Return to School Plan for September 2020
Dear Parents,
There’s no masking it. Due to the Government’s restrictions, this Autumn term our school return won’t quite be ‘business as usual’ for us all.
But I, and all our staff, are so much looking forward to welcoming your children back from September in our beautiful environment at Sompting Abbotts!
We’ll be continuing our efforts to teach the children to the high standard you expect from us and we’ll be prioritising their health at this difficult time.
The methods we have to use to achieve this have changed, as detailed in this plan, but your children’s nurturing, education and growth remain our steadfast objectives.
We’ll continue to review this plan in line with Government guidance and instruction from PHE. As soon as possible and when it is safe to do so, we will then return to our normal way of working at Sompting Abbotts.
Sincerely yours,
Stuart Douch, Headmaster
School Return Arrangements
The following guidelines apply to both our Pre-Prep and Main School children. The different details for Pre-Prep and Main
School are indicated by sub-headings. To move quickly to any section, please just click on the title below:
1. INTRODUCTION AND AIMS
Overview
Sompting Abbotts School re-opened for all children from the beginning of the Autumn Term of 2020 on September 2nd.
In accordance with government guidance, there will not be a fixed requirement for social distancing in a school setting. Instead there will be careful plans in place to minimise and mitigate contacts between children. This is laid out in the latest Government document published on 2nd July 2020.
The changes that we have made are to help the school adhere to regulations and to make the environment as safe as we can. They will be subject to review by the school’s SLT and staff. We will aim to eagerly return to our normal ways of working as soon as we can do so safely.
2. CURRENT SAFETY GUIDANCE
Safety measures
Please be aware that this guidance is current and correct at the time of writing. Due to the fluid nature of the pandemic, it may be necessary to revise this in line with rewritten guidance.
The current government guidance for schools requires a ‘hierarchy of controls’ to be established which create a safer system where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. These include:
● A requirement that pupils and staff who are ill stay at home
● Robust hand and respiratory hygiene. An example of this is cleaning hands more often than usual as well as using an anti-viral hand-sanitiser; ensuring good respiratory hygiene by promoting ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’; by encouraging children not to touch their mouths, eyes or noses
● Enhanced cleaning arrangements, cleaning frequently-touched surfaces regularly using standard products, such as detergents and bleach.
● Frequent cleaning of door handles, handrails, table-tops, and electronic devices
● Active engagement with the NHS Test and Trace system
● A formal consideration of how to reduce contacts and maximise distancing between those in school wherever possible and minimise potential for contamination so far as is reasonably practicable
● Minimising contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have COVID-19 symptoms, or who have someone in their household who is symptomatic, do not attend school
These measures are all being adopted in our planning, which also considers various other measures and protective strategies.
We are monitoring government guidance continually and updating our approach and Risk Assessments as required. Please see the end of this document for the hyperlinks to the sources where you can read the most up-to-date guidance.
3. OUR NEW SCHOOL ROUTINE
Timings for each school day by year group
Before leaving the house, all parents need to check their children (and staff need to check themselves) for any symptoms of COVID-19. The school has prepared a health checking document here. It is also in the hyperlinks section below. Parents do not need to hand a copy of this in everyday; please simply use it as a tool to check your child’s health.
PRE-PREP START OF THE DAY
In the Old Stables building (Pre-Prep), we ask that children arrive at school in the following staggered drop-off times to avoid build-ups of traffic around the site:
PP4: 8.30 - 8:45 am
PP3: 8:45 - 9:00 am
PP2 & Nursery PP1: 9:00 - 9:15 am
Children will be greeted by a member of staff who will supervise hand sanitising before entering the building. If a family has children in overlapping blocks, you may choose which slot to drop the children off. Please see below for details for families with children in Main School and Pre-Prep.
Upon arrival pupils will need to head to their classrooms where they will be met by their teacher. For the first two weeks of term, children in PP1 (Nursery) and PP2 (Reception) may begin their day in the walled garden, at a social distance, so that parents may settle their children, as many of these children have not ever been into the Pre-Prep as they are new to the school.
Because the Pre-Prep operates as a separate “bubble”, those Pre-Prep children who have siblings in Main School will be allowed to attend a supervised “early room” facility in the Pre-Prep. This will only apply to Pre-Prep children with older siblings in the Main School.
