Premises & Pupil Safety Meeting Overview

On the final day of a very challenging school year, the P&S Committee met virtually to review, in depth, the risk assessment and plans for reopening the school for the new academic year in September. Headteacher led the committee through the updated risk assessment which comprehensively covers measures around people management and communication, effective infection protection and control, to premises management. The committee was happy to agree the document and the mitigating measures in place.

The committee was also advised of the proposed plans developed by the senior leadership team, in accordance with the most recent government guidance, for successfully reopening to the whole school community in September. We felt the proposed plans aimed to strike a balance between maintaining high quality standards of learning, while minimising the risk of the spread of infection and ensuring all legal, as well as health and safety, requirements are met. It is understood that the plans will be regularly assessed in line with the latest government guidelines.

The committee would like to thank the senior leadership team, Mr Atwell and his team and the entire teaching, support and office staff for their efforts over the last few months in keeping the school operating in these unusual circumstances.

Today the P&S committee met virtually to review the updated Risk Assessment document and provide governors with the opportunity to ask any questions ahead of welcoming back the full school community next week. The committee feels the Risk Assessment is comprehensive in it’s planning and preparedness with the safety of staff and pupils at the forefront of all decisions. The committee has agreed the document, which has been shared with the unions and will be presented to staff on the INSET day at the start of September. The committee would like to thank the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team for their work on the risk assessment and the plans for reopening the school, despite the lack of updated guidance from the Department for Education which was expected in early August.

A number of elements of the risk assessment will be shared with parents and carers in advance of pupils returning to school, with particular focus on the new guidance surrounding reporting back to parents when a child becomes unwell at school and what necessary precautions will need to be followed to reduce risk of infection. This is all based upon government guidance around the test, track and trace protocol, and will be shared in the coming days.

The committee also discussed the potential inclusion of two more back-to-back INSET days in the autumn term. While this is a highly unusual occurrence and one which the school would ordinarily take every measure to avoid, both the Headteacher and the committee feel this would be in the best interests of the whole school community. Our school is very lucky to have a significant number of staff trained in pediatric first aid, which has been of great reassurance in the last 6 months. A number of these qualifications are due to be renewed in early 2021. With the potential risk of a second wave of Covid-19 and the possibility of training services being locked down over the winter months as a result, we are in agreement with the Headteacher that the best option to safeguard the well-being of the children is to bring the training forward using two INSET days to allow the staff to attend the training. More information will be shared with parents and carers about the dates when this is available.

And finally, on a lighter note! The committee met the newest member of the King Edward Primary school community this morning, virtually of course…..little pup Nigel! The committee will be reviewing the School Dog Policy and associated risk assessment in the coming week, but I can confirm that Nigel seems super friendly, well behaved and already a happy contributor to the school office.   Plus he is very cute!