IMPORTANT – Procedures for tomorrow and moving forwards

I have received most of the registration forms and can now finalise the class lists and will advertise later.

Please read through the following very carefully

We are all looking forward to greeting the students back tomorrow for our Autumn term. It will be a new way of working moving forward which can be fully embraced and successful if we all work together. We must prevent the school from closing and the spread of the virus over the Autumn/Winter season as far as possible.

Below you will find a number of procedures we need for everyone to be aware of before you bring your child or children to the studios. We had a very successful Summer programme with everyone remaining safe and those measures will be continuing, but with some additions as you’ll see from the guidelines below.

Please read carefully and follow the guidelines so that your child or children can enjoy their training with us. Anyone who does not follow the guidelines will be putting others at risk and will also be at risk from not being included in the lessons.

The new way of working will eventually become ‘the norm’ for everyone.

Fees

Fees are due on receipt of your invoice. Please pay promptly as we are a small business and rely on prompt payment. As long as the school is operational face to face or remotely (Zoom classes), all fees will be payable.

If students are off with illness/self-isolation, fees will still be expected to be paid as our normal services will continue. Fees can be carried forward if lessons are cancelled completely.

Regulations to abide by from Saturday 19th September:

Class time procedure:

  • Parents & carers are reminded to park with an adequate space gap between each cars in the car park.
  • Students are reminded that car sharing outside their own immediate family is not permitted.
  • Parents are advised not to leave the car, but watch their child or children as they enter the studio area and meet with a member of staff or an allocated teaching assistant who will then escort them to the appropriate changing room.
  • Temperatures will at this point be taken and hand sanitiser applied.
  • Parents of children under 6yrs and new starters are permitted to bring their child to the relevant studio and wait outside with their child until advised to enter the class.
  • All adults must wear face coverings whilst visiting the premises.
  • Face coverings are to be worn by every student age 7 and up in ALL areas except inside the studio their class is in.
  • After placing personal items in the changing areas the face coverings will be removed to enter the studios.
    • Face covering areas include:
      • Walking from the car park where a 2metre distance must be adhered to.
      • All changing rooms
      • Toilets
      • Corridors and stairways
  • On arrival all students must wait outside the relevant studio area allocated abiding by 2m set intervals with face coverings on.
  • Students and parents are not to wait or congregate under the car port area.
  • Toilets will be in use whereby everyone must wash their hands after use. Toilets will be cleaned at regular intervals during the day.
  • All changing rooms will be in use for dropping off personal items only.
  • Personal items should be kept to the absolute minimum & brought to the studio in the recommended plastic bucket used in our Dance shows at the theatre.
  • Students must come prepared in their uniform and not change clothing at any time. Chairs and furnishings have been removed from changing areas to allow for more space.
  • Social distancing will be in place in all changing areas and face masks worn.
  • We will operate a one way system in and out of the studio. Classes will finish 5 minutes early to accommodate cleaning, arrival & departure of students.
  • Staff will use the private gated side entrance as far as possible if the doors need to be closed.
  • Weather dependent, the doors to all studios will remain open as far as possible, ventilation in the studios will remain for every session as well as the changing rooms.
  • Students will enter the studios one way and be allocated a dance space including barre area which they are to remain in and wait for instruction.
  • The studios and barres will be divided into appropriate areas allowing for social distancing.
  • Students are not permitted to cross the marked area which is for staff at the front of the studios and keep to social distancing throughout their time at the school.
  • Students are to arrive dressed in dance uniform and hair appropriately styled ready for class, no bare feet in the studios at any time- dance shoes are required in all lessons. (Jazz shoes or ballet shoes for modern & Jazz).
  • As far as possible water bottles will remain in the changing rooms.
  • Bags are not to be brought into the studios.

Please note:

  • If your child has a break between classes they must be collected and then returned for their following lesson. We are unable to supervise any children who are not in lessons.
  • We suggest sitting in the car with a drink and a snack before the next lesson.

Hand Washing 

  • Alcohol based sanitising gel will be available in all studios and students will be asked to apply it as they enter and leave.
  • Hand washing facilities with soap, water and paper towels will be available in the toilets as normal and to be used regularly.
  • Students and families will be reminded to wash hands thoroughly when returning home from the studio.

Cleaning 

  • Door handles and barres will be wiped down with disinfectant wipes after each lesson.
  • Any other frequently touched areas / objects will be disinfected at the end of each day and studio floors will be steam cleaned at the end of each working day.

Additional controls 

  • Facial masks MUST be worn in communal areas these must be provided by the students and not taken off or handed to anyone else until they are back in their car. At the start of the lesson face masks must be placed away until the end of the class when they must be put on again to move to another studio or go to the car park.
  • Any equipment requirement during lessons, such as props will be cleaned prior to use by the teaching staff and cleaned again before reuse.
  • Staff and children to be reminded on a daily basis of the importance of regular hand washing and social distancing both in the studios and outside of it. Posters will be displayed where appropriate to remind students of current guidance.
  • Management checks will take place regularly to ensure this is adhered to.
  • We will maintain regular communication through the usual channels to reassure and support families in these fast changing situations.
  • Regular communication of mental health information will be provided and an open door policy will be maintained for those who need additional support.
  • Parents / carers are reminded to collect children promptly at the end of class. Changing rooms will not be available for either children or waiting adults.
  • Supervision will not always be available by staff if children are awaiting collection due to lateness of parents.
  • If a child sustains an injury during class the teaching staff reserve the right to assist the child in the most appropriate manner necessary and this may involve some form of physical contact and the use of First Aid. Gloves and masks will be worn during these occasions.
  • Anyone developing symptoms whilst on site will be isolated and parents contacted to come and collect their child.
  • If a positive test is reported, we will then advise families of those who have been in contact and ask them to follow the guidelines for self-isolation.
  • Be extra vigilant during this ongoing situation. All provisions are in place to meet government guidelines, we ask staff, parents & students to b

Anyone not adhering strictly to the guidelines will not be allowed to attend any classes.
WE HAVE TO BE STRICT WITH THE GUIDELINES TO KEEP EVERYONE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE