Protocol for visitors to Tanworth-in-Arden CofE Primary School and Nursery

As we continue to try to minimise the risk of COVID-19 in the Tanworth community, we ask for the support and understanding of our visitors.

Tanworth continues to take guidance from Public Health England and the DFE. Taking this into account, we are now limiting access to the site to essential visitors only. If you are unsure as to whether your proposed visit is considered essential, please email the office on tanworthschool@welearn365.com.

Please read our COVID-19 guidelines for visitors here.

When you arrive on site:

• Only visitors with a prearranged appointment are allowed. Ad hoc visitors will not be allowed on site.
• If you arrive by car, please observe the 2m distancing rule when you leave your car and make your way to the school entrance.
• When you arrive in the school building, you will be welcomed by our reception staff who will ask you if you have any of the following symptoms. If you do, you will be politely asked to leave, and book an appointment for another time after the 14 day isolation period:

a high temperature

a new, continuous cough

a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste

• All visitors will be asked to use the hand sanitiser available at the reception desk.
• Instead of signing in yourself, the reception staff will sign you into the school themselves, by asking for your name, logging the time you have arrived and who you are here to visit.
• Along with all members of the Tanworth community, any visitors to the School should wash their hands with soap and water before leaving home and once they arrive at Tanworth. We also have hand sanitiser on arrival to the school.

During your visit:

• When you are met by one of our members of staff, they will not offer a handshake as a greeting – please do not be offended by this.
• Visitors are to remain 2m apart from all other staff and pupils at Tanworth, when moving around the site and, if taking a seat during your visit, you should be positioned 2m apart from those in the same room.
• During these circumstances unfortunately we are unable to offer our usual hospitality however you are welcome to bring a bottle of water with you.
• If you wish to use the toilet facilities while on site, again a member of staff will direct to where you need to go.
• Please where possible refrain from touching surfaces during your visit.
• If you remain within school for more than one hour, please ensure you wash your hands regularly in accordance with our risk assessment.

We apologise for not being able to give you our usual warm welcome, but we must take the current situation very seriously and look after the welfare of our pupils and staff. If you have any questions, please contact the member of staff you were due to visit.

30^th September 2020

Warwickshire County Council have now asked all parents and carers to wear a face mask during morning pick up and afternoon drop off. We would be grateful if you would all please follow this advice and support us in doing our best to stay safe and wear a mask when on site.

Please note that if any parents or visitors to the school need to enter the building please be aware that you will be expected to also wear a face mask. Teachers or school staff who need to be closer to parents, e.g. in meetings will also be wearing face masks or shields.

HOW TO GET TESTED

If anyone develops a new or persistent cough, temperature, or loss of smell or taste:

• They need to self-isolate for 10 days. They need to isolate with household members immediately. Even if household members do not have symptoms, they may need to self-isolate for 14 days *dependant on Covid-19 test result. Follow national guidance on how to self-isolate.
• Book a test (the test must be taken within three days of symptoms starting, and no later than five days)

What is the process to book a test?

• You book a test on the GOV.UK website or call 119.
• You will enter your postcode into the online system and it will give you options of a drive-thru test or a walk-thru test (figure 1) – this will be part of the call with 119.
• If you have transport available please attend a drive-thru or walk-thru testing site rather than ordering a home test. Testing at these sites tends to be quicker to produce results which help us to manage cases more quickly and effectively. However, if you need to get a bus to attend a walk-thru site, order a home test immediately.
• Test slots are released every day at 8pm for the next day, regardless of working day or weekend. Test sites and availability may change.

SCHOOL COVID_19 TEST KITS

From 26 August, all schools and FE providers will receive an initial supply of 10 home test kits. Home test kits will only be offered to individuals in exceptional circumstances. Please see the school policy on providing Home Testing kits in exceptional circumstances. Please remember the best and fastest way for students or staff to access a test is to visit a testing site.

14/04/20

The Children’s commissioner has produced a children’s guide to Coronavirus (the link is below)

https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/publication/childrens-guide-to-coronavirus/

 NHS handwashing video

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/

You can help to slow the spread of Coronavirus!

Make sure you and your children follow these general principles to prevent spreading any respiratory virus:

• Wash your hands often – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or an alcohol-based sanitiser if soap and water aren’t available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• If you feel unwell, stay at home and don’t attend work or school.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home.
• If you’re worried about your symptoms, please call NHS 111 – don’t go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment.

Updated guidance for education settings on coronavirus (COVID-19) Monday 16th March 2020

Today, the Department for Education and Public Health England have issued updated guidance for education settings on COVID-19. This guidance will assist staff in addressing COVID-19 in educational settings. This includes childcare, schools, further and higher educational institutions.

What you need to know:

The updated guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19#contents

Current advice remains in place: no education or children’s social care setting should close in response to a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case unless advised to do so by Public Health England.

The Chief Medical Officer has advised that the impact of closing schools on both children’s education and on the workforce would be substantial, but the benefit to public health may not be. Decisions on future advice to education or children’s social care settings will be taken based on the latest and best scientific evidence, which at this stage suggests children are a lower risk group.

Recording school pupil absences

Where a pupil is in self-isolation, in accordance with latest information and advice from Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England, the pupil should be recorded as unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances in the attendance register. Code Y (Unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances) should be used in this instance.

If a pupil does not attend school, despite the school operating as usual and the pupil is not self-isolating, they should be marked as absent. It is for headteachers to determine whether or not the absence is authorised depending on the individual circumstances.

Where a pupil cannot attend school due to illness, as normally would happen, the pupil should be recorded as absent in the attendance register and the school will authorise the absence. Code I (Illness) should be used in this instance.

Handwashing advice

The most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves is to wash their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Public Health England recommends that in addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.

Watch this short NHS film for guidance:

https://youtu.be/bQCP7waTRWU

Department for Education coronavirus helpline

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday), 10am to 4pm (Saturday to Sunday)

Please note, we are currently experiencing high volumes of calls. We appreciate your patience at this time and apologise for any wait that you may experience. To ensure that we answer your calls as quickly as possible we have now extended our opening hours to cover weekends.

Department for Education Coronavirus helpline - this helpline has been set up to answer questions about the virus related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline.

• Phone: 0800 046 8687
• Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
• Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)