Returning to School September 2020
Posted on: August 28th 2020
Dear Parent/Carer
We are very excited about returning back to school in September 2020. The pandemic has meant that we have had to make some changes to school operations to provide protective measures for staff and students, whilst delivering a broad educational experience. A summary of those changes are below.
What do you need you to do?
Please read this letter carefully with your child, so that your child is properly prepared for a return to school in September 2020.
School Autumn 2020 start dates
Thursday 3 September 2020 Year 7 and Year 12 Induction (Year 7 and 12 only)
Friday 4 September 2020 All years back in school
Attendance
It is our duty to inform you that the Government has stated that school attendance is compulsory from September 2020. If a child misses school without a valid reason, Local Authorities and schools have a range of legal powers to enforce attendance. Please contact us, if you are unsure whether your child should be attending school following public health advice.
Please use this link to read an Attendance advisory letter from Slough Borough Council
Back to School September 2020 - Information for parents/carers
Expectations
In order to ensure that all students can return to school with confidence, we have drawn up a list of expectations for students - here is a link to those expectations. We will have no tolerance of students who contravene these expectations, because of the severe implications this could have for the health and safety of others within our school community. Therefore, the school will have to follow our normal sanctions. Any intentional or repeated failure to follow these expectations may result in exclusion.
Health and Safety
Whole school risk assessment
- A full site audit and risk assessment has been undertaken to ensure that the risk of Covid-19 transmission has been minimised.
Here is a link to the current Government guidance for Monitoring health at home and at school https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
- If you are able to, take your child’s temperature each day before they travel to school. If your child, or anyone in your family displays symptoms of coronavirus (the main ones being: a high temperature; a new and continuous cough; any changes in taste and smell), contact the school via phone/email and keep your child at home.
- The current guidance for ‘suspected symptoms’ should be followed: You will need to apply for a ‘Covid-19’ test and if positive, should self-isolate for at least 10 days – the rest of the household should isolate for 14 days. Call 999 if symptoms worsen.
If the test result is negative, then text/email the school, so that we can permit your child to return to school.
- If students or staff members develop symptoms of Coronavirus during the school day, they will be assessed, isolated immediately in a ventilated area and sent home. The guidance for ‘suspected symptoms’ will be followed (see above).
- If a student or staff member has tested positive, we will contact our local health protection team. The health protection team will carry out a rapid risk assessment and guide us on next steps. We will send home anyone who has been in close contact with the person who has tested positive, advising them to self-isolate for 14 days.
Face Coverings
- We recommend that students wear face coverings when they move through shared indoor areas, for example, the corridors. We’ve decided to introduce this measure because we feel it is appropriate to keep everyone safe at school, based on the latest Government guidance
- The current guidance suggests that students do not need to wear face coverings outside or in their classrooms, if students or staff choose to wear face coverings at any time in school, it is their choice.
- We would recommend a reusable face mask so that they can use it more than once, as they’ll need to take it on and off several times during the school day. If this isn’t an option, they will need to bring in several single-use face coverings each day.
- Watch this video from the World Health Organisation with your child so they know how to wear their face covering safely. Their face covering needs to cover their nose and mouth when they’re wearing it. Single-use face coverings should be disposed of after use (not in a recycling bin). Reusable face coverings will need to be washed at the end of each day, ready for your child to wear the next day.
- Re-usable face coverings will be available from school for Pupil Premium students.
Hygiene and Cleaning
- To reduce the risk of cross contamination or transmission, students are asked to make sure that they bring in any equipment needed for lessons, for example Maths equipment. This will reduce the need to borrow school equipment during lessons.
- All frequently touched surfaces (i.e. equipment, door handles, work surfaces and toilets) used during the day will be given a deep clean each evening. An additional cleaner will be employed to clean during the day.
- Students are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitiser and tissues. Hand sanitiser will be available in every classroom and will be available on entry into the dining area.
- Posters will be in classrooms and around the school reinforcing the ‘Catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach.
- The anti-bacterial soap in every toilet will be checked during the school day and at the end of the school day.
Transport
Students should walk or cycle to school wherever possible, maintaining social distance with other students, and particularly students from other year groups (siblings can travel to school together). Students should enter the school gates not earlier than five minutes before their day starts. Students should avoid using public transport where possible. If public transport is used, students must wear a face mask.
Evacuation of the School
In the event of school evacuation staff and students will use the nearest fire exit. An evacuation drill will take place in the Autumn, Spring and Summer.
First Aid room
The First Aid room is now at the front of the school to enable easier pickup by parents and if needed, emergency services. The room is in an isolated part of the school.
