The principles governing our COVID response are: • to keep the School open safely • to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID
REVIEW OF OUR COVID RESPONSE
• to maximise educational opportunities across the curriculum and co-curriculum whilst taking appropriate precautions • to maintain the highest standards of pastoral care
1
COVID Charter What you can expect from THE SCHOOL • To endeavour to protect the members of the community • To have effective measures against COVID • To review and develop these measures • To enforce these measures • To communicate developments in a timely way • To work as hard as we can to keep the School open • To do what we can to minimise the impact of isolation on pupils’ education, and personal development and wellbeing
What we expect of PARENTS & GUARDIANS • To report promptly any COVID indicator symptoms • Not to send any pupils presenting these symptoms into School without clearance • Not to send affected children back into School until either we have received a negative test or 10 days have elapsed since the first symptoms • To collect our children from School when it is possible to make prompt arrangements • To comply with the isolation principles if required
What we expect of STAFF • To comply with and enforce COVID measures • To continue to support and contribute to the development of COVID measures within the School • To communicate appropriately on the basis of fact not rumour
What we expect of PUPILS • To comply with the expectations as set out by the school guidance regarding social distancing, the wearing of face protection and hand hygiene • To communicate appropriately on the basis of fact not rumour • To adhere to all usual academic expectations
2
Information Regional data collected by the government shows that, despite a recent spike in our local district, Waverley, the School is in one of the lowest-risk areas in the UK. Nevertheless, we expect all members of the community to pay renewed attention to the same basic three precautions and messages:
• adhere to essential public hygiene messages (wash hands and wear face coverings) • maintain social distancing • keep to the rule of six and minimise contact with others outside your household or grouping The School has been fortunate (and/or has made sensible, effective precautions) that there have not been any COVID cases in the broader school community. However, we have dealt with many cases of cold- or ‘flu-like symptoms’ which have obliged some 100 pupils to go into precautionary isolation either at home or in School, in six separate incidents. As a result, we have altered our communication protocols with parents to reduce the potential for alarm and confusion. If your child does need to isolate, the requirements are that if they are symptomatic, they must isolate for 10 days from the date of first symptoms; if they are isolating because they live in the same corridor as another pupil in their House, they must isolate for 14 days from the same date. A negative diagnostic test for COVID will release them from isolation as soon as it is received, however. We will not usually require isolation for pupils who are ‘merely’ in the same year group. Every visitor to the School, every member of staff and pupil, has their temperature taken by one of our temperature scanners each day. We have picked up a few raised temperatures but, so far, no resultant COVID cases. Pupils eat breakfast and lunch, and attend lessons, in their year groups. Different year groups are allocated separate areas of the School for lessons. They eat dinner in House groups. For sports, some year groups have been paired, to allow meaningful practice.
3
The high number of precautionary isolation cases has obliged us to change our procedures. If the isolation House is full, pupils will self-isolate in their own House.
NE P E R AT U R E
N SCA ’S T EM OL
HO
SC E
ON
I R RA CT PID DISINFE E F O
IN
FO
G
N GI
G
M
L LY C A F É
The Sports Department have added sports sessions in the mornings, lunchtimes, afternoons and at specific times during the weekends to encourage pupils to spend as much time outside as possible.
CADI
We have been able to relax our routines to allow day pupils to eat dinner in School and to do their prep in House, by express advance permission from their Housemaster/ Housemistress.
PIC
Please see our COVID charter for parents, pupils, and staff on page 2 of this document.
We have employed more cleaners, increased the cleaning hours in each House, and enhanced all our disinfection and cleaning protocols so that each classroom and high-traffic area is cleaned several times each day.
IN
We have made arrangements with a company called Oncologica for COVID testing, following extended delays with the public health test system. Our experience is now that results come back 48-60 hours after the swab has been sent out. We will contact you to request permission in advance, when possible to conduct a diagnostic test on your child should they show potential COVID symptoms.
We will allow boarders to gather in year groups for limited periods during the weekends, to enable them to socialise with friends in different Houses.
CH
Mr Harrison heads up the meals provision for pupils having to isolate in Old Ridley and St Bridget’s, leading the team of graduate assistants in donning PPE to distribute food for each meal.
Emails from School about precautionary isolation in future will be simpler and will clearly advise parents either “information only”, or “your child will have to isolate as a precaution against COVID”.
A
We have taken delivery of a ‘fogging machine’ for rapid disinfection of any room or space.
TH
GS
We have also adapted the meal rota and timings to allow every year group enough time to enjoy their meal, without having to cut it short to attend a lesson.
O
OF NE
N
This week, we required all members of the community to wear face coverings (i) while queuing for meals in the Dining Hall, (ii) in corridors during lesson changeovers, and (iii) when presenting at the IT Helpdesk.
Some guardians and parents have queried our recommendation for boarders to isolate at home rather than in School. We are aware of all guidance on this and, having considered all aspects of a complicated question, our view remains that it is in pupils’ best interests, for practical and pastoral reasons, to go home or to a family environment for precautionary isolation. However, we do not insist on this and, when it is not practical to do so, we undertake to look after the pupils in School.
RI
We have set up a COVID working group, chaired by the Deputy Head, and comprising staff from all aspects of the School.
RS
What we have changed
FA
CO CE
VE
4
What we will do next We are energetically searching for rapid turn-round diagnostic COVID testing in order to minimise precautionary isolation. Find ways to return safely to greater normality: sports fixtures, music and drama rehearsals, socialising.
5