NURSERY CLEANING AND FURTHER PRECAUTIONS

We reopen our doors on 1^st September and look forward to receiving you and want to tell you a little more about what we are doing to keep our families and staff safe.

We know this is an anxious time for everyone but our new operating procedures, which have been based on Government Guidance, and our own additional measures, have been implemented to ensure we are able to still provide the highest level of care, education and emotional support to our children, whilst minimising the risk of infection for everyone. Safety remains our priority and we will ensure that each and every one of our children is supported in a way which meets their own individual needs.

CLEANING

We have engaged with our cleaning contractors Anyclean Ltd to thoroughly deep clean to prepare the site for reopening.  All areas of the nursery and classrooms will be deep cleaned. A cleaning action plan has been initiated. This includes additional hourly cleaning during the day by  a rotating member of staff. They will clean all surfaces, handles and other areas that are frequently touched by children and staff.  They will pay special attention to classrooms, as well as toilet and eating spaces.

PROCUREMENT

Gompels cleaning and medical equipment company have supported the nursery with the purchasing of cleaning materials and extra PPE equipment for staff.

Sneeze shields have been purchased and is to be installed at reception area to protect our staff.

Soap and hand sanitizers are installed and well stocked. An elbow operated hand sanitizer has been purchased is being positioned outside the front door. These will be checked regularly.

NEW SCHOOL ROUTINES

We recognise that although we had seen the a decline in numbers of reported cases as having the virus, the current figures and trend warrants would suggest that we must not relax our activities against contracting the virus. Clear measures are required until we are given increasingly positive indicators from the government. Whilst we can understand there are no risk free environment, we can ensure preventive measures are maintained.

We will be observing the following and ask our parents to adhere until further government guidance is received:

1. No-one except staff will be permitted on site
2. Only oneparent at a time will be able to  drop off and collect their child/ren at the front door/reception.
3. If parents have traveled by public transport (including taxis) to the nursery, we will ask for extra clothes to be provided, including footwear into which your child can be changed whilst inside the nursery . Parents are asked to provide a clear A3 plastic wallet for shoes and a drawstring bag for clothing. These items will be kept on the new rack in reception.
4. Staff will also be required to observe the same practices
5. On entry before going in classrooms, all children and staff will be required to wash their hands.

Wherever possible lessons will take place outside to reduce the risk associated with confined places.

All play equipment and sport resources will be wiped and cleaned after every use. They will not be shared during lessons or breaktime.

Children are asked not to bring in resources from home, but if they do for comfort, it will be kept in their bag in reception..

NEW GUIDANCE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

We will all have to adapt our behaviour during the school day to ensure everyone’s safety.

SOCIAL DISTANCING IN THE CLASSROOM

We are following the government advice and take the view with the government that early years children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. However, whilst the 2 metre rule is no longer strictly required, it is our intention to continue to observe levels of distancing. We have the space to do so.

We know young children will not stay apart whilst playing, especially after not seeing each other for such a long time. To mitigate the risk we are following the advice that students are split into ‘micro-classes’.

A pack of stationery and support materials will be provided for each child. This will be in a named plastic wallet and not to be shared. Each child will have their own work tray.

After each group activities with the handling of books and learning materials staff and children will be encouraged to wash their hands.

Wherever possible lessons will take place outside to reduce the risk associated with confined places.

All tabled play equipment and physical play equipment will be wiped and cleaned after every use.

If children bring in resources/toys from home they will be kept in their bag in reception until home time.

BREAK TIMES

We will stagger break times to avoid  (Poppies -baby room) (Primrose- Toddler room) (Sunflower-Preschool room) classes mixing. It’s not something we do happily as playtime is a key part of learning, but it is a significant risk mitigation.

MOVING AROUND SCHOOL

As stated previously, access into the nursery is not permitted to all until the government gives further guidance. No parent is therefore permitted beyond reception.

New parents seeking registration will required to:

1. Have their temperature checked before entering
2. Remove over coats/jackets and leave in reception .
3. Put on a disposable shoe covering
4. Apply hand sanitizer at the front door before entering
5. Wear a mask

PERSONAL HYGIENE

We will continue to urge children to regularly wash hands just as we did pre-lockdown. (They have used a familiar children’s song Bits of Paper, except the words are changed to Wash Your Hands. We have enough bathrooms to support this. A new double sink has been installed in Primrose room

Extra supplies of soap and paper towels have been purchased and installed.

You can help by reminding your children of the need to regularly wash their hands for 20 seconds by singing happy birthday twice.

What if there is a case of Coronavirus at Nursery?

There have been extremely low rates of infection in nurseries who have remained open for Key Workers but if there is a suspected case:

• Parents will be contacted immediately, and the child will be isolated from other children with one member of staff who will wear PPE whilst caring for the child.
• The child or staff member with symptoms must self isolate for 7 days and apply for a test.
• The people who the child or staff member lives with must self isolate for 14 days.
• Where a child or staff member tests positive, the rest of their group will be sent home

and advised to self-isolate for 14 days and follow the ‘Stay at home: guidance for house holds with possible coronavirus. Other household members of the wider group do not need to self-isolate unless the child or staff member they live with develops symptoms

• Our staff will still provide cuddles and comfort to children in their small groups.
• We will support children’s understanding of why their world is currently different

with a range of age-appropriate learning opportunities.

Will my child or the staff be tested?

Testing without symptoms is not currently available but anyone attending or working in a Nursery is now eligible for a test if they display symptoms. We will continue to follow all Government advice in this regard.

Guidance on Returning to Nursery 2

Nursery Risk Assessment

Brent testing site