Covid-19 Safe Studio Policy

Here at CTA Performing Arts we are committed, first and foremost, to the safety and wellbeing of our entire CTA community; staff, students, parents, family members and friends. Below outlines our return to studio and in-person class Safe Studio Policy. We have endeavoured to covered almost every scenario imaginable to ensure we can provide both our staff and families with the safest environment possible under the current climate.

  1. Students
    – Drop-off and Pick-up only
    – Staggered class times
    – Hand Hygiene—Sanitising Station at Studio Entry
    – No Touching Policy
    – Coughing and Sneezing
    – Are you sick?
    – Social Distancing
    – Water bottle use & hand towels for older students
    – Studio Safe Policy Consent
    – Rolls and attendance
    – Students who are ill in any way must stay home and not attend their classes
    – Zoom classes & In-person classes will run simultaneously
    – Students in multiple Classes – Staying in the Studio Between Classes
    – Acro Classes and use of mats
    – Student Bags and possessions

  2. Studio Set up and Safety
    – Studio Entry and Exit Procedure
    – Studio Sanitising Station and Signage
    – Closed Reception
    – Max 15 students per studio
    – Marked out Studios to maintain Social Distancing
    – Uniform Shop

  3. Staff
    – No hugs or physical contact
    – Unwell staff member plan

  4. Office/Administration
    – Office Hours
    – Our office will be manned remotely Monday to Friday and you can contact us via email

  5. Studio Cleaning
    – Disinfecting before and after classes
    – Waiting room
    – Toilets
    – Nightly full studio disinfect
    – Professional Deep Clean
    – Studio Signage

  6. Injury Management
    – Students requiring physical contact will be handled with gloves
    – First Aid will be administered with as much social distancing as practicable
    – Parents/Carers will be contacted where necessary asap
    – Injury requiring Ambulance

  7. Positive COVID-19 Case
    – Students/Family Requirements
    – Families will be notified
    – Anyone within close contact will be contacted directly
    – Confidentiality will be maintained
    – If you are COVID-19 positive or have been in contact with someone COVID-19 positive
    – Any student showing respiratory symptoms of any kind MUST NOT attend classes

  8. Pre-School Specific Class Information
    – Maximum Capacity for classes
    – How will we distance?
    – Props- What to bring
    – Parents Carers and Siblings
    – Hand Sanitiser and hand hygiene

  9. COVID-19 – More Information
    – World Health Organization​

1. Students

– Drop-off and Pick-up only
We are adopting a drop-off and pick-up at the door policy. Parents will not be permitted to enter the studio building. Students will be escorted in by a staff member and will report directly to their allocated studio after sanitising their hands.
Students will enter the studio by the main front door and exit the studio through our back door and through our car park and be picked up from our back entrance by our black car park gates.

– Staggered class times
Classes have and will be spaced to allow each class to leave the studio before the next class enters the building. If your child has classes back-to-back they will be permitted to stay in the building during this break.

– Hand Hygiene—Sanitising Station at Studio Entry
~ There is a sanitising station at the entry/exit to the studio and ALL students and staff will be required to use this station upon entry and exit from the building.

~There are non-touch hand sanitising stations in each studio.
~ Under 5’s will be provided with non-alcoholic hand sanitiser and it is recommended that hands are also washed with soap and water.
~ Hands must be washed with soap and water after using the bathrooms and teaching staff will be asking any students who use the bathroom to do so.

– No Touching Policy
We have adopted a ‘no hugs’ and ‘no touching’ policy within the studio. We understand this will be extremely hard as the first thing we will all want to do is to hug each other when we get to see everyone in person again, however, to keep everyone as safe and germ free as possible we will have to make sure we wave, jump and get excited, with space between us! Virtual Jazz hands and Virtual hugs!

