FAQ for Re-opening Creagh NS

We have updated our frequently asked questions about re-opening Creagh National for September. We will answer as many of these as we can in this section. You can send additional questions to [email protected] and we will answer them as soon as possible.

Click on the question to read the answer

Who will return to school on September the 1st 2021

All Children from Infants to 6th class

What time will school start for the different classes

Infant Classes

We will be maintaining a staggered start for the infant classes.
Their school day will start at 9:30am and finish at 2:10 pm.
Infant teachers will collect their children at 9:30 am from their designated areas.
The pupils will be supervised by designated members of staff from 9:20 am- 9:30am. (Please do not arrive before 9:20 am in order to minimise congregating. There will be no supervision for infant classes prior to 9:20 am.

Classes from 1st - 6th.

The gates will open at 9:10 am for pupils from 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class. These classes will be collected from their areas by the class teachers at 9:20 am.

Also, we would ask all parents to leave the school vicinity immediately after dropping off their children to the designated areas.

Will the classroom layouts be the same as they were during the last school year.

We have removed all the excess furniture from classrooms as per the D.E.S. advice. In all classrooms, children will be seated 1 m. apart if possible. Children will be seated in pods of not more than 6 pupils.

Will the children still have to wear the school uniform?

The school uniform remains the same.
Because of the need for ventilation in classrooms, the windows will remain open throughut the day. They will be open fully at breaktimes. Children should wear layers to school in order to keep warm.

Will there be specific Drop off and collection points for children?

Each Class (Also called a bubble) will be allocated a specific gate and area in the playground. These areas are the same for all classes except Senior Infants who will be collected from a different area. (Same gate) Details of this change will be communicated to parents before the re-opening.
Children will be directed to their assembly areas, where they will stay apart from other classes/ bubbles.
Teachers will collect their classes and lead them into their classrooms.
Children from Senior Infants - 6th class are expected to enter the school grounds unaccompanied.
Parents of children from Junior infants may accompany these younger children to the allocated areas in the playground but they must ensure to stay 2 m from other adults. Physical Distance rules apply at all times for adults. Adults must wear masks at all times when on or outside the school building.
Children from 1st - 6th class will leave the school unaccompanied through the same doors and gates that they entered in the morning. Parents can arrange to meet them accordingly, preferably not at the school gates. We are encouraging children to walk or cycle to school if possible.

What are the times of the school day? Will all classes begin at the same time?

In order to ensure that social distancing can occur and children can enter the school premises in a manner that complies with health and safety guidelines, it will be necessary to stagger opening times in the school.

The school day for 1st to 6th class begins at 9:20 am. and finishes at 3 pm.
The school day for Infant classes begins at 9:30 am and finishes at 2:10 pm

While children are in bubbles during their time in the classroom, will they be allowed to mix with other classes in the playground?

Each class/bubble will be allocated a specific area of the school grounds to play in/ assemble in. Bubbles /classes will not be allowed to mix with other classes as per D.E.S. advice.

What is the procedure if a child begins to show symptoms during school?

At all times the school will follow the guidelines as laid out in the D.E.S. Covid Response Plan (Appendix 7, p. 44)

The principal will accompany the case to the isolation area (Keeping a distance of 2 m apart and wearing a mask)
The affected person will be reminded to avoid touching other people/surface/ objects and to cover their mouth and nose with disposable tissues when they cough or sneeze, disposing of the used tissues in a bin afterwards and washing their hands.
The parents/guardians will be contacted immediately by the school secretary and asked to collect the child at the main entrance .
If the parents are unable to collect the child, they will be expected to make other arrangements for the child to be collected as soon as possible. The child will remain in the isolation area until collected.
When leaving, the child will be provided with a disposable mask and led to the exit to meet their parent/guardian.
The isolation area will be taken out of use until cleaned and disinfected.
The classroom space will be cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible.
A follow up assessment will occur to identify an actions needed.
The H.S.E will inform any staff/parent who have come into contact with a diagnosed case via the contact tracing process.
The H.S.E will contact all relevant persons where a diagnosis of COVID-19 is made.
The instructions of the H.S.E. will be followed at all times and staff and pupil confidentiality is essential at all times.
Before returning to school after every absense,, the parent of the child will be expected to fill in the Parental Declaration Form.

Can my child bring their own hand sanitiser to school? will there be hand sanitisers in the classrooms?

Children will be expected to use the hand sanitiser in the school.
Due to the facts that hand sanitiser is classified as a toxic substance and we also need to ensure that the sanitiser being used if of a high and reliable standard we will not be permitting children to bring in their own supplies of hand sanitiser to school. If there is a medical reason that prevents children from using the school supply, this must be clearly communicated to the class teacher by parents.
There will be hand sanitisers in every classroom in the school and at all exits/entrances.
Children will be encouraged to wash their hands during the school day also. Additional hand towel dispensers have been sourced to facilitate this.

How will children bring all their books to school on the first day back in March? Can parents carry the books for them?

Class teachers will communicate with parents around the arrangements regarding children bringing back their boxes and books to school. In some cases this will be facilitated before the children return. Please see Seesaw for details.

