COVID-19 Risk Assessment

COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENT

Location / Site	Insert location and site where activity taking place
HARRISON PRIMARY SCHOOL
Activity / Procedure	Insert name/type of activity or procedure being assessed
RE-OPENING OF SCHOOL TO ALL PUPILS IN SEPTEMBER 2020
Assessment date	Insert date when assessment is being carried out
1^st October 2020 – to be updated regularly until re-opening
Assessment serial number	Insert local serial/identification number for future reference
R/A 3

Identify people at risk	YES or NO
Employees	YES
Children	YES
Visitors	YES
Contractors	Yes

Government guidance states for schools states:

“The safety of children and staff is our utmost priority.”

“The advice seeks to support staff working in schools, colleges and childcare settings, to deliver this approach in the safest way possible, focussing on measures they can put in place to help limit the risk of the virus spreading within education and childcare settings.”

“In education, childcare and social care settings, preventing the spread of the coronavirus involves dealing with direct transmissions (for instance, when in close contact with those sneezing and coughing) and indirect transmission (via touching contaminated surfaces.) A range of approaches and actions should be employed to do this.”

Guidance for full opening of schools, July 2^nd2020 & 1^st October 2020

“When we made the decision to ask schools to open only to a small number of children, this was done with the aim of reducing transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), to protect the NHS and save lives…..Now, the circumstances have changed. The prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) has decreased, our NHS Test and Trace system is up and running, and we are clear about the measures that need to be in place to create safer environments within schools.

Returning to school is vital for children’s education and for their wellbeing. Time out of school is detrimental for children’s cognitive and academic development, particularly for disadvantaged children. This impact can affect both current levels of learning and children’s future ability to learn, and therefore we need to ensure all pupils can return to school sooner rather than later.

The risk to children themselves of becoming severely ill from coronavirus (COVID-19) is very low and there are negative health impacts of being out of school. We know that school is a vital point of contact for public health and safeguarding services that are critical to the wellbeing of children and families.

Lower academic achievement also translates into long-term economic costs due to having a less well-qualified workforce. This affects the standard of living that today’s pupils will have over the course of their entire life. For many households, school closures have also affected their ability to work. As the economy begins to recover, we need to remove this barrier so parents and carers can return to work.

In relation to working in schools, whilst it is not possible to ensure a totally risk-free environment, the Office of National Statistics’ analysis on coronavirus (COVID-19) related deaths linked to occupations suggests that staff in educational settings tend not to be at any greater risk from the disease than many other occupations. There is no evidence that children transmit the disease any more than adults.

Given the improved position, the balance of risk is now overwhelmingly in favour of children returning to school. For the vast majority of children, the benefits of being back in school far outweigh the very low risk from coronavirus (COVID-19), and this guidance explains the steps schools need to take to reduce risks still further.

We are, therefore, asking schools to prepare to welcome all children back this autumn. While coronavirus (COVID-19) remains in the community, this means making judgments at a school level about how to balance and minimise any risks from coronavirus (COVID-19) with providing a full educational experience for children and young people. Schools should use their existing resources to make arrangements to welcome all children back. There are no plans at present to reimburse additional costs incurred as part of that process.

The measures set out in this guidance provide a framework for school leaders to put in place proportionate protective measures for children and staff, which also ensure that all pupils receive a high quality education that enables them to thrive and progress. In welcoming all children back this autumn, schools will be asked to minimise the number of contacts that a pupil has during the school day as part of implementing the system of controls outlined below to reduce the risk of transmission. If schools follow the guidance set out here, they can be confident they are managing risk effectively.

While our aim is to have all pupils back at school in the autumn, every school will also need to plan for the possibility of a local lockdown and how they will ensure continuity of education.”

