COVID19: RETURN TO COACHING POLICY

CONTENTS

 

INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES ………………………………………………………………………………… 4

PRE-SITE ENTRY …………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

CONTROL MEASURES ………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

LESSON STRUCTURE & CURRICULUM CONTENT …………………………………….. 10

DECLARATION …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11

 

 

INTRODUCTION

As an organisation, Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd echo the message from the Youth Sport

Trust, Sport England and The Association for Physical Education in relation to the

utilisation of physical education and physical activity during these unprecedented times.

We are committed to working with all partner organisations to ensure students can

participate in purposeful physical education and physical activity throughout this

period. Understandably, there will be some apprehension to the continuation of the

teaching of physical education and admittedly it will not be as it has been previously,

nor will it be the preferred model of teaching.

 

However, by working together and making appropriate adaptations, we firmly

believe that meaningful teaching and learning can still take place safely following

the implementation of well-planned and thought out protective and social

distancing measures.

 

This policy has been created by the Directors of Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd, with the aim

of clearly outlining measures that are to be taken by both our organisation and all

education partners to help maintain the safety and wellbeing of everyone including

Believe and Achieve Sports team members, school staff and children.

 

It has been formulated to cover a variety of areas including kit, equipment, key

responsibilities and other considerations. It also documents the key expectations

that we request all partner schools to adhere to and implement consistently. A

collaborative approach is key to ensuring we can keep everyone safe.

 

While this is a working document; given the fluidity of the situation, we will ensure

that any changes or updates are communicated clearly with all staff members and

partners. There is a requirement for all Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd staff to read and sign

to acknowledge they understand and agree to the principles in the policy.

 

We also request that a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) within our partner

school’s signs and dates the document below too and by doing so confirming that

they are agreeing on behalf of your school to acknowledge and work in line with the

mandatory measures stated within the policy.

 

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

 

In light of the current situation, we feel that it is of the upmost importance to outline

the key responsibilities in relation to the possibility of COVID19 being transmitted

from person to person.

 

In the event that this occurs, Believe and Achieve Sports endeavour to have a transparent and effective line of communication with both our team members and all partner

schools. As a result, the following procedure will be enforced;

 

Should a Believe and Achieve Sports coach or member of their household develop

symptoms or test positive for COVID19 they must inform a Director

immediately. We will then ensure that this is communicated with the relevant

persons within the schools to make them aware of the situation and act accordingly. The coach will then be required to self-isolate and follow the NHS guidance in relation to tracking and tracing before being considered to return to work.

 

Should a child, teacher or an immediate member of their household that has

been attending a partner school, develop symptoms or test positive for

COVID19 the school must inform a Believe and Achieve Sports Director at the earliest

opportunity. We will then communicate with our coaches that have been in

contact with the individual to follow the necessary protocol with regards to testing and self-isolating if required.

 

All communication between both parties must be followed up in writing to avoid

any misinterpretation of the information that has been provided.

 

 

Pre-Site Entry

 

The ‘PRE-SITE ENTRY’ section includes a variety of measures that are required to

be taken before a Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd member of staff enters the school site.

 

 

Risk Assessments

 

Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd will conduct a risk assessment for the delivery of PE and

physical activity, taking into account all factors that may arise in light of COVID19

and where possible, tailor the risk assessment for each individual school’s premises.

 

 

Cleaning and Hand Hygiene

 

Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd will provide in depth guidance to all staff members in relation to hand hygiene and general cleaning procedures. Senior management will also

produce guidance on the cleaning of uniform and equipment which is to be followed

by all staff members.

 

 

Staffing

 

Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd management team will aim to minimise the risk of transmitting the infection from school to school by allowing each coach to attend only one school per week, where possible.

 

Where this is not possible we will make each school aware that their coach may have

been teaching in another location that week. This will be confirmed via telephone

and written communication in advance of their arrival on site.

 

Each school, unless otherwise agreed, will only have one member of Believe and Achieve Sports staff on site at any one time.

 

Senior management will conduct an internal risk assessment and provide health and

wellbeing questionnaires to all staff members to establish those that may be at high

risk.

