LAIRHILLOCK SCHOOL RETURN PLAN – AUGUST 2020

Dear Families,

Please find below a detailed plan indicating our current position on a variety of issues regarding
the imminent return to school. We have created our school plan using local and national guidance
and may continue to make tweaks as the days and weeks go by. Our main priority is the safety of
every member of our school community. However, we have tried to focus on a proportionate
response in order to ensure that the return is as smooth as possible for pupils, and suitably
welcoming for our new pupils.

We expect that there may be new guidance or isolated incidents which cause us to review
elements of this plan, and we are fully prepared to adapt and respond as necessary.

We are hugely appreciative of your patience and support since March 20 th, as we know that this
situation has been difficult for so many. Please find at the link below an opportunity for you to
make comment/ask specific questions regarding the measures anything contained within this
briefing.

https://forms.gle/tn5G8TdWMmh61QJXA

Entry and Exit

Primary 1, Primary 2 and Primary 6/7 will enter and exit through the Main Entrance beside the car
park. Primary 3/4, Primary 4/5 and Primary 5/6 will enter and exit through the normal pupil entrance
which they access from the playground. When children arrive at school (not before 8.50 please)
they should make their way directly to their class without playing in the playground beforehand.

As a temporary measure we will be utilising the grass area by the Wishing Well/Clothing bank as a
drop off area for children from P4 upwards. Mr Murray and Mrs Fraser will be in the playground and
car park areas to assist pupils, and to ensure the smooth running of traffic where necessary. We
request that parents waiting for a space in the parking/drop off area do so patiently, as we expect
that the first few days will give us an opportunity to iron out any issues and plan for changes where
required.

If children who are travelling on school transport arrive on a bus and they arrive before 8.50, they
will be asked to report to a designated area outside. These areas are as follows:

P1 – Outdoor classroom

P2 – Willow Tunnel

P3/4 – Picnic benches

P4/5 – Table Tennis table

P5/6 – Adventure course/Trim Trail

P6/7 – Area between football pitches and back door

Pupils will be expected to sanitise hands on entry to the building, remove outdoor clothing and bags
as instructed and change into indoor shoes. They will then be asked to wash their hands.

School begins for all children at 9am, there will be no staggering of start or finish times – all children
are to attend school from 9.00 – 3.15.

Break and Lunch

Break and lunch times will also be staggered as a precaution. P1, P2 and P6/7 will have their morning
break from 10.20 – 10.40, and P3/4, P4/5 and P5/6 will have their break from 10.40 – 11.00.

Lunchtime will be from 12.10 – 13.05, but there will be two sittings, with P1, P2 and P6/7 entering
the lunch hall at 12.10, and P3/4, P4/5 and P5/6 entering the lunch hall at 12.40. When children are
not eating, they will be able to play outside.

Transport

Dedicated school transport should be treated as an extension of the school estate. Enhanced
cleaning of dedicated school transport vehicles will be important, especially where vehicles are used
for other purposes before and after transporting children to and from school. Personal hand and
respiratory hygiene are important, including sanitisation of hands prior to boarding.

Distancing between children and young people on dedicated school transport is not required,
although where possible some practical approaches to grouping and distancing are provided. Adults
should conform with the requirements for public transport (1m distancing).

The position on face coverings on dedicated school transport is consistent with the position in the
school estate. They are not required for children and young people (those who wish to wear a face
covering should be permitted to do so). Any adults travelling by dedicated school transport should
conform with the requirements for public transport and wear face coverings (and 1m distancing).

The creation of “dedicated zones/carriages” on certain limited types of public transport is permitted,
with rules on distancing the same as for dedicated school transport. Discussions with local
authorities and operators indicate this approach is likely to be suitable only for services that are
classified as public transport but which primarily carry children and young people to school, with
limited numbers of adult passengers. Face coverings in dedicated zones will not be required where
the service is a local authority-contracted school bus service but must be worn in dedicated zones
on all other forms of public transport.

Children and young people travelling on all other public transport, where there is no dedicated zone,
must follow the requirements on face coverings and distancing for public transport.

Hygiene and Handwashing

• frequent washing/sanitising of hands for 20 seconds and drying thoroughly, and always when
entering/leaving the building, before/after eating and after using the toilet.

• encouraging children, young people and staff to avoid touching their faces including mouth, eyes
and nose.
• using a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze, and use bins that are emptied regularly for tissue
waste.

Cleaning

There will be an enhanced cleaning regime implemented during the school day, with surfaces
regularly wiped down with anti-bacterial and anti-viral spray to limit the spread of infection. Shared
resources such as iPads etc will be wiped after use.

