What the school day will look like, and the procedures in place.
The following information has been amended to take account of modifications to enable the Kindergarten and main school Class 1/2 to open on Monday 22nd February 2021, for mornings only. We hope to welcome more classes back to Nant-y-Cwm when the data provided to the Welsh Government allows them to relax restrictions.
Based on the experiences of reopening the Kindergarten and main school after previous lockdowns, and the amendments made to the School’s COVID Risk Assessment, the main changes are:
- Additional measures in place to protect Kindergarten children, staff and families
- Visual prompts to maintain 2-metre social-distancing on the woodland path
- Hand sanitiser available for adults before entering the Kindergarten yard
- Visual prompt to don a face-covering before entering the Kindergarten yard
- There will always be 2 members of staff in Kindergarten, and at least 2 staff members in main school.
- Main school Class 1/2 will close at 1pm every day until more classes are permitted to come back to school.
Access to the Kindergarten and main school
Please note that parents/carers will not be permitted inside the Kindergarten or main school buildings and playground unless it is an emergency, or by specific invitation of a member of staff.
IN THE MORNING
Please use one of the 2 car parks to arrive in good time for one family member or carer to walk down to the Kindergarten and/or main school entrances for the start time of 9 am. (Staff will be ready to welcome children after 8.45am.) FOR SAFETY REASONS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE A VEHICLE AND STOP IN THE SPACE OUTSIDE MAIN SCHOOL TO THE RIGHT OF THE PLAYBROUND GATE (GATE 1).
For the Kindergarten use Gate 2 in the diagram below, and the path from the hall through gate 3. Walk down to the Kindergarten yard, staying socially-distanced from other households. If necessary please wait on the path in a socially distanced queue, noting the tiles denoting 2 metre distances. Before entering the yard through Gate 4 to be greeted by Niki and Suzie, adults should sanitise their hands from the dispenser provided, and don a face-covering (well-made, reusable, cloth masks are preferred to single-use surgical type masks). After Niki and Suzie have welcomed your child, parents should leave the yard through Gate 5 where there will be another sanitiser gel dispenser attached to the gate.
For main school. There will be cars parked outside the school to the left of Gate 1. To the right of Gate 1 small painted slate pieces will be laid 2 metres apart to indicate the distance that families should leave between each other if there is a need to wait. Class 1/2 will use Gate 1 to enter the school. It will be propped open.
In main school a member of staff will welcome children and, while only Class 1/2 are attending, they can use the main school entrance to enter school.
Once lessons commence Gate 1 will be closed and the front door will be locked and alarmed.
AT LUNCHTIME
Kindergarten. Parents/carers should aim to arrive as near to 1pm as possible. Approach via Gate 2 and the path from the hall. Observing 2-metre social distancing, walk down to the Kindergarten yard and wait outside Gate 4 for Niki and Suzie who will invite you in to receive your child. Leave through Gate 5 in the diagram above.
Main school. Parents/carers of Class 1/2 children should aim to arrive as near to 1pm as possible. If you need to wait please use the tarmac area outside main school to the right of Gate 1, using the painted pieces of slate to denote the requisite distance apart. Lucy will escort the children to the playground to say goodbye to them.
Procedures to be implemented
It is a requirement that staff and parents sign the COVID contract between the staff and families, and return it to the School by Friday 19th February. The trustees are requesting that the contract is signed before the beginning of each term.
You should not lift share with members of another household to get children to Nant-y-Cwm. Please refer to the Welsh Government guidance (“Travelling safely during the coronavirus pandemic: alert level 4 guidance for the public”. Note, this page has since been removed from the gov.wales site, more recent travel advice). If some families have no option but to car share to get their children to school, please contact Pete Jewell (trustee) for further advice.
Having play dates or sleepovers is not permitted at this point in time.
The School’s COVID-19 risk assessment has been updated, detailing the arrangements we have put in place to further minimise the risk of anyone contracting, or transmitting, COVID-19 while at Nant-y-Cwm. There have been a few minor amendments to the previous assessments.
We have implemented a procedure to provide enhanced cleaning of all areas of Nant-y-Cwm.
Staff have been provided with a document alerting them to the symptoms of Covid-19, and the procedure to follow if someone (child or staff member) shows symptoms.
Staff are able to self-administer a twice-weekly rapid (Lateral Flow) COVID test to further reassure them that they are unlikely to have Coronavirus if they test negative, and therefore transmitting it even if they are asymptomatic.
How the school has prepared for children returning after a lockdown
The teaching staff have worked hard to prepare the rooms to be “COVID Secure” and as welcoming as they can be for the returning children. They have also given a lot of thought to how they can best support the children, provide a good Waldorf experience for them, and have fun while doing it.
The Premises Coordinator, Steve Kemp, has been working during the lockdowns and sorting out some problems that may have forced the buildings to remain closed.
Alice and Jane have been keeping the administration and finances not only ticking over, but also providing essential information to the families (current and prospective) and staff, and to the Trustees to help them navigate the storm that the COVID-19 lockdowns have produced.
The Trustees have reviewed, updated, and signed off the risk assessments, and updated the procedures for staff to work safely and to provide a safe space for the children.