 

 

Control Measures 

The ‘CONTROL MEASURES’ section consists of a number of factors that must be

put in place in order for Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd to deliver PE and physical activity in

schools safely.

 

This section is broken down into Believe and Achieve Sports’ responsibilities and also the

responsibilities of the school. It also contains a range of additional factors that are

not mandatory but are recommended.

 

 

Mandatory Believe and Achieve Sports Responsibilities

 

 

Lesson Planning:

 

• All lessons, where possible, must factor in social distancing guidance and the

avoidance of equipment sharing. However, the government acknowledge

that social distancing (the 2-metre rule) may not always be possible in a

Primary and Early Years setting. Therefore, in line with the Public Health

England guidance, frequent and consistent hand cleaning and minimising

contact during lessons is the priority.

 

Lesson Environment:

 

• All PE lessons, including dance, should take place outdoors as this can limit

transmission and make it easier to allow for distance between both children

and staff.

 

• The area used for PE should include a clearly marked out area for the coach

to occupy for the duration of the PE lesson. The coach should make it clear

to all children that they must not enter that area during the lesson.

 

• Where the lesson allows, each child should have their own marked out

area/zone for them to work in which adheres to the social distancing

guidelines.

 

 

Equipment: 

• Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd will refrain from bringing sports equipment into school,

therefore only using the equipment that is made available to them by the

school. This is to ensure that all equipment used has been thoroughly cleaned

in advance of use and stays within one school premises.

 

• The use of bibs will be strictly forbidden within PE lessons.

• All equipment used must be kept separate from clean equipment and cleaned

either before being used again or stored away. It is the responsibility of the

coach to ensure the equipment is kept in a safe place before being cleaned.

• The Believe and Achieve Sports coach must take all equipment needed for the

morning/afternoons lessons to the teaching area prior to the start of their

timetabled period of teaching. This will ensure that the coach is not required

to unnecessarily walking through the school building in between lessons.

 

 

Communication:

 

• The coach should effectively communicate safety measures at the start of

each lesson to the children and must ensure that all children are reminded

throughout the lesson about social distancing measures and handling

equipment.

 

• The coach should make contact with a member of SLT to ensure they are

aware of any changes to fire procedures or specific plans on site they must

be aware of prior to teaching.

 

• The coach should communicate with a member of SLT to ensure they know

where the safest place is for them to take any breaks including their lunch

period.

 

 

Other:

 

• We are aware that specific measures will be in place throughout the day to

stagger arrival and departure times as well as break periods. To ensure we

are continuing to minimise risk when on site, Believe and Achieve Sports do not deem

it safe to continue with extra-curricular provision before, during or after

school.

 

• To help reduce the risk of transmitting the infection from one site to another,

we have suspended all dance provision across our partner schools. This will be

reviewed on an on-going basis and we will ensure that we communicate any

changes as and when necessary.

 

 

Mandatory Schools Responsibilities:

 

 

Group Sizes:

 

• Group sizes must not exceed 15 children. However, the group size must be in

relation to the space and facilities that are available at the school. This must

be agreed in advance by both the teaching staff and the Believe and Achieve Sports

coach.

 

 

Hand Hygiene: 

• All children must have adequate facilities to wash their hands upon entering

and exiting a PE lesson. This will help to reduce risk should there be any

unavoidable sharing of any equipment during the lesson.

 

First Aid: 

• A first aid plan of action must be put in place and communicated clearly to all staff members. Believe and Achieve Sports staff members, unless in anemergency are not responsible for the first aid of children to ensure that social distancing measures can be up kept within the environment of a PE lesson.

 

Equipment: 

• All equipment will be provided by the school.

• All school sports equipment is to be cleaned before and after use. Following

the use of the sports equipment, it must be clearly separated from any clean

equipment and factored into the school’s cleaning regime.

 

• Schools must communicate the cleaning regime for sports equipment to

ensure the coach knows when the used equipment will be cleaned and

available for use again.

 

 

Travelling Around School:

• The school should have a safe and effective plan in place for children to travel

around school including to and from a PE lesson.

