COVID-19

We are pleased to be welcome back all pupils in September 2020.  

The arrangements the school are putting in place for this return takes into account the Government’ guidance for the full re-opening of schools.

This Guidance can be found here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.  Many of you will have read the guidance or heard about what we should be doing to keep our community safe and reduce risks.

Outlined below are the key pieces of information we feel will explain how the new government guidelines will impact on the children’s return to school and the new procedures that will be place for the safety of the children and staff. Our priority is, and always will be, the Health, Safety and Wellbeing of the entire community and although we cannot guarantee that we can keep everyone safe from catching Covid-19, we can and will take a wide range of steps to minimise the risks and meet the priority. 

Social Distancing and Hygiene

Maintaining hygiene is of the utmost importance. All children will need to regularly wash or sanitise their hands, including on entry to school, after using the toilets, before and after eating or moving from one area to another. You can send in some hand cream for your child to keep in school if they suffer from dry skin.

Social distancing is not a requirement for the children who are in a bubble together, they may share equipment and work together on tasks. However,

• Throughout the school day, ‘Bubbles’ will be kept separated from others. This includes break and lunchtime, breakfast and after school clubs, and during any interventions and/or activities the children may be involved in.
• Children will be expected to keep their distance from the adults in school (and all adults will be socially distancing from each other as well).
• At playtime and lunchtime children will be directed to not mix with other classes. There will be staggered lunch slots to support this.
• The school won’t meet together as a group – assemblies will be held in each class. We are making plans for our usual autumn term events – some will happen virtually and some will have to be cancelled.
• staff are still expected to maintain social distancing from the children where possible.

Government advice is that face masks or PPE are not necessary in schools as it interferes with teaching and learning. There may, however, be occasions when a member of staff wears a mask or a visor.

Should your child use a mask travelling to and from school they will be asked to keep the mask in their school bag for the duration of the school day.

Bubbles

A bubble is a group of individuals that will be placed together for their day to day time in school. Organising children and staff into bubbles (or consistent groups) is a central part of the government’s reopening guidance. Establishing small bubbles will help in managing the school should any positive COVID-19 case occur. They will make it quicker and easier in the event of a positive case of Coronavirus to identify those that may need to self-isolate and to keep those numbers as small as possible.  In continuing to ensure the segregation of each discrete bubble we aim to prevent a whole setting having to isolate and close and to reduce any potential spread of the virus.  This essential provision will exist in September and for the majority of the new academic year.  Any decision to vary this provision will be made based on the best interests of the health and safety of the whole school community.

Each class will form a ‘bubble’ and each bubble will be expected to avoid or minimise contact with any child in another bubble. 

Attendance

All children are expected to return to school at the start of term in September 2020. School attendance will be mandatory, which means that the usual rules of school attendance will apply:

• Parents have a legal duty to ensure their child regularly attends school
• Schools have a legal responsibility to record attendance and follow up absences
• Schools have a legal responsibility to issue sanctions, including fixed penalty notices with Essex County Council’s codes of conduct.

Returning to school is very important from both an academic and social point of view.

However, children must not attend school if they have Coronavirus or are showing symptoms of Coronavirus (however mild). They must also not attend school if a member of their household has Coronavirus or is showing symptoms of Coronavirus.

There is an expectation that parents/carers will engage in the test and trace programme, please visit NHS test and trace: how it works - GOV.UK for more information. A negative result would be required before a child was able to return to school.

The school will respond to a confirmed case by closing the relevant ‘bubble’ (or group) for a 14-day isolation period and deep clean the classroom and facilities. Siblings of isolated pupils would also have to isolate for 14 days but not their corresponding ‘bubble’.

Risk Assessment

The academy carried out a thorough risk assessment prior to reopening the school in line with government guidance. This risk assessment is under constant review to ensure its effectiveness. The current version of the risk assessment is available on request from the academy office.