FAQ - Reopening 2020/21
FAQ - Reopening Discovery International School
Health and Safety
How regularly is the school cleaned?
The whole school will be cleaned at least twice a day from Monday to Friday and again at the weekend. This will include a thorough clean every day in the afternoon when no students are on site. Support and academic staff will be regularly cleaning classroom surfaces and resources throughout the day and will be alerted to any specific cleaning requirements as they occur.
Will all of the students be using the same toilets?
No, specific toilets have been allocated to specific classes according to the Block in which they are situated . Teachers will collaborate and ensure that they take their class for a toilet break according to a schedule, to avoid congestion.
Will food be served by Discovery?
Students bring their own healthy snacks for the morning, however lunch and afternoon snack are provided for full-day students.
Will drinking water be available?
Students should bring drinking water from home in a bottle. They can top this up from the water dispenser if required.
Will there be a responsible health care team member on site?
Yes, all sessions will have members of staff who can carry out First Aid.
Will there be a safeguarding member of staff in school?
Yes, at all times.
Will there be a senior leader in school all the time?
Yes, at all times.
If my child becomes ill during their session what will happen?
They will be sent to a school-based member of the COVID-19 Task Force team for an initial assessment. If they are displaying COVID-19 symptoms they will be put into our isolation room and parents will be called to collect the child urgently.
If my child becomes ill at home and has been in school for some days, do I need to notify the school? Who do I notify?
Yes, please notify us by calling the Discovery mobile number in the usual manner or the Head of your child’s section.
How will children know they are 1m away from each other?
Signage and posters have been placed around the campus and in the classrooms. Furniture has been organised so that students will be at least 1m apart. Staff will also be reminding students frequently to keep 1m apart.
Will teachers be 1m away from the children?
Yes, rooms have been set up in a way that everyone is 1m apart as much as possible. Realistically, we work with young children who may, at times, need teachers to be closer to them than 1m. We will use our professional judgement and aim to safeguard ourselves and your child at all times. If we get closer than 1m we will practise all of the COVID-19 precautions; hand washing before and after close proximity and continuous wearing of well-fitted face masks.
Will there be hand sanitiser available in the school?
Hand sanitiser will be available in all classrooms and in automatic dispensers that have been located at the school entrance points and in corridors around the campus. If you would also like your child to have a personal bottle of hand sanitiser, please send that in your child’s bag each morning.
Should my child be wearing a facemask?
The government guidance states that school students need to wear a mask at all times from the age of 2 years. You should provide your child with 2 face masks every day; one should be worn to school and the other will be a spare in case the first one gets dirty or damaged. It is also a good idea to send your child with a zip lock bag, or similar, to store the face mask that gets dirty or damaged.
Should my child be wearing gloves?
No this is not a requirement. Frequent and thorough hand washing/sanitising is required.
Will teachers be wearing face masks?
Yes.
What happens if a child refuses to follow the rules of masking up and keeping 1 metre apart?
Behaviour for Learning Policies have been reviewed with teaching staff to support discipline around safe behaviour during this period of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular. Normal Discovery restorative behaviour management protocols will apply. It has also been agreed that non-compliance with COVID-19 precautions will be escalated quickly to senior leaders in the school.
If the school is closed temporarily, will learning continue?
Yes teachers will be ready to revert to online teaching and learning if required.
If my child is unwell but doesn't have COVID-19 symptoms can they still come into school?
No, please keep your child at home if s/he is unwell. Students will be sent home at the first signs of illness regardless of symptoms.
Will there be reminders to wash hands?
Yes, posters are being put up around the site and teachers will be managing this process throughout the day.
How will you manage the numbers of students trying to use the toilets and maintain social distancing?
Pupils will be supported to access the toilet during class/throughout the day. Social distancing markers are in place. In addition, every class will have an allocated set of toilets and a schedule for a toilet break, to further support social distancing.
Can students go everywhere on site?
No, they will only be allowed into their classrooms for their sessions and to the allocated toilets. The teacher may also organise a simple session of physical activity such as a walk around the playground; this will be socially distanced.
What will happen if there is a fire alarm?
Students will be helped by all staff to evacuate the building in the normal way to ensure a speedy evacuation. They will meet at the muster point on the Discovery school site located across from the main gate. Everyone will maintain social distancing when they arrive there. Registers will be taken and we will re-occupy the school campus when all is safe.
Arrival and Exit
Are all students arriving at the same time?
No, arrival times are staggered depending on whether your child is in the Primary or Early Years sections. Primary students arrive at 7:30 am. Early years students may arrive starting at 8 am. Siblings in different sections, however, may arrive at the same time.
Are all students departing at the same time?
No, half-day students will be dismissed at 12.30 pm and full day students will be dismissed at 3.30 pm
Can I meet my child outside the school exit gate?
We ask that parents and those designated to collect children should not congregate/meet outside the school gates; however if they must do so, they must adhere to the 1m social distance rule at all times.
Do students have to use a particular entrance and exit?
Yes, we have 1 entrance point as required by the Ministry of Education. It is the gate from the upper car parking area which leads to the stairs and then the wash station area. We have 1 exit point too; it is the main gate which is beside the hand washing station.
Does my child need to have his/her temperature taken?
Yes all people entering the school will have their temperature taken on arrival.
On-site Movement
How will you ensure social distancing around school?
Movement around the school will be limited and children will stay in their classrooms for the majority of the time unless on a toilet break or a brief physical activity break, supervised by staff at all times.
Will students be supervised as they arrive and depart each day?
Students will be escorted into the campus, to the hand washing station and then ushered to their classrooms on arrival. They will also be ushered to their parent/collector at departure time.
Organisation of Academic Sessions
How many children will be in a group?
Our class sizes vary at Discovery. We have allocated classrooms according to the number of students in a class. We are ensuring that the social distancing requirement of 1 metre between all students is adhered to and that all Ministry of Education guidelines are followed.
If I want my child to attend school all day who do I contact?
Please send an email to info@discoveryrwanda.org
Will students get a break?
Yes, they will have a toilet break and a snack break. Teachers may also plan for short physical activity breaks such as a socially distanced walk on the campus.
Will my child be exposed to lots of different staff?
No, they will see their class teacher regularly within the classroom, the teaching assistants assigned to their class and occasionally they will see members of the school leadership and the support team.
Will my child be doing sporting activities?
No contact sports or free play activities will be happening at this time.
Will the schedule remain the same until the end of term?
Yes we are envisioning this to be the case at the current time. However, if we have a COVID19 outbreak in our school, we may close the affected classes for at least 1-2 weeks. In this case we would switch to online learning and the schedule will change. You will be informed in good time.
Will the students be able to go to the toilet during the school day?
Yes. Social distancing markers have been put in the toilet areas and staff will accompany students.
Pastoral Support
Will socioemotional check ins with teachers still take place?
Yes these are on the schedule.
If my child is suffering with anxiety, who do I contact?
You should contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance, and they will be able to pass this on to the relevant leader in school to ensure that your child is helped to feel safe and to receive support.
If my child gets upset during lessons can they leave the room?
They may leave the room and be escorted to a quiet place by a member of staff.
Other
How are you going to communicate with parents when arrangements change?
Multiple methods of communication will be used to make sure all parents get the same messages; whatsapp groups, emails and occasionally phone calls may be necessary.
What do I do if I need to come into school?
You will need to have a pre-arranged appointment to come into school. Where possible please call +250781111002 or send an email to info@discoveryrwanda.org to make an appointment to come into school.