Headteacher's update (Face coverings)

As you may be aware, the Scottish Government announced on Tuesday 25th August that young people in secondary education should habitually wear face coverings when moving around schools, in corridors, in confined communal areas and on all school transport from Monday 31st August.

This is one further mitigation within our package of measures to reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission.

Since re-opening, our week 1 and week 2 pupil attendance has ranged from 92% to 97% with the number of precautionary pupil absences having increased from single figures into double figures in the last 2 days.

I hope and trust that yesterday's announcement combined within our package of measures is welcome news to those parents and carers seeking further reassurance and confidence in re-opening arrangements.

The Scottish Government Health & Safety Executive and Education Scotland have both assessed our in-school arrangements and have been 'more than satisfied' with our package of measures.

As a reminder, our current measures will remain in place and include:

Wearing face coverings at Crieff High School

There is emerging evidence to suggest that the wearer of a face covering can be protected as well as the key benefit of face coverings, the protection of others from infection.

Moving around the school and in corridors

At times of traffic in the corridors, pupils and adults should now wear a face covering when walking the corridors, on all three floors of our teaching wing.

In addition to this, pupils and adults should also wear a face covering when they travel from the teaching wing to their Music/Drama class or their PE changing room and vice-versa.

Also from Monday, given the likely weather in September and with young people wearing face coverings, there are two areas that will change from being one-way to two-way:

• Music and Drama corridor
• PE corridor

.

However, face coverings should not generally be required in classrooms or other learning and teaching environments. It remains the case that if a young person or adult chooses to wear a face covering in the classroom they will be supported to do so.

Confined communal areas

Furthermore, we have identified confined communal areas where face coverings should be worn as:

• Ground floor locker areas beside the canteen area
• The seating area beside the squash courts

We have not identified our canteen, our games hall, the Tryst assembly hall or outdoor areas as confined communal areas.

School transport

The updated scientific advice is that face coverings should be worn by children aged 5 years and over on dedicated school transport (unless exemptions apply). This means that the position on face coverings on dedicated school transport is consistent with the position on public transport.

Additional guidance

• Face coverings should not be shared with others
• During class, face coverings should be stored in a sealed school bag.
• Face coverings should not be placed on surfaces, due to the possibility of contamination.
• Re-usable face coverings should be washed after each day at 60 degrees centigrade or in boiling water.
• Disposable face coverings must be disposed of safely and hygienically.

Exemptions

Some individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings. See exemptions below :

• you have a health condition or you are disabled, including hidden disabilities, for example, autism, dementia or a learning disability, and a face covering would be inappropriate because it would cause difficulty, pain, severe distress or anxiety to the wearer or the person in the care of the wearer, or because you cannot apply a covering and wear it in the proper manner safely and consistently.
• you need to eat or drink
• you are taking medication
• to seek medical assistance
• you are communicating with someone else who relies on lip reading and facial expressions to communicate

First aid arrangements since re-opening

Please be aware that all first aiders who attend a classroom area will do so in full PPE as their specific role means that they cannot maintain 2 metres physical distancing from others.

Pupils are aware of this and it is hoped that this should not cause alarm.

A young person requiring assessment for first aid will be asked to leave their classroom, will be asked to wear a face covering as protection for the first aider and will be taken to a first aid room for assessment.

As always, please be in touch if you have anything you would like to discuss.

You can email us at CrieffHigh@pkc.gov.uk or phone us on 01764 657700.

Mr John Donnelly

Headteacher / Campus Leader

Crieff High School

Follow us on Twitter @CrieffHigh, @CrieffPe, @CrieffMaths, @HighCrieff, @CrieffHighTrips, @CHSDigitalLearn, @CHS_ML, @CrieffHE