Current Risk Assessment

Update for School reopening on Tuesday 7th September 2021

Information

 

 What Covid-19 control measures will still be in place in September?

In accordance with Government guidance for schools from September 2021, the following measures will be in place to reduce the risk of transmission of Covid-19: 

  • Good hand hygiene will continue to be encouraged – pupils will wash hands using soap and water frequently, staff and visitors will use hand sanitiser throughout the day and wash hands using soap and water frequently.
  • Ventilation - we will continue to keep school well ventilated as far as possible.
  • Enhanced cleaning will continue - frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned twice a day.
  • Measures may need to be re-introduced in the event of an outbreak or high local case rates and we have a full contingency plan for this.
  • Suspected and positive cases of Covid-19 will continue to be managed – children, staff and visitors should not come to school if they have symptoms, until a negative test result is received and should isolate if they have tested positive.  NHS Test and Trace will manage the identification of close contacts.
  • Masks - The government has removed the requirement to wear face coverings in law but expects and recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact with people you don’t normally meet.  

Will school still be operating bubbles in September?

Now that England is moving to Step 4, there is no longer a requirement to operate consistent bubbles in school although we will still be staggering lunch times and play times in September to reduce the numbers of children in the hall and dining hall eating lunch and playing out on the playground.

What happens if there is a positive Covid case?

The new Government guidance states that schools no longer have a responsibility for carrying out contact tracing. Where there is a positive case, NHS Test and Trace will be responsible for contact tracing. However, school should still be informed immediately if your child has tested positive and need to isolate.

Please note that the guidance now states that individuals are no longer required to self-isolate if they live in the same household as someone with Covid-19, or are a close contact of someone with Covid-19, and any of the following apply:

  • they are fully vaccinated
  • they are below the age of 18 years and 6 months
  • they have taken part in or are currently part of an approved COVID-19 vaccine trial
  • they are not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons

 

When and where will my child enter school in the morning?

Drop off and collection locations and times

Class

 

Drop Off

 

Nursery

(Mrs Bynoe)

8:45am-9:00am/12:15pm-12:20pm

Nursery Gate

Reception (Mrs Kendall) and Reception/Year1 class (Mrs Mingam) *

8:40am- 8:50am

Front school gate, nearest Skipton Road, into the Reception play area

Year1/Year 2

(Miss Barrett and Miss Voakes)

 

8.40am -8.55am

 

Back ginnel gate by Skipton Road onto the playground. Children will enter the building by the brown door near Bertie the Bus.

 

Year 3 and Year 4

(Miss Bonini, Mrs Smithson and Mr Morland)

 

 

8.40am -8.55am

 

Back ginnel gate by Skipton Road onto the playground. Children will enter the building via the steps to the second floor by Bertie the Bus.

 

Year 5 and Year 6

(Miss Atkinson, Mrs Robayna and Mr Harrison

 

 

8:40am - 8:55am

Ashfield Road side gate to the playground. Children will enter the building by the white door.

 

*Please see separate information (July 20) regarding phased start for new Reception children

Parents/carers can bring children onto the playground but do not need to enter the school building.

Staff will meet the children at the appropriate gate before they go in to school and help to ensure children go to the correct classrooms to meet their teacher.

 

When and where will my child leave school in the afternoon?

A one-way system to and from the playground will no longer be needed from September, however we still intend to stagger collection times and location slightly. This is important for safe collection and safeguarding.

Parents/carers can come on to the playground in the afternoon to collect their child and will be guided to specific wait areas by staff. The gates to the playground will be open at 2.55pm.

 

Collection Times and location

Class

 

Collection

Nursery

(Mrs Bynoe)

11:30am-11:45am/3:00pm-3:15pm

Nursery Gate

Reception (Mrs Kendall) and Reception/Year1 class (Mrs Mingam) *

2.50pm-3.00pm

Front school gate, nearest Skipton Road, from the Reception play area

Year1/Year 2

(Miss Barrett and Miss Voakes)

 

2.50pm -3.00pm

 

Children will leave the building by the brown door near Bertie the Bus. We ask that parents enter via the back ginnel gate by Skipton Road and wait by Bertie the Bus.

 

Year 3 and Year 4

(Miss Bonini, Mrs Smithson and Mr Morland)

 

 

3.05pm-3.15pm

 

Children will still line up under the shelter. We ask that parents enter via the back ginnel gate by Skipton Road and wait by the shelter. The one-way walking system will no longer continue but for safety, teachers will still need to see the collecting adult.

