Welcome back everyone!

Heybridge and NEECA

Yes, we are using Taxi's but they are limited to two students per mini bus or 1 student per regular vehicle.

When they arrive at school the taxi will not wait for your child to be checked by school staff. If, after carrying out a further temperature check, the school considers it unsafe to keep your child on-site, you will called to come and collect them.

Endeavour

Where required transport will be provided to pupils that usually rely on it. Because of efforts to maintain social distancing the pupils may not be with their regular drivers and escorts.

When the pupils arrive at school their temperature will be checked by a member of school staff. If, after carrying out a further temperature check, the school considers it unsafe to keep your child onsite, you will be required to come and collect them, as transport will not be able to return them home, they will be kept isolated away from others until you arrive.

School will look very different for our students.

Heybridge

• Students will not necessarily be with their usual class teachers but will have key adults in their room that do not change.

• They will be taught in small groups of between 3-4 students and will be treated as ‘bubble classes we are calling a POD’. The intention being that students will only meet and communicate directly with children and adults in their POD.

• Students will not use corridors unless they need to use the toilet in their break time.

• Students will stay in their classroom all day unless they leave their classroom for a scheduled break.

• A packed lunch meal will be given to the students to take home. Working in this way contains the spread of infection.

NEECA

• School will look much the same as it always has for our pupils

• Pupils will enter and leave school through the new pupil entrance, for Primary this remains the same as before

• A marked one-way system has been set up in the school corridors to minimise face-to-face contact between people and make it easier to follow social distancing guidance

• Pupils will return to being taught in their class and option groups

• They will be taught as before in small groups in the larger teaching rooms in our school

• We will try to minimise use of corridors, unless pupils need to use the toilet in their break time or to attend a lesson in a specialist teaching room such as Food Technology or Science.

• Pupils will be taught as far as possible in one classroom to minimise the movement around corridors.

• A packed lunch meal will be available for pupils entitled to free school meals and we hope to provide breakfast for all pupils who start with us in the morning. Primary children will be offered a meal whilst onsite. Working in this way minimises any risk passing germs.

Endeavour

• Pupils will not necessarily be with their usual class teachers or teaching assistants, but the staff in the room will not change throughout the week.

• The pupils will be taught in classes of between 4-5 pupils, and will stay in their 'bubble'. The aim of this is to reduce the chances of pupils mixing and to maintain social distancing.

• Pupils will enter their classes directly via external doors and will have allocated toilets, that only their bubble will use.

• The pupils will remain in their classes throughout the day, apart from allocated break times where they will have access to the school field.

• Pupils will need to bring a packed lunch which will be eaten in their classroom.

• Pupils will need to provide enough drinking water to last them the length of the school day.

Heybridge

• All classrooms have been separately risk assessed to determine how many staff we can accommodate in each classroom.

• Students will be assigned a table to work from. Although not a requirement in the government guidance, the tables will be at least 2 metres apart and will allow for circulation area.

• Students will use their personal trays to hold their belongings. Students will be allocated personal equipment that will stay in school for them to use in their own personal tray.

• Students will not be able to bring bags or personal belongings into their classroom; these will remain in their own tray kept in the entrance room.

• We have stripped out non-essential furniture so that there is more room in each classroom and equipment is limited so that there is less equipment in the classroom for students to use and that needs to be cleaned.

• Students will be moving in small areas throughout the day. Equipment and surfaces are cleaned regularly.

NEECA

• We are asking pupils to limit items they bring into school and large bags.

• Some classroom furniture has been removed to create more space.

• All classrooms have been separately risk assessed to determine how many people we can accommodate in each classroom.

• Secondary pupils will be assigned a table to work from and all desks will be front facing. Pupils will use their personal trays to hold their belongings.

• Pupils will be allocated personal equipment that will stay in school for them to use in their own personal tray.

• Primary pupils will be encouraged to use the same space throughout the day where possible. Tables will be spread out and resources for learning activities provided for each individual child. Anything that cannot be cleaned or quarantined such as sand will be disposed of after use.

• Pupils will not be able to bring bags or personal belongings into their classroom; these will remain in their own tray kept in the entrance room.

• We have stripped out non-essential furniture, so there is more room in each classroom. Equipment is limited for pupils to use in order to maintain hygiene standards.

• Pupils will be moving in small areas throughout the day. Equipment and surfaces are cleaned regularly.

Endeavour

• All non-essential furniture has been removed from classrooms and the classes have been rearranged to accommodate pupils following the governments social distancing guidelines.

