COVID-19 Protocols & Procedures

For the attention of all Students and Teachers:
Please find below our school’s list of Protocols & Procedures, which carefully follow HSE and government recommendations.

All said protocols and procedures should be observed faithfully, by all Students, Teachers and Staff, at our premises until further notice. We thank you for your cooperation.

1. Students to read and sign ‘Covid-19 questionnaire’, which will be given to all new students prior to the commencement of their course and which will be distributed and completed regularly.
2. Stairs/stairwell – right of way will be given to those coming up the stairs.
3. Hand Sanitiser stations to be at the entrance/exit of the school, in Reception, all classrooms, toilets and the kitchen.
4. Wipes to be available in Reception, Staff Room and each classroom (please ask your teacher if you need any wipes).
5. Social distancing to be observed in classrooms and also in the rest of the school.
6. Temperature checks not to be taken as they have been decreed by the HSE to be unreliable.
7. Public areas to be wiped after use every day.
8. Teachers to be in control of cleaning their own workspace, in addition to our daily cleaning.
9. HSE signs and hand sanitisers to be located inside front door and in Reception and to be highly prominent throughout the school.
10. Staggering of breaks, so that different classes will tend not to meet within the confines of the school premises. Your teacher will inform you about your class’s break time. No gathering outside the school.
11. No tea, coffee or food will be supplied by the school; Teachers and Students will have to bring their own.
12. No cups, plates, knives, forks, spoons etc., will be supplied by the school; Teachers and Students may bring their own if they wish.
13. Microwave in the kitchen is not to be used until further notice.
14. Where practical, use of the photocopier in the staff room to be limited.
15. Where possible, classroom doors should be left open at ‘high traffic’ periods in the school.
16. Bins in classrooms should be left open with the lids off or lifted.
17. Isolation Room – should a student show signs or symptoms of being infected with the virus or become ill, Room 1 will act as the Covid-19 ‘Isolation Room’.
18. Masks/Visors are optional, where practical, for Students, Teachers and Staff. This may change due to possible government instructions in the future.
19. Covid-19 updates to be given to students and teachers on a regular basis, where necessary.
20. Occupancy in common rooms such as the staff room, kitchen and student lounge/canteen should be limited where practical.

If someone presents with Covid-19 symptoms while on the premises, and/or they find out they have been in close contact with someone who has Covid-19 or Covid-19 symptoms, they should:
— move at least 2 metres away from others;
— notify school management of their condition;
— go to Room 1 in our school and wait for further guidance;
— avoid touching any objects or surfaces as much as possible;
— if necessary, cough or sneeze into a tissue and put it directly into a bin, or if they do not have tissues, cough and sneeze into the crook of their elbow.

Those who feel in some distress, or believe they may have clear symptoms of Covid-19, should use their own mobile phone to call either: (for HSE advice): 1850 24 1850; (for an ambulance, if they’re seriously ill): 112 or 999. They should tell the operator: their symptoms; if they have come from another country in the last 14 days and if so which one and any other relevant information.
They should also notify school staff in the Reception.
The Management of the school will remain vigilant and happy to answer any questions Students, Teachers or Staff may have in relation to Covid-19.

*Covid-19 symptoms may include shortness of breath or breathing difficulties, persistent coughing (usually dry); loss of senses of smell or taste.

We are confident that the careful observance by all, of the above protocols and procedures, will serve to keep everybody safe and greatly lessen the possibility of any Covid-19 related infection occurring at our school.
We will update this information on a regular basis.