SANITISER, BUBBLES – IT’S BACK TO SCHOOL
WELCOME back rainbows have been painted, one way signs point the way and there are marks on the floors showing where to stand at a two-metre distance.
At one school, St Illtyd’s Catholic High in Cardiff, everyone entering the building will have their temperature taken.
This is the new look for schools that children and staff will come across tomorrow when they reopen after being closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic for 14 weeks.
Staff have been busy preparing schools to be as safe as they can, without looking like “emergency areas” said headteachers, who have been at pains to keep the environment as warm and welcoming as possible.
One headteacher, Armando di Finizio, at Cardiff’s Eastern High, summed it up: “We’re all set up and really pleased with how all our staff have risen to it, pulling out all the stops to make it work from both a safety and educational point of view.”
Hand sanitising stations have been set up at key points in schools across Wales, hand washing facilities are adorned with safety signs and there are notices reminding everyone how their new “bubbles” work.
Pupils will come into schools in small groups of five to eight and stay in them all day. They will stay in one room with the teachers, not the children, moving. “Bubbles” will have lunch and break times together.
Toys and equipment are labelled and separated for disinfecting between use by each child, desks and chairs are separated and in some schools marks have been put on desks, chairs, floors and outside play areas to show where people should stand at two metres distance.
Although staff have done all they can to keep a sense of normality, schools will look and sound very different.
Only around one third of pupils will be in at any one time. Although Education Minister Kirsty Williams has said schools can open to all pupils, in phases, some are recommending their nursery children wait to until September to return.
When doors finally open tomorrow morning there will be none of the usual hustle and bustle.
Children and teenagers won’t stream in and out at the start and end of the day or at playtime. Most of them won’t be in uniform and only a few canteens will serve hot food.
Close together working is gone for now with desks and chairs marked to keep everyone two metres apart.
While it is alien to the whole way schools usually work, heads, teachers and support staff said they have prepared everything to be as colourful and normal as possible.
Many schools have been open as hubs for vulnerable and key workers’ children, but some of the buildings had been empty for weeks before staff returned to clean and get them ready.
Schools have drawn up rotas for who can come in and when, cleaners have been hired and reopening guidance from the Welsh Government has been followed to keep everyone as safe as possible.
All equipment and toys that can’t be easily cleaned, such as soft toys and dressing-up clothes, have been stored, said Karen Brown, head of Cardiff’s Millbank Primary.
“We’ve tried to maintain our caring ethos. We’ve put rainbow tape down to show children where they can sit, rather than showing where they can’t sit. If schools follow the guidelines they can be one of the safest places you can be.”
Dave Thomas, head at St Illtyd’s Catholic High School in Cardiff, said: “A lot of planning and preparation has been carried out, with support from the local authority, to make sure that the school is ready for reopening on Monday.
“There will be a maximum of eight pupils in a classroom and social distancing guidelines will be enforced throughout the school. We anticipate this to be a challenge, but I am confident that we have the support of parents and the pupils in making it happen. We have no choice; it must.
“There will be regular cleaning of the site, abundant hand sanitiser and wipes, optional face masks and everybody who enters the building will have their temperature taken.
“Like all schools we have tried to make the site as safe as possible and everything is aimed at easing the worries and concerns of pupils, parents and staff.
“The last few months have not been easy for all concerned and we are delighted to be open and can`t wait to welcome everybody back.”
Huw Powell, head of Mary Immaculate High, Wenvoe, and Stephen Garthwaite, head of Ysgol y Grango, Wrexham, said as many as 70% of their pupils have said they will come back this term.
“They want to return to some normality,” said Mr Powell.
“We have signs marking two-metre distancing and will have five pupils on five desks in each classroom. Teachers, not pupils, will move rooms.
“We are doing full days. We bus in our youngsters and have arranged this with the local education authority safely.
“The day will run from 8.45am to 3.15pm and the canteen will serve hot food. For our youngsters it’s a well-being issue. People may not come with food and our youngsters like the food and we run our own canteen. They won’t wear uniform so that parents can wash clothes more easily.
“We had timetabled in one-week blocks for four weeks so when we were told by the LEA we could only open three weeks we just changed that so they come in three not four times.
