Premises & Pupil Safety Governors Meeting – Spring 2022
The first Premises and Pupil Safety committee meeting of 2022 was held virtually on Friday 21st January 2022.
Despite Covid no longer being top of the agenda for these meetings there are still updates to be had. Covid safety measures in school remain in line with government guidance. Parents and carers are no longer asked to wear masks in the school yards – this request was always intended to be short term to protect against staff absence and we would like to thank you all for adhering to this while it was in place.
A recent spate of Chicken Pox and a virus causing vomiting and diarrhoea has also prompted a communication from school asking parents and carers to keep at home children who are unwell or showing signs of illness. Again, this is to safeguard the health of other children as well as reducing the risk of staff absences which can have a huge knock-on effect across the school.
Since October 2021, C02 monitors provided by the government, have been in use in classrooms to help monitor ventilation. In addition, the school has purchased two HEPA filters for use where persons are more clinically vulnerable. This is an ongoing commitment the school is making to safeguard the well-being of teachers and students.
Site manager Chris Atwell provided an update on the progress made against the Local Authority Health and Safety Audit which shows priority points have been addressed with only training outstanding. I will be undertaking a site visit with Chris later this term for further updates.
Work to update the disabled toilet in the Key Stage 2 building will begin in the next couple of weeks. The Local Authority is providing funding to install a fixed hoist and toilet with cleaning facilities to make life a little easier for one of our students. Until then temporary equipment is in place.
Thanks to the changes in lunchtime arrangements brought in originally due to Covid, the school has seen a marked reduction in accidents in the yards. Slightly shorter lunchtimes plus the reduced numbers of children in the yard thanks to the staggering of lunches has resulted in more space for children to play and less time for children to become fractious with each other / over tired. The yard is a safer and happier place! Plus, Key Stage 1 children will be even happier when their new little trim trail is installed next week!
On a personal note, I would like to thank the Senior Leadership Team, all the KEPS staff and the Premises and Pupil Safety Committee for all the work they do behind the scenes to ensure the safety and well-being of all our children. The last two years have been particularly testing and have brought challenges no one ever expected. As a parent of a KEPS student myself, I can appreciate the obvious frustration at constant changes to rules and guidance as we have had to adapt to an ever-changing picture. As a governor though, I would like to assure parents that the KEPS team often go above and beyond to ensure all children’s safety and well-being. While I know they do not want or expect recognition for this, it is something I personally feel should be acknowledged as it goes far beyond dealing with Covid. So many thanks to you all.