• Pupils will have their own designated desk that will be theirs to use throughout the time they are in school. Each desk will have a tray of resources including a Chromebook and Ipad.

• The only personal items that pupils will be allowed to bring into school and keep at their desk is their packed lunch and drink bottle.

Heybridge & Endeavour

• We will supply a tray of stationery to students. This is important so that students are not sharing resources and these will stay in school at all times.

• We will be checking students' temperatures daily on entrance to school. We do expect parents to be vigilant about their children’s health and take steps to ensure that children are healthy to come into school.

NEECA

• Read the Expectation and Guidance document with your child.

• Pupils will be required to wear school uniform, clean white shirt, black trousers or skirt and black footwear.

• We encourage pupils to safely walk or safely cycle to school if possible. If using public transport follow the latest guidance on use of face coverings, which you will need to supply.

• We will supply a tray of stationery to pupils. This is important so that pupils are not sharing resources and these will stay in school at all times.

• We do expect parents to be vigilant about their children’s health and take steps to ensure that children are fit and well to come into school.

• If a household member has tested positive for Covid19, then your child should be kept at home for 14 days and engage with the NHS Track and Trace process.

NEECA

• Follow the school’s rules on handwashing and good hygiene practices.

• ‘Catch it, bin it, kill it’ if they need to sneeze or cough.

• Tell an adult if they feel unwell.

• Follow the rules about sharing equipment and other items.

• Must not share food or drink with others.

• Must follow the school’s rules and expectations to keep them safe both when in school and when working online using google classroom.

We all should demonstrate respectful behaviour towards each other. We should try our best to ensure the health and safety of others by following instructions to avoid unnecessary contact.

If pupils are unable or unwilling to follow the necessary guidelines which may put themselves or others at greater risk, we will contact you to discuss this.

Heybridge & Endeavour

• Although it has been demonstrated that passing in a corridor is relatively low risk, we have decided to heavily restrict access to the corridors.

• We will also be staggering break- times so that groups of students do not mix, keeping the ‘PODs’ separate throughout the day.

• Each classroom has been risk assessed and each table is 2m apart.

NEECA

Each classroom has been risk assessed to meet the government's guidance. We will continue to teach and remind all pupils about the rules of distancing. Within Primary this will be through a variety of stories, games, songs and activities. The government recognises that distancing cannot always be enforced in schools and therefore emphasises the need for good hygiene and handwashing.

In Primary:

• The government recognise that, ‘younger children may not be able to maintain social distancing so it is likely that for younger children the emphasis will be on separating groups’ (DFE Planning Guide for Primary Schools). It is therefore recognised that social distancing in primary schools, and in particular with younger children, will not be possible although we will aim to encourage it through our shared expectations and procedures.

In Secondary:

• We will encourage social distancing where possible through our shared expectations and procedures.

• Pupils will have minimum movement around the school staying in the same class where possible, except for specialist subjects such as Science and Food technology.

• Public health advice suggests that staff in secondary schools maintain distance from their pupils, staying at the front of the class and away from their colleagues where possible.

• We will not be holding assemblies where classes are gathered together.

Heybridge & Endeavour

• We are aware that this needs to be carefully managed. Through implementing different start and finish times we will be restricting the number of people on the school site. This is to restrict and control the number of people on school premises.

• Access into the school building will be restricted to school staff and students.

• Parents wanting to communicate to their teacher beyond a quick conversation will be asked to make an appointment. Parents of Endeavour pupils will continue to receive a regular phone call as was the case prior to the phased reopening.

NEECA

• We are aware that this needs to be carefully managed.

• The NEECA buildings have clear signs and visual aids to support the community to follow the guidance around social distancing where possible.

• Visitors to the site will be restricted, parents wishing to talk to a member of staff will be asked to make an appointment.

Heybridge, NEECA & Endeavour

• All staff and students are advised to wear masks in all communal areas delete rest not relevant

NEECA

Unfortunately, schools cannot prevent infection from the community coming into school, but we can put procedures in place to prevent the spread by systematic cleaning, hand hygiene and using the ‘bubbles’ to limit any spread of infection.

• The availability of soap and hot water for washing of hands.

• The location and use of hand sanitiser stations for adults.

• The location and use of lidded bins for the disposal of tissues and any other waste.

• Ensuring there is a supply of disposable tissues to implement the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach in each classroom.

• Ensuring that teaching groups or ‘bubbles’ will be isolated from other groups of children as far as possible while they are in school.

• Scheduling cleaning throughout the day.

