September 1st and bits of paper

September 1st has always been a busy day for me, as a primary school teacher I was preparing for a new school year and as a mum I was making sure the children were as ready as they could be with new uniform, shoes that fitted as well as pens, pencils and a geometry set.

But getting 'back to class' this term has been a bit of an emotional and logistical maze.

I have read so many bits of paper that I am ‘papered out’. From Government Guidance to draft Risk Assessments and final documents I have seen almost every possible variation and combination of words and formats – but it is my job- as a teacher to make sure that YOUR class is a Coronavirus free experience and we all enjoy ourselves without feeling as if we are in a hospital waiting room.

I will be following the guidelines, which are common sense and simple; it is the application that adds the stress.

• Wash your hands when you arrive. Both halls have toilets so you can use soap and water- or hand sanitiser.
• Do not linger at the main entrance. We have never lingered for a chat by the front door, and I can see no reason as to why we should start now. Please move into the hall as usual.
• Social distancing: there are 2m indicators, etc. but it is YOUR responsibility to make sure you are comfortable and arrive not too early and to leave promptly.

What to bring with you:

• A pair of soft-soled shoes. You should not work in ‘outdoor shoes’ so please have a pair of shoes that you can easily change into for class.
• A bottle of water.
• A pair of socks for when we use bean bags. We will put the bean bag in the sock, and you can then wash the sock.
• A pair of cotton gloves. When we use apparatus, you may want an extra layer on your hands and cotton gloves are more comfortable than latex gloves and can be washed.
• Hand sanitiser. Although the venues provide hand sanitiser, we all have our own preferred fragrance and ‘texture’.
• Pedal bin liners to pop over the back of the chair for when we are doing standing work.
• Tissues to catch your sneezes.
• Dettol wipes or similar for your own peace of mind when using the toilets etc.
• Finally, the correct money. It is not financially viable to do a ‘chip and pin’ ‘swipe’ or ‘touch’, and I do not want to chase people up for online payments. Classes will remain ‘pay on the day’, but I will NOT be accepting small change or coppers. The correct notes and coins ONLY. I will accept cheques.

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See you all on Monday 7th or Wednesday 9th September