PRE-PREP END OF THE DAY
We will be operating staggered collection times. These will be:
PP2 & Nursery PP1: 3.00pm
PP3: 3.10pm
PP4: 3.15pm
Children will be brought to outside the Pre-Prep building by their teacher. Children must go straight home, and there should be no mixed playing by the path. Parents are encouraged to wait, socially distanced, by their cars to pick up their children.
Parents with pupils in different year groups may take all their children at the first available opportunity.
LATE ROOM FACILITY IN THE PRE-PREP
In addition, a ‘late room’ facility for children with older siblings in Main School will also be offered. Due to the requirement of limiting traffic around the site, these facilities will not generally be offered to children without older siblings in Main School. For collection from the late room, parents are asked to ring the bell and the children will be brought to them.
The School understands that some parents will find it difficult to pick up their children at the suggested staggered times, travelling from their workplace may take time at the end of the day and also some children live at a considerable distance from the site.
We will offer a simplified ‘late room facility’ which will be where children wait supervised and socially distanced in the Gym. We, unfortunately, will not be able to offer the usual toys and games to play with. Parents must ring the bell and the children will be brought to them by their teacher. Parents must not enter the Pre-Prep building.
We would however ask, where at all possible, that children be picked up at their allotted form times so we can begin ensuring the site is deep-cleaned in all used areas, compliant with our enhanced cleaning regime, ready for the next day.
SLT will check with duty teachers that the Gym is cleaned after use. Hand sanitizer and cleaning products will be available.
MAIN SCHOOL START OF THE DAY
In Main School, we ask that children arrive at school in the following staggered drop-off times to avoid build-ups of traffic around the site:
YEAR 7 & 8: 8.00 - 8.10 am
YEAR 5 & 6: 8:10 - 8:20 am
YEAR 3 & 4: 8:20 - 8:30 am
Your children will be greeted by a member of staff who will supervise hand sanitising before entering the building. If you are a family with children in overlapping blocks, ie. two children in the first slot and one in the second, you may choose either slot to drop the children off. Please see below for details for families with children in Main School and Pre-Prep.
Upon arrival pupils will need to head to their form rooms. A morning duty teacher will be on site to patrol the school building from 8am.
MAIN SCHOOL END OF THE DAY
We’ll be operating staggered collection times. These will be:
YEAR 3 & 4: 3.45pm
YEAR 5: 4pm
YEAR 6: 4.15pm
YEAR 7 & 8: 4.30pm
Parents with pupils in different year groups may take all their children at the first available opportunity. Please let us know if this is what you’d like to do. If parents wish to take their children at a later time then the younger children will be supervised in the dining room. Social distancing will be used.
EARLY ROOM AND LATE ROOM FOR PRE-PREP SIBLINGS
Because the Pre-Prep operates as a separate ‘bubble’, those who have siblings in Main School will be allowed to attend a supervised ‘early room’ facility in the Pre-Prep. This will only apply to Pre-Prep children with older siblings in the Main School.
In addition, a ‘late room’ facility for children with older siblings in Main School will also be offered. Due to the requirement of limiting traffic around the site, these facilities will not be offered to children without older siblings in Main School.
LATE ROOM FACILITY FOR MAIN SCHOOL PUPILS
The School understands that some parents will find it hard to pick up their children, travelling from their workplace at the end of the day and also some children live at a considerable distance from the site.
We will offer a simplified ‘late room facility’ which will be where children wait supervised and socially distanced in the Dining Room. We unfortunately will not be able to offer table-tennis and snooker like usual and the library will not be a collection point from 4:30-5; children will need to wait in the Dining Room.
We would however ask where at all possible that children be picked up at their allotted form times (see previous page) so we can begin ensuring the site is deep-cleaned in all used areas, compliant with our enhanced cleaning regime, ready for the next day.
SLT will check with duty teachers that the Dining-Room is cleaned after use. Hand sanitiser and cleaning products will always be available.
