Update on Covid-19 Procedures – August 2021

Whilst technically social distancing is not an absolute requirement moving forward, guidance is still on the side of caution and so we ask if you could please read the guidelines below and follow the school’s procedures so that we can keep everyone as safe as possible.

Preparation for Class

In order to keep transitions between classes as simple as possible, we ask that you stick to the previous guidelines:-

1. Students must arrive in their dance clothes and with their hair ready for class.
2. Students should wear a track suit or equivalent (preferably with a zipped/front opening top). Footwear should be easy to remove and put on again (slip on shoes or Velcro fastenings for the youngest students please).
3 Students may have one bag containing ballet shoes, character things and pointe shoes where applicable, and a bottle of water. No additional bags and no toys (sorry littlies!). We must keep the things we bring in to class to an absolute minimum.

Arrival for Class

Whilst parents and guardians are now allowed on the premises, we would like to keep numbers in the building to a minimum. This is mainly because the waiting area is not very big – lots of people means lots of close contact. So, with this in mind:-

Please do not arrive too early for class.
Wherever possible, please limit parents/guardians to one per student.
Hand sanitiser will be available for everyone to use, both at the door and at various points throughout the building.
Students should be ready for class (outdoor clothes removed, ballet shoes on, all belongings in a bag) before entering the studio.
- Students who are Pre-Primary and above will bring their bags into the studio (this will speed things up at the end of class – see Departure from Class below).
- Students who are in Twinkle Toes and Fancy Feet – we will do things slightly differently, see Departure from Class below).
Wherever possible, please leave the premises for the duration of the class and return to collect students at the end of class.

We completely understand that parents/guardians of the youngest students and new starters may wish to stay in the building whilst their child is in class. (Frankly it is helpful to the teaching staff for toilet trips). But if your child is used to you not staying, we would like to encourage you not to stay for the time being.

For those parents who do stay please note we are still not able to provide tea and coffee.

During Class

Students will still be socially distancing.
Hands will be sanitised upon entering and leaving the studio
Belongings will be deposited in socially distanced places within the room.
Use of props will be reintroduced, with cleaning between uses.
We are still unable to provide spare shoes, hand out stickers or award ballet beanies. This will be revised at half term and if appropriate we will make them available again.
Teaching staff will still be socially distancing.
Toilet visits will be kept to a minimum.

Departure from Class

Students Pre-Primary and above will dress themselves before leaving the studio. Students will then be escorted to the waiting area to parents/guardians.
Twinkle Toes and Fancy Feet Students – parents will be asked into the studio at the end of class to dress children.
We respectfully ask you to leave as soon as class is over to keep numbers in the waiting area to a minimum.
Please remember that late arrival for collection, will also impact numbers in the waiting area.

Timetable Changes

For many of you there have again been changes in the times of classes. This is because we no longer need to allow time between every class for cleaning, and so class times have been adjusted accordingly.

However, on Saturdays we have not completely reverted to the old system of an immediate turnaround. There are now 5 minutes between a class finishing and the next one starting. This should hopefully mean less congestion at crossover times between classes.

Fingers crossed any changes in class time will only be because students have moved up a Grade into the next class or because they are taking additional classes!

I am sorry for the dictatorial nature of the above, it really isn’t my style at all, but the ongoing situation requires we continue to make adjustments to the way we would normally do things.

Jo Laud – Principal

Laud Ballet School