Risk assessment
As we have moved to Step 4 of the roadmap we will still regularly review and update our risk assessment - this includes having active arrangements in place to monitor whether the controls are effective and working as planned.
Health and Safety policy
- proportionate control measures for COVID-19
- adequate ventilation – Windows left open in classrooms and offices, CO2 monitors checked to ensure ventilation adequate.
- sufficient cleaning –
- keep surfaces clear so that cleaning can be carried out more effectively
- clean areas regularly in line with your cleaning regime
- set clear guidance for the use and cleaning of toilets, showers and changing facilities to make sure they are kept clean
- clean work areas and equipment between uses
- frequently clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly
- if equipment like tools or vehicles are shared, then clean them after each use
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- good hand hygiene –
- handwashing facilities with running water, soap and paper towels or hand dryers
- hand sanitiser at locations in addition to washrooms, such as sanitising stations in classrooms/entrances
- Information on how to wash your hands is available from NHS.UK
- good hand hygiene –
- line management responsibilities
- Headteacher to update risk assessment regularly
- SLT to ensure their areas of responsibility understand the controls in place and that they are undertaken properly
- Subject Leaders to periodically check that classroom hygiene is being maintained
- Class teachers to ensure ventilation and hand hygiene is maintained in the classroom
- Employees can feedback at the weekly briefing
Mixing and ‘bubbles’
Assemblies can resume, and we no longer need to make alternative arrangements to avoid mixing at lunch.
In accordance with outbreak management it may become necessary to reintroduce ‘bubbles’ for a temporary period, to reduce mixing between groups.
Any decision to recommend the reintroduction of ‘bubbles’ would not be taken lightly and would need to take account of the detrimental impact they can have on the delivery of education.
Tracing close contacts and isolation
From 16 August 2021, children under the age of 18 years old will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.
Instead, children will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace, informed they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test. We would encourage all individuals to take a PCR test if advised to do so.
Face coverings
Face coverings are no longer advised for students, staff and visitors either in classrooms or in communal areas.
The government has removed the requirement to wear face coverings in law but expects and recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact with people you don’t normally meet. This includes public transport and dedicated transport to school or college.
Circumstances where face coverings are recommended
If we have an outbreak, a director of public health might advise us that face coverings should temporarily be worn in communal areas or classrooms (by students, staff and visitors, unless exempt).
Stepping measures up and down
We have outbreak management plans in place. Measures in schools will only ever be considered as a last resort, kept to the minimum number of groups possible, and for the shortest amount of time possible.
We will call the dedicated advice service who will escalate the issue to our local health protection team where necessary and advise if any additional action is required, such as implementing elements of our outbreak management plan. Contacted through the DfE helpline on 0800 046 8687 and selecting option 1 for advice on the action to take in response to a positive case.
The contingency framework describes the principles of managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare settings. Local authorities, directors of public health (DsPH) and PHE health protection teams (HPTs) can recommend measures described in the contingency framework in individual education settings as part of their outbreak management responsibilities.
Control measures
We will:
- Ensure good hygiene for everyone
Hand hygiene
Frequent and thorough hand cleaning remains regular practice. We will continue to ensure that students clean their hands regularly. This can be done with soap and water or hand sanitiser.
Respiratory hygiene
The ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach continues to be very important.
2. Maintain appropriate cleaning regimes, using standard products such as detergents
We will maintain an appropriate cleaning schedule. This will include regular cleaning of areas and equipment, with a particular focus on frequently touched surfaces.
3. Keep occupied spaces well ventilated
When school is in operation, we will ensure it is well ventilated and that a comfortable teaching environment is maintained. CO2 monitors will be used to ensure that this is being maintained. External windows can improve natural ventilation, and in addition, opening internal doors can also assist with creating a throughput of air. If necessary, external opening doors may also be used (if they are not fire doors and where safe to do so).
We will balance the need for increased ventilation while maintaining a comfortable temperature.
4. Follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19
When an individual develops COVID-19 symptoms or has a positive test
Students, staff and other adults should follow public health advice on when to self-isolate and what to do. They should not come into school if they have symptoms, have had a positive test result or other reasons requiring them to stay at home due to the risk of them passing on COVID-19 (for example, they are required to quarantine).
If anyone in our school develops COVID-19 symptoms, however mild, we will send them home and they should follow public health advice.
For everyone with symptoms, they should avoid using public transport and, wherever possible, be collected by a member of their family or household.
