With the new school term fast approaching a Hitchin school has been busy preparing to fully host pupils once again after nearly five months absence due to the coronavirus crisis.

The government has insisted the reopening of schools is a matter of priority next week – with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying it is a 'moral duty' to get students back into education properly for the first time since March.

Despite thousands of headteachers up and down the country adding their names to a strongly-worded letter to education secretary Gavin Williamson, slamming the government for failing to provide the help they require, schools are preparing to open their doors to millions of children in England including north Herts.

While schools have told the under-fire Williamson that they feel they are 'working in isolation' and lacking in support, one particular Hitchin school has been busy preparing the way for children to return next week.

While they opened their doors in part during the summer term, Hitchin's Priory School on Bedford Road has been readying itself for the influx of more than 1,000 pupils once again from early September.

In a letter to parents, seen by Hitchin Nub News, the school has put in place a raft of precautions to combat the possible spread of Covid-19 as well as measures intended to facilitate pupils' wellbeing - in a bid to successfully ensure the smooth and safe return of students.

The establishment which opened in 1988 as a mixed, 11-19 community comprehensive school has put a large number of responsible measures in place - including allocating time to help youngsters reconnect with fellow students and staff with a walk through the beautiful Oughtonhead Common nearby.

"There will be some structured activities but also an opportunity for the students to catch up with each other, find out more about how school will run and relax in each other's company again," say the school, adding: "The safety of staff and students is paramount to us and will direct the way in which the school operates for the foreseeable future."

The Priory also urged parents and pupils to be as flexible as possible in these unprecedented times, explaining: "There will be aspects of school life which are far from ideal but in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are left with little choice but to alter the way we work until the situation improves."

Safety measures set to be implemented

The range of safety measures and changes to protocol include staff that 'may be wearing PPE whilst teaching' - with visitors to the school kept to a minimum for the foreseeable future.

Cleaning routines and protocols are in place throughout the school with the Priory saying they have 'deployed more cleaner hours to help with this.'

Staff will be modifying their practice to avoid the sharing of equipment as much as possible and all classrooms have been modified to ensure front-facing desks.

The Priory also say they will not be using a staggered start to the school day, citing that "the arrival of 1000+ students in many different ways [would mean] the logistics would be too complicated".

However, to help keep year group bubbles apart, they will be asking different year groups to enter school in different places.

Students will also be encouraged to respect social distancing rules at all times that are practical.

Hand sanitisers will be placed in every classroom, in corridors and other outside areas. Year groups will operate within a 'year group bubble' with the school intending to minimise contact between year groups as much as possible.

Students will not have their temperature checked on arrival but will be expected to hand sanitise at appropriate times and may wear a face covering if they wish.

Break and lunch times will be staggered to minimise cross bubble contact while Key Stage 3 classes will largely be restricted to one classroom for their lessons, with teaching staff coming to them rather than the other way round.

Key Stage 4 classes are being allowed more movement around school to enable the use of specialist classrooms and facilities.

For any students that walk to school, the Priory says it will be their responsibility to honour social distancing guidelines.

This includes congregating outside school in places like the nearby BP garage on Bedford Road and while waiting for buses.

Parents will not be able to enter the top car park by reception and students arriving on bikes should take them to the bike compound and hand sanitise after the bikes have been locked.

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