 

 

Year 5 and Year 6

(Miss Atkinson, Mrs Robayna and Mr Harrison

 

 

3.15pm

Children will leave the building via the white door by the ball court.  We ask that parents enter via the side gate on Ashfield Road and wait by the outdoor gym equipment. The one-way walking system will no longer continue but for safety, teachers will still need to see the collecting adult unless the child has permission to walk home.

 

Can my child walk to and from school by themselves?

Year 5 and Year 6 children can walk to and from school providing a permission form has been completed. Rest assured that at the end of the day class teachers will supervise children until their parents/carers with multiple siblings at different pick-up points arrive.

If you would like your child to walk home at the end of the school day please complete the following form:

 

Permission to walk home unaccompanied form

 

Does my child need to wear uniform?

Yes, please send your child in their school uniform including suitable school shoes. Further information on school uniform is available on our uniform page

What are the arrangements at lunchtime?

Year Group

Location

Time

Outdoor play

Nursery

Ground Floor Classroom Space

11.30am -12.00pm

12.00pm -12.15pm

Reception Year 1 and Year 2

Ground Floor Hall

11.45am -12.15pm

12.15pm -12.45pm

Year 3 and Year 4 

Middle Floor Hall

12.15pm -12.35pm

12.35pm -1.00pm

Year 5 and Year 6

Middle Floor Hall

12.45pm -1.05pm

1.05pm -1.35pm

 

 

More details about menus and prices are on the School Meals Page

 

Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive a portion of fruit or vegetables each day as their morning snack.  You can provide an alternative healthy snack for your child if you prefer. Children in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 are welcome to bring their own healthy fruit or vegetable morning snack.

What about School Milk?

Milk is available daily for all children. It is free for under 5’s and available for all children over 5 at a subsidised rate. Further information can be found on the School Meals Page or you can register directly with Cool Milk our provider via their website

 

What should children bring in to school? 

 Children should bring their book bag, reading record, water bottle and a coat to school. Children do not need to bring in a pencil case from home. We that ask parents/carers please ensure that everything brought to school is clearly labelled.  This helps us return any items of lost property to your child.

 

What about PE?

PE lessons will begin from the second week back.  At the start of term, teachers will be in touch to inform you which day your child will have PE and Games sessions. Children should bring:

 

  • A plain T-Shirt
  • A pair of shorts (any colour) or plain dark coloured jogging bottoms
  • Pair of plimsolls or trainers
  • A named PE kit bag to keep the above safe

 

Will swimming lessons be taking place?

Yes, all KS2 will have swimming lessons this academic year and there will be a separate letter to you about this. 

 

How do I book a place at Sammy’s Den? 

We do have spaces for parents/carers who need to use our school’s breakfast and after school club which is called Sammy’s Den.

Places at both breakfast club and after school club must be booked a minimum of 3 days in advance. 

If your child has not attended either of the clubs before please contact Mrs Pitt via email business.manager@groveroad.n-yorks.sch.uk to confirm availability and book your space.

Once your child has attended a session, any further bookings can be made online using ParentMail.

Futher information is available on the school website - Sammy's Den Page

 

Will other after school clubs and activities be running from September?

Clubs and after school activities will be up and running again from October.  We will send out more information about the clubs that will be running at the start of term with information on how to book a place for your child.

 

Will school still be using Seesaw?

Yes, Seesaw is an important tool for home-school communication and to help parents to be more involved with the learning in the classroom. If your child needs to self-isolate, they will have a learning pack and be able to access the curriculum via Seesaw for remote learning. A reminder of login details, including all other online platform details will be sent home when the children return to school.

 

 

Update Following Changes to Restrictions on 19th July 2021

The government has announced that from the 19th of July schools can decide to remove certain COVID measures that are currently in place, including bubbles and face coverings. In addition, schools have been advised they will no longer be required to do contact tracing for positive cases. As a School throughout the pandemic we have followed Government Guidance and also the health and safety advice provided by our local authority.

Given the increasing rates in the area and our recent bubble closures, for the final week of term the following measures will remain in place:

  • Increased cleaning and spot cleaning of high traffic areas and touch points.
  • We will continue to have phase bubbles across school
  • Staff will continue to wear face masks in communal areas and corridors
  • We will continue with internal Track and Trace for any positive cases in consultation with Public Health, England
  • Sports Day will take place in phase bubbles with no parental attendance
  • Phase bubble assemblies only on the last Friday

Continuing to follow the COVID safe procedures that we have had in place since school reopened is the best way to keep the children and staff as safe as possible for the last week and this is reflected in our current risk assessment.  

