Appleby Primary School
Appleby Primary School
Measures which must be in place at ALL schools
The following protective measures must be in place at all schools at all times. Please read the following guidance carefully before your child attends school in September.
1. Minimise contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend school
You should be aware of the symptoms of coronavirus. We would ask parents to help us to promote the safety and welfare of all staff, pupils and families to remain vigilant for the following symptoms of coronavirus:
- High Temperature
- New, continuous cough
- Loss or change to sense of smell or taste
If your child or a member of your household develops any of these symptoms (even if mild) you should NOT come to school and should notify school straight away by phone or email. You should ask to be tested immediately. Your household should self-isolate whilst awaiting the outcome of the test. In the case of a positive test, you should comply with the Government’s “Test and Trace” scheme and notify school immediately. Your household must then self-isolate for a period of 14 days.
Please note that more information about what to do if you have symptoms and about “test and trace” can be found at
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
and
PLEASE NOTE: It is critical that parents keep school informed as early as possible if their child is unwell - even if this is not due to coronavirus symptoms. Parents should inform school IMMEDIATELY if their child becomes unwell. This should be done by telephone no later than 8.15am and, ideally should be accompanied by an email as early as possible to admin@applebyprimary.cumbria.sch.uk. Parents are REQUIRED to comply fully with this directive as we may be forced to treat any unexplained absence as a possible coronavirus infection and begin actions to close the school.
What will happen if a child demonstrates symptoms of Coronavirus whilst at school?
If anyone becomes unwell with any of the above symptoms whilst in school the must be sent home immediately and advised to follow the guidance for households (outlined above) which is available at:
Whilst a child is awaiting collection, they will be moved to an isolation area with appropriate adult supervision. The above guidance regarding testing and home isolation will then apply. Upon collection parents will be issued with a home testing kit.
The Wearing of Face Coverings
The government does not recommend universal use of face coverings in all schools, particularly in primary schools. Due to the organisation of the school under COVID-19 protective measures to reduce mixing between groups of pupils and staff, the requirement to wear face coverings at Appleby Primary School will be limited.
Face coverings will be worn by staff and visitors in areas outside the classroom where social distancing cannot easily be maintained, such as corridors and communal areas.
Older pupils who can wear face coverings safely who would feel more comfortable to do so may also do so in areas outside the classroom where social distancing cannot easily be maintained, such as corridors and communal areas.
From Thursday 5th November, all visitors and parents will be required to wear a face covering whenever they are on school premises. Parents and visitors are required to avoid congregating on or around school premises and should make use of the school's staggered start and collection times to limit contact with others.
3. Clean Hands More Thoroughly than Usual
Routines of regular and thorough hand washing routines will be built into school culture. Pupils will receive additional guidance in effective hand washing. Younger children and those with complex needs will be supported to properly clean and dry their hands to help avoid hands becoming sore and chaffed. Should your child experience sore hands, please contact the school office to arrange an appropriate care plan.
All classrooms in school have sinks installed to support regular and effective hand washing. Pupils will wash their hands before and after leaving their classroom and at regular points throughout the day.
Additional hand sanitising stations have been installed throughout the school and at each classroom.
4. Ensure Good Respiratory Hygiene by Promoting "Catch it, Bin it, Kill it" Approach.
The "catch it, bin it, kill it" approach continues to be critical in reducing the risk of transmission. Children will receive additional teaching to promote the reasons behind good respiratory hygiene - particularly for younger children and children with complex needs. Additional tissues are available in classrooms and foot operated flip-lid bins have been introduced throughout the school.
In accordance with government guidance, we recognise that some pupils with additional complex needs may find it more challenging than their peers to maintain good respiratory hygiene - for example those who may use saliva as a sensory stimulant. Additional risk assessments have been considered for pupils with additional needs in order to support both children and staff and to ensure that all children will be assured of being able to attend school.
At the present time Public Health England does not recommend the use of face coverings in schools. The government will continue to keep this under review an school will respond accordingly to any further guidance.
5. Introduce enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces
In addition to our usual daily cleaning throughout school, additional cleaning schedules have been introduced to reflect enhanced cleaning of:
- shared areas used by more than one different group of pupils
- frequently touched surfaces
- resources handled by staff and children.
It is not required that separate toilet facilities be allocated to different groups within school. However, due to the layout of the school we have been able to allocate toilet facilities for both staff and pupils in each bubble.
7. Where Necessary, Wear Appropriate PPE
The majority of staff in education settings will not require PPE beyond what they would normally need for their work. PPE is only needed in a very small number of cases, including:
- where an individual child or young person becomes ill with coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms while at schools, and only then if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained
- where a child or young person already has routine intimate care needs that involves the use of PPE, in which case PPE should be used
PPE may be worn at times in line with any guidance in place at that given time. This is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and staff. When a safe distance can not be maintained in the administration of intimate care or first aid, PPE may be worn to reduce the risk of 'contact'.
8. Keeping Occupied Spaces Well Ventilated
Coronavirus is more easily transmitted in stuffy or enclosed spaces. To reduce the risk of transmission, occupied spaces such as classrooms and the school dinner hall will remain well ventilated at all times.
Natural ventilation will be ensured by keeping windows and doors (except fire doors in corridors) open at all times. In cooler weather windows will be opened just enough to provide constant background ventilation whilst maintaining a comfortable teaching environment. During breaks, windows will be open fully to purge the air in the space.
As the temperature drops over winter, school uniform restrictions may be revisited to allow pupils to wear additional indoor clothing to maintain comfort levels. Additional heating will be used to help ensure that classrooms remain comfortable.