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COVID - 19
School Protocol for Grades R - 7

We understand that parents and learners are still very unsure, and even apprehensive, as to what to expect when returning to school. We trust that this protocol of regulations and procedures will put your mind at ease and will make the return to school a pleasant and exciting experience!

Parents Please Note:

  • You are encouraged to send your child/ren back to school.  Please contact the school as a matter of urgency, should your child/ren suffer from a comorbidity and are unable to return due to doctor’s instructions, via 

info@howickprepschool.co.za

  • Learners may not attend school intermittently – once a learner returns to school, the normal policies and procedures will apply for absence from school.

  • Staff and pupils will be required to adhere to strict social distancing practices throughout the duration of each day. Desks have been moved apart and all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent any physical contact between learners.

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Multi-Campus
Educational Model

This model is structured around the fact that we currently have three self-isolated campuses on our school property: 

 

  1. Grade 7 Teaching and Learning Centre

  2. Grade R Teaching & Learning Centre

  3. Main School Block (Grade 1 – 6)

 

Each campus contains its own ablutions, classrooms and outdoor space, which allows us to operate each campus independently (from one another). Having three, self-isolated campuses ensures that we are able to adhere to strict social distancing and hygiene requirements (as outlined by the Departments of Health and Education) and furthermore, allowances can be made on our busiest campus (main school block) by staggering lesson times for J.P. and S.P. pupils.

Ultimately, pupils will be categorised into one of four groups as outlined below:

Each group will operate separately from one another, eliminating physical contact, while each grade will be assigned different entry/ departure points, ablutions and play areas to further promote social distancing.

 

We, as an SMT (School Management Team) and with the support of our SGB (School Governing Body) believe this model is the best way forward for our school as it creates continuity for learning while still promoting safe social distancing and hygiene practices.

Group     Grade       Venue

   A               7           Gr.7 Teaching & Learning Centre

 

   B              R            Teaching & Learning Centre

   C         1, 2 & 3      Main School Block

   D         4, 5 7 6       Main School Block

Operating Hours

Using the Multi-Campus Education Model, school operating hours will be as follows:

Grade 7

Arrival

School Day:

Collection:

07h00 - 07h30

07h30 - 14h00 (13h00 on Fridays)

14h00 - 14h15

Grade 6, 5 & 4

Arrival

School Day:

Collection:

07h00 - 07h30

08h10 - 13h30 (13h00 on Fridays)

13h30 - 13h45

Grade 3, 2 & 1

Arrival

School Day:

Collection:

07h00 - 07h30

08h10 - 12h30 (Monday - Fridays)

13h30 - 13h45

Uniform

All learners are to wear their full school uniform daily, however:

  • Days on which pupils have Physical Education, learners must attend school in their PE kit (house t-shirt, black shorts, running shoes, short white/ grey socks & tracksuit with swimming costume underneath. A spare set of underwear to be packed with their swimming cap and towel in order for learners to change after their lesson). Learners will remain in their PE kit for the duration of the day. 

  • Hair length and styles must conform to the school’s expectations.  

  • Learners must wear their own masks to school.

Time Schedule for Covid-19
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Before School

  • Please take your child’s temperature and check for flu-like symptoms.  If your child is not well, inform the office by email or phone, keep your child at home and seek medical advice. 

  • Learners may have their own hand sanitiser, which may not be shared.

  • Every learner must have his/ her own small hand towel or disposable paper towels, which will be kept outside in their own bags.

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Arriving at School

  • Each grade will be assigned to a specific entry point, which pupils must report to when arriving at school. These points have been spread out throughout our school property to ensure an efficient flow of pupils while also easing traffic congestion.

  • Entrance gates will open at times specified above.  

  • Any pupils who arrive after the entry gates are closed will need to enter through the pedestrian gate at reception (Gate No. 2).

  • Parents will not be allowed to drive or enter into the school grounds. Learners must be dropped off and collected from relative entry/ departure points. Parents are also requested to stay in their cars when dropping off and picking up their child/ren.

  • To prevent congestion parents must please depart as soon as they have dropped their child/ren off.

  • Learners will line up on the side walk, next to the fence, at demarcated intervals and wait to enter their gate.

  • At each gate there will be a group of designated staff members who will take the learner’s temperatures, provide sanitiser and screen each child.

  • A learner who has a higher than normal temperature (<38⁰C) or illustrates any symptoms of COVID-19 will be taken to the Junior Library, which is our isolation unit. Parents will be phoned to collect their child from Reception, entering through the Reception pedestrian gate.

  • Prior to each grade’s return to school, class teachers will circulate an instructional video illustrating their grade’s travel route and what to expect on their first morning back.

  • Class teachers will be on duty to ensure pupils know where to place their bags and to assist with social distancing along their route or in their waiting areas.

  • Some teachers may choose to keep their pupils in their classrooms the first morning they arrive, opposed to sending them to their waiting areas.

  • When the school bell rings for the start of school, staff on duty will ensure pupils line up in their classes in designated areas, which meet social distancing criteria. Class teachers will then lead their pupils to their classroom (collecting bags where applicable: Gr. 3 – 6) in single file and ensuring a safe distance of at least 1,5m.

Entry Points

GRADE 7 .................................................

GATE No. 6

Bottom Motorised Gate (Theed St.)

GRADE 6 .................................................

GATE No. 6

Bottom Motorised Gate (Theed St.)