4. MAIN SCHOOL BREAK-TIMES AND LUNCH BREAKS
Our new timings for lunch and breaks
PRE-PREP LUNCH ARRANGEMENTS
Pre-Prep lunch will be little earlier than usual, at 11.30. This will be served in the Main School dining room as usual. The tables, chairs and room will have been cleansed thoroughly before the children arrive. Children will be at socially distanced seating. Before leaving the Pre-Prep, children will be supervised whilst washing their hands.
The children will walk with their teacher to Main School and will walk directly to the dining room. They will sit at the seats which will be laid for them. The children will be served by their teacher, who will also clear their plates at the end of eating. At the end of lunch, the children will move, in their class groups, back to the Pre-Prep to prepare for their playtime.
Hand sanitiser will be available to the children at the end of lunch.
MAIN SCHOOL BREAK TIMES MANAGEMENT
Break times in the Main School are staggered so Years 3,4 & 5 will not be playing at the same time as Years 6, 7 & 8. To avoid year groups mixing, the grounds will be divided into three areas and pupils assigned an area in which they can play. It will be the responsibility of the duty teacher to make sure that year groups return to the Main School building with social distancing between year groups.
COMING IN AND OUT OF MAIN SCHOOL
In the Main School, staff will supervise pupils if they are leaving their lesson in the building to go to the Assembly Room, Art Room or another classroom on site. The member of staff who is teaching them in the other room will supervise their return to the school building. The staff will ensure that distancing is followed and that the children walk quickly and efficiently to and from destinations. Form teachers will reinforce the importance of following staff’s guidance in form time.Main School morning break-time will be from 10.05 am to 10.40 for Years 3, 4 and 5. For Years 6, 7, and 8, morning break will be 10.40 to 11.10.
Pupils will be given designated areas to play in which they will enter with the teacher who last taught them and exit with the supervision of the duty teacher. They will be supervised by staff on a rota.
LUNCH ARRANGEMENTS
For Main School pupils, there will be two lunch sittings after the Pre-Prep sitting. The Dining-Room will be cleaned thoroughly after each sitting, in line with our enhanced cleaning regime. Pupils will be supervised with hand sanitising and washing before lunch.
For Years 3, 4 and 5, lunch break will begin at 11.55; there will be a break until 12:05, when they will go into lunch in the Dining Room. Once they have finished lunch they will go out to break, before returning to form rooms at 12:50. Lessons will recommence at 12:55.
The Dining Room will be sanitised and wiped down between sittings. Social distancing will be used. Additional space in the Assembly Room will be used and this too will be sanitised and wiped down between sittings.
For Years 6, 7 and 8, lunch break will begin at 12.30; there will be a break until 12:45, then the children will then go into lunch in the Dining Room and Assembly Room. Once they’ve finished lunch they will go out to a short break, before returning to form rooms at 1:30. Lessons will recommence at 1:35.
For Years 3, 4 and 5, there will be a 10-minute break from 3:05 to 3:15. Their day will end earlier than normal (see above: ‘end of the day’ times).
For Years 6, 7 and 8, there will be a 20-minute break from 3:20 to 3:40. Their day will end later (see above: ‘end of the day’ times).
The Dining-Room will seat a reduced number of students who will be sat with distance between their peers.
The portable tables will be used in the Assembly Room to accommodate those who cannot fit into the Dining-Room. These will be spaced apart and also the students will be sat with distance between their peers.
The rooms, plates and utensils will be cleaned intensively between sittings. Before lunch, pupils will wash hands and use hand sanitiser as supervised by staff.
We will continue to review the dining provision and make adaptations wherever necessary for the best service for pupils and staff.
5. USE OF ROOMS BY SCHOOL PUPILS
Classroom arrangements
PRE-PREP ASSEMBLIES
Usually we would have assemblies inside our communal areas in Pre-Prep; sadly these will not be possible under current guidelines. We anticipate these resuming once we can do so safely.
USE OF PRE-PREP CLASSROOMS
We will be asking Pre-Prep children to stay in their classrooms for their lessons. Teachers who are taking them for music, PE or art will come to them.
Hand sanitiser will be available in all teaching and communal areas.
Individual areas will be risk-assessed to ensure the careful and appropriate management of school operation and working.
USE OF THE PRE-PREP OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
Happily, our Pre-Prep children will be able to continue to use our woods within the school grounds for their outdoor classroom lessons. This is because it is outside and has been risk assessed.