– Coughing and Sneezing
Students are encouraged to cough into their elbow or use a tissue and dispose of it immediately. Tissues will be supplied in every studio for this use and bins will be enclosed and emptied regularly to dispose of these germs
We understand everyone sneezes and coughing is inevitable, however, if your child has a cough please keep them home

– Are you sick?
~ Students who are ill in any way must stay home and not attend their classes. If your child has or has had a temperature/fever within the last 24-48 hours please keep them home. If your child has any respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose, temperature/fever, fatigue, sore throat, irregular aches and pains, headache, shortness of breath), regardless of how mild, they are required to stay home and not attend their In-person dance class. You will be able to access your classes via zoom from home.
~ if COVID-19 starts spreading in our community anyone with even a mild cough or low-grade fever (37.3 C or more) needs to stay at home. You should also stay home if you have had to take simple medications, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin, which may mask symptoms of infection
~ Students at the Studio experiencing symptoms compatible with COVID-19 will be isolated in reception with supervision and be provided a mask. Students Parent/Carer will be contacted and the student will be required to be collected by a parent/carer as soon as possible
~ Has your child or someone in your family been diagnosed COVID-19 positive and your student has attended CTA in the past 7 days? Please refer to section 7 of our Safe Studio Policy and notify the studio IMMEDIATELY.

– Social Distancing
~ All students and staff are required to maintain social distancing measures by maintaining 2m distance apart at all times. Floors have been marked to ensure these distancing measures are maintained
~ Choreography that requires lifts or ‘touching’ will be modified to ensure no contact is made between children

– Use of Face Masks
~ Face masks are not compulsory at CTA. However, facemasks will be available for purchase to any student who requests one. For a face mask to be effective it needs to be secured firmly around the mouth and nose with minimal to no spaces for airborne droplets to get in. Our face masks are disposable and good for single use as suggested by WHO. If you plan to use face masks regularly you will need to invest in multiple disposable masks to ensure their efficacy. It is essential the mask is worn correctly and disposed of as soon as it becomes moist or after coughing or sneezing. Resources on the correct application, use, removal and disposal of face masks are available from the World Health Organization.

~ Students will be able to reattend the studio after returning a negative COVID-19 test result or after being fever free for 2 days (provided they show no COVID-19 symptoms that require 14 days isolation)

– Water bottle use & Hand towels (for older students)
~ All students are required to bring their own water bottle from home. We will not be providing cups or
allowing students to drink from the taps. Our Water Fountains are closed. Students will keep their water bottles in their ‘zones’ with them.
~ Older students are asked to bring a hand towel in a plastic bag with them to use if they become sweaty or need to wipe their face during class. These towels are NOT to be shared and will be taken home after each class. Please ensure these towels are changed or cleaned before bringing it in to the studio again.

– Studio Safe Policy Consent
All families are required to read and sign our CTA Safe Studio Policy Document before your student will be allowed to re-enter the studio.
This ensures everyone is aware of the procedures and policies in place to keep our community and families as safe as possible. If you have any concerns with any of the requirements and policies, these must be sent to us via email and a resolution sought before your child is able to enter the studio.

– Rolls and Attendance
Rolls and attendance will be taken every lesson to ensure records of attendance are maintained and if necessary contact tracing can occur. This will allow us to know who is in the building at all times and in the event of a positive COVID-19 case we will be able to take appropriate action to notify and isolate anyone at risk. For more details in regard to a potential positive COVID-19 case in the building please refer to section 7 of our Safe Studio Policy.

– Zoom classes & In-person classes will run simultaneously
All our In-person classes will continue to run streamed on Zoom as long as we have students accessing this
method of learning. If you do not feel comfortable entering the studio In-person, you will still be able to access your classes online via Zoom. This includes if your child is unwell, they will be able to access their classes from home.

– Students in multiple Classes – Staying in the Studio Between Classes
~ Students who have back-to-back classes will be permitted to stay in the studio between these classes.
~ Students who have multiple classes in an afternoon but have a ‘gap’ between them will be unable to remain at the studio during this gap/break. This is due to strict maximum capacity requirements within the building and unfortunately we will be unable to accommodate the extra student numbers in the reception while other classes run.