Update Following Government Announcement 14th June 2021

Following on from this week's Government announcement regarding a delay to the national restrictions being lifted, please see below information about what this most likely means for our school community. 

The guidance for schools, that we have followed throughout the pandemic, has not been updated yet and therefore we are to assume that all current procedures will remain in place until the end of term. For example:

  •  The children will remain in phase bubbles 
  •  Staff will continue to wear masks in all communal areas, and we ask that parents do the same in the playground at pick up and drop off times
  •  We are still limiting the number of visitors to the school
  •  The children are still washing hands before coming into school, before and after meals and when returning from playtime
  •  We are restricting what comes in and out of school to essential items only such as book bags, water bottles, sun hats and jackets

Full procedures and our detailed risk assessment are available on this page. 

Unfortunately, the government announcement does have some implications for activities that we had hoped to be able to carry out this half term and as such it is unlikely we will be able to invite parents/carers into school for summer events. 

The children will still take part in Sports Day activities within their bubbles. We have also rescheduled this for the last week of term in the hope that you will be able to join us. For our Year 6 children, we will be sharing a special assembly and celebrations of their time at Grove Road online via our YouTube channel.

Full School opening Monday 8th March 2021

In March, protective measures will continue to make the school is as safe as possible for all the children on their return. This guide will give you a summary of the main points to support your child’s return to school. The full plan and risk assessment are available below.

Prevention:

Minimising contact with those who are unwell

  • Staff, pupils and other adults are not to come in to school if they have coronavirus symptoms or have tested positive in the last 10 days.
  • Anyone in school who becomes unwell with coronavirus symptoms must be sent home.
  • Anyone who shows symptoms must book a test and engage in NHS Track and Trace. Test results should be reported to school as soon as these are received (including weekends and holidays).
  • Everyone will need to be ready and willing to self-isolate if they have been in close contact with someone who develops coronavirus symptoms or someone who tests positive for coronavirus under the advisement of PHE.

 

Clean hands

  • Children and adults should clean their hands with soap and water regularly including when they arrive at school, when they return from breaks, when they change rooms and before and after eating.

Face Coverings

  • All adults should wear a face covering when on school premises, unless medically exempt.

Minimise contact between individuals

The children will have staggered start and finish times to the school day with allocated drop off and pick up points:

Class

Drop Off

Collection

Nursery (Mrs Bynoe)

8:45am-9:00am/12:15pm-12:20pm Nursery Gate

11:30am-11:45am/3:00pm-3:15pm Nursery Gate

Reception (Mrs Kendall)and Reception/Year1 class (Mrs Mingam)

8:40am- 8:50am Front gate nearest Skipton Road

2:50pm-3:00pm Front gate nearest Skipton Road

Year1/Year 2 (Miss Barrett and Miss Voakes)

8:40am-8:50am Front gate nearest Ashfield Road

2:50am-3:00pm Front gate nearest Ashfield Road

Year 3 and Year 4 (Mrs Smithson, Miss Atkinson and Mrs Homburg)

8:40am- 8:50am Ginnel gate

2:50pm-3:00pm In Ashfield Road gate, out Ginnel Gate

Year 5 and Year 6 (Mr Morland, Mrs Robayna and Mr Harrison

8:40am - 8:50am Ashfield Road Gate

3:00pm to 3:10pm in Ashfield Road gate, out Ginnel Gate

 

  • Children will stay within their class ‘bubble’ as much as possible.
  • The children are not expected to maintain social distance with other children within their group but will be encouraged to distance whenever reasonably possible.
  • Children should stay in their classrooms as much as possible or outdoors. They will not be sharing spaces within school, other than the hall at lunchtime or for PE lessons.
  • We will minimise the number of visitors to the school, including parents, and these should be by appointment only, following the school guidelines and risk assessment at all times.
  • We ask that parents/carers also minimise contacts with children in other bubbles outside of school if possible.
  • Parents are asked to be prompt with drop off and pick up times to avoid children mixing with other year groups. They should maintain a social distance whilst in the playground and should not linger at the school gates to avoid contact with other groups.
  • Parents/carers should not enter the playground until the gates have been opened or until the previous year group has finished.
  • The children will have staggered break times and lunchtimes

School operations

Transport

  • Parents/carers are encouraged to walk or cycle to school to avoid unnecessary cars on the road.
  • The bike rack will be open but bikes/scooters must be kept separate.
  • If coming by car, parents are encouraged to stay in the car until it is their time to enter the site.

