Covid Secure Policy – Updated 1st April 2021
Please be assured Donahey’s number one priority is our pupils & teachers safety, and to this end we will always be following the latest UK government guidelines and regulations.
As a team we are working with our venues towards the re-opening of our weekly Ballroom Dance Lessons, providing them with our Covid-19 Risk Assessment & Protocols.
We are pleased to be able to re-open our Plymouth & Kingsbridge weekly lessons from Monday 17th May 2021 onwards.
As with most things, our dance lessons look and feel different as we implement our new safety measures. Lessons will be restricted in numbers and pre-booking is essential.
Donahey’s will of course continue to monitor and fully comply with all UK government guidelines.
We will be in touch with all our pupils in due course to confirm re-start dates, times & venues. Sadly due to the current situation, at this time we are unable to offer places for pupils without a partner, we sincerely apologise for this and hope to be able to do so in the future.
We warmly look forward to welcoming you all back onto the dance-floor very soon
Best Wishes,
Paul, Shirley & the team
Donahey’s Dance School – Covid-19 Secure Policy & Risk Assessment
In line with the UK Government’s restrictions, throughout the entire session all pupils should not mix with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know
Pre-opening
No seating or table furniture in place, or to be used.
Hall inspected to ensure clean and ready for lesson
Windows & doors opened for continuous fresh air ventilation during the lessons.
Contactless registration desk set-up
Round Stickers placed on the dance-floor to mark each spot where a couple can learn from. Stickers placed 3m apart
Pupil Arrival
Face coverings compulsory for pupils when entering and leaving the building and whilst using the stairwells, foyer and corridors – unless a pupil has exempt status.
Pupils should arrive through the main entrance and proceed one-way into the hall.
Pupils should enter the building on-time for their session and arrive no earlier to avoid congestion.
Pupils should arrive changed and ready to dance with minimal additional belongings. Any personal belongings should be placed in a bag.
Strictly no spectators
Strictly no food to be brought onto the premises, one drink per person.
All Pupils should observe current UK Government Respiratory guidelines ‘Catch It, Bin It, Kill It’
Check-In
Pupils must be spaced 2m apart for check-in.
Only pre-registered pupils with; Name, Telephone number and Email address admitted.
Pupils must pay in advance of attendance, or use contactless payment upon arrival.
A record kept for ‘NHS Track & Trace’ with who has entered the building together with duration of visit.
Our check in registration requires confirmation that any person entering our premises is well and not showing any symptoms of Covid-19, has not been in contact with an infected person, nor have they recently returned from a quarantine listed country.
Pupils mandatory use of Automatic hand sanitiser at check-in.
Lessons
Our lesson planning has been reorganised to limit class size, offer increased distance based on the relevant range of movement and based on cubic meters of each hall (length x width x ceiling height)
A verbal safety warning & social distancing advisory by the teacher at the beginning of each class
Only members of the same household or same social bubble permitted to dance together
One couple per 3m x 3m space
No changing partners or pairing up of single pupils
Customers encouraged to use automatic hand sanitisers throughout the lesson.
At an elementary level Ballroom and progressive Latin American move at a comparatively sedentary pace in an anti-clockwise direction around the dance floor. There is a reduced range of movement permitted and between couples always allow a distance of 3M.
In the more static dances, such as Salsa, Rumba, Cha Cha, Jive, similar rules apply. Due to non-progressive movement, couples will be using their 3m x 3m space to allow rotational type movement.
Instruction duration has been reduced to a 50 minute unit for all lessons – this is to allow changeover time and to ensure pupils can leave safely before others arrive.
This time is also used for disinfecting surfaces such as door handles and other items and maintaining a safety check before admitting the next lesson.
There will be no half-time break during each lesson, pupils should stay hydrated throughout and drink regularly
Toilet use should be kept to a minimum and strictly limited to one person at a time.
Pupil Departure
Pupils should leave one-way out of the hall, directly through the fire-exit door.
Pupils should not loiter in groups outside following the lesson
Teachers
All teachers issued & trained with Donahey’s Covid-19 Safe Policies
Teachers to wear face coverings during check-in.
Teachers able to wear a face mask or face shield during tuition. Where teachers chose to wear a face mask when physically dancing, teachers should ensure they take regular & frequent breaks without face coverings to ensure they don’t start to feel faint due to lack of oxygen.
No teachers to dance with pupils.
Teachers must maintain a minimum 2m distance from pupils.
Teachers and Customers are to limit face to face working and physical contact work facing away from each other when possible
Teachers should avoid raising their voices, where possible teachers to use Headset Mic to avoid shouting.
Music played at a low level to prevent shouting.
Accident or Emergency
In an emergency, for example, an accident, provision of first aid or fire, people do not have to stay appropriately distanced if it would be unsafe.
People involved in the provision of assistance to others should pay particular attention to sanitation measures immediately afterwards including washing hands & hand sanitisation.
PPE equipment available for designated first aiders.
Additional Information
All Pupils will receive notification of our new health and safety procedures by Email, in written form & through signage upon entry.
This health and Safety document has been expanded from our usual Health and Safety plan and has been created in line with the UK governments guidance on the return of grassroots sport & Coronavirus guidance;
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/providers-of-grassroots-sport-and-gym-leisure-facilities
Donahey’s have followed closely the government’s ‘Rule of 6’ guidance and confirm that organised Dance & Exercise classes provided by a qualified/recognised coach in a Covid secure environment, can continue under the latest guidance. As updated & published by the UK government on 22nd September 2020;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
Extracted;
2.10 There are exceptions where groups can be larger than 6 people, including:
Organised indoor sport or exercise classes can take place in larger numbers, provided groups of more than 6 do not mix.
3.15 From 24 September, organised indoor sport and indoor exercise classes can continue to take place with larger numbers present, provided groups of more than six do not mix.
Continual monitoring & implementation of the latest government guidance
Prepared by: Paul Donaghey
Date of risk assessment: 9th September 2020
Risk Assessment Updated: 15th September 2020, 27th October 2020, 18th November 2020, 27th November 2020, 2nd December 2020
Next review due date: 16th December 2020
Copyright © 2021 Donahey’s Dance School. All Rights Reserved
Refund Policy
Donahey’s are organising ‘Dance Lessons’ with limited places available, plus due to social distancing requirements we have even fewer places available.
To maintain the commercial viability of running those dance lessons, unfortunately we are unable to offer refunds or postponement if guests become unable to attend due to Covid-19, or any other reason, and the dance lesson is still able to go ahead under national & local guidelines.
Unfortunately we would be unable to replace your booking at such short notice.
Should one of our Learn To Dance In A Day’s be postponed due to local or national Covid-19 restrictions, we will offer you a no cost transfer to the postponed Dance In A Day at the same venue.
Or you may choose to switch to a different weekend or venue the following year – the choice is yours.
Alternatively, if the postponed date doesn’t work for you we will offer you a full & immediate refund less a small booking fee.