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Lack of social distancing in the classroom resulting in direct transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Keep all 30 children in a classroom “pod” with one teacher and one TA (where applicable) Maintain consistent groups, “pods”, to reduce the risk of transmission Minimise contact between groups Ensure table layouts maximise distance between desks and allocate desks to children Remove excess furniture to increase space if space to do so Assign class teacher and teaching assistants to groups of children Ensure groups of children spend the whole day with their adult to reduce contact Create socially distancing charter with the children linked to Harrison Learning Tree (include instructions how to line up, use of toilet, moving around the corridors/classroom etc) Adults to supervise children’s movement around the school to reduce contact between pods and adults Adults maintain 2m distance between one another When timetabling, groups should be kept apart Feedback – using large whiteboard and visualiser and interactive whiteboard not close interaction Teachers to maintain social distancing when possible Ensure small groups maintain social distancing when outside Ensure doors are kept open to minimise use of door handles Ensure bags, coats and lunchboxes are kept under children’s tables Prevention - minimise contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend school Staff must ensure that they understand the NHS Test and Trace process – and how to book a test if they are displaying symptoms.
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Lack of social distancing using toilets and poor hygiene resulting in direct and indirect transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Toilet bands/signing board used and only one boy and one girl allowed to go to toilet at a time – middle sinks closed for handwashing Allocated toilets for different groups of children Ensure children clean hands thoroughly more often than usual – with soap and running water or hand sanitiser. Children must clean their hands regularly, including when they arrive at school, when they return from breaks, when they change rooms and before and after eating. Hand gel used after toilet use as well as washing hands Extra signs in toilet re washing hands and hygiene Wedges for the toilet external toilet doors if not fire doors Set up washing stations in classrooms Ensure extra soap/hand sanitiser is ordered to ensure we do not run out
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Lack of social distancing waiting when waiting to enter classroom in morning resulting in direct transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Adults to supervise movement around the school/in and out of classrooms to maintain social distancing between pods Parents to wait outside school gates at drop off/pick up times Allocated entrances for different year group’s parents to arrive and leave from Staggered drop off and pick up times for different year groups Instructions shared re social distancing between families in the morning with parents and children Signage for parents and children displayed outside school grounds Headship team and site manager to be on duty to supervise
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Lack of social distancing during playtimes and lunchtimes resulting in direct transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Stagger playtimes and allocated play areas for each group Reduce the use of playtime equipment – hard surfaces can be easily cleaned Ensure games played encourage social distancing – football passing, catch etc Ensure close adult supervision throughout by allocated adults – actively encouraging and insisting on social distancing Ensure social distancing between pods Keep children in their pods in the playground at lunchtime and playtime
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Lack of social distancing when eating lunch resulting in direct transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Ensure small groups of children eat in their allocated classrooms Ensure children are asked to bring packed lunch in first instance – packed lunches kept under children’s tables with bags Ensure FSM meals and hot lunches are brought to allocated classroom – in degradable lunch boxes Use of staff rooms should be minimised, although staff must still have a break of a reasonable length during the day. Additional rooms provided for staff. Staff encouraged to use outdoor spaces.
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Lack of social distancing in the corridors resulting in direct transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Ensure children stay in their classrooms Ensure one child goes to allocated toilet at a time Ensure messages are given to office via text or walkie talkie Ensure adults closely supervise movement around school. Agree instructions with children concerning going and returning to toilet When moving class around the school – 1 metre between children – one adult at back insisting the distance is maintained Reduce contacts and maximise distancing between everyone in school.
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Contact of shared resources resulting in indirect transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Ensure children have individual stationary and resources – not to be shared Minimise sharing of resources between pods Ensure resources are wiped with Anti-bac & viral spray/sprayed daily at end of day and left to dry if not same person using them the next day Ensure tables, door handles and other surfaces cleaned with Antibac every night Ensure resources are on tables ready for lesson and not distributed within the lesson Make sure plastic packets (zippy) bags are used for individual resources Children must be encouraged to wash hands/use hand gel before lessons and after each lesson
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Emotional distress of the children
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Ensure children work with same adult (class teacher or TA) every day Ensure adults have support/resources to support emotional needs Consider part-time transition on individual basis for vulnerable children PATHS curriculum to be delivered daily to support children’s well Ensure ELSA team is on hand to support individuals.
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Emotional distress of the staff – including anxiety
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Consult staff in risk assessment process – input into hazard identification and control measures Hold staff meeting – virtually – to discuss concerns and shared control measures Share details of support helplines – HCC and others Ensure Headship team are on site every day for staff to share concerns with Review risk assessments; initially daily then weekly and fortnightly - flexible Allocate designated “staff areas” areas for different groups of staff – maybe rota for same area if needed Ensure time is preserved for PPA each week
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Risk of spreading virus due to close contact with children – 1:1 and restraint resulting in direct transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Update IBMPs to reflect individual needs as required. Use of masks needed when administering first aid – goggles will be provided Ensure we have plenty of disposable gloves and aprons Gloves and masks etc to be disposed of in hazard bins after single use Reduced timetable / exclusion / inclusion considered if necessary if children are acting in a way that puts staff at risk PLEASE note the Government guidance states “Wearing face coverings or face masks is not recommended”
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Risk of spreading virus due to poor hygiene resulting in indirect transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
Use hand gel dispensers in all classrooms Ensure there is extra soap and hand gel and re-fills in each classroom, checked daily Create hand washing stations in each classroom Ensure children wash hands or use hand gel on entry to school, before break, after break, before lunch, after lunch, leaving school, using the toilet etc Ensure good respiratory hygiene – promote Catch it, Bin it, Kill it Ensure children wash hands any time they cough or sneeze – Catch it, Bin it, Kill it Ensure children with complex needs understand this and are supported Make sure washing hands posters are replaced in all washing areas Remind children of procedure for washing hands to ensure thorough hand washing Ensure bins are emptied once a day – outdoor and inside A requirement that people who are ill stay at home Reduce contacts between people and pods Minimise potential for contamination so far as is reasonably practicable.
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Risk of infection due to lack of cleaning resulting in indirect transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
All surfaces, handles, toilets and shared equipment will be cleaned three times a day using Antibac & viral spray/Fogging machine PPE will be worn by all cleaning staff as appropriate Soft furnishings and soft / cloth toys will be removed from use in classrooms Deep cleaning to take place over school holidays prior to terms starting Ensure chairs are stacked at end of day to ensure cleaning/fogging Ensure cleaning equipment is not shared Enhanced cleaning arrangements – frequent cleaning of frequently touched surfaces Frequent cleaning of rooms and shared areas
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

Identify hazard		Record the hazard that could cause harm or injury – add appropriate detail about the type and location of hazards
Risk of illness of vulnerable staff and family members through direct and indirect transmission of the virus
Existing level of risk		Consider current level of risk
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Control measures		List your control measures required to reduce risk – add appropriate detail about the type and location of controls
As shielding is being removed on 1^st August we would expect all staff to be in school at the beginning of term Where staff need to move between classes and year groups, they should try and keep their distance from pupils and other staff as much as they can, ideally 2 metres from other adults We will ensure we keep up to date with government guidelines and follow these if/when they Change. Vulnerable staff offered use of face shields.
Remaining level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE

OVERALL level of risk		Consider level of risk following use of control measures
HIGH	MEDIUM		LOW	NEGLIGIBLE
Assessor’s comments		Insert comments relevant to findings as appropriate

Name of assessor

Signature of assessor

Date

Manager’s comments

Insert comments relevant to assessment as appropriate

Name of manager

Signature of manager

Date

Risk assessment reviews

Set future review dates & sign/comment upon completion

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