Personal Protective Equipment

For the majority of staff PPE will not normally be necessary. Use of PPE in school should be based on
a clear assessment of the risk and need for an individual child, ie personal care. Where colleagues
need to work in close proximity to a child or a group of children for over 15 mins, the school will
provide face coverings/PPE for that purpose.

Types of PPE required for specific circumstances:

 ROUTINE ACTIVITIES – No PPE required

 SUSPECTED COVID-19 – Gloves, apron and a fluid-resistant surgical mask when direct
personal care needed. Eye protection if a risk assessment determines there is a risk of
splashes to the eyes. Gloves and aprons worn when cleaning the areas where suspected
case has been.

 INTIMATE CARE – Gloves and apron. Risk of splashing mitigated with the wearing of fluid-
resistant surgical mask and eye protection. Gloves and aprons worn when cleaning the area.

Classroom Management:

Staff and pupils will be reminded of protocols every morning.

Where possible, the sharing of resources will be minimised. Shared resources will be wiped down
after each use.
Classrooms will have windows/doors open where practical to ensure good ventilation.
Bags/Jackets/Indoor shoes will be stored as previously, but children will be asked to avoid touching
the property of others

We will ensure all classes have open windows and doors to ensure ventilation.
Currently all additional teachers taking a class for Non Class Contact cover will visit the classes,
rather than several groups of children travelling to shared communal spaces.
Classes may still use the hall for PE, but the doors will remain open to ensure that the space is
ventilated, and all equipment will be cleaned after use. Teachers are also incorporating adopting PE
lessons that incorporate lower risk with regards to the spread of infection.

Social Distancing:

There is no requirement for pupils to socially distance from one another in school. However, as a
precautionary measure, we are trying to minimise contact between different classes throughout the
school day. Adults are still required to maintain 2m distance from one another, and where possible
to maintain 2m distance from pupils.

Face Coverings:
Face coverings should not be required for most children and staff unless clinically advised to do so.
Where adults cannot keep 2m distance and are interacting face-to-face for a sustained period (more
than 15 minutes) a face covering should be worn and will be provided.
Adults in school in other circumstances should not need to wear face coverings as long as they can
maintain 2m distancing.
Anyone (staff or pupil) who wishes to wear a face covering is free to do so.

Uniform and Equipment

Where possible, children should wear their normal school uniform. However, we feel it is important
to prioritise that clean clothes are worn each day. Therefore, it would be acceptable for your child to
wear dark jogging bottoms etc if they have no clean skirt/school trousers. We would ask that a
Lairhillock polo shirt and/or jumper is always worn. On the days your child has PE (you will be
informed via Seesaw) we ask that they wear PE kit to school such as jogging bottoms. The teacher
will inform you if the session is to take place indoors or outdoors. They should still wear a Lairhillock
polo shirt/jumper.

Pupils can bring their own school bags and water bottles to school. Following a discussion with staff
regarding our Covid-19 procedures, we are now happy for pupils to bring their own pencil cases and
associated equipment to school. However, we will provide equipment to those who require it. We
will ask children not to share resources where this is practical, and they will be given their own set of
materials as required depending on their age/stage.

Pupils should not bring books or toys from home please.

Parents and volunteers in school:

Currently, the position is that we are unable to invite any parents or volunteers into school. We
understand that parents may need to contact us. However, we ask that if you wish to discuss any
matters with us that you telephone the school office in the first instance. In line with updated
guidance, we will be unable to grant access to parents to any part of the school building, including
the foyer. If you need to drop off medicine or other essential items, we ask that you wait outside for
a staff member to meet you. We would also request that all social distancing measures are adhered
to in the foyer and in the car park. We would urge parents not to spend more time in the car park
than is necessary.

Covid-19 Symptoms

If your child develops any Covid-19 symptoms it is important that they do not attend school, and
that you inform us as soon as possible. You must then follow protocols of testing/self-isolation. If any
staff member or pupil develops symptoms throughout the school day, they must be collected
immediately.

A note of reassurance:

Whilst we understand that these measures may be a difficult adjustment, we feel that they are
important to implement to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all in the first instance, and we have
tried to ensure all measures are fully considered and proportionately responsive.
We are also aware of the importance of this balancing act – we will be prioritising emotional
wellbeing at the forefront of our curriculum at the beginning of term as we support all children to
settle into school.

As a staff we are beyond excited to welcome the pupils to school again – and we cannot wait to hear
of their lockdown and summertime adventures. We look forward to having our school community
together again, and we are confident we can make this year a special one regardless of the
circumstances.