4/6/2020
Following
Welsh Government's announcement yesterday (June 3, 2020) that schools will
reopen from Monday 29, June, the Council is undertaking careful planning around
a series of measures which aim to respond to the challenges and issues relating
to schools and other education providers, moving out of lockdown.
Cardiff's
Restart Planning report details how schools could operate following lockdown
sets out a series of processes and procedures which will aim to support
schools, specifically so that they can ensure the safety of staff, pupils and
parents and reduce the spread of the virus by operating in physically distanced
environments.
Subject
to Welsh Government operational guidance which is to be issued to schools next
week and alongside scientific evidence and consultation with key partners,
Council measures will include:
New
health & safety procedures to include space capacity assessments and risk
assessments to establish volume, appropriate furniture lay-out, movement flows
and external spaces.
·
Hygiene
and cleaning to establish a regime for hand washing, contact point cleaning and
deep cleaning of school spaces.
·
Workforce
capacity assessments to ensure adequate staffing and staff preparation and
support to - identify and respond to the needs of staff including virtual
health & safety training
·
Identifying
equipment and additional resources such as PPE and when it is required based on
clear and informed advice
·
Additional
support for pupils and school staff around health & well-being, for example
issues around family trauma as well as mental health issues relating to
isolation
·
Widening
of pavements and pathways at some school sites to facilitate social distancing
and prevent the need for vulnerable road users to step into the road
·
Introduction
of temporary 20mph limits on roads around schools where possible and consider
temporary road closures at drop-off and pick up times
Cabinet
Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "Many
children across the city will be missing their friends, teachers and the
routine which school provides. I also know that although many families are
struggling with working from home and home educating, there will be parents and
staff who have concerns about children returning to school and we will be
working to address that.
"Yesterday's
announcement by Welsh Government provides an opportunity for the carefully
managed return of children and young people to their schools, as they check-in,
catch-up and prepare for September. It does not mean that all pupils will
return on June 29th. There will need to be significantly fewer pupils in school
at any one time which means that for much of the week most pupils will continue
to be at home.
"At
the same time I welcome the news that parents will not be penalised if they do
not wish their children to return at this point and that the Minister was clear
that children and teachers who are shielding or living with those who are
shielding are not expected to return to school at the moment."
These
proposals mean that all pupils will have the opportunity to spend some time in
their school before the summer break, to catch up with teachers and see
first-hand how different their school experience will be with physical
distancing in place and a careful regime of cleaning and contact limitation.
"We
will continue to work with Welsh Government as we continue preparations for
this, and we look forward to seeing the guidance which is being released next
week. Over the coming weeks we will continue to support our schools, ensuring
the health and wellbeing of our staff, pupils and their families, with the
emphasis on building confidence and reducing anxiety."