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The School Day
School entry at the beginning of the day
- We ask that parents do not congregate or linger at the school gate, again to avoid congestion and to adhere to social distancing guidance. Due to congestion, please do not drive into the carpark at the front of the school unless you need to visit reception. If travelling by car, please park away from the school and ask your child to walk the short distance.
- If your child’s tutor group is located outside of the main building, students must walk around the building to their tutor room. Each tutor group will be given a specific route to their tutor room to avoid congestion. Tutor rooms will be open from 8:25am to avoid queues.
Staggered end of the school day
Year 7, 11 & VI Form will finish at 15:00 and Year 8, 9 & 10 will finish at 14:55.
Lockers
Students will not have access to a locker, to avoid close proximity and to ensure that social distance is maintained. Therefore, bags will need to be carried from class to class and placed safely under tables or in areas designated by the teacher.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones will need to be switched off and placed at the bottom of bags. If they are seen, heard or used whilst on the school site, they will be confiscated. Mobile phones must be kept out of sight until students are outside of the school gates. Mobile phones can be used if a teacher gives permission for mobile phones to be used for educational purposes only.
One-way system
Students or staff passing each other in corridors is considered low risk but despite this a one-way system has been implemented to help minimise congestion in the corridors.
Year Group Bubbles
Students will be kept in year group bubbles as much as possible during the school day.
Maintaining year group bubbles will make it easier in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 to identify those who may need to self-isolate. Year group zones have been created around the school for students to have their break and lunchtime. Student toilets have also been assigned to different year groups.
Breakfast club and Homework club
Breakfast club will continue to be from 7:30am until 8:20am and Homework club will be from 3pm until 4:30pm. Both will need to be booked in advance and will be limited to those who have requested it. Breakfast and Homework club will not be available until Monday 7th September. Students and parents will be notified of how to book a place.
Library
The library will not be available until Monday 7th September. The library will be available during break and lunch but will have to be booked beforehand. Use of the library will be limited to those who have requested it. Students and parents will be notified of how to book a place.
Lunchtimes and break times
Lunchtimes will be staggered with a 20-minute interval between each lunchtime to enable areas to be cleaned. Year groups will have an inside and outside zone and each year group will have assigned toilets.
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Lunchtime |
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Lunch 1 |
Year 8,10 & VI Form |
12:20 to 13:00 |
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Lunch 2 |
Year 7, 9, 11 |
13:20 to 14:00 |
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Lunchtime (access to the canteen) – Term 1 |
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Lunch 1 |
Year 8 |
Year 10 |
Sixth Form |
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Start Queuing |
12:20 |
12:30 |
Non-contact time |
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Lunch 2 |
Year 7 |
Year 9 |
Year 11 |
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Start Queuing |
13:10 |
13:20 |
13:30 |
Year groups will have access to the dining room at break time on two days during the week.
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Breaktime (access to the canteen)* |
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10:50-11:05 |
11:05-11:20 |
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Monday |
Year 11 |
Year 7 |
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Tuesday |
Year 8 |
Year 10 |
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Wednesday |
Year 9 |
Year 8 |
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Thursday |
Year 7 |
Year 11 |
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Friday |
Year 10 |
Year 9 |
*Sixth Form will have access to the dining room at any time when they are not being taught
Water stations
The water stations will have floor markings to indicate where to stand when queuing.
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Teaching and Learning
Your child will continue to experience a high quality teaching and learning experience. Please be aware that teachers may not be able to circulate and talk to individuals. Additionally, students may not have the benefit of teachers or teaching assistants sitting alongside them and working with them on a one-to-one basis. We will be assessing your child at the beginning of the academic year, so that we can ascertain, if there are any gaps in your child’s learning.
Mini Whiteboards
Every student will be issued a mini whiteboard, board rubber and pen, which must be brought to each lesson. If a student loses this equipment, they will be charged for a replacement.
PE
If students have PE during the school day, they will travel to school in their PE kit. Students must bring their school uniform because they will change into their school uniform at the end of the PE lesson. A cleaner will clean the changing rooms after PE lessons.
Teacher Zone
At the front of each classroom the floor has been marked using tape to show where the teacher area is. The area is 2 metres distant from the student seats in the classroom. Students must not enter the Teacher zone.
Desks
Desks have been organised in rows, so that students are not facing each other. In practical subjects, distancing measures have been implemented by the subject leaders.
Cleaning Stations
Cleaning stations have been setup in each room which will include hand sanitiser, cleaning spray and paper towels. Hand Sanitiser will be used by the students on the way in and out of the classroom.
School will be very different when we return, but I am sure that we will adapt and make the most of the new ways of working. We look forward to welcoming your child back into school in September.
If you have any questions, please contact us at Bayliscourt@bayliscourt.slough.sch.uk.
Ray Hinds
Principal