Covid19 Response Policy

From 1st September 2020, new government guidelines were released for the nursery to operate in the safest and efficient manner as possible. A risk assessment has been compiled detailing the major adjustments that need to be made in our policies and procedure.

  • Social distancing is still a major factor to keep in place throughout the working environment. The picking up and collecting children procedure has been adjusted to minimise contact between individuals as much as possible. Only one adult will be allowed to enter through the front gate on to the premises to drop off/collect their child, all other individuals must wait outside the gate area and implement a 2-metre space between one another. Staff members will be situated at the front gate, front door to make sure the procedure is carried out as efficient and as safe as possible.

AS OF OCTOBER 2020 – Collecting and drop off procedures has been adjusted to where parents are asked to remain outside of the nursery premises on the outside of the gate. Children are accompanied from the shopfloor to their parents waiting outside. This is to ensure the social distance between the parents and the staff remains as far as possible.

Whilst the session is ongoing, social distancing between staff members is encouraged as much as possible. The staff will also divide an equal number of children into groups and access different areas of learning throughout the nursery setting. One group accessing one area of learning at one particular time will reduce the contact the children will have amongst each other.

  • In the event of a child attending the nursery has contracted the coronavirus or is showing symptoms,  Staff will isolate the child/children in a separate area which will prevent them from interacting with other children, they will be overlooked/supervised by a staff member who will be dressed in full PPE including face mask, gloves and a full body suit upon waiting for an adult to collect the child. The nursery is required to call the local authority public helpline and answer all questions in relation to the child and scenario. Public health will then give advice on what action the nursery should undertake in terms of setting closure/informing parents and staff. In the event of a setting closure, the nursery will be sent templates of closure letters devised by public health ready for the setting to send out. Informing Ofsted of the closure will also be a requirement for the nursery setting.  

These same protocols will also need to be adhered to in the event of a staff member showing symptoms etc. If a staff member is showing potential symptoms, he/she will be required to leave the setting and book a covid-19 test at the earliest opportunity. The staff member will be asked to remain at home until finding the results of their test. If the test result has returned negative, public health will be informed and the nursery setting will follow their guidance on whether other staff members/individuals are required to undertake a test. A positive test result will mean the staff member in question will need to quarantine for a minimum period of 10 days and will not be able to return to the working environment until there is no high temperature reading for at least 48 hours. Public health will give the correct guidance on whether the setting will need to close to a certain capacity and whether other parents etc need to be informed. In the event of the setting being advised to close, all staff members and parent who are affected will be notified via a written letter.

The contact number for public health is displayed on a guidance poster in the nursery reception area. This guidance is also displayed in the nursery office and is discussed with staff to keep updated with protocols and procedure.

  • External visitors will be prohibited from the setting unless the visit is of urgent requirement (i.e. SEN advisor for observation, safeguarding issue-social worker). There will be no students, work experience students undertaking work experience during this period.
  • Children are required to wash their hands with soap upon arriving at the setting.
  • The procedure for snack/lunch has been adjusted so that a distance is maintained between children when they are sat down at the table accessing snack. A thorough hand wash is encouraged amongst all children prior to eating and after finishing. Plates/cutlery and cups are to be washed properly.
  • Toilet areas are to be cleaned/wiped down regularly during the day. Control number of children attending the toilets if possible.
  • Sand and water tray have been removed from the shop floor to prevent the spread of infection. Playdough has also been removed.
  • Construction toys are available in limited numbers, building bricks/Lego bricks etc will be sterilised after each session.
  • Parent’s consent is required to apply spare clothing from the nursery to children.
  • Sun creams must be administered by parents before they arrive to the nursery.
  • Any medication which can be administered by parents before the start of the session should do so. Medication will still be administered on a must do basis.
  • Staff must provide a letter from a GP to state the individual in question must quarantine for a period of days if staff request a leave from work due to a person in their household showing symptoms of the virus.
  • Staff must wash their hands and sanitize regularly throughout the course of the working day.
  • Staff will be working with children but using as minimal physical contact as possible.
  • The nursery will attempt to continue the staffs CPD where possible. Will look into the possibility of arranging for staff to undertake virtual training courses.
  • Any vulnerable children in the setting on CP plans or child in need plans, will continue to undertake core group meetings and conferences in a virtual format.
  • Additional work with additional needs children will require the possibility of the local SEN co-ordinator arranging video called observations and setting out strategies to implement through email.

Parents and carers should be encouraged to limit the number of settings their child attends, ideally ensuring their child only attends the same setting consistently

o   PHE is clear that routinely taking the temperature of children is not recommended as this is an unreliable method for identifying coronavirus

o   If anyone in the setting has symptoms of coronavirus however mild, they should self-isolate for at least 10 days from when their symptoms started

  • Parents and carers should not be allowed into the setting unless this is essential, and children should be dropped off and collected at the door if possible.

FROM 5th November 2020, the government has announced the country will enter a new lockdown phase where all non-essential travel will be prohibited. The early years sector will continue to operate with all previous protocols still in place to keep the setting as safe as possible. The lockdown period will last for a period of four weeks concluding on 2nd December 2020 or pending further review for extension.