Little Lionhearts Nursery School

Covid-19

Safe Operating Procedures

Little Lionhearts Nursery School complies with the latest guidance from the Department of Education and the National Institute for Health Protection in Early Years.

We have developed Safe Operating Procedures to maintain hygiene and social distancing as they are the two key elements of infection prevention and control. Little Lionhearts Nursery School adapts our everyday practices to ensure that we continue to offer the staff and children a safe environment.

All staff received appropriate instructions and training on how to operate under the terms of the Safe Operating Procedures. We aim to work in partnership with parents and trust that everyone understands and follows these Safe Operating Procedures. If any symptoms are displayed, families must be alert and self-isolate for the safety of everyone.

Drop off and collection of children

Parents are asked to drop off and collect their children at designated entrances and kindly asked not to enter the nursery. Whilst parents are waiting, it is important to maintain social distancing by keeping a distance of two meters apart. It is preferable if only one parent carries out drop-off and collection. Parents are requested to wear masks and handovers will continue to be predominantly outdoors. 

Parents may be allocated a suggested time for arrival and drop off to ease pressure in the car park or waiting outside. Please approach the nursery slowly when driving as there will be parents and children waiting to enter. At times we may conduct staggered starts and closures of their car parks to ensure the safety of the children.

Temperature and symptom monitoring

Staff members will monitor the children in their care and will make reasonable judgments on whether a family is advised to undergo testing. We ask that families do the same and monitor their children’s wellness, making the decision if they need to isolate, undergo testing, or are well enough to attend a nursery setting. If a child has a dry, continuous cough or a persistent temperature (over 24 hours) accompanied by flu or cold symptoms they will still be asked to book a coronavirus test.

Children who have asthma or other breathing-related difficulties should be known to nursery staff and can attend nursery as usual with their medical plans in place.

If a child needs a routine medical appointment we are asking parents that wherever possible this is booked on a non-nursery day or at the end of the child’s session. If this is unavoidable the child will be allowed to return to nursery after the appointment, provided they are fit and well in themselves.

Travel outside of the local area

If you travel internationally to a country not on the travel corridors list or to an area of the UK under local COVID restrictions and are displaying symptoms, then you must be tested and have a negative result before returning to nursery. This is to ensure the protection of staff and the children in our care.

Mealtimes

  • As always, children will eat in their rooms.
  • The practitioners will serve the children.
  • No food will be eaten out of shared platters or containers.
  • The children will need to bring in their own, named, drinking bottle and take it home each day to be washed.
  • Drinks will be offered at 30-minute intervals instead of cups being at the children’s level to avoid accidental sharing of cups.

Employees

All employees will undergo regular induction and training on the Safe Operating Procedures, with emphasis on good hygiene practices and maintaining social distancing. All staff members will be provided with weekly home test kits as well as masks and sanitising gel.

Fire drills and lockdown practice

If we have to respond to a fire or emergency lockdown, we will continue to manage social distancing, as far as possible. The safety of the children and employees will always come first. We will still be carrying our fire and lockdown drills.

Playrooms and groups

We aim to keep children in their groups which will be identified by their usual room name e.g. cubs, but will be further defined by color names for outdoor play in order to continue with the small group approach. We would only merge groups if there was no other choice.

We are fortunate that we already have a system in place of key family groups and so this arrangement will not be unusual for the children and will not interrupt their play.

The practitioners will organise designated areas, indoors and outdoors, for the children in their groups. Children will have access to the full range of activities that are considered safe at this time.