Please see the link below to the UK Prime Minister’s announcement made last night, Wednesday 8th December 2021.
Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
What has changed
The government has announced that England will move to Plan B in response to the risks of the Omicron variant.
This means:
- From 10 December, face coverings will be required by law in most indoor settings.
- From 13 December office workers who can work from home should do so.
- From 15 December, certain venues and events will be required by law to check that all visitors aged 18 years or over are fully vaccinated, have proof of a negative test in the last 48 hours, or have an exemption.
We would ask members to read through the guidance carefully and review and update their risk assessment policies and covid-19 policies in line with the advice on how to stay safe.
Please also see below the guidance for grassroots sport participants, providers and facility operators which gives advice on working safely in indoor settings such as sport centres etc …
Additionally, the government has updated its guidance for out of school settings – which also provide guidance
If you have an examination session booked with an examiner in attendance at your dance school please ensure you have checked your risk assessment and covid-19 policies in light of the announcement and carefully review your risk assessment for the examiner. Please keep in contact with your examiner and head office in case your session needs to be cancelled or postponed. Also please contact head office if you wish to change your face to face examination session to a Live Stream or Video examination session.
Please continue to use the guidance issued on face to face examinations during the pandemic, which was printed in the Alternative Examination Procedure Guide – see below.***
We have contacted all our Examiners to check they are still able to travel and attend face to face examination session and have asked them to keep in contact with the school principals and head office.
We hope that all examination sessions for your schools can take place in the next few weeks and in the New Year. We must emphasise the need to follow guidance issued and ensure changes to regulations are adhered to.
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Examinations UK and International with an Examiner Present
Everyone must comply with their Government’s regulations relating to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the UK and in countries in which an IDTA Examiner lives and works, the Examiner will be appointed to conduct your examination session in the normal way, by Head Office.
Principals. You will be required to contact the Examiner two weeks prior to your examination session with the timetable, a copy of your risk assessment and clear directions to the venue. Changes to the timetable must be advised to the Examiner 7 days prior to the session. Please email these to the examiner if possible rather than sending paper copies by post.
You must ensure a risk assessment has been carried out at your venue and that all reasonable precautions have been taken:
a) To ensure the safety of your candidates, their parents/guardians and staff.
b) To ensure the Examiner can enter and exit the building and studio safely and use the toilets at the venue.
If any candidates are unwell prior to the examination they must not be entered for the examination. You must comply with Government regulations if the candidate is suspected of having contracted Covid-19. If necessary the examination session will be rescheduled.
If any members of the teaching or support staff are unwell prior to the examination they must not attend. You must comply with Government regulations if the individual is suspected of having contracted Covid-19. If necessary the examination session will be rescheduled.
If the Examiner is unwell prior to the examination, they will advise the principal and Head Office and the examination session will be rescheduled.
Examiners will be instructed to bring with them their own food and drinks for the day and face covering if required or preferred. Comfort breaks and a lunch break must be scheduled into the timetable. Breaks should be a minimum of 15 minutes morning and afternoon, and 30 minutes for lunch. The maximum working day for an Examiner is 8 hours including breaks.
The Examiner’s table and chair must be cleaned prior to the Examiner’s arrival and hand sanitiser provided.
Report forms must be placed on the Examiner’s table, in the same order as the timetable, before the Examiner arrives to minimize contact. Also a paper copy of your risk assessment will be required, so that the Examiner can return this to Head Office, with the report forms.
Candidates when entering the examination room must not approach the Examiner’s table but should stand back the recommended distance (at least 2 meters) and introduce themselves; this distance or more must also be maintained, throughout the examination, whilst the candidates are dancing.
Reasonable Adjustments. Applications should be submitted as normal to Head Office with the Examination Session Request Form for processing and agreement.