Equipment

  • Children should limit what comes in and goes home from school each day and should be limited to essentials such as a lunchbox (only if they are not having a school meal), hats, coats, water bottles and reading books.
  • Each class will have its own supply of reading books which will be changed for the children.
  • All children in EYFS and KS1 have access to Bug Club for reading online books as well.
  • Each child will have their own supply of frequently used equipment such as pencils, scissors, colours etc. Equipment that is shared between the children in the bubble will be cleaned regularly along with frequently touched surfaces.

Attendance

  • Parents/carers have a duty to ensure their child attends school each day and schools have the responsibility to record attendance and follow up on any absences.
  • Registers will be completed twice a day and any absences will be followed up by the Office staff.
  • We have the ability to issue fixed penalty notices in line with our attendance policy.
  • All children, including those who were previously shielding or had family members who were previously shielding, can return to school.

Lunchtime

  • The children will have a hot meal at lunchtime if requested. The menu will be reduced to make it easier and quicker to serve and the children will get a choice of a main dish or vegetarian dish at the beginning of the day.
  • The tables will be cleaned thoroughly between each sitting.

Uniform

  • The children should come to school in usual school uniform although we understand the difficulties some families may be experiencing, due to the current situation, to purchase different sizes and footwear.
  • ALL children are encouraged to wear trainers up until the Easter holiday so that we can be as  physically active as possible whilst giving families more time to be able to purchase new school shoes in the near future.
  • Uniform does not need to be cleaned any more than usual.

Sammy’s Den (Breakfast & After School Club)

  • Sammy’s Den will remain open for before and after school care for the children at our school in the main school building.
  • The children will continue to be split into ‘bubbles’, in separate areas, to minimise the number of contacts the children have.
  • The children will be able to stay at Sammy’s until their class starts school each morning and will be able to attend in the afternoon from when their class finishes.
  • Parents/carers should only use Sammy’s Den if the provision is reasonably necessary to support them to work, seek work, undertake education or training, attend a medical appointment or address a medical need or attend a support group.

 

Full re-opening 8th March 2021

School Closure 4th January 2021

As per the Government announcement, school is currently closed to all except the children of critical/key workers and children who have been identified as vulnerable. All other children should remain at home and access our remote learning

 

 
 

 

Details of our risk assessment for children who are in school can be found below.

 

Previous Risk Assessments


Coronavirus (Covid-19) Full reopening of School September 8th 2020

 

 
 

 

Full School Reopening Documents


Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update 20th May 2020

As you will be aware, schools are planning for a wider reopening, at the earliest from the 1st of June 2020. As part of our planning we are working on a comprehensive risk assessment to establish what we believe we can offer in June. This risk assessment covers areas such as:

  • Health & safety checks and school site preparation
  • Cleaning & hygiene
  • Vulnerable staff and pupils
  • Group sizes & movement around the building
  • Practical steps to reduce risk including social distancing
  • Support for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
  • Changes to school routines & curriculum
  • Pupil and staff wellbeing and mental health
  • Online/home learning during wider opening

In developing this risk assessment we have made use of the guidelines published by the DFE, (available here) information guidance and support provided by the local authority, the responses from the parents to our re-opening survey and the views of the staff and governors.

Above all we believe the most sensible thing to do is to take the appropriate amount of time to ensure we have a carefully considered, measured and balanced view to assess what is safe for our school and for our community. That must be based on a principal of care and caution for all. It is not about setting a date, it is about when we can feel wholly confident that what we are offering is as safe as possible for everyone and enables us to offer a positive, rich and worthwhile educational and pastoral experience.

Further information regarding our Safe, Sensible and Staged approach can be found in the letter to parents at the bottom of the page or you can watch the video update below.

 
 

 


Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update 8th April 2020

School remains open for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children. From Friday 10th April we will also be acting as a hub school. As always our priority remains the Safeguarding and well-being of the children in our care. Please see the addendum to our school child protection policy, which details our safeguarding procedures during this time.