 

• Children should be brought to the PE lesson by a member of the teaching

staff and the coach should not be expected to either collect or return the

group to their classroom, unless otherwise agreed.

 

 

Communication: 

• All partner schools must complete and return the ‘Safe Practice

Questionnaire’ provided prior to the start of any Believe and Achieve Sports provision.

 

• A member of SLT should make contact directly with the Believe and Achieve Sports

coach to ensure they are made aware of any changes to fire procedures,

safeguarding policies or specific plans prior to teaching.

 

 

Staffing Arrangements:

• An additional member of staff, preferably the main ‘bubble’ teacher must

remain in the PE lesson for the full duration to ensure that the coach can

maintain a safe level of practice for all children that are involved.

 

 

Other:

 

• In order to help reduce the risk of transmission, children wearing earrings

must not be asked to remove them by the coach or the school. Instead the

child will not be able to take part in the planned PE activities. It is the

responsibility of the school to provide the child with an activity to do and/or

liaise with the coach to provide a role for them within the lesson that is safe

to carry out.

 

 

Further Recommendations: 

• Where possible, the Believe and Achieve Sports member of staff should be prepared

to stay in their teaching environment for the timetabled teaching periods. For

example, 09:00 – 12:00 with them only entering the building or walking

around the school in the case of an emergency or to use any toilet facilities

that are available.

 

• We recommend that adaptations are put in place so that children can either

come to school in their PE kit on their timetabled PE days or only change their

footwear for the lesson. Children may also need to bring additional clothing

in case of poor weather. Early Years children should not get changed for PE.

 

 

Lesson Structure & Curriculum Content

 

For obvious reasons, Believe and Achieve Sports may not be able to follow the curriculum

areas planned for this time of year and as a result the model of teaching will differ

significantly. The management team will ensure that all coaching staff are provided

with guidance and support for delivering PE and physical activity safely in a school

environment.

 

Most notably, the brief and debrief that will be provided at the start and end of each

lesson will be focused on advising and reminding children of the social distancing

measures and hygiene practices that are in place to minimise the risk of transmitting

the virus.

 

The lesson content will be devised from guidance supplied by the management

team at Believe and Achieve Sports which will include activity ideas that have been adapted

to take into account social distancing measures and will refrain, where possible, from

using or sharing equipment.

 

Curriculum areas that include excessive contact such as invasion games will be

forbidden and instead lessons will mainly focus on individual challenges and children

trying to achieve personal bests. This will include, but is not limited to, circuit

training, hand/foot eye coordination, athletics and other fundamental skills used

across the PE curriculum.

 

All Believe and Achieve Sports staff have taken part in an in-depth training session on safe

practice when teaching physical education in the current climate. This training

session also covered elements with regards to assessment and making adaptations

to the success criteria and expectations within each lesson. All lessons will work off

prescribed lesson objectives provided by the Believe and Achieve Sports management team.

During our whole team training session, we addressed a number of factors that we

need to take into consideration including the fitness levels and behaviour issues that

may arise as a result of the majority of children being at home for the duration of

the lockdown period. Our coaches will work with staff members to ensure that the

behaviour of children does not compromise the measures put in place to keep

everyone safe.

 

It is likely that the intensity of each PE lesson will be reduced significantly in the

initial stages while our coach assesses the impact being at home has had on the level

fitness amongst the individuals within the group. During each session, the coach will

also refrain from increasing the intensity to a level that may result in excessive

sweating, by introducing this measure we aim to reduce the risk of transmitting

infection through bodily fluids.

 

 

 

DECLARATION

 

By signing below, I confirm that I have read, understand and acknowledge the details

set out in the ‘COVID19: Return to Coaching Policy’ that has been provided by Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd, including my role and responsibilities to ensure the delivery of PE

and physical activity can be carried out safely.

 

On behalf of Believe and Achieve Sports Ltd:

 

Name: Stefan Gordon

 

Position: Director

 

Organisation: Believe and Achieve Sports

 

Date: 28/05/2020