COVID-19 information
Aims and purpose of this page
Please read the questions and answers below. If your question is still unanswered, please use the contact form at the bottom of the page to send your question. Depending on your question, we may not respond individually. Instead, we will publish your question and its answer on this page. If your question is similar to another that has been submitted, we will merge our answer with other questions, where appropriate, to avoid duplication.
Key documents
Back to School Newsletter 26.06.2020
Return to school information booklet (V7)
Reopening plan
Whole school risk assessment
(This risk assessment is now submitted to Gold command after a successful visit from the MEP team and no objections raised by the following unions within a tour of the school and the document provided: UNISON, GMB, NEU, NASUWT, NAHT, UCAC)
Back to school PowerPoint
One way system map
Welcome back sample letter
Social stories for pupils – Preparing to return
Twinkl – How has school changed?
Frequently asked questions and answers
A – As much as possible we will try and ensure that siblings can be in on the same days. However, due to the maximum number of pupils we can have on anyone day we cannot guarantee that all the classes sibling are in will all run on the same days.
A – You will be sent information on what times you can drop off and collect pupils. There will be manageable time slots as close to the normal day as possible. It is important you help us all keep safe by sticking to the designated time slot and drop off point. Maps and information of drop off points will be available.
A – Collection and drop off points will be spread out across the school with access to different areas not usually accessible during these times. Maps and information will be available soon.
A – All children who’s parents have indicated that they would like to return will receive a two day block. Vulnerable pupils may receive a small number of additional sessions.
A – The sessions will be the usual school day in duration. However due to staggered start and end times they may start and end slightly earlier or later than usual.
A – Children will be able to see peers within their class. We will be working in order to try and accommodate sibling groups where possible and register order of confirmation responses from the survey.
A – A maximum of 6
A – We will discuss this sensitively with the pupils, make use of information videos, posters and new markings and one way systems which are to be in place for when pupils return.
A – Pupils will have their packed lunch in their classrooms remaining in their small groups
A – Following our experiences working in hub schools we will be applying similar processes. There will be health questionnaire and survey to be filled in for all pupils on entry to the school. We need parents help to ensure that pupils with any symptoms or coming from households with symptoms do not enter the school premises.
A – Due to social distancing and staggered start times there will be no breakfast club during this time.
Q- What hygiene procedures will be in place?
A – We will
- follow the advice from Carmarthenshire County Council and Welsh Government
- ensure that sufficient handwashing facilities are available. Where a sink is not nearby, provide hand sanitiser in classrooms and other learning environments
- clean surfaces that children and young people are touching more regularly
ensure that all adults and children:
- frequently wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and dry thoroughly.
- clean their hands on arrival at the setting, before and after eating, and after sneezing or coughing
- are encouraged not to touch their mouth, eyes and nose
- use a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze and use bins for tissue waste (‘catch it, bin it, kill it’)
- ensure that help is available for children and young people who have trouble cleaning their hands independently
- consider how to encourage young children to learn and practise these habits through games, songs and repetition
- ensure that bins for tissues are emptied throughout the day
- where possible, 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
Q – How will you make the school safe for my child?
A – In addition to social distancing and hygiene measures we will
- give children a designated classroom and group (which we are going to refer to as their bubble) for lessons and play, to minimise the opportunity for mixing.
- regularly cleaning the setting and resources will take place.
- not allow children to bring in their own resources such as pencil cases.
- use PPE such as gloves, aprons, masks, hand sanitiser and anti-bac wipes as identified in our Risk assessments.
- confine resources to rooms to minimise sharing and when sharing is essential, clean resources before transference
- organise lunchtimes and playtimes differently
- carry out a corridor protocol- one way system and keep clear corridor spaces as far as is practical to allow maximum width space for walking
- be vigilant in identifying children with symptoms, isolate them and ask parents to collect them
- removal of unnecessary items from classrooms
- removal of soft furnishing, soft toys and toys that are hard to clean.
Q – Will the school have assembly/acts of worship?
A – Bubble groups will have an opportunity for reflection within their daily session, but there will be no mass gatherings or daily acts of worship as a school.
Q – Will children go straight back into normal lessons following the national curriculum?
A – No.
The initial focus, for as long as we feel necessary, will be on supporting personal, social, health and emotional aspects of learning to support children’s wellbeing. They have all gone through an incredible period of change and experienced loss on a number of different levels. All have had changes in routine, loss of communication etc and some may have sadly even experienced the loss of a family member. This shouldn’t be ignored.
We will support the explanation of and encourage home learning grids. All of which are on the class pages of our website.
Q – Will staff and children wear masks or PPE?
A –
The Government guidelines state, ‘The majority of staff in education settings will not require PPE beyond what they would normally need for their work, even if they are not always able to maintain a distance of 2 metres from others. PPE is only needed in a very small number of cases including:
- children, young people and students whose care routinely already involves the use of PPE due to their intimate care needs should continue to receive their care in the same way
- 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. If a risk assessment determines that there is a risk of splashing to the eyes, for example from coughing, spitting, or vomiting, then eye protection should also be worn.’
However at the moment school’s thinking is that this is an individual family and staff member decision.
Q – Will we allow visitors and volunteers into school?
A – No until the situation is deemed to be safe, we would prefer to minimise additional adults coming in and out of school. If you need to speak to a member of staff we request you call the school or email. Parents will not be allowed into the school building.
Any questions?
Use the form below to ask any questions you may have about the partial re-opening.