The School is making every effort to avoid mixing across the year groups when indoors. For some outdoor activities such as Games lessons, some groups may attend the same lesson.
In the Old Stables building, we’re unable to operate a one-way system. However, we will only have one class using the stairs and main entrance/exit at any time. The Pre-Prep children will always be with their designated a member of staff and they will ensure that the class bubbles do not mix when moving around the school and outside.
In this we are acting upon the Government guidance of 2nd July which states:
“How contacts are reduced will depend on the school’s circumstances and will (as much as possible) include”:
● grouping children together
● avoiding contact between groups
● arranging classrooms with forward facing desks
● staff maintaining distance from pupils and other staff as much as possible.
MAIN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS AND ASSEMBLIES
Usually, we would have ‘whole-school’ Assemblies inside our communal areas in Main School. Sadly, for now, these will not be possible under current guidelines.
We will be asking children to stay in their form rooms. Their teachers will come to them; the exceptions being for Art, Music, Science and P.E (and possibly Drama), which will be supervised by the relevant teachers. The transition to those lessons will be supervised by staff.
The Science Lab will be used but pupils will enter and exit via the walled garden. Students will be given disposable face masks to wear for the lessons they have in the Science Lab and the Lab will be wiped down after each class.
Hand sanitiser will be available in all teaching and communal areas. Individual areas will be continually risk-assessed to ensure the careful and appropriate management of school operation and working.
6. PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS
Clothing and day-to-day equipment
All pupils school-wide are asked to limit what they bring in to school at the start of the year. Cleaning will be helped by areas being as uncluttered as possible and we may need to move individuals swiftly between different areas of the school.
PRE-PREP ARRANGEMENTS
Pre-Prep staff will provide each child with their own equipment on their own desk. Reading books (which under normal circumstances would go home to you) will be now have kept in school to limit items going backwards and forwards from school.
Hard as it is for the little ones (!), we ask that toys are not brought into school. Children may bring their book bag into school and a water bottle. They will also require a pair of wellingtons, navy coat and their red tracksuit. In the warmer autumn days, they may bring in sun-lotion and sun hats (these will all remain in school).
Pre-Prep children are asked to wear their PE kit on the day their class is timetabled for PE and will remain in it all day. Wellington and football boots may be kept in the cloakroom and children will be asked to collect them, when required, and put them on outside when leaving the main building. Children will not prepare for playtimes in the cloakroom, they will put tracksuits, coats and other clothing on in the classrooms.
Please note, it is recommended that Pre-Prep pupils bring a change of clothes on the first day back. These are to be kept in a clearly labelled plastic bag and stored in a box for each year group in case of emergencies. These changes of clothes will be kept in a central area to reduce the clutter in classrooms. Staff can assist pupils in collecting these should the need arise.
PRE-PREP NAPPY CHANGING/SANITARY ARRANGEMENTS
Any member of Pre-Prep staff who changes a nappy or changes a child who has had an accident will be required to wear PPE including an apron and gloves. They will thoroughly clean the area after changing using anti-bac spray and must sanitise their hands.UNIFORM
MAIN SCHOOL ARRANGEMENTS
Please can your children come to school wearing blazers and, if they do not have P.E. or Games that day, they should wear their usual school uniform. But, if they have P.E. or Games that day, they should arrive at school wearing their Games kit and will remain in that kit for the duration of the day as we cannot use the showers as usual.
Pupils are asked to bring in their rucksack (Main School) in which to carry their school books and equipment around with them; to ensure that materials are as little shared as possible and that they remain with, and in the care of, their owner. Equipment lists will be emailed to parents. Pupils should not share materials or equipment.
For Main School pupils, as stated above, we ask that they come in on days with Games and P.E wearing Games uniform and do not use the boys’ or girls’ changing-rooms. Wellington and football boots and Games shoes may be kept in plastic bags and put on outside when leaving the main building. These are to be kept in plastic bags at the back of classrooms.
It is recommended that Main School pupils bring a change of clothes on the first day back. These are to be kept in a clearly labelled plastic bag and stored in a box for each year group in case of emergencies. These changes of clothes will be kept upstairs on the top floor to reduce the clutter in classrooms. Staff can assist pupils in collecting these should the need arise.
