Covid 19 | Tadpoles Nursery School

COVID 19
HEALTH & SAFETY
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2021

COVID 19: ADDITIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY PROCEDURES

Children wash and sanitise their hands upon entry and at additional times during the day ie when changing activities or site area.
Only the [wipeable] Tadpoles bags will be allowed on their peg. Please make sure all children have spare sets of clothes at school, even if they don’t have accidents, as we may need to change them after water play.
School aprons to be worn. These must be left at school during the week and taken home and washed before returning them for the following week.Aprons – wipeable -will be provided if necessary for painting or water play etc and immediately disinfected.
Wellingtons and waterproof suits will remain at school for Forest school and bad weather days.These will be cleaned and sanitised at school after each use.
Children must wear fresh, clean clothes each day.
Please send children with named water bottles – we will also offer milk – to those who do not have an allergy or who are not intolerant - in individual portions/cartons.
Snacks to be provided by parents – in a named box – a pre-cut piece of fruit or vegetable and a carbohydrate ie rice cake or bread stick.If your child stays in the afternoon, please provide two snacks. Snacks will not be shared.
If your child brings a packed lunch to school: Lunch box’s will be kept in the fridge, please ensure a small lunch box is provided [no large bags please] and please make sure they are wipe able - they will be disinfected on entry/exit to the school. No food will be reheated and children will eat from their lunchboxes. Please make sure children can open unaided all items in their lunchboxes.
Children staying for lunch/afternoons will eat in their classrooms, remaining within their bubbles.
Temperatures may be taken on arrival at school using a non-contact thermometer and child with a slight temperature will be asked to isolate as per the guidance *
Please be extra vigilant about illnesses and do not send your child to school if any household members are symptomatic as per the Government guidance.
If a child does become symptomatic on site they will be isolated in the therapy room behind the office, looked after by a member of staff from their bubble who will be wearing appropriate PPE equipment. **
Children and teachers will remain in their class ‘bubbles’. ‘Bubbles’ will be made up from either individual while restrictions are in place or paired classrooms, while restrictions are relaxed.If further restrictions are brought into place, we will tighten the ‘bubbles’ to individual classrooms again.
[LATE SPRING & SUMMER TERMS: Please make sure children are wearing sun cream pre school as we are unable to apply and that they have sunhats with them on good weather days. They will be outside more often than normal. If your child is allergic to sun cream or needs more than one application per day please ensure they wear lightweight long sleeved tops].
Please don't send children to school in open toed shoes.
The mud kitchen will be open. We have been advised as mud is organic it is safe to use. Water play will also be used and the water changed after each use (as it is in normal practice).
Children should not bring items from home unless it is absolutely necessary for their mental wellbeing.These will be cleaned on entry by staff.***
Children will be supported to understand the changes and challenges that may occur. All staff are very aware of children’s attachments and needs for emotional support.

*Although this is not regulation in the guidelines, it has been deemed and is regarded as good practice by the DFE and an ‘extended measure’.

** The therapy room will be deep cleaned immediately after the child has been collected and all PPE equipment that has been in contact will be immediately disposed of in line with the government guidelines.

*** We have further measures in place for the children new to the school. Please follow guidelines sent separately

STAFF SAFETY:

We ensure that all staff are safe and fit to return to Nursery.
Staff may have their temperatures taken on arrival and the same rules will apply to them as to the children/families of the school
Whilst restrictions are in place, staff at all times will remain within their small ‘bubbles’ of children
Staff will follow social distance guidance at all times including lunch and any staff ‘break’ times
Staff may wear face masks when crossing or using ‘communal’ areas within the school, whilst restrictions are in place
Whole staff meetings/trainings will take place virtually where necessary
Staff have been trained in the correct use and disposal of face masks and full PPE equipment
We are ensuring that during restricted periods, if staff must travel via public transport that they do not travel during rush hour and have been provided suitable masks for wearing to and from school.
During restricted periods, any staff travelling by public transport will have a change of clean ‘outer layers’ which they will change into upon entrance to the school site.Travel clothes will be kept in a sealed bag and taken home to be washed at the end of the day.*
Staff will wash and sanitise hands on entry to the school and at regular intervals **
Staff will be using disposable gloves, masks, and aprons when providing any forms of personal care to children, in line with government guidance.
During periods of restrictions, external and peripatetic staff shall wear face coverings ie a mask or visor whilst on site

*This is not deemed as essential in the guidelines but seen as good practice

**individual anti- viral hand sanitisers have been provided to each staff member to be used when necessary if hand washing is not possible in that moment.

