Preparing to reopen schools safely: what we can learn from other countries

Everyone is anxious about schools reopening, even though we all want to see our children get back to some kind of normal education and the supportive environment of the classroom. Many are keen to ensure their children do not fall behind on important educational milestones, while concerned about the potential impact of recent months on their emotional and social wellbeing. The possibility of a phased return to the classroom is also creating headaches for families as they search for suitable childcare arrangements.

But perhaps overriding all of this, is the key question of how we can create a safe classroom environment, with minimal risk to students, teachers, and parents. How can we best prepare? Do we have clear guidelines?  What can we learn from our neighbours in the EU and from schools further afield who have already asked those important questions, and have now reopened the classroom door?

The recent paper published by the Department of Education and Skills, which looked at various options for reopening schools, painted an uncertain picture. If the two-metre social distancing rule is retained, the number of days children spend in school will be vastly reduced. The impact of such a requirement on students' education and wellbeing are most extreme. Engagement in face to face in school provision of one day per week is detrimental to the delivery of meaningful education.

We need to find a solution that allows all children to return to fulltime education but with key health and hygiene measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in school communities.

SEK-Dublin International School began preparing for reopening several weeks ago. The school is part of the SEK Group, a pioneer of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IB) programmes. Founded in 1981, SEK International School Dublin is the first school in Ireland to be authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organisation to teach the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP).

Being part of a larger group of schools in four countries across Europe and the Middle East means we have been able to draw on broad experience and expertise, and we are ready with a comprehensive plan for our school reopening.

Some initiatives being considered include:

Stagger school starting/closing times

It may not be possible to have everyone arrive at school together, or to eat lunch together. Larger schools are already used to staggered breaks. Extending this to starting and ending the school day is an effective way of minimising congregations of groups at the school gate or on transport. Experience tells us that schools should work with other neighbouring schools when considering the use of public transport.

Develop student ´bubbles´ and control class sizes 

Divide students up into small groups to create ´bubbles´. Children in a bubble will remain together throughout the day, learning, eating, and playing together. They will not come into direct contact with other bubbles and so reduce the chance of infection. A size of 10 - 20 students per bubble is what we see in schools that have already reopened.

Minimise changeovers

We must rethink timetables to ensure that students only move around the school if absolutely necessary. A group ‘bubble’ can use one room for the entire day, with teachers entering the room as necessary. Minimising changes within the classroom must also be examined. Assigning students a specific desk and chair, as well as personal equipment including stationery and resources, will minimise the risk of infection spreading.

Reorganise the space

Reorganise classrooms, opening up doors and windows, so that learning spaces are well ventilated and clutter free by removing all unnecessary furniture and equipment. Use of special-designed screens, placed on desks, can create safe work areas for individual students.

Many of the classrooms in SEK schools are designed to be flexible in their use, they can enlarge or reduce their spaces by sliding back partition walls to double or treble the room size. If you can, make full use of similar designs in the schools in Ireland.

Consider developing one-way systems in stairwells and bottleneck locations in the school. Signage on the floors and wall should also make it clear what social distancing looks like, so that all students know where they should be in relation to others.

Clean, clean, and clean again

Allow time for a deep clean of rooms between bubble sessions. Have cleaning staff working throughout the day for routine cleaning of toilets and any surfaces touched by students or staff.

Personal hygiene 

One of the most effective, yet simple, routines to implement is the importance of frequent and thorough handwashing. Everyone should wash/sanitise their hands when arriving at school, when entering any new space, at the end of every class, before eating, and before going home. To support this, have hand washing/sanitizer stations, and other hygiene items, readily available in every room and across the campuses.

Develop virtual classrooms

Until schools are fully open, many schools may need to implement blended learning, that is, a mixture of face-to-face teaching and learning online. In the event of a second wave of Covid-19, schools should also be mindful of investing in their readiness to return to online teaching. This does not only mean investing in hardware, laptops or tablets for students to use from home but also investing in the platforms and pedagogy needed to switch from the school classroom to the virtual classroom.

Since 2015, SEK has been developing a virtual work environment so that their students and teachers can work and study with their peers or independently anywhere and at any time. Throughout the lockdown, their teachers have still been able to teach ´live´ (synchronously), hold virtual science practical labs, and mix these with independent (asynchronous) lessons, with students able to access SEK´s extensive digital resources at home.

To prepare schools, Ireland must consider the best virtual learning platforms, and invest time into training staff and students how to use them. The SEK schools have made that a priority.

Consulting the whole school community 

The finer details of any protocol will need input from all sections of the school community. In preparing for students to have their own personal equipment packs, you will need to consult teachers; the art teacher will require different things than the science teacher. Individual risk assessments also need to be carried out. Staff and students might have medical needs that require specific attention or place them or a family member in a high-risk group.

SEK-Dublin International School is extremely well-prepared. The SEK leadership teams have taken advice and learned from best practice in schools worldwide and especially in Denmark, Switzerland and China. Whether it is about teaching and learning, or matters of health and safety, we can learn much from each other – Irish schools should do the same.