– Acro Classes and use of mats
~ Acro classes will continue to run using social distancing measures and with our no contact policy in place
~ We ask that Students bring their own mat from home to use if they have one, otherwise we will be using our vinyl mats that will be sanitised before and after each use .
~ Students will be required to bring a towel with them to class to place over the mats on the floor and this towel will need to be changed or washed after each use before being bought back into the studio

– Student Bags and possessions
~ Students are asked to only bring the dance items they require, minimal items and no personal items such as IPads, toys, other devices. These items have the potential to spread germs and should, where possible, remain at home and not be brought into the studio.
~ Dance Bags will be placed in the studio in allocated places.

2. Studio Set up and Safety

– Studio Entry and Exit Procedure
Students will be dropped off at the front entrance and be picked up at the back entrance.
– Studio Sanitising Station and Signage
~ The studio has a sanitising station at the entry and exit for all students and staff to use. Sanitiser is also
available and can be used in each studio. Disinfectant spray and wipes will be used on all hard surfaces regularly.
~ Tissues and bins are accessible in all studios and in the reception.
~ Each studio is stocked with hand and surface sanitising spray and disinfectant wipes.
~ Posters and signage posted around the studio must be followed and adhered to. This includes hand sanitation, social distancing, no-touching policy and cough and sneezing management.

– Closed Reception
~ Our Reception remains closed, and no parents, carers or family members will be permitted. This is to maintain social distancing and limited group gathering numbers set out by the government.

– Max 15 Students per Studio + teacher & teaching assistant
The studio building is currently allowed to have no more than 15 students in each studio at any given time. We have scheduled all our classes to ensure we remain at or under these numbers.

– Marked out studios to maintain Social Distancing
~ Each studio has been marked out with tape to ensure each student maintain 2m apart whilst dancing. Each box is taped in a different colour so it is easily recognisable to each student. Students are required to stay within their allocated space while dancing.
~ Students will not be participating in any partner work that requires any contact.
~ Students will enter and exit the studios 1 person at a time.

– Toilets
~ Students and staff are required to wash their hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds after using the restroom

– Shop
~You are able to purchase all our uniform online at our online shops. You may also purchase uniform outside of class and teaching hours in our reception shop for anything that you need. Contact the office on 020 8742 2861 to arrange a time for you to come in. Orders will be given to your child during class
~ We are unable to open the shop during class times at present.

3. Staff

– No hugs or physical contact
Staff will be enforcing (as much as it breaks our hearts) our no contact policy. Please discuss these policies with your child before returning to the studio so they understand why we aren’t allowed to hug or high five at the moment. We will be using other ways to show our studio love and are looking forward to sharing these with the students on return to the studio.

– Unwell staff member plan
~ If a Staff member is unwell they will not be permitted to teach at the studio, however, if they are well enough to teach from home and are ok to do so their class will be run online via Zoom for that days lessons
~ All students and families will be informed with sufficient time via email and text message if this is to occur
~ In the event a teacher is too unwell to teach their classes a replacement teacher will be sought and classes will run as normal in the studio.

4. Office/Administration

– Office Hours
Our physical office will be attended during classes where maximum capacity permits, parents/carers are not    permitted inside the building during class hours due to maximum capacity levels

– Our office will be manned remotely
The CTA office/administration will be manned remotely Monday to Friday and you can contact us preferably via email.

– Physical Office Hours
When maximum capacity allows our office will be manned and all necessary distancing and cleaning measures will take place as per our protocols.

5. Studio Cleaning
– Disinfecting before and after classes
All hard surfaces and equipment will be disinfected and wiped down before and after every class. This includes Barres, stereo equipment, door handles and light switches.

-Toilets
~ Toilets will be disinfected and cleaned and all surfaces wiped down.
~ Soap is available at every basin to ensure all students are able to wash their hands with soap and water after using the restrooms and will be refilled regularly.
~ Paper towels are provided and a bin to dispose of paper towel after washing hands.

– Nightly full studio disinfect
Each evening the entire studio will be cleaned and disinfected, all surfaces wiped and studios cleaned.

– Professional Deep Clean
Each week the studio will be professionally deep cleaned by a contract cleaning company and this frequency will be reviewed regularly and increased if necessary.

