We believe it is in children’s interests to attend preschool for the purposes of socialisation, learning and development and their mental well being. We want them to have as full an experience as possible while they are with us. As always their safety is our priority.
The purpose of this document is to mitigate risk of COVID19 transmission. It has been assumed that the likelihood of transmission is possible and that the severity of risk is medium for the majority of families. It also assumed that social distancing will not be possible for the children once they are in preschool and staff will not be withholding physical contact from children if cuddles are needed. For the children’s version of the plan please ask a member of the team.
Attendance at preschool will be taken as tacit agreement of preschool COVID19 procedures.
No adult or child should come to preschool if they have symptoms of COVID19.
Child
- Temperature check on arrival
- Hand washing on arrival and frequently through day for 20 seconds
- Touching of face, eyes, nose and mouth to be discouraged
- Catch it, bin it, kill it approach reinforced for coughs and sneezes
Symptoms
- Anyone with symptoms, or who has tested positive within ten days, cannot attend preschool and should isolate in accordance with current Government or Public Health England (PHE) guidelines
- Children having been given paracetamol or ibuprofen in the morning cannot attend for 48 hours
- A child exhibiting symptoms during the course of a session must wait away from others in swallow’s nest on mat accompanied by adult in PPE, area cleaned afterwards and hands washed for 20 seconds
- Parents to collect children if staff member exhibiting symptoms and ratios affected
- Anyone subsequently developing symptoms must isolate in accordance with Government or Public Health England (PHE) guidelines
- If COVID19 is confirmed by test remaining group members must isolate in accordance with current Government or PHE guidelines A child can return to preschool if a test is negative and symptoms have ceased
- Fees will still be payable if a child or family are required to self isolate in line with our charging policy
Local lockdown (Tier 4)
- Attendance will be limited to the children who have key worker parents or who are vulnerable and staffing reduced
- The preschool week may be shortened according to need
- Fees will not be payable if preschool closed but a contribution towards unavoidable costs may be requested
Belongings
- No toys or transitional objects from home where possible
- Lunch to be kept in named plastic boxes eg Tupperware with as few items that need adult touching or opening as possible and placed in box in garden on arrival
- Nappies and wipes will be provided by preschool and parents asked to make a contribution
- A water bottle will be kept in preschool which staff will wash daily (the child’s initials will be written on the bottom with a permanent marker if it is not already named)
Reading books
- Three year olds will share a reading book in preschool once a week but this will not be sent home (review at half term)
Family
- Staggered pick up times / drop off
- One parent to pick up / drop off, limit siblings where possible
- Children not to attend if there is an extremely clinically vulnerable person in the home
- One setting to be attended wherever possible
- Social distancing as much as possible in and outside of preschool and avoidance of non essential transport
- Up to date contact details to be provided Children to be collected promptly
Staff
- Social distance and avoid physical contact with one another at preschool
- Social distance outside of work
- Observe safer travelling guidance
- Infection control training
Environment
- Increased regular cleaning of high traffic and frequently touched areas
- Class bins emptied at lunchtime and end of the day
- Resources eg sand, books, dressing up and dough for to be regularly rotated / washed / disposed of / sanitised
- Windows and doors kept open where weather permits to increase ventilation
- Change mats and sleep mats to be cleaned after every use as usual
- No parents or non essential visitors in classroom
- Potentially contaminated waste to be double bagged and stored for 72 hours or negative test result received if sooner
- Fabrics to be sprayed daily
PPE
- Masks are not to be generally worn in preschool by staff or children
- Fluid resistant masks, face shields, gloves and aprons are available for staff to wear if supervising a child with symptoms
- Parents will be asked to take masks or gloves home with them if children are wearing for travel eg on the bus
