Safeguarding our community
It’s been a long time but we are delighted that the start of the new academic session has seen our pupils return to school under near to normal conditions for the first time since March 2020.
However, there are still some government mandated restrictions in place within a school setting and some measures we are taking ourselves to ensure the safety of our pupils, staff and wider school community.
Please see below for more information.
How is the school keeping everyone safe?
The school is following the Scottish Government guidelines to keep pupils and staff safe. The school is cleaned regularly throughout the day – with particular attention paid to toilets and high touch areas such as door handles. Desks used by different pupils are sprayed after each use.
Everyone is required to sanitise their hands on entry and exit to the building and wash and sanitise hands throughout the day.
We are using misting machines at the end of every day to ensure every surface has been treated with an anti-viral spray. This treatment is also applied to our school minibuses.
Classrooms are well-ventilated, and pupils have more time for outdoor learning. At present, our senior school pupils are wearing their sports kit and the Junior School are in a mix of uniform and sports kit. This is to allow daily washing of clothing worn in school.
We have adapted the timetable to keep pupils within teaching zones as much as possible and avoid mixing with other year group bubbles.
Pupils are still receiving practical lessons, but we have spaced these out to ensure that equipment and areas can be thoroughly cleaned between uses.
Pupils should avoid touching their faces including mouth, eyes and nose and should use a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze.
Junior School children do not need to distance themselves from each other. However, senior school pupils, teachers, staff and other adults should stay 2 metres away from each other and face coverings should be worn indoors, in class and when moving around the school.
We have signs up around the school to help everyone understand and remember these new precautions and our school staff continue to work regularly with young people to remind and support these new behaviours.
Does my child have to wear a face covering at school?
Secondary school aged are now required to wear face a covering throughout the day. Children in the Nursery and Junior School are not required to wear face coverings expect if travelling on the school bus.
What about their school clothes?
Pupils have the choice of wearing either school sports kit or school uniform. On P.E. days pupils should wear school sports kit to make the transition to PE lessons smoother without the need to change. It is important that young people dress warmly to ensure they are comfortable as we have increased ventilation. We would also encourage regular washing of clothing and daily washing if possible.
What should I do if my child has coronavirus symptoms?
It is extremely important that you continue to look out for symptoms of the virus amongst your own family. The most common symptoms are:
- new, continuous cough
- fever/high temperature (37.8C or greater)
- loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste
Anyone with symptoms, or who has had contact with someone with symptoms should not attend school and should book a test immediately through Test and Protect. They should remain at home and everyone in the household should self-isolate until they receive their test results. If the test is negative, everyone can stop isolating (and return to school). If the test is positive, they must isolate for 10 days and those in the household for 14 days.
What will happen if a pupil is unwell at school?
If a pupil is unwell in school then they will be seen as soon as possible by Mrs Serpell, our School Nurse. This will normally take place in our new medical room, with quarantine area, which is accessible from both Clarendon and St Bride’s buildings via outside routes. Mrs Serpell will ascertain whether she feels the pupil has symptoms which might require a Covid-19 test and she will contact parents accordingly.
If a test is required the pupil should be collected from school by a parent and a test booked as soon as possible. The pupil and all members of the household should remain at home until the test results come back – this is normally within 48 hours.
If the test is negative then the pupil and any siblings can return to school as normal.
If the test is positive then the pupil will be required to stay home for 10 days following the results of the test and all members of the household will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
What happens if my child needs to self-isolate for two weeks?
If your child needs to self-isolate, the school will have plans in place to allow their learning to continue, through blended learning in a similar way to how we managed to deliver learning during the school closure period.
What will the school do if a pupil or member of staff is tested positive for Covid-19?
We ask that you inform the School if anyone within your household is being tested for Covid-19 and that all members of the household stay at home until the results of the test are returned. We will not initiate home-schooling protocols whilst we are waiting for the test results, usually 48 hours, and we will not inform the wider school community.
If a test result comes back as positive for Covid-19 then the School will immediately contact Health Protection Scotland and they will direct us as to our next steps which will include who we need to contact. Please remember that we have set up robust systems within the school to minimise the contact between individuals and thus the spread of any disease.
What if there’s an outbreak of coronavirus at the school?
All schools will be on the lookout for potential outbreaks. This means that if you or your child shows symptoms of coronavirus they should not attend school and you should book a test immediately. Your family must then follow self-isolation guidelines. The schools has plans in place if there is an outbreak and will be working closely with Health Protection Scotland who will also prioritise school outbreaks through “Test and Protect”.
How will my child get to and from school safely?
Where possible your child should travel to and from school on foot, bike or scooter while maintaining physical distance. You and your child should wash or sanitise your hands before and after travelling. If your child uses public transport they should follow current guidelines and wear a face covering while they travel, if they are aged 5 or over. If your child normally gets a Lomond School bus these are running and are treated as part of the school. The must not eat or drink on the bus and will be required to wear a face covering.
How are you supporting boarding pupils?
Our boarding house, Burnbrae, opened along with the rest of the school and is fully operational. We are supporting all our international boarders and their families with procedures in place for those who are required to quarantine on their arrival in the UK.
The boarding team have reviewed all aspects of our provision to establish Burnbrae as Covid-19 safe in line with the latest guidance provided by the Scottish Government and the Care Inspectorate. Details are available here. We are also a signatory of the BSA (Boarding Schools Association) Covid-Safe Charter.
Our work has scoped the range of aspects of boarding life including guidance on catering, laundry, cleaning and staffing. A health and safety risk assessment has been established, in accordance with this guidance, which addresses the needs of our boarders as we see them. We will operate as a ‘single household’ within Burnbrae, and as individuals within the school environment.
If you are interested in sending your child to us as a boarder and would like further information on how the house will operate, please do not hesitate to contact our admissions team at admissions@lomondschool.com
Can I speak to the teacher, visit the school or drop things off?
At the current time, we still ask that you do not enter the school building. If you need to drop anything off for your child then this can be left inside the first set of double doors at senior school reception or at the porch at Clarendon.
We do encourage you to still speak with a teacher if you have questions or concerns, but we ask that you do this by email or phone in the first instance. On some occasions it will still be important to meet with the teacher, but this will be assessed on a case by case basis by appointment and could be by video meeting.
What about parents’ evenings?
We used a new online system last year for parent/teacher meetings and we plan to use this again. Keeping our parents up to date with how their children are doing will be more important than ever. Parents will receive report cards and phone calls to let them know how their child is doing.
I am interested in sending my child to Lomond School, can I book a visit?
Those wishing to visit the school will be required to follow certain protocols to help us maintain a safe environment both for our prospective families as well as our current pupils and staff. Our admissions office is open and ready to assist you with any questions you may have and will be able to provide further information. Face to face meetings and tours can be arranged after the school day and virtual meetings can be arranged with at a time convenient to yourself. Our website also has a wealth of information to give you a feel for the school and what we do.