Child Protection Policy (COVID-19 Addendum)


Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update 20th March 2020

School is now closed to all pupils except children of critical workers and vulnerable children until further notice from the Government.  For any children who remain in our care we will be following the same stringent health and safety procedures that have been in place prior to the school closure. We will be limiting the number of people who access the building and will be operating with a reduced staffing team.

Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our staff and students and so we ask that you follow the guidance issued by the Government which can be found here Maintaining Education Provision

The Guidance states:

Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

  1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
  2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
  3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
  4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
  5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision.

Before requesting childcare for your child(ren) please ensure you have considered the above.

If you still need to request a place for your child(ren) please read the below:

Following the Government’s clarification yesterday regarding childcare provision for children of critical workers and vulnerable children, we asked all parents and carers to contact us via a survey and follow up form in order for us to organise suitable childcare arrangements in school from Monday.

Government guidance was also clear that critical workers should make every effort to arrange suitable safe childcare as an alternative to sending their child to school. This is to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  

School staff have worked extremely hard to make sure that school will be a safe environment for those children who need our support so that parents and carers can be on the frontline helping to save lives. We have had to work within an incredibly short time frame to achieve this and have tried to give as much time as possible for returning requests for information. In order to give estimated numbers to our catering teams and to keep our staff and their families safe we imposed a cut off for responses which was 2pm yesterday. However, we are acutely aware that Critical workers timetables/rotas are likely to be changing all the time. Therefore, if you need help please contact Mr Parkhouse directly via headteacher@groveroad.n-yorks.sch.uk

In order to help our teachers focus on organising home learning and support children in school, please DO NOT message them via SeeSaw with requests for childcare. Any requests that do not relate to your child’s learning should be directed to either headteacher@groveroad.n-yorks.sch.uk or business.manager@groveroad.n-yorks.sch.uk

To find out how we will process your data during this time please read our Covid-19 Privacy Notice


Coronavirus (Covid-19) 


You are likely to be aware of the outbreak of Coronavirus and the subsequent confirmed cases in the UK. At Grove Road, we take the health and safety of our pupils and staff very seriously, so we’re sharing guidance from Public Health England on steps you should be taking.

There’s currently no cause for concern at the school, but we’ll keep you informed about any developments and ensure we’re keeping the school clean to prevent the spread of any virus.

Preventing the spread of infection

These are general principles Public Health England advises anyone can follow to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

  • washing your hands often - with soap and water, or use alcohol sanitiser if handwashing facilities are not available. This is particularly important after taking public transport
  • covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in a bin.
  • people who feel unwell should stay at home and should not attend work or any education or childcare setting
  • pupils, students, staff and visitors should wash their hands:
    • before leaving home
    • on arrival at school
    • after using the toilet
    • after breaks and sporting activities
    • before food preparation
    • before eating any food, including snacks
    • before leaving school
  • use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available
  • avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
  • avoid close contact with people who are unwell
  • clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
  • if you are worried about your symptoms or those of a child or colleague, please call NHS 111. Do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment
  • see further information on the Public Health England Blog and the NHS UK website.

Advice on Coronavirus

 

Measures we are taking in school

We have significantly increased the cleaning of the school building. Our hand washing areas remain well-stocked and we have talked to all children about how to properly wash their hands, placing posters in key areas to remind us all to maintain good hygiene.

Hand washing poster

All visitors and staff have been asked to wash their hands on entry and exit of the school building. Classrooms and toilets will continue to receive additional cleaning throughout each day. 

We will be monitoring all proposed trips. including the Reception - Y2 visit to the National Railway Museum on the 30th March, and when necessary we will make an informed decision acting on the most up to date advice.

 

 

If you become unwell

 

If you or any of your children become unwell and have symptoms of Coronavirus (Covid-19), which are recent onset of a: 

  • new continuous cough and/or
  • high temperature

Please follow the Public Health England Stay at Home Guidance

Please inform us that you have symptoms of Coronavirus (Covid-19) and that you are self-isolating so that we can take the correct action in school.

 


 

In the event of school closure

 

School will remain open until we receive guidance to the contrary. Decisions regarding school closure will be communicated via this website, our Parentmail text and email service and on Seesaw.

We are preparing to provide work for your children should we have to close the school for any length of time and we feel that we are well prepared for this situation, with excellent learning platforms in place. We will use Seesaw to enable staff to share home learning opportunities and we will also provide educational packs where appropriate.


Letters 

Coronavirus (Covid-19))

© Copyright 2017–2024 Grove Road Community Primary School– View Privacy Notice

School & College Websites by Schudio