– Studio Signage
Please adhere to all studio signage and staff directions. Floor markings will be in place to ensure students     maintain their distance both within the studios and whilst using the restrooms. Wall posters are in place to give extra advice and directions.

6. Injury Management

– Students requiring physical contact will be handled with gloves
Gloves will be worn by any staff member required to provide physical contact (first aid) to a student due to an injury.

– First Aid will be administered with as much social distancing as practicable
Staff will remain socially distanced as much as is practicable whilst administering first aid. Where the injury requires close contact for first aid and safety reasons, staff will use gloves and students will be offered a mask to minimise this contact where possible whilst maintaining the safety and inhibiting further injury to the student.

– Parents/Carers will be contacted where necessary asap
In the event a student requires further attention a Parent/Carer will be contacted via phone asap following the event.

– Injury requiring Ambulance
An ambulance will be called for any Injury requiring further medical intervention. A Parent or carer will be notified asap as to this occurrence and all required injury documentation and procedures will be carried out in accordance with our CTA Injury Management Protocol.

7. Positive COVID-19 Case at CTA

– Students/Family Requirements
If you (or a family member) are diagnosed COVID-19 positive and have been in/at the studio within the last 7 days, you must isolate immediately and are required to inform the studio of your diagnosis as soon as possible.

– Families will be notified
All families will be informed by email within 12 hours of CTA being notified of a COVID-19 positive case having attended the studio

– Anyone within close contact will be contacted directly
Students/staff within close contact of the confirmed case will be contacted via email, text and phone call and will be required to self isolate as per the government recommendations and requirements.

– CTA is fully engaged with the NHS Test & Trace programme and the CTA measures outlined above supplement the NHS Test & Trace procedures implemented by the authorities.

– Confidentiality will be maintained
~ Confidentiality of personal details of students/families involved will be maintained and only pertinent information relevant to ensure the safety of all our CTA students and families will be provided to our CTA Dance Families. This includes the class the student/staff attended and the day and time.
~ Other personal details will only be provided to third parties when required by law, such as to Health and Government departments for the purpose of contact tracing and follow up.

– If you are COVID-19 positive or have been in contact with someone COVID-19 positive
Any student who is diagnosed COVID-19 positive or who has a come in contact with anyone diagnosed COVID-19 positive will be required to isolate for the minimum 14 day quarantine period or until they return a negative COVID-19 test result. This CTA provision follows government recommendations and requirements.

– Any student showing respiratory symptoms of any kind MUST NOT attend classes
Symptoms include: cough, runny nose, temperature/fever, fatigue, sore throat, irregular aches and pains, headache, shortness of breathe.

8. Pre School Classes Specific Information

– Maximum Capacity for classes
Our Pre School Classes will be capped at 12 students per class. If necessary each student may be accompanied by a Parent/Carer.
– How will we distance?
~ Our Pre School will dance if necessary with a Parent/Carer in the room to help encourage each student to maintain their distance and follow directions.
~ Our Pre School Students will each be given an allocated space and spot to stand in and will be directed on how and when to move to stay socially distanced.
~ Each student will bring their own props bag which CTA has provided and which is brought to each class.

– Props- What to bring
~ Props have been removed from the studio to decrease the potential spread of any germs through their use. We will continue to use props within our classes however, and parents need to bring their CTA Props bag to each class. CTA will not provide props if Props bags are not brought to class.

– Parents Carers and Siblings
~ Parents and Carers are able to come into the studio reception for Pre School classes.
~ If a Parent needs to come into class, they will be required to assist their child throughout class to help with maintaining social distance.
~ Parents/Carers are limited to one parent /carer per participating student allowed in the building.
~ Parents/carers are required to maintain social distancing measures whilst in Reception and will be able to use the seating provided as a guide.

– Hand Sanitiser and hand hygiene
We will provide our Pre-School with a non-alcoholic hand sanitiser on entry and exit to the studio. Alternatively, Parents and carers will have the option of washing their child’s hands in the restrooms with soap and water on entry to the studio. Parents and Carers will be required to use the alcoholic hand sanitiser provided or wash hands with soap and water.

9. COVID-19 – More Information

                  – World Health Organization
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus