Friday. AN to organise off site.
- Children to leave hall with their class and not
socialise outside their Year groups.
Organisation
of outdoor
learning
Increased contact with
toys that cannot be
cleaned
- Trim trail, sand and water in use with separate
risk assessment.
- Water trays may be used under supervision.
Water must be changed and the water tray must
be disinfected after use or left empty for 72
hours.
- Bikes to be cleaned with antibacterial wipes
between use by different classes.
- All other resources to be cleaned more regularly
than normal.
SLT
All staff
Communication
with parents
Parents concerned /
worried
- Regular updates to parents via ParentMail – telling
them what to expect, where to drop the children off
and the importance of doing this as quickly as
possible.
- Website – updated with Covid 19 section – key
documents uploaded for parents including social
stories for them to share with children.
9
- ParentMail confirmation of opening resent to parents
in September.
- Parent meetings in September online.
Attendance
All children to return
to school
- All children are expected to attend school as
normal.
- School to record attendance and follow up absence
as normal.
- Self-isolating children should not attend.
- Clinically extremely vulnerable children will attend
school unless they are directed by the NHS not to
- Referrals for fixed penalty notices for parents if
they do not attend in line with West Sussex code
of conduct.
- Where a pupil is unable to attend school because
they are complying with clinical and/or public health
advice, we will offer them access to remote
education and will monitor engagement with this
activity.
- Where children are not able to attend school as
parents are following clinical and/or public health
advice, absence will not be penalised.
SLT
Events
Social distancing cannot
be maintained
- Events to be reviewed.
- Consider the use of virtual meetings, parent’s
evenings, performances and events.
SLT
PPA
Staffing issues - PPA time to return to normal.
- PPA staff to be encouraged to socially distance in
classrooms.
- PPA meetings for LSAs in staffroom.
HT
10
Wellbeing /
support for
all staff
Staff showing signs of
distress / wellbeing
issues
- Continued support from SLT for all staff
- Wellbeing information sent to all staff
- Health assured phone support sent to staff –
08000305182
- Educationsupport.org.uk and Mind.co.uk
All staff
Teacher
shortage
- Supply
SLT
Protection for
most
vulnerable
children
- Identify which children are clinically extremely
vulnerable e.g. underlying health conditions that
may be affected by the virus
- Discuss with parents how to reduce risks and
take NHS advice as necessary.
SENDCo
Leadership
shortage
- Access via phone
SLT; Staff
Admin
shortage
- Cover with TAs / SLT
- Inform parents not to phone unless emergency
SLT
First Aiders - As normal All staff
DSL - As normal SLT
11
Coronavirus Key Actions Specific Issue Actions including messages Who Notes
Response to
infection -
Suspected case in
school (staff or
pupil)
We will:
- engage with the NHS Test and Trace process
- manage confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) amongst the school
community
- contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice
Follow Public Health England advice:
If anyone in the school becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a
high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste
or smell (anosmia), they must be sent home and advised to follow ‘stay at
home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus
(COVID-19) infection’, which sets out that they must self-isolate for at
least 7 days and should arrange to have a test to see if they have
coronavirus (COVID-19).
Tests can be booked online through the NHS testing and tracing for
coronavirus website, or ordered by telephone via NHS 119 for those without
access to the internet. Essential workers, which includes anyone involved in
education or childcare, have priority access to testing.
Other members of their household (including any siblings) should self-
isolate for 14 days from when the symptomatic person first had symptoms.
All staff and students who are attending an education or childcare setting
will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus, and are
SLT
12
encouraged to get tested in this scenario and comply with the NHS test and
trace.
If a child is awaiting collection, they should be moved, if possible, to outside
the staffroom or to PPA room where they can be isolated behind a closed
door, depending on the age of the child and with appropriate adult
supervision if required. Open roof window for ventilation. If it is not
possible to isolate them, move them to an area which is at least 2 metres
away from other people.
If they need to go to the bathroom while waiting to be collected, they
should use a separate bathroom (1st aid room) if possible. The bathroom
should be cleaned and disinfected using standard cleaning products before
being used by anyone else.
In an emergency, call 999 if they are seriously ill or injured or their life is
at risk. Do not visit the GP, pharmacy, urgent care centre or a hospital.
