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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

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- 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.

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- 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

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- 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

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- 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.

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- 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.

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All staff

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- 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.

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All staff

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- 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.

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- 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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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:

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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.

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Site

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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