COVID COMPLIANT

We spoke to our busy Compliance Manager, Laura Clewley, who has managed the compliance of the school through Covid (and has spent many an evening catching up on the latest government guidance!), about her role during the last 18 months. Laura, who was previously Ruddle Housemistress here at Shebbear College, started in her new role in February 2020 and thought it was going to be primarily dealing with compliance within boarding...and then the pandemic hit!

When you accepted your role as Compliance Manager, what did you expect it to be like?

I was excited for a new challenge as the restructuring of the houses was due to take place. I had previous experience with compliance within boarding and knew what was expected to ensure we remain compliant. This job role was a slight change from my previous job role as I was to ensure compliance across the whole site rather than just the boarding house.

What has it actually been like!?

Little did I know at the time of accepting the job role, everyone’s lives were about to change dramatically due to the Coronavirus Pandemic! Over the summer I came in to assist with setting up the school so that we were following Covid-19 guidance and to make the school Covid secure by putting in systems of controls. This initially started with me preparing the boarding houses and signing up for the BSA Covid safe charter but soon developed across the whole site. It was a challenging time with guidance changing on a daily basis. A lot of time was spent writing risk assessments and putting procedures in place for the start of the new academic year. This has continued throughout the year and I am constantly checking guidance and then adjusting and implementing risk assessments as guidance changes. I consistently monitor and ensure we are all following the current procedures in place.

Being a compliance manager during a global pandemic can’t have been easy - what have been the biggest challenges you have faced?

I would say that the biggest challenge initially was writing the whole school Covid-19 risk assessments and then keeping on top of reading and understanding all of the government guidance which has changed on a daily basis at times.

With the introduction of the testing on site it was a challenge to set up a test centre in a short space of time. There are a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ staff that have worked long hours to ensure the safety of everyone here on site - teamwork throughout this whole process was essential! Although at the time, we then entered a national lockdown, we had to continue with testing staff on site and then testing pupils upon return of schools reopening. Shebbear College is one of the few schools not to have had a single positive case of Covid-19 in school - you must be doing something right! How do you think the school has achieved this?

As part of government guidance, all schools have to follow systems of control. I believe that we have set this up well within the school. Once we had agreed on procedures and I had written risk assessments we were quick to follow these through and implement them and it has been a real team effort from everyone to ensure we are following the procedures which are in place.

What has given you the most satisfaction/what are you the most proud of during the last year?

I think just knowing that we have done everything we can to ensure the health and safety of everyone here on site has been great. We are always looking at the best options to be able to provide and be the best we can whilst ensuring the correct safety measures are in place. In an uncertain time for everyone, knowing that we are Covid-19 secure has reassured everyone and it has been nice to play a big part in that.

Our picture shows you in full PPE - how often do you actually have to get kitted out like this (and for what reason)?

During testing as the Quality Lead/Team Leader & the Covid coordinator, I had to wear this whilst in the test centre. Now I only have to wear it if I am called out to a suspected case of Covid-19 throughout the school day. We have a designated isolation area for this. In preparation for the school reopening last September, I was rarely seen without a tape measure and a roll of black and yellow tape!

How do you see your role developing in the future/when Covid-19 is (hopefully) not so much of an issue?

Under my role of Compliance Manager I have also now taken on the role of Health and Safety Coordinator. This is a never ending job role within the school which continues to ensure the safety of our site and community here at Shebbear College.

How have you managed to relax when you’re not at work/ what do you do in your spare time?

I have 4 young children which keeps me pretty busy. During the pandemic we moved house and it has been lovely to start exploring the coastal areas around this part of North Devon and Cornwall where we live.