7. AVOIDING MIXING AND ONE-WAY SYSTEM
How we’ll manage social distancing
The School is making every effort to avoid mixing across the Year groups where possible. For some outdoor activities such as Games lessons, some groups will attend the same lesson in a ‘Games bubble’.
Similarly, Years 3, 4, and 5 will be a ‘bubble’ and Years 6,7 & 8 will be another bubble for break times.
Following discussions with SLT, a one-way system will be operating in Main School to minimise crowding in the building and minimising risk. Pupils and parents will be emailed with details of how this will work.
In this we are acting upon the Government guidance of 2nd July which states:
How contacts are reduced will depend on the school’s circumstances and will (as much as possible) include:
● grouping children together
● avoiding contact between groups
● arranging classrooms with forward facing desks
● staff maintaining distance from pupils and other staff as much as possible.
8. USE OF IT ROOM
Keyboard safety
We will be investing in silicon sheaths for the Chromebook keyboards. Our staff will remove the sheaths used at the end of each lesson and clean them using the sanitising material provided. The second set will then be ready to use by the next class. Where possible, we will split capacity classes using the IT Room to avoid overcrowding.
9. OUR HABITS AND HYGIENE
Safety and cleanliness
GOING TO THE TOILET
A queuing system will operate for all the lavatories. One-metre markers will be in place to keep the distance. The door handles and the toilets themselves will be cleaned intensively as part of our enhanced cleaning regime.
FACE MASKS
The current government guidance is that face masks in schools and other educational settings are not recommended, although staff and students may wear masks and face coverings if they wish and should do so if travelling into school on public or school transport. We acknowledge that some pupils and staff will wish to wear face coverings and support their wishes.
CLEANING REGIMES
An enhanced frequency cleaning programme has been arranged, taking place every day. All staff will have access to cleaning materials, allowing them to wipe down surfaces that they and pupils have touched before they leave an area. Hand sanitiser will be available every time staff and pupils enter and exit the building, also it will be available in classrooms. Extra time will be given to hand washing at times throughout the day.
TRAINING AND AWARENESS
Where appropriate, students will receive training in forms about the nature and transmission of the virus causing COVID-19, the necessity for good hygiene habits and the expected behaviour and sanctions pertaining to social distancing. Staff will receive refresher training as part of their Safeguarding INSET in September.
10. WHAT IF A STUDENT IS UNWELL?
In the event a child is ill …
TESTING AND ROUTINE TEMPERATURE CHECKING
Contactless temperature checking is already available at school should a child feel unwell during the day and need this checked. All our pupils will undertake a daily health check with parents using material shared by the school: (please visit this link).
In the light of the range of symptoms that young people can present if unwell with a virus, any who are unwell will not attend lessons.
PROCEDURE IF A CHILD IS UNWELL AT SCHOOL
→ If a student is unwell and presenting COVID-19 symptoms after the school day has started, these protocols will be initiated:
→ They will be taken to a safe isolation area by an adult wearing PPE (the safe isolation area for all pupils will be the Pre-Prep Activity Room).
→ They will be looked after by trained first aiders wearing PPE.
→ Their parents will be telephoned and requested that they pick their child up immediately and give them any treatment if needed, and following this, isolate them as per Government guidelines.
→ Any member of staff presenting symptoms will likewise be told to return home immediately and follow the same protocol.
11. WELFARE OF OUR PUPILS, PARENTS AND STAFF
Putting your needs first
We recognise that recent months have been particularly challenging for our young people, for parents and the huge effort put in by teachers and the Senior Leadership Team.
At school we will support our staff to deliver their lessons, to ensure their training is up to date and that they have had some opportunity to be rested during the holiday period; we are fully aware of the huge effort they have put into the Summer Term of 2020 and we will ensure they are supported when term resumes.
We are committed to supporting the well-being of families. Mr. Douch, Headmaster, and Mrs. Miles, Head of Pre-Prep, can signpost parents towards any support systems if parents are struggling with any aspects of the return to school.
