LYSANDER PRESCHOOL CONTINGENCY PLAN (UPDATED DEC 2021)

This contingency plan has been updated to include updated advice due to Plan B being enacted as part of the governments Autumn/Winter plan.

Roles and Responsibilities

Manager is responsible for:

• Making sure all Covid 19 cases are logged and in the case of an outbreak reported to Local

• HPT to identify any further measures.

• Report any cases of Covid 19 to Ofsted.

•  Contact DfE helpline for any guidance if they are concerned about transmission in the setting (0800 046 8687, Option 1)

• Keep Chair of Committee informed of any cases of Covid -19 and report what the procedure is for an outbreak. (Flight Sergeant Tim Kirkby (0300 1607094)

• Make sure all hygiene and cleaning procedures are carried out according to latest risk assessment.

• Keep staff informed of any changes to government guidance and what they should do if they have symptoms of Covid-19 or anyone in their household does.

• Keep parents/ carers informed of latest procedures if their child shows symptoms of Covid-19 or anyone in their household does.

• Keep Covid-19 folder up to date.

• Safeguarding- settings should actively look for signs of harm given the greater risk of harm that some children may have been exposed to through Covid-19.

• Support vulnerable children.

• Continue to support children’s learning, development and wellbeing following the EYFS statutory framework.

In the absence of the Manager the Deputy Manager will carry out these responsibilities.

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Control Measures to try and prevent transmission

Testing

• Staff members will carry out twice weekly lateral flow testing at home on Sunday and Wednesday evening to keep the chance of an outbreak to a minimum. This could be increased to daily testing if deemed appropriate due to increase of cases or if DsPH have advised.

• If a staff member gets a positive lateral flow, they should immediately inform the Manager and not enter the setting. They should then arrange to have a PCR test as soon as possible and begin to self- isolate until they have the result. If the result is negative, they can then return to work. If the test is positive, they must continue to isolate as per the Government guidelines.

• Staff members identified as close contacts by test and trace will not need to isolate if double vaccinated, but they would be recommended to take daily lateral flows for seven days (this replaces previous guidance as of 14 th Dec 2021). Staff that are not double vaccinated would need to self- isolate as per Government guidelines.

 

Face Coverings
From December 2021 we are asking parents to wear a face covering when entering the Preschool. Staff will also wear a face covering during the arrival time in the morning until all parents have left the building. We will also ask visitors to the setting to wear a mask. We will follow the guidelines in our risk assessment for safe wearing and removal of face covering.

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Shielding
Shielding is currently not in place. In the event of a major outbreak, it could be reintroduced by government. We would follow any new guidelines on this. We take into consideration any concerns of staff that are CEV and will support them with this.

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Visits and Outings
We may now go on local walks and visits or invite local groups to present activities for the children. We can also welcome new families in to look around the Preschool by appointment. We will assess these measures and may limit them if recommended by local authority or Public Health or Government procedures change.

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Parents Information
We are now allowing parents to come into Preschool to drop their children off in the mornings once again. Please wash or sanitise your child’s hands on arrival. We kindly ask parents not to gather in groups and drop off their child promptly to prevent any extra risk of transmission. (Parents are asked to wear a face covering when dropping off as of Dec 21) At the end of the morning, we will drop children to parents at the gate. We found over the last year this has really helped children’s independence and avoids crowding in the cloakroom at the end of the day.
We ask parents to keep their child at home if they are experiencing any Covid-19 symptoms such as high temperature, new cough or loss of taste and smell. Parents should arrange a PCR test for their child in these circumstances and isolate until they get a result. Government advice as of 14 th Dec is that under 5s do not need to do daily lateral flows or isolate if they are a close contact of someone with Covid however as a Preschool our main concern is to protect our children and staff members so we would kindly ask you to not send your child in if you or a member of your household has tested positive. The Early Years Alliance are currently seeking advice on whether under 5s should have a PCR if a close contact as that advice is not in the new guidelines.
We would advise parents that if their child seems generally unwell and is needing Calpol then this is an indication they need to be at home and it would be worth considering a lateral flow test. We wish to try and prevent an outbreak which would possibly cause Preschool to close for a time.
Parents are asked to provide appropriate clothing /footwear for outdoor play at all times of the year so that children can have lots of fresh air.

Parents will be informed by email if there any changes to guidelines they need to be aware off.

