Autumn term | 10 September 2021
Welcome back!
We hope that colleagues found some time to relax over the summer and that the new term has got off to a great start.
This first newsletter of the new academic year is to share some guidance that DSLS has sought from DCC Health & Safety and Public Health regarding arrangements for School Open Days/Evenings or other events particularly given Devon's present Enhanced Response Area status.
Advice from DCC Health & Safety Team re:
School Open Days/Evenings (or other events)
For schools, there are the obligations in the ‘core principles’ of the DfE guidance about maximising education provision. Therefore, we would expect each individual school to assess their situation with a robust risk assessment taking into consideration what are the benefits of the open day and the risks it may pose in your setting.
What we do have knowledge on in reducing risk of transmission over the past 18 months is:
- Reduce numbers to increase social distancing and other hygiene mitigation
- Hand hygiene
- Cleaning
- Ventilation
- Mask wearing
- Staggered/ or virtual attendance
The balance of the risk therefore:
- Would having all those parents/pupils in one place at one time be a risk to causing increases to infection rates, given the enhanced status of the County at the present time?
- With balancing the benefits of what you are trying to achieve with the important part of how you can enable parents and students to make informed decisions?
- This will be a call on each school, as each school will have different facilities, spaces and number of attendees.
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