Most of all, we are committed to supporting our pupils. The chance to gather again in our nurturing community, to socialise and work face to face (socially distanced), to have wider physical freedoms and to be able to process difficult or distressing events in recent months will all be hugely important. It is our commitment to care for the welfare of our pupils through:
● Close and continuing contact with you as parents which for the time being will have to be by telephone and email (or Zoom) as personal contact is not possible currently. Parents are not able to enter either the school building without prior arrangement or while the children are in school.
● The pastoral role of our form teachers, enabling pupils to speak with a trusted adult on any matter
● Our buddying and mentoring opportunities – joining younger pupils up with older peers will not be possible; however wherever possible we will use digital means to ensure older children play a helpful role in mentoring younger children, possibly by recording messages for them and receiving replies from them
● A PSCHEE programme that runs across the year for all pupils of all year groups; this focuses significantly on welfare, mental health, resilience and good communication. We count ourselves blessed and are proud of the fact that we have a committed staff body who are passionate about pastoral care and the welfare of each individual in the school
● Listening to our pupils and giving the senior pupils a chance to exercise leadership if they are concerned about younger children during the return to school, through working with their form teachers and possibly participating in digitally-hosted peer support systems
● Making available to parents and families resources from West Sussex County Council to help children if any anxieties present themselves following a return to school.
12. OUR TEACHING PROVISION AT THE SCHOOL
Learning at school
The aim will be to give pupils the opportunity to have as complete a curriculum as possible.
As our Main School pupils are taught by specialist subject teachers, in order to create a timetable that enables them to deliver their allocated lessons under current Government guidance the following adjustments will be made:
● Main School pupils will be taught primarily in their classrooms with the following exceptions:
i) Games and P.E. (pitches and netball court)
ii) Art will be taught in the Art room.
iii) Music will be taught where possible in the Assembly Room.
iv) Drama will be taught in form rooms or outside (weather permitting). The Drama Studio will be used by Year 5 as the class is of a size to allow sufficient distancing and staff will escort pupils there and back.
v) Science will be taught in the Science lab. Disposable masks will be provided by the school and worn by students on entering and discarded when they leave. Students will enter and exit the lab via the walled garden. The lab will be wiped down after a class has used it.
LESSONS AND FORM TIME
In Main School, at the end of registration and form time, at 8.45 am lessons will begin. There will be no assembly; once restrictions allow, we look forward to these recommencing as we hugely value them and enjoy their communal centralisation and positive springboard to starting the school day.
Form teachers can record form assemblies which can be shared with the school via email.
Main School lessons will be taught primarily in 35-minute blocks and there will be an adequate number of periods necessary to deliver subject content.
13. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Answers to your questions
We appreciate that this is a lot to process. We hope that by placing this section here, you may find any questions or uncertainties you may have about our plan answered. We think your children will soon get used to this ‘new normal’ as long as it has to last. Our main priority is to get their education back on track as safely as we, and the Government guidelines, permit!
I HAVE CHILDREN IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SCHOOL, PRE-PREP AND MAIN SCHOOL. WHEN DO I NEED TO BRING THEM IN AND WHEN DO I NEED TO PICK THEM UP?
Our plan says that you can bring in your Main School children at their time and drop off your Pre-Prep child in an early room provision. A late room provision will also be offered to you.
Because the Pre-Prep operates as a separate “bubble”, those who have siblings in Main School will be allowed to attend a supervised “early room” facility in the Pre-Prep. This will only apply to Pre-Prep children with older siblings in the Main School.
In addition, a “late room” facility for children with older siblings in Main School will also be offered. Due to the requirement of limiting traffic around the site, these facilities will not be offered to children without older siblings in Main School.
Please also communicate with Mrs. Miles, Head of Pre-Prep, on head_of_preprep@somptingabbotts.org.uk to confirm arrangements
WILL THERE BE A LATE ROOM IN MAIN SCHOOL?
We acknowledge for some parents it will not be possible to pick up their child in the exact pick-up time slot. We will offer a simplified late-room service in the Dining-Room. It will be socially distanced. Access to the usual resources (table-tennis, snooker, library used as socialising space) will not be possible. We ask that where possible, children leave the site at their allocated time so we can deep-clean the premises.
WE HAVE HEARD SO MUCH IN THE MEDIA ABOUT DIFFERENT COVID-19 SYMPTOMS. WHAT ARE THEY?