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Staff
As mentioned above staff members will continue to do lateral flow testing twice a week and will follow the guidelines if they receive a positive test. If a member of staff tests positive the remaining fully vaccinated staff will carry out daily lateral flows for seven days. Unvaccinated staff will need to isolate and follow government guidelines. Staff will follow all government guidelines and inform the Manager if they have symptoms as soon as possible. We recommend all staff take up the offer of a vaccine. Unvaccinated staff will need to isolate if they are identified as a close contact.
Staff will carry out daily cleaning of Preschool and mark off the cleaning sheet. They will carry out regular washing of hands and make sure children wash hands properly at key points in the morning such as after play, before and after eating, after toileting. They will report any symptoms of a child to the Manager as soon as noticed and inform the parent that the child needs to be collected. A child with symptoms will be isolated with a member of staff in PPE until the parent arrives. Free flow play will be used as much as possible so that children are out in the fresh air regularly. Preschool will be ventilated with windows left partially open and doors open as much as weather permits. Staff will be informed by email of any changes to guidelines they need to be aware off. They will be informed during staff meetings, supervision etc.

 

Where a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, education and childcare settings do not need to routinely contact the NHS Self Isolation Service Hub to provide details of close contacts. However, to ensure eligible individuals identified as a close contact can access Test and Trace Support Payments we may consider providing staff details to the NHS Self Isolation Hub when: a staff member who was in close contact with the person testing positive has indicated they are not exempt from self-isolation, but the person testing positive was unable to provide that person’s details to NHS Test and Trace it is particularly difficult for the person testing positive to identify or provide details of some members of staff they were in contact with, for example, temporary workers such as supply staff, peripatetic teachers, contractors or ancillary staff

 

Children
We will teach children about the importance of hygiene using discussions at group times, visual aids, stories and songs. We have a snuffle station that we encourage children to “catch it, kill it, bin it” and this area have our superhero character and story to help them learn the importance of hygiene. We also sing various songs when we wash hands to encourage proper washing and visual aids displayed in the bathroom.
Children will play together within the Preschool and mix with their peers. As a small Preschool we have been able to keep all the children in one group throughout the pandemic. We would take advice from Public Health/DfE if we had an outbreak and consider what we would do in those circumstances.

Tracing close contacts and self-isolation
Close contacts in Early Years setting are now being identified by test and trace.

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Travelling from abroad
All children and staff travelling to England must adhere to government travel advice.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19

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Risk Assessment
We will regularly assess our risk assessment and update according to new advice. When Lysander Preschool will consider extra action in the event of an outbreak. Lysander Preschool may need to extra action if we have a substantial increase in cases. For most education and childcare settings, whichever of these thresholds is reached first:
• 5 children or staff, who are likely to have mixed closely, test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-day
period: or
• 10% of children or staff who are likely to have mixed closely test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-
day period
For special schools, residential settings, and settings that operate with 20 or fewer children and staff
at any one time:
• 2 children and staff, who are likely to have mixed closely, test positive for COVID-19 within a 10-
day period. Identifying a group that is likely to have mixed closely will be different for each
setting.
We will seek public health advice if a pupil, student, child or staff member is admitted to hospital
with COVID-19. We do this by phoning the DfE helpline (0800 046 8687, option 1), or in line with
other local arrangements. Hospitalisation could indicate increased severity of illness or a new variant
of concern. Settings may be offered public health support in managing risk assessments and
communicating with staff and parents.

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Attendance Restrictions
In the event Lysander Preschool is advised to restrict numbers or limit attendance we will provide
our weekly parent emails with home learning activities and provide information on local groups and
events. We will continue to provide provision wherever possible for vulnerable children and children
of critical workers. We will keep parents informed as soon as possible by phone or email if the
setting is unable to open at any time.

Safeguarding and designated safeguarding leads
There should be no change to local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, which remain the
responsibility of the 3 safeguarding partners:
• local authorities
• clinical commissioning groups
• chief officers of police
If attendance restrictions are needed in the setting, we would be vigilant and responsive to all
safeguarding threats with the aim of keeping vulnerable children and young people safe, particularly
as more children and young people will be learning remotely. All settings must continue to have
regard to any statutory safeguarding guidance that applies to them, including:
 Keeping children safe in education
 Working together to safeguard children
 Early Years foundation Stage Framework
We will keep policies under review to make sure they reflect local restrictions, and they remain
effective.
We will aim to have a designated safeguarding lead or deputy on site but if this is not possible, we
will make sure they are available remotely. We will also ask a staff member to take responsibility for
safeguarding on site.

Vulnerable children
If vulnerable children are absent, we will follow up with the parent to explore the reason for absence
and discuss any concerns.
Encourage the parent to bring their child to Preschool.
Make sure the parent is getting appropriate support and information on helping with their child’s
learning.
If onsite provision is temporarily stopped, we will discuss with the local authority what support is
available for those families that need extra support.