GRADE 5 ..................................................

GATE No. 1

Pedestrian Gate Main Entrance (Harvard St.)

GRADE 4 ..................................................

GATE No. 5

Pedestrian Gate at Bus Stop (Harvard St.)

GRADE 3 ..................................................

GATE No. 4

Pedestrian Gate at Bus Stop (Harvard St.)

GRADE 2 ..................................................

GATE No. 1

Pedestrian Gate at Main Entrance (Harvard St.)

GRADE 1 ..................................................

GATE No. 3

Turning Circle exit (Harvard St.)

GRADE R ..................................................

GATE No. 7

Grade R Main Gate (Harvard St.)

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Arriving at the 
Classroom

  • Learners will leave their bags in the designated areas outside their classrooms. Bags will be spaced out to maximize social distancing.

  • Hands will be sanitised before entering the classroom and desks have been spaced out and staggered to maximize distancing between pupils.

  • Teachers will have an induction lesson with their class on the first morning back.

  • The Jackson’s staff will sanitise the desks during breaks and after school. 

  • Desks need to be cleared of all items to assist with this process.

  • There will be no grade or school assemblies.

  • No stationery (or anything else) may be shared. 

  • Water must not be drunk at taps by using cupped hands.

  • Learners must please have their own water bottles to drink from.

  • Learners must please supply their own tissues as we are not allowed to distribute tissues from an open box.

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Specialist Subjects

  • In order to reduce movement of learners on our school property, pupils will only leave their classrooms to go to Zulu (Gr. 3 – 7) and Physical Education (Gr. 1 – 7).

  • Other specialist teachers will teach lessons in their learners’ classroom.

  • Physical Education will be taught by the learners’ regular PE teacher, but they will be assisted by the class teacher.  Activities will be structured with social distancing in mind.

Use of Bathrooms

  • Only one boy and one girl per class will be allowed to go to the bathroom at a time.

  • Learners must take their own hand towel or disposable paper towels (to dry their hands) with them when they go to the bathroom. Hand towels must be taken home each afternoon and washed. Soap dispensers have been placed in all bathrooms.

  • Toilet facilities will be cleaned around the hour.

Learners will make use of the following bathrooms:

Grade 7:

Bathrooms in the Gr.7 Teaching & Learning Centre

 

Grade 6K, N, P:

Girls - S.P change room next to the art room

Boys - S.P change room next to the art room

 

Grade 5 & 6J:

Girls - Bathroom at the end of the Gr.5 corridor

Boys - Bathroom on the Gr.5 corridor, next to the library

Grade 4:

Bathrooms on the Gr. 3 & 4 corridor, next to music room

 

Grade 3:

3M & 3G - S.P change room next to the art room

3V & 3W - Bathrooms on Gr.3 & 4 corridor

Grade 2:

Bathrooms at the end of the Gr.2 corridor

Grade 1:

Bathrooms at the end of the Gr.1 corridor

Grade 4 - 7 Zulu:

S.P change rooms next to the art room

Break Protocol

  • No “drop-offs” at the office will be allowed, so please ensure that your child is well prepared and equipped for school.

  • Learners will sanitise their hands before going outside.

  • Learners will be escorted to their break areas by their teachers and will be supervised by on-duty staff for the duration of their break.

  • A distance of 1,5m will be kept between learners at all time.

  • Learners may remove their masks to eat their snacks – masks must be kept with them and put back on after eating.

  • In the event of a birthday – a learner may not bring cake for sharing amongst classmates. They are allowed however, to bring a sealed packet of sweets or chocolates which can be distributed to fellow pupils.

  • After break, learners will be escorted back to their classrooms by their class teachers.

  • Lunchboxes will be left in school bags outside the classroom.

  • Hands will be cleaned before entering the classroom.

Breaks Times

Pupils will make use of the following break areas:

Grade 7:

 

 

Grade 6, 5 & 4:

Grade 3, 2 & 1:

Tea Break: 10h10 - 10h30

Lunch Break: 12h30 - 13h00

Tea Break: 10h30 - 11h00

Tea Brunch: 10h00 - 10h30

Breaks Areas

Pupils will make use of the following break areas:

Grade 7:

The field in front of the Teaching & Learning Center

Grade 6:

Left hand side of the main sports field (nearest the swimming pool via the Gr. 6 stairway)

Grade 5:

Right hand side of the main sports field (closest to the cricket nets via the Gr. 5 stairway)

Grade 4:

Junior Primary playground (below the swimming pool via the Gr. 4 stairway).

Grade 3:

Left hand side of the main sports field (nearest the swimming pool via the Gr.3 stairways)

 

Grade 2:

Right hand side of the main sports field (closest to cricket nets via Gr. 2 stairway)

Grade 1:

Junior Primary playground. (Via the Gr. 1 stairways)

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End of Day

  • The school day for Gr. 7s will end at 14h00.

  • The school day for Gr. 6, 5 & 4 will end at 13h30

  • The school day for Gr. 3, 2 & 1 will end at 12h30.

  • The school day for Gr R will end at 12h30.

  • All pupils must be collected within 15 minutes of the end of their respective school day.

  • Learners who have not been fetched by the allocated time will be put into Aftercare (Gr. 1 – 3 at Hoppers) and (Gr. 4 – 7 at the TLC), for which parents will pay an hourly rate.

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