A COVID-19 Case Definition (as of 18/05/20) is a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste.
HOW LONG IS THE ISOLATION PERIOD IF A CHILD TESTS POSITIVE?
The isolation time to 10 days. A child who has COVID symptoms should, unless a test is returned negative, isolate for 10 days. See the link to the flowchart here.
HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN MY CHILD HAS GAMES OR P.E. SO I KNOW TO MAKE SURE THEY COME INTO SCHOOL WEARING BLAZER AND GAMES KIT?
We will share your children’s form timetables with parents as soon as possible.
WHAT WILL THE SCHOOL DO IF A CHILD BEGINS PRESENTING COVID SYMPTOMS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY?
We will follow the actions outlined on a flowchart we have been given from West Sussex County Council in partnership with Public Health England (PHE). This may be found here.
Firstly it states the symptoms of COVID-19 which we have been told to be aware of; if these are being presented, we will safely isolate the child according to our protocol and telephone the parent, requesting they collect their child immediately.
From our plan:
If a student is unwell and showing COVID-19 symptoms, these protocols will be initiated:
● They will be taken to a safe isolation area by an adult wearing PPE (the safe isolation area for all pupils will be the Pre-Prep Activity Room)
● They will be looked after by trained first aiders wearing PPE.
● Their parents will be telephoned and requested that they pick their child up immediately and give them any treatment if needed, and following this, isolate them as per Government guidelines.
This also applies to members of staff who will be sent home if presenting symptoms.
Next Steps
These steps apply for children and staff:
Following the WSCC/PHE flowchart, parents must ensure their child isolates at home for 10 days from when the symptoms started. The rest of the household need to isolate for 14 days.
The school will contact PHE SE HPT on 0344 2253861 to notify of the single case so they can support an extensive risk assessment and follow up the case.
The school will clean and disinfect rooms the suspected case was using – ensuring the cleaning team use appropriate PPE (gloves and apron).
It is recommended that the child get tested. This may be done online via www.nhs.uk/coronavirus at www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test
The WSCC/PHE protocol states that there is no need to isolate school contacts at this point – we would first await the test results.
If the test was negative?
The advice from PHE/WSCC is the “case can return once well. Household contacts can stop self-isolating and carry on as normal.”
If the test was positive?
Again we would ensure the child isolates at home for 7 days from when symptoms started. The rest of the household need to isolate for 14 days.
Next Steps
These steps apply for children and staff:
The school will contact PHE SE HPT on 0344 2253861 to notify of the single case so they can support an extensive risk assessment and follow up.
The school will advise all parents and staff that anyone with symptoms get tested. This should be done online via www.nhs.uk/coronavirus at www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test.
Working with the school, the West Sussex HPT (Health Protection Team) will undertake an assessment to determine if any contacts in the setting need to self-isolate at home for 14 days. [The wider household will NOT need to isolate]
The school will clean and disinfect rooms the suspected case was using – the school will ensure appropriate PPE (minimum gloves and apron) are used by the cleaning team.
The school will maintain the level of cleaning in these areas – even if not being used due to isolation protocols.
If further suspected or confirmed cases occur they need to isolate for 7 days from when symptoms started. Any siblings also in the same setting (but a different, unaffected area) would need to isolate at this point.
West Sussex County Council, Public Health England and the HPT advise us that the cases and contacts can return once the isolation period is completed.
WHAT IF THERE ARE 2 OR MORE CONFIRMED CASES IN A GROUP OR CLASS?
The same rules will apply if there was a single case, with the school following the protocols on the COVID-19 flowchart and supporting the Track and Trace framework.
The main difference being that we would be working closer with the South-East HPT (Health Protection Team) who will provide the school with tools to support outbreak communications.
In addition we would recommend that all suspected cases be tested, regardless of being symptomatic or asymptomatic.
We would call the South-East HPT immediately if:
• The situation worsened considerably
• There were any hospitalisations or complex cases
• To assist with any media interest to protect children, staff, parents and the wider school community
• Any other concerns the school felt we needed support with
The SE HPT team would work with us to contain any outbreak and protect our community as quickly as possible. It would be our shared objective to ensure that any contaminated areas were cleaned and all individuals- parents, pupils and staff who might be possibly affected would be supported and their health and the health of the school priority prioritised; the guidance we would receive in such a situation would reflect these aims.