• The use of corridors and shared areas has been minimised.

At Heybridge

• Students attending onsite will be offered a prepared packed lunch meal provided by the academy, and will take it away with them.

At NEECA

• Students attending onsite will be offered a prepared packed lunch meal provided by the academy to take home.

At Endeavour

• Pupils will be required to bring a packed lunch and drink with them, FSM vouchers will continue to be sent home.

Heybridge & Endeavour

• When a child, young person or staff member develops symptoms compatible with coronavirus, they will be sent home and advised to self- isolate for a set number of days and get tested to see if they have coronavirus or not. Their fellow household members should follow the latest guidance issued by Public Health England or the NHS. The result of the test must be shared with the school as soon as possible as the Bubble may be asked to self isolate on a ‘case by case’ basis.

• There will be a dedicated medical room and toilet for any student who feels ill to wait in till collection from a parent/carer.

• All staff and students who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus, and are encouraged to get tested in this scenario. The school will have a small supply of test available if the family face a barrier to getting one through the usual channels.

• Where the child, young person or staff member tests negative, they can return to their setting and the fellow household members can end their self-isolation.

Where the child, young person or staff member tests positive, the rest of the 'bubble' will be advised to self-isolate for 14 days and get tested.

NEECA

• If anyone becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), they will need to be collected and advised to follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19).

• All staff and pupils who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus, and are encouraged to get tested in this scenario.

• We understand that schools will be provided with a small number of ‘home use’ tests, which can be used by staff or children where arranging a test is proving difficult.

• Government has advised that ‘schools should ask parents and staff to inform them immediately of the results of a test.’

• There is a dedicated medical room and toilet for any pupil who feels ill. Parents will be expected to collect their child straight away. Public transport and taxis will not accept those displaying symptoms of coronavirus.

• The government has advised that schools should take swift action when they become aware that someone who has attended has tested positive for COVID 19. ‘Based on the advice from the health protection team, schools must send home those people who have been in close contact with the person who has tested positive and self isolate for14 days since they were last in close contact with that person when they were infectious.’

Heybridge, NEECA & Endeavour

• During lockdown and partial opening our schools have worked hard to provide an interactive online learning offer.

• We have also provided paper copies for students who have limited or no internet access.

• Home learning will be offered remotely by our teachers as part of a Blended Learning offer. This will include some face-to-face sessions onsite alongside remote learning via Google Classroom. This may involve video based teaching. There will be a timetable for this.

• There is a Safe Remote Teaching & Learning Policy (draft) in place which sets out our intentions for our online offer.

  • CLICK HERE for the NEECA policy

  • CLICK HERE for Heybridge policy

Heybridge and NEECA

• The school will continue to offer places for our key workers regardless of the year group your child attends. We are exploring how we can do this, within the constraints of keeping ‘POD’ separate.

Endeavour

• The school will continue to offer places for the children of key workers. Provision will be offered from Monday to Friday. The pupils will be in a 'key worker' pupil on Monday's, from Tuesday to Friday the pupils will then form part of a second bubble that contains pupils from their key stage.

Heybridge

• We have fantastic cleaners and site team in our school who have been super flexible in ensuring our school is clean for our children.

• Site staff and cleaners will be working across the day to ensure that communal surfaces, toilets and doors are cleaned throughout the day, classrooms will also be cleaned at the end of the day.

• In classrooms, staff will be equipped to clean surfaces used at intervals and equipment will be wiped down and exchanged daily so that they can be cleaned between uses.

NEECA

• The site staff and cleaners will be working across the day to ensure that communal surfaces, toilets and doors are cleaned regularly. Classrooms will also be cleaned at the end of the day.

• Staff will be equipped to clean surfaces regularly and equipment will be wiped down.

Endeavour

• The school will be cleaned every morning, by the site staff and cleaners.

• At the end of each day staff in classrooms will clean surfaces and wipe down equipment, ready for the following day.

• On Monday's the classrooms that are used from Tuesday - Friday will undergo a 'deep clean', on Tuesday's the classroom used by children of key workers will undergo a 'deep clean'.

• Pupils and staff will wash and sanitise their hands each time the enter the classroom.

Yes, the trust operates a shared policy that covers this very important area. You can view the policy here .It includes, for example, the need for parents and carers to ensure the school is kept fully and immediately informed should their child display symptoms that could be Coronavirus.

This policy is applicable to all of our Schools.

• We are aware that this situation is creating anxiety for parents. The guidance is clear that these students do not need to attend school. Learning will continue to be available online.