If a student is awaiting collection, they will be left under the blue canopy by the orangery. Appropriate PPE will be used if close contact is necessary. The household (including any siblings) should follow the PHE stay at home guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.
Asymptomatic testing
As students will potentially mix with lots of other people during the summer holidays, all students will receive 2 on-site lateral flow device tests, 3 to 5 days apart, on their return in the autumn term.
Students should then continue to test twice weekly at home until the end of September, when this will be reviewed.
Staff should undertake twice weekly home tests whenever they are on site until the end of September, when this will also be reviewed.
We will also retain a small asymptomatic testing site (ATS) on-site until further notice so we can offer testing to students who are unable to test themselves at home.
Confirmatory PCR tests
Staff and students with a positive LFD test result should self-isolate in line with the stay at home guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. They will also need to get a free PCR test to check if they have COVID-19.
Whilst awaiting the PCR result, the individual should continue to self-isolate.
If the PCR test is taken within 2 days of the positive lateral flow test, and is negative, it overrides the self-test LFD test and the student can return to school, as long as the individual doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms.
Additional information on PCR test kits for schools and further education providers is available.
Other considerations
All clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) children and young people should attend unless they are one of the very small number of children and young people under paediatric or other specialist care who have been advised by their clinician or other specialist not to attend.
Further information is available in the guidance on supporting students at school with medical conditions.
We will also ensure that key contractors are aware of the school’s control measures and ways of working.
Admitting children into school
In most cases, parents and carers will agree that a student with symptoms should not attend the school, given the potential risk to others.
If a parent or carer insists on a student attending our school, we can take the decision to refuse the student if, in our reasonable judgement, it is necessary to protect other students and staff from possible infection with COVID-19. Our decision will be carefully considered in light of all the circumstances and current public health advice.
Attendance
Where a child is required to self-isolate or quarantine because of COVID-19 in accordance with relevant legislation or guidance published by PHE or the DHSC they will be recorded as code X (not attending in circumstances related to coronavirus). Where they are unable to attend because they have a confirmed case of COVID-19 they will be recorded as code I (illness).
For students abroad who are unable to return, code X is unlikely to apply. In some specific cases, code Y (unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances) will apply. Further guidance about the use of codes is provided in the school attendance guidance.
Remote education
Not all people with COVID-19 have symptoms. Where appropriate, we will support those who need to self-isolate because they have tested positive to work or learn from home if they are well enough to do so.
We will maintain our capacity to deliver high-quality remote education for the next academic year, including for students who are abroad, and facing challenges to return due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, for the period they are abroad.
The remote education provided should be equivalent in length to the core teaching students would receive in school.
We will work collaboratively with families and put in place reasonable adjustments so that students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can successfully access remote education.
School workforce
The control measures above also apply to the school workforce i.e.
- Ensure good hygiene for everyone
- Maintain appropriate cleaning regimes, using standard products such as detergents
- Keep occupied spaces well ventilated
- Follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19
In addition, we will:
Consult and involve staff in the steps we are taking to manage the risk of coronavirus in the workplace so we can:
- explain the changes we are planning to work safely
- make sure changes will work and hear their ideas
- continue to operate our business safely
If any staff are working from home we will:
- provide the equipment they need, for example a computer, phone and videoconferencing facilities
- keep in regular contact with them, making sure to discuss their wellbeing
We will make sure we consider the risk to workers who are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus and put controls in place to reduce that risk.
Clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people are advised, as a minimum, to follow the same guidance as everyone else. It is important that everyone adheres to this guidance, but CEV people may wish to think particularly carefully about the additional precautions they can continue to take. Further information can be found in the guidance on protecting people who are CEV from COVID-19.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published guidance on protecting vulnerable workers, including advice for employers and employees on how to talk about reducing risks in the workplace.
We will be encouraging vaccine take up and enable staff who are eligible for a vaccination to attend booked vaccine appointments where possible even during term time.
School meals
We will continue to provide free school meal support to any students who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals and who are learning at home during term time.
More information on providing school meals during the COVID-19 pandemic is available.
Educational visits
It is our decision that international travel will not take place until travel restrictions are lifted and international travel has returned to normal.
We will undertake full and thorough risk assessments in relation to all educational visits and ensure that any public health advice, such as hygiene and ventilation requirements, is included as part of that risk assessment. General guidance about educational visits is available and is supported by specialist advice from the Outdoor Education Advisory Panel (OEAP)