Will my child be wearing a mask when they go back to school? Will the staff in the school be wearing masks?

Children in Primary Schools are not required to wear face coverings
Staff will wear a face covering where it is difficult to maintain a distance of 2m.
Other detail is available to read on the guidance issued from the D.E.S. (Click on image to read)
A summary of this document is available to read on the news page.

Guidance on face Masks and PPE

Will there be any homework when the children return to school on March the first?

Our initial priority is to get children back safely. There will be no written homework initially. Children will usually only be given reading as homework for the first two weeks. This will then be reviewed and any ensuing changes will be communicated to parents.

Will my child be sharing books with any other children in their class/ bubble?

The school has invested hugely in expanding our supply of rental and banks of books. In the past, banks of books were shared between classes. Each class will now have it's own supply of each book. Every child will be given their own individual copy of each book which they will store in their own box. If you child has lost/damaged their box. these will be replaced.

When do parents need to fill in the parental Declaration form?

Parents of Junior infants to Second class pupils will need to fill in the online Parental Declaration Form before these children return to school on the 1st of March 2021.
Parents of children from 3rd to 6th class will be expected to complete the online Parental Declaration Form during the week before these classes return to school. (Current expected return date is March 15th but this is subject to public health advice.)
Parents will be expected to fill in this online Parental Declaration Form every time a child returns to school following an absence.

Will the school be offering after school clubs from March?

There will be no homework club or after school clubs operating in the school during the current phase of Covid-19 lockdown. This will be reviewed and may change after Easter.

Will the late starting time for infant classes last all year?

It is intended that the later start for infant classes will last for the foreseeable future.

Will the parents have to wash uniforms every night?

There is no expectation for parents to wash uniforms every night and the school is in no position to police such a matter.

Will I have to wear a mask when collecting/ dropping off my child to school?

All adults dropping off or collecting children from school will be expected to wear a mask and socially distance from other adults by 2 metres.

What do I do if no school uniform is available?

If no school uniform is available, you may wear the PE uniform.

Will children still be doing P.E. in school this year? Will they need a school uniform?

P.E. is considered a vital element of the primary school curriculum and in line with guidance from the D.E.S., children will attend PE classes every week. P.E. classes will take place outside and the strands covered will include athletics and outdoor pursuits with minimal use of resources/ materials as advised by the D.E.S. Children in senior classes should still wear the PE uniform on their designated P.E. days.

Will my child need a school bag?

Children will need a school bag. These are not considered as high risk. All lunch boxes/ drinks bottles and books/ supplies should be carried to and from school in the child's school bag rather than in a carrier bag or by hand. This is to ensure ease of application of hand sanitiser on arrival and dispersal from school.

How will the school prevent parents/adults congregating outside the school gates at the start and home times of school?

There are a number of measures that we are taking to ensure that congregation will be limited. We would appreciate the help and co-operation of all the school community with these actions'
. All parents/adults will be expected to wear a mask and socially distance by 2 metres when at the school.

The school gates will open at 9:10 am for reception of children from 1st - 6th class. Parents are asked to ensure that children arrive to the school between the designated times and not before.
Junior and Senior Infant children are asked to wait until 9:20 am to arrive at school.
Parents of infant children are asked to drop off their child and leave the area around the school immediately they go to their lines.
Children from 1st to 6th class will be supervised by school personnel when entering and leaving the school premises. If meeting them/dropping them off outside the gates, parents/guardians should move on from the school without delay as soon as the children go to their area
Where-ever possible, children should walk or cycle to school.

Do I send my child to school if they have a runny nose?

A runny nose/ blocked nose is now recognised as a symptom of the Delta virus. You should not send your child to school if they have this or any other symptom as advised below.

a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more
a new cough
loss or changed sense of taste or smell
shortness of breath
A sore throat
A sick stomach
Fatigue

They should not be sent to school. If they do come to school with any of these symptoms, they will be isolated and you will be contacted immediately to collect them in line with our Covid-19 response Plan and H.S.E./ D.E.S. advice.
If your child is sent home from school for suspected Covid-19 symptoms you are expected to seek medical advise from your GP and you are expected to follow this advice.
Your child should not return to school while they still have those symptoms.
If your child has:

been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus
been living with someone who is unwell and may have coronavirus

they must be kept at home.
Please see the following document from the D.E.S. for further advice regarding Covid-19 and your child.

should i send hand sanitiser into school with my child?

No. We would prefer if you do not send hand sanitiser into school with your child. We have 44 hand sanitiser stations in the school. This is ample to supply all the staff/ children and visitors. Each room in the school and all the exit doors have been furnished with sanitiser stations. There are also three working taps in each classroom, with warm running water, for children to wash their hands.

What is the correct way for my child to use hand sanitiser?

The poster attached shows the correct procedure for using hand sanitiser. These posters will be displayed throughout the school. It would be great if you could practice this with your child.

Is there a particular way my child should wash their hands?

The D.E.S. has issued a video outlining the best handwashing procedures for preventing the spread of Covod-19. There is a link to this video below. The school also have posters circulated throughout all the sink areas with a child friendly reminder on correct hand washing. This is also available below.

Hand Washing Poster

Hand Washing Video