“We are well prepared. By the nature of the job we have to be adaptable.”
Mr Garthwaite said he can’t wait to see most of his 545 pupils come in at some point over the next three weeks.
“We are all really pleased to be back and really looking forward to seeing pupils back. Every pupil will get three visits, if they want,” he said.
“There are new social distance signs and a one way system, but it is not obtrusive. The school looks as it did before but with new signs. It is Covid aware, but bright.
“We are really excited to be seeing pupils back. It will be great to see them again and give them a sense of purpose to help them progress.”
HUNDREDS of people packed into a square in Cardiff Bay on Friday night before the police were called to break up yet another night of disturbance.
Throngs were seen lining the steps of Roald Dahl Plass, which were left covered with glass bottles and plastic cups after officers broke up the gathering in the early hours.
One local resident, who asked not to be named, described the behaviour of those who attended as “appalling”.
It was the second night in the row that the area has seen mass gatherings and anti-social behaviour.
The incident happened in the plaza outside Wales Millennium Centre, near the Senedd, from around 9pm on Friday, until after midnight.
Cars were seen abandoned on double yellow lines, blocking Bute Crescent, and engines were heard revving all evening.
On Saturday morning beer cans and bottles were strewn across the area.
Rubbish left at the scene also included nitrous oxide gas cannisters commonly used as a recreational drug and refereed to as “hippy crack”.
The resident estimated there were around 300 people packed into the area, failing to comply with social distancing.
Men and women were seen urinating against walls.
He added: “[There were] scenes of fighting and drunkenness into the early hours. I have never seen such terrible behaviour.”
Police were called, with several police cars and vans seen to attend, and the incident ended around 12.30am.
The resident said he and his neighbours felt “angry” and “very frightened” by the behaviour.
“The mess left afterwards was another sad sight for tired eyes,” he said. “The smell of urine is appalling and how people feel they can do it anywhere is selfish.”
Local residents say Roald Dahl Plass has been the venue for a number of late-night parties during the heatwave.
People living near the area, which is just metres from the Senedd building, said around 200 gathered the previous day – late on Thursday and into the early hours of Friday morning.
They said music went on into the early hours and Friday night’s gathering was the fourth in a row.
One resident said earlier in the week: “We have listened to loud music, shouting, the sound of cars driving in and out of Bute Crescent ... and the revving of car engines at all hours.
“We have also watched drunken behaviour, the beautiful Plass, streets and private property being used as toilet facilities, as well as the selling, snorting and sniffing of drugs.
“On top of that we have been left every day with the carnage of the leftovers and the empties strewn across the pathways, our doorways.”
The reports come after another mass gathering in Wales. Police said young people from across south Wales travelled to Ogmore-by-Sea on Thursday evening.
After the images from Ogmore emerged, First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “We will not be able to continue easing restrictions if scenes like [Ogmore] continue to happen.
“They threaten the health of people in Wales and undermine the sacrifices the majority of people have made during this ongoing crisis.”
Police have warned further antisocial or violent behaviour will not be tolerated.
Chief superintendent Andy Valentine said: “Such behaviour has a detrimental impact on the wider community and antisocial behaviour or criminality will not be tolerated.”
South Wales Police has seen an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour in some parts of the force area in recent days.
They say some people have used the recent good weather and easing of coronavirus restrictions as an excuse to ignore the Government legislation and guidance.
Chief Supt Valentine added: “Our officers are responding to these incidents and are using the powers available to them, including dispersal orders and enforcement action.
“However, with more than 100 miles of coastline, parks, towns and city centres, it is extremely challenging and we cannot be everywhere all of the time.”
He explained existing demand from all other crimes and daily business does not go away while officers deal with these incidents.
The officer suggested those committing anti-social behaviour and other criminality risk keeping them away from people who need them the most.
He continued: “We will work tirelessly to uphold the law, but we cannot do this alone. Personal responsibility is crucial as civil restrictions ease.
“Those gathering in large numbers and engaging in anti-social behaviour will know that their actions are irresponsible.”
He asked parents and guardians of young people to ensure they know where their children are and what they are doing.
Chief Supt Valentine said the kind of behaviour seen by some young