14. CONTINGENCY PLAN
What if?
Schools in the United Kingdom have been told that as part of their return to school plan, they must include a section on a contingency plan should the national health picture of the country deteriorate and a second lockdown be imposed, or a localised lockdown initiated.
If this was the case, we would reinstate our paid for and secure Zoom provision which was in the main a success last term. A similar timetable to that used in the Summer Term will be put into place. This has been agreed with our Bursar, David Sinclair.
This would, as before, be used in conjunction with Google Classroom as a portal, resource centre and marking platform.
→ We would support and resource families in the same way as in the Summer Term of 2020 and aim to learn from our experience in that term, including:
→ Standardised set-outs of Google Classroom with clear links from the start.
→ Maintaining consistent communication with pupils and parents
→ More support for younger children and those who may struggle with the online provision
→ Varying resources - using podcasts, recorded actions and other methods to convey information depending on students’ needs, working with our LST, Karen Ormerod
In addition, we will support the Government’s key worker provision should this be reinstated.
15. USEFUL HYPERLINKS AND RESOURCES
Toolkit of resources
→ World Health Organisation Coronavirus Information
→ National Health Service Coronavirus Information
→ UK Government/Public Health England Coronavirus Information
→ WSCC/PHE/SE HPT COVID-19 Flowchart for Schools
→ Testing request via NHS website
→ Daily Pupil Health Check for all Parents and Staff
→ West Sussex Mind online workshops for those anxious re school return
→ UNICEF link supporting children’ mental health
→ NSPCC link supporting parents and children with well-being and mental health
16. TEACHING ARRANGEMENTS IF YOUR CHILD IS SELF-ISOLATING DUE TO COVID-19
As you may be aware it is now a legal requirement to support children remotely who are missing work through COVID-19 isolation. "Schools must provide immediate access to remote learning to any pupils who can’t attend school due to COVID-19, including:
Individual pupils, whole classes, groups, and small numbers of pupils self-isolating and pupils staying at home due to local or national restrictions (like whole-school closure).”
PRE-PREP
We will continue using the Google classroom platform as a way of sharing work with the children and have opted to include this to our youngest children too in reception (PP2) and nursery (PP1). This will enable parents (and the older children themselves) to have a single area where they will find replicates of the work being carried out in class.
Every child in the Pre-Prep will be given a school email which will be used to access Google classroom should it be required. These will be sent home in book-bags with a guide of how to access Google classroom using the school email.
Parents should inform Mrs Miles and Mrs Sinclair of any self-isolation due to suspected or actual COVID infection. This will enable work to be set on Google classroom. Obviously, if your child is too unwell to carry out the work set then it is not expected to be completed.
MAIN SCHOOL
We will continue using the Google Classroom platform as a way of sharing work with the children. This will be posted in the 'Missed Classwork' section for each subject.
Work that is shared will be in the form of material (such as a copy of a presentation to be used in class if applicable. In addition, links to relevant websites) or assignments (a Google doc or a link to an online activity (with a deadline chosen by staff).
The Google Classroom server will email your children to notify them the work has been set. Staff will invite parents of self-isolating children via Google Classroom to view the work set.
IT Head Mrs. Kelly will have revised the use of this platform with your children in IT lessons so they are confident with using it.
Main School parents should inform Mr Douch or Mrs Sinclair of any self-isolation due to suspected or actual COVID infection.
This will trigger the process for work to be set on Google Classroom by their respective teachers. If your child is too unwell to carry out the work set, then it is not expected to be completed.
We appreciate this is a lot to digest! Hopefully, this new ‘normal’ is something you and your children will all get used to quickly. The main thing is that they will be as safely back at school as we can possibly achieve – and happy to be back doing their brilliant learning again full-time!
At Sompting Abbotts, we adopt a school-wide ethos that embodies our commitment to the environment. Its principles – 'Embrace Nature; Embrace Learning; Embrace Childhood' – are threaded through our teaching, influencing every child's journey from Pre-Prep to Upper Prep. Our 30-acre grounds and woodland in the South Downs National Park are at its roots.