Covid-19 Safety Measures

We will be following government guidelines and taking all possible precautions to protect the health and safety of both students and staff.

Essential measures include:

• A requirement that people who are ill stay at home.
• Robust hand and respiratory hygiene.
• Enhanced cleaning and ventilation arrangements
• Active engagement with NHS Track and Trace.
• Formal consideration of how to reduce contacts and maximise distancing between those in school wherever possible and minimise the potential for contamination so far as is reasonably practicable.

Contacts and risk of transmission to be reduced by :

• Grouping children together – year group ‘bubbles’.
• Avoiding contact between groups – zones in operation for break and lunch.

• Staggered arrival and departure times to keep the bubbles apart.
• Face coverings should be worn in all indoor communal areas. Face coverings should also be worn in classrooms, during lessons, where social distancing measures cannot be maintained. Students should not need to wear face coverings in the playground at break times, but may choose to.
• Arranging classrooms with forward-facing desks.
• Staff maintaining distance from pupils and other staff as much as possible – 2 metre zone marked in the classroom around the teacher desk.
• A one-way system in place around most parts of the school site. 
• Sanitiser stations are positioned at all entry points to the school building and available throughout the school.
• Staff and students must wash their hands for more than 20 seconds, more frequently.
• We will ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting and implementing the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach. All rooms have a covered bin.
• The guidance  on face coverings in education has been amended to reflect that from 17th May 2021 face coverings will no longer be recommended for pupils and students in classrooms and communal areas, in all schools and colleges. Face coverings will also no longer be  for staff in classrooms. In all schools and colleges, the Government continues to recommend that face coverings should be worn by staff and visitors in situations outside of the classrooms, where social distancing is not possible.
• Designated toilets for use during lesson time with each year group having separate cubicles to use
• Reduced movement around the school site at lesson changeover – students will stay in the same classroom base for the majority of lesson change overs and the teachers will move to them.
• Teaching staff will be allocated their own equipment (whiteboard markers, pens, pencils etc) to minimise the potential transfer of infection between staff.

The Structure of the School Day

Key Stage 4 and 5 operate flexible days to accommodate the needs of each year group throughout the week.

Attendance

• Students and staff should not attend the school site if they are experiencing any symptoms of Coronavirus.  For a full list of symptoms, see NHS guidance here.
• Students and staff should also not attend the school site if they are self-isolating.
• If a child is experiencing Corona virus symptoms, parents/carers must contact us as early as possible. Details of how to contact us can be found here. This will allow us to take appropriate next steps if necessary, in line with the government’s track and trace programme.
• Parents/carers must inform the school by 9.30 am if their child is going to be absent.

Classroom Procedures

• Students must remain outside the designated area for the teacher identified by the black/yellow tape. 
• Students will remain in their year bubble throughout the day and must not cross into another year group’s bubble.
• Teachers should facilitate the cleaning of the desks if there has been a change of students on arrival with the disinfectant spray and blue paper.
• Teachers will teach from the front of the room, ensuring social distancing between them and students at all times.
• There is a 2 metre taped section at the front of each classroom, to ensure a safe distance between teachers and students. Students are not permitted to enter this taped area.
• If it is essential for materials to be handed out to the class, the teacher must place them down at the edge of their designated area and retreat to a safe distance so a student can collect them and hand them out. 
• If a student requires an out of lesson pass, teachers should use the stickers they have been issued and ensure it is placed at a safe distance for the student to collect as they leave the room. Students place the sticker on their blazer so it is clearly visible, from a safe distance to any staff that may stop them on a corridor.
• Students are expected to bring in their own equipment and books for their lessons; equipment will not be lent to students.
• Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) and other additional members of staff in classrooms must be 2 metres apart from students and other staff. If an LSA needs to work in close contact with a student who has specific learning needs, then they must wear appropriate PPE. 
• If for any reason staff have to be within 2 metres of others then they must wear the appropriate PPE.
• Strict seating plans must be adhered to for all classrooms, for all students.

Travel To and From the School Site

• Students should follow government guidance when using public transport to and from school.
• Staff and students must follow the ‘rule of six’ as soon as they leave the school site.
• Staff and students must adhere to the appropriate tier rules of the time.

Additional Cleaning

• Additional cleaning and sanitising will take place throughout the school day.
• Classrooms will be cleaned at the end of the school day and not used again until the next day.
• There are cleaners on-site throughout the school day.

Catering

• Each zone will have its own designated area to purchase hot and cold food and drinks.
• We are currently not able to re-fill water bottles.  

Behaviour

• Government guidance is very clear: if students cannot behave in line with health and safety protocol they should not be on the school site. Staff and Students are expected to follow the Student Behaviour and Expectations Policy and the subsequent Addendum to the policy.
• All students must wear full school uniform. If a student has PE, they are permitted to wear their PE kit and must have their blazer on while moving around the building.

Additional Measures and Information

• Additional PPE will be provided to those with first aid responsibilities or those who may have to come in close contact with students. 
• Please note that testing is available to all secondary school staff and students and we will follow government guidelines regarding track and trace measures and any suspected cases that occur in the school community.

Ventilation

To balance the need for increased ventilation while maintaining a comfortable temperature, the following measures are also in use:

• Opening high-level windows in preference to low level to reduce draughts.
• Increasing the ventilation while spaces are unoccupied (e.g. between classes, during break and lunch, when a room is unused).
• Providing flexibility to allow additional, suitable indoor clothing. 
• Rearranging furniture where possible to avoid direct drafts.

Heating will be used as necessary to ensure comfort levels are maintained particularly in occupied spaces.

If the temperature is uncomfortable in a classroom then students will be allowed to keep their external coats on. The windows will be closed, but the door will be left open.

• To view the RVHS Covid 19 Equality Impact Assessment for Staff and Pupils, please click here
• To view our most recent Covid 19 Risk Assessment, please click here.