Any members of staff who have helped someone with symptoms and any
pupils who have been in close contact with them do not need to go home to
self-isolate unless they develop symptoms themselves (in which case, they
should arrange a test) or if the symptomatic person subsequently tests
positive or they have been requested to do so by NHS Test and Trace.
Everyone must wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and
running water or use hand sanitiser after any contact with someone who is
unwell. The area around the person with symptoms must be cleaned with
disinfectant after they have left to reduce the risk of passing the infection
on to other people. See the COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings
guidance.
13
Where the child, young person or staff member tests negative, they can
return to their setting and the fellow household members can end their
self-isolation.
PPE
If a child, young person or other learner becomes unwell with symptoms of
coronavirus while in their setting and needs direct personal care until they
can return home. A fluid-resistant surgical face mask should be worn by the
supervising adult if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained. If contact
with the child or young person is necessary, then disposable gloves, a
disposable apron and a fluid-resistant surgical face mask should be worn by
the supervising adult.
- Contact relevant agencies e.g. LA / Public Health England
- Deep clean core areas
- Inform staff
- Core reminders of hygiene
- Contact parents – general information about sickness etc.
Confirmed case in
school
Where the child, young person or staff member tests positive, contact the
Local Health Protection Team straight away for them to risk assess the
situation. This team will also contact schools directly if they become aware
that someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) attended
the school – as identified by NHS Test and Trace.
The health protection team will carry out a rapid risk assessment to confirm
who has been in close contact with the person during the period that they
were infectious, and ensure they are asked to self-isolate.
The health protection team will work with schools in this situation to guide
them through the actions they need to take. Based on the advice from the
SLT; Site
14
health protection team, schools must send home those people who have been
in close contact with the person who has tested positive, advising them to
self-isolate for 14 days since they were last in close contact with that
person when they were infectious. Close contact means:
direct close contacts - face to face contact with an infected individual
for any length of time, within 1 metre, including being coughed on, a face
to face conversation, or unprotected physical contact (skin-to-skin)
proximity contacts - extended close contact (within 1 to 2 metres for
more than 15 minutes) with an infected individual
travelling in a small vehicle, like a car, with an infected person
The health protection team will provide definitive advice on who must be
sent home. To support them in doing so, school to keep a record of pupils
and staff in each group, and any close contact that takes place between
children and staff in different groups.
A template letter will be provided to schools, on the advice of the health
protection team, to send to parents and staff if needed. Schools must not
share the names or details of people with coronavirus (COVID-19) unless
essential to protect others.
Household members of those contacts who are sent home do not need to
self-isolate themselves unless the child, young person or staff member who
is self-isolating subsequently develops symptoms. If someone in a class or
group that has been asked to self-isolate develops symptoms themselves
within their 14-day isolation period they should follow ‘stay at home:
guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19)
infection’. They should get a test, and:
15
if the test delivers a negative result, they must remain in isolation for
the remainder of the 14-day isolation period. This is because they could
still develop the coronavirus (COVID-19) within the remaining days.
if the test result is positive, they should inform their setting
immediately, and must isolate for at least 7 days from the onset of their
symptoms (which could mean the self-isolation ends before or after the
original 14-day isolation period). Their household should self-isolate for
at least 14 days from when the symptomatic person first had symptoms,
following ‘stay at home: guidance for households with possible or
confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection’
Schools should not request evidence of negative test results or other
medical evidence before admitting children or welcoming them back after a
period of self-isolation.
- Deep clean core areas
- Inform staff
- Core reminders of hygiene
- Contact parents – general information about sickness etc. and the key
next steps e.g. closure of a class / school/ or carry on etc.
Suspected case in
a family
- Family to isolate for 14 days until test results return. Families;
Staff;
Admin
Confirmed case in a
family
- Children in the family to remain at home for 14 days.
- Deep clean of the classroom and school.
SLT
Site
16
2 or more
confirmed cases
within 14 days or
an overall rise in
sickness absence
where coronavirus
is suspected
This may be an outbreak, and school will continue to work with the local
health protection team who will be able to advise if additional action is
required.
