Living with COVID-19

This page was updated on 5th April 2022

This is the response to COVID-19 at St Catherine’s. To avoid repetition, links are included to government guidance where it exists. Contingency framework: education and childcare settings (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The Government has removed domestic restrictions while encouraging safer behaviours through pupil health advice, in common with longstanding ways of managing most other respiratory illnesses. COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19

In order to be prepared for further resurgences and new variants, the Government will maintain resilience and infrastructure required to scale up a proportionate response.

Roles and responsibilities

The Headteacher is responsible for management of the school’s contingency planning, assisted by the leadership team.

Our contingency planning covers a range of activities:

• Residential educational visits;

• Open days, parent workshops and parents evening;

• Transition days;

• Live performances.

We have planned residential educational visits, and they will take place this academic year. We look forward to welcoming visitors and parents into school for meetings and events. If restrictions need to be introduced because of severe operational impacts or identified health risks, we will communicate with parents via text or email, and through the weekly newsletter.

Restrictions may include testing, bubbles, face coverings, suspension of large gatherings (e.g. assemblies).

Seeking advice

The Headteacher will be responsible for seeking advice from the Director of Public Health (or their representative) if there are concerns about COVID-19 at St Catherine’s.

Testing, self-isolating and contact tracing

From 1st April, the Government will no longer provide free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public. The Government will help enable COVOD-19 tests to be made available for those who with to purchase them through the private market.

Reducing the risk of catching and passing on COVID-19

When someone with COVID-19 breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they release small particles (droplets and aerosols) that contain the virus that causes COVID-19. These particles can come into contact with the eyes, nose or mouth or can be breathed in by another person. The particles can also land on surfaces and be passed from person to person via touch. In general, the risk of catching or passing on COVID-19 is highest when you are physically close to someone who is infected. However, it is possible to be infected even by someone you do not have close contact with, especially if you are in a crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated space. This is because the infectious particles can stay suspended in the air for some time.

Individuals can reduce the risk of catching and passing on COVID-19 by:

1. Getting vaccinated;

2. Letting fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meeting outside;

3. Wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, especially where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet, when rates of transmission are high;

4. Trying to stay at home if you are unwell;

5. Washing your hands and following advice to ‘Catch it. Bin it. Kill it.’

1. Getting vaccinated

At St Catherine’s, staff are encouraged to get vaccinated, and time off (with pay) is given to attend a local vaccination centre during the school day.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

2. Ventilation

At St Catherine’s, we ensure that spaces used in school are well ventilated, and that a comfortable teaching environment is maintained. This means that there is a window open in classrooms. CO2 monitors are used in school.

Staff use the staff room for briefing meetings and at lunchtime, a window is open at all times.

The school gathers for assemblies (including singing assemblies) in one of the school halls, a window is open at all times.

Staff meetings and PPA (Planning, Preparation and Assessment) take place in school, in person, in a ventilated space.

3. Face coverings

Face coverings are not worn by staff or visitors in school, unless their employer stipulates that they must.

4. If unwell

If a member of staff, a pupil or a parent of a child has the main symptoms of COVID-19, they should stay at home and avoid contact with other people.

The main symptoms of COVID-19 (from April 2022) are: a high temperature or shivering (chills), a new continuous cough, a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, feeling tired or exhausted, an aching body, a headache, a sore throat, a blocked or runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick.

Symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

If a parent insists on their child attending school when they have symptoms, school can take the decision to refuse attendance if, in our reasonable judgement, it is necessary to protect other pupils and staff from possible infection with COVID-19. The decision would be carefully considered in light of all the circumstances and current public health advice.

If a pupil is staying at home due to COVID-19, school will implement high-quality blended learning arrangements so that the child can learn from home if they are well enough.

5. Good hygiene and hand washing

Frequent and thorough hand cleaning is now regular practice. Children are encouraged to clean their hands regularly with soap and water or hand sanitiser; twice a day and after using the toilet.

An appropriate cleaning schedule is in place and maintained. This includes regular cleaning of areas and equipment, with a particular focus on frequently touched surfaces.

Our school day

Start of the day

Breakfast Club opens at 8:00am every morning, parents book a place for their child using ParentPay.

Staff are on the gates in the morning to greet children from 8:30am.

Playtime

There are no space restrictions, and no bubbles, so playtime organisation is as follows:

• Key Stage 1 use both yards from 10:15am to 10:30am

• Key Stage 2 use all yards from 10:00am to 10:15am

End of the day

Staff take children to the gate at 3:00pm to meet the adult who is collecting them, parents can wait outside the classroom for handover if they wish.

After School Club finishes at 4:20pm every day, parents book a place for their child using ParentPay, children are collected from the school hall (by the main entrance) before 4:30pm.