Site:

We have enhanced daily and deep cleaning schedules.
We have an anti-viral sanitising spray fog, which remains active for up to 3 weeks.*
Any communal areas, touch points and hand washing facilities are cleaned and sanitised after each group use.
Non-contact soap dispensers are available in every washing area.
All soft toys and furnishings will be removed [temporarily] from the nursery if restrictions are brought back into place. All soft toys and furnishings are washed and sanitised regularly during normal practice. Any toys with small parts that are hard to clean or can be put into the mouth will be temporarily removed during periods of restrictions – these are washed and sanitised regularly during normal practice.
Plastic covered mats will be put down in place of rugs, which will be disinfected regularly throughout the day during periods of restriction. All rugs are deep cleaned and sanitised regularly during normal practice.
The outside space has been divided into different areas allowing classes outside access for the duration of the day, therefore increasing the time the children spend outside and the number of children in the classroom at any one point.These areas are cleaned and rotated daily.
When using the internal classrooms, windows will be open at all times.
Toys will not be shared between ‘bubbles’ during periods of restriction.
Any equipment that may come into cross contact between bubbles will be disinfected/cleaned between use.
Toys and equipment cleaned daily by staff and a member of our cleaning team during normal and restricted practice times.
We have adequate supplies of essential equipment to implement strict hygiene and safety measures.
All staff have had appropriate instructions and training in infection control and the operating procedures and risk assessments within which they will be working.
All staff have been trained in use of PPE equipment.
All waste is disposed of in double bags at the end of the day and bathroom bins empty regularly and disposed of hygienically according to government guidelines
For those swimming: our pool currently remains open. Children swim in and remain in their bubbles.The pool surrounding area and communal space are cleaned and sanitised between groups and bubbles.Each ‘bubble’ has a designated changing area.
An external notice board has been placed outside the school gate to keep parents informed of any daily or urgent goings ons.

*The Microbe shield virus protector forms an antimicrobial coating that bonds to surfaces and won't wash off during routine daily cleanings. It provides a shield against any virus contamination. The cleaners will be using a ‘Liquid layer applications using an advance liquid layer applicator which will dispense an ultra fine mist of the shield throughout the site. This will provide us with the ability to regulate contact time and surface coverage of the sanitiser and as it is not an detergent base sanitiser, no manual wiping is required (it also does not leave any sticky or visual residue). There are a number of key advantages associated with the sanitising shield.:

Protection is ongoing for 3 WEEKS
Scientifically proven to protect against 99.9% of all viruses and bacteria, including coronavirus
No harmful chemicals or alcohol and is even food preparation safe (UK approved)
Application is even, thorough and consistent with no gaps in the sanitation

Parents

Pick up/drop off times will remain staggered as below. Please make sure you stick to stick with these times for the safety of all children and staff during periods of restriction. (Parents with 2 children in different classes will receive separate instructions from their class teachers).
No buggies or scooters can be left at the nursery at drop off unless prior arrangement has been made.
Parents to queue on Park Walk in direction of Fulham Road (Park Walk Primary School will be queuing toward the Kings Road)
Parents are not permitted to enter the premises unless by prior arrangement. If your child is unhappy please hand them to their class teacher, we will expect a few tears but children tend to settle very quickly. We will call the parents of any children who don’t settle. We will review the drop off time of any children who struggle to settle and one parent may be allowed to enter the school at a separate drop off time. All safety procedures must be adhered to and parents will be expected to adhere to these.
If you have travelled from abroad all government guidelines on quarantine and testing regulations must be adhered to.
If any member of the family or someone you have been in close contact with becomes symptomatic you must follow all government guidelines before returning to school.You must inform the school office immediately.
Parents meetings will be carried out via ‘Zoom’.

CHECK LIST;

Tadpoles School Bag containing a full set of named clothes (pull ups, wipes and nappy bags where appropriate) and a spare plastic bag.
Wellingtons & Waterproof Suit – CLEARLY NAMED
Every Day: A snack – 1 piece pre-cut fruit/vegetable, 1 carbohydrate – in a NAMED box [2 if staying for afternoons)
[If applicable] A small and wipe-able lunch box – CLEARLY NAMED

Lastly, please bear with us. This is not an exact science and if we find other things necessary to implement or change then this will be done with immediate effect and you will be informed.