In some cases, health protection teams may recommend that a larger
number of other pupils self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure –
perhaps the whole site or year group. If schools are implementing controls
from this list, addressing the risks they have identified and therefore
reducing transmission risks, whole school closure based on cases within the
school will not generally be necessary, and should not be considered except
on the advice of health protection teams.
In consultation with the local Director of Public Health, where an outbreak
in a school is confirmed, a mobile testing unit may be dispatched to test
others who may have been in contact with the person who has tested
positive. Testing will first focus on the person’s class, followed by their year
group, then the whole school if necessary, in line with routine public health
outbreak control practice.
Contingency plans
for outbreaks
In the event of a local outbreak, the PHE health protection team or local
authority may advise a school or number of schools to close temporarily to
help control transmission.
Contingency plan in place for this eventuality - This may involve a return to
remaining open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical
workers, and providing remote education for all other pupils.
17
Remote education support
Where a class, group or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or there
is a local lockdown requiring pupils to remain at home, school to offer
immediate remote education.
18
Core Control Measures Control Measure Notes / Action Who Review
Tissues for Each
Class
- Ensure adequate stock levels of tissues for each class /
office.
- Replenish as needed.
- Staff to also self-replenish from stock.
- Used tissues to be put in lidded bin which is double bagged.
Office; All
staff
Alcohol based gel - 2 per class – children to have one squirt as they enter the
building and then go and wash hands thoroughly when
timetabled.
- Ensure adequate stock levels of hand gel.
All
Increase hand
washing facilities
- All children and staff to wash their hands when they arrive
at school, before lunch and before they leave as a minimum.
- All children and staff to wash hands if they cough, sneeze or
pick noses / hands in mouths.
- Children reminded to thoroughly wash hands when going to
the toilet.
- Posters up to remind children how to wash hands thoroughly.
All
Monitoring daily any
child or staff
absence
- Daily report to the HT on number of absences and symptoms
Office;
HT
Reducing contact
point activities
Ensuring extremely high hygiene for any
- Food making / tasting
Ensure cleaning before use by another class if any activity involves
you passing items around a class
- Circle time objects
- Artefact sharing
- Touching activities – PE / Gymnastics
Soft toys and cushions cleaned more frequently than normal and
before moving to a different classroom.
Staff
19
Control Measure Notes / Action Who Review
- Wooden toys cleaned more frequently than normal and
before moving to a different classroom.
Other
- Cease hand shaking of children and visitors
- Reduce use of shared cups in class (e.g. using cups for
water); ensure they are washed in the dishwasher; inform
parents to ensure children have water bottles in school.
Good Personal
Hygiene
Newsletter:
- Inform parents of hygiene expectations and to discuss with
children; Social story sent to all parents.
- All children to wash their hands before coming to school,
before going home and when they get home.
- Classes to teach children hand washing techniques and show
them posters.
- Children to wash hands before snack (classroom) and before
eating lunch (classrooms/ hall corridor toilets / hand
sanitiser)
- Alcohol gel to be used on entry and exit of school.
Information:
- Distribute key information posters around school
HT; Staff
Review of cleaning
- Meet with cleaners to review cleaning arrangements and
make any necessary changes.
- Increase focus cleaning on touch points and tables (redirect
from vacuuming etc. if needed) or increase hours.
- Daily cleaning of classrooms (already in place)
- Preparations for deep cleans if necessary.
Site;
Cleaning
Contractor
20
Control Measure Notes / Action Who Review
- Tables to be cleaned regularly – antibacterial spray and
disposable cloths.
Touch point cleaning
daily
- Handles and rails to be cleaned at end of the day by
cleaners.
- Handles and rails to be cleaned by SR mid morning.
Site
School visitors and
site users
- No visitors or site users on site unless essential.
- If they enter - compulsory use of gel before entering
school.
Office;
Site
Support for families
affected
- Communicate to parents and staff to contact school if they
require support.
- Regular contact with affected families and staff.
SLT;
Taking temperature
of anyone in school
who may begin to
feel unwell
- Parents, carers and settings do not need to take children’s
temperatures every morning. Routine testing of an
individual’s temperature is not a reliable method for
identifying coronavirus.
- Thermometer in school for use in emergency.
SLT
To be reviewed weekly by all staff