COVID POLICY GRINDS ACADEMY – September 2020 / 2021 year
Dated: 10.09.2020 – Version 1.6
Drogheda & Swords Grinds Academy COVID 19 Guidance Policy for Students, Parents, Teachers & staff September 2020
All grinds classes start back on the 21st of September 2020. The guidance policy below is in place to protect all our students, parents and staff. Please read carefully and this will be emailed to parents in advance and they should return the email saying. (I understand the terms and conditions of grinds in relation to COVID) Please note this is subject to change depending on guidance from HSC. Please note we are a private limited company not a public school body so our guidance policy may differ slightly as each school has different policies in place.
What we are doing to ensure maximum protection for all. Please note no policy is completely perfect so we will have to adapt as the year progresses.
- We have provided all our staff with visors and or masks to be worn at all times.
- There are hand sanitiser gel stations located at the entry and exit of the Academy and in each classroom. Students must sanitise their hands on entry and exit to the Academy and classrooms.
- Each classroom will have staggered exit times by 5 minutes to ensure students are not all exiting at the same time. This will alternate each week to ensure two classes are not exiting at the same time.
- Antiseptic wipes are given to each student to wipe down tables and backs of chairs before they leave each session.
- We have additional deep cleaning by cleaner every second day to ensure all surfaces are wiped, moped and sanitised at all touch points throughout the Academy and the entry area. Standard cleaning will take place every day with deep clean every second day.
- No one except students, teachers and staff will be allowed access to the grinds school – please note parents may visit the reception between 2pm and 4pm if needed but masks are required on entry. No mask, no entry. Note parents will be refused entry after 4pm for the protection of students and staff.
- If students are paying in cash they must bring it in an envelope marked with their name and invoice number. We will not accept cash any other way.
- Please note we will not be answering the phone during class turnaround times. This is to facilitate temperature checks and sign in of students.
- All students must wear masks properly when they attend grinds and on entry and exit of the building.
- Students should not arrive late this will cause issues with classroom seating.
- All students will be seated in the same place each week in order to facilitate contract tracking in the event of an issue. There will be a map recording where each student is sitting to enable this.
In the case of lockdown / COVID please read carefully;
We are trying our best to mitigate all eventualities around COVID 19 for students. All of these are in the best interests of our students, staff and teachers.
- If there is an incident of COVID 19 in a students classroom in school and or immediate family and the class / family are required to isolate there a number of options; 1) access to recorded version of the class were possible or 2) access to the ‘catch up classes’ for those modules that will be run during the mid term break or 3) two weeks credit against the following term. There is a max of 2 weeks credit being offered due to self quarantine. After that we will assess on a student by student basis.
- If there is a county wide lock down then the 10 week term will be rolled on. For example if Louth is looked down then the classes will all be pushed out for two weeks. The term will then roll over to January if it happens at the end of the term but all students will receive their 10 weeks classes with as little disruption as possible.
- Once classes are signed up for there are no refunds as we will roll on the classes or provide a substitute teacher or go online. The classes will all be made up for each student. If we reach the end of the academic year and we have not been able to facilitate the final classes due to a country wide lock down such as last March then we will process refunds as and when the funds are available.
- As the situation is fluid we are hoping to have all of term 1 which is the longest term completed before Christmas.
- Students who are taking extra subjects with us will have Christmas and Mock exams and these will be facilitated in order to ensure calculated grades by qualified and teaching council registered teachers.
Procedure for students & classes;
If the class starts at 4.45pm or 5pm then students should arrive no later than 5 minutes before class. They will be required to sanitise their hands, wear masks at all times and seat in the places assigned to them. These seats will remain their ‘bubble’ for the rest of the term. Please note students should sit with friends who they have either travelled with or who they spend time with outside of school or who are in their school class. This will help mitigate any issues if there is any ‘outbreak’.
When they arrive a staff member will sign them in and ensure they use hand sanitiser and do a temperature check.
Please note a temperature of 37.5 or higher will result in the child being asked to wait for 10 minutes until further check and verification parents will be called. We will not accept students that have high temperatures or are exhibiting symptoms of a high temperature or sore throat or generally feeling unwell.
DO NOT under any circumstances send your child to classes if they are sick. They will get up to two weeks to catch up on classes if they are sick for COVID related symptoms. Please note a runny nose or sinus etc is not a case for not sending students to class. Students that miss class for other illnesses will get their notes either posted or emailed to them but there is no credit or catch up for these except in extenuating circumstances.
Students are required to use the wipes provided to wipe down their table and the back of the chair and deposit the wipe in the bins provided. They must then sanitise their hands on the way out. Please note this is essential to ensure students are safe.
Bottles of water are provided for students that need them.
Please note students should ensure that they bring pens, calculators, log book tables etc as we will be unable this year to offer them to students that forget them.
Windows will be kept open in accordance with recommendations. There will be heating in each classroom but to facilitate free flow of air windows will be open.
Students arriving for 6pm or 6.15pm or subsequent classes should wait outside on arrival for staff to come down to collect class. Please do not enter until the previous class has left. If it’s raining students will be asked to enter and distance in the other rooms, staircase and waiting area with distancing where possible.
If there are any issues or concerns then parents must call us on 0419844696 (Drogheda) or 018079874 for Swords and let us know asap. We will then work through a plan for students.
We are limiting our intake of students this first term to ensure that the rules and procedures are all in place to ensure a safe environment for students, teachers and staff. Parents and students must take some responsibility to ensure that they follow government guidelines also. If any student does NOT follow the procedures they will be asked to leave and there will be NO refund. These guidelines have been put in place for everyone’s safety.
We have a room put aside for any student that feels unwell or sick and they should make the teacher / admin staff aware of this and a parent will be called. Please ensure that your phone is on while your child is in class so that we can contact you in case of any Emergency.
We have worked hard to try and reopen and ensure the safety of all our students. We hope that with these procedures in place we will be able to continue grinds and classes in a safe environment for everyone. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we get back opened and ready.
Drogheda Grinds Academy & Swords Grinds Academy