With schools reopening across the UK after a long break of around five months, many teachers and parents are feeling nervous about potential COVID-19 outbreaks. While studies have shown that younger children are less likely to transmit the virus than adults, older secondary age children, staff, and parents are still at risk.
It’s been proven that you are less likely to catch the virus outdoors (https://inews.co.uk/news/coronavirus-catch-outside-indoors-why-get-covid-19-explained-426628). By investing in outdoor school shelters, schools can make more outdoor space for children and parents and effectively reduce viral transmission on school premises.
1. Children can still play outside in poorer weather
It’s common practice to bring children indoors during poorer weather conditions at break times in many schools. By extending covered playing areas outdoors, children can play outside for longer and enjoy more space. This makes social distancing easier, and of course, reduces the chance of transmission during play because of better ventilation outdoors.
2. Shelters enable outdoor dining
Lunchtimes have been identified as one of the key risks in both primary and secondary schools because children are eating together in close proximity, with hands constantly going to mouths. By opening up the possibility for children to dine outside during better weather, you can reduce the risk of transmission during meal times significantly – and the kids will love it, too.
3. Bike shelters enable more children to get to school without using public transport
One of the biggest concerns about reopening schools is how many children may need to use public transport to get there – another source of potential infection. By ensuring your school has adequate bike and scooter shelters installed, you can encourage more children to cycle or scoot to school during the pandemic. This will make your school a safer place to be not just for students, but staff too.
4. Extending sheltered areas can ease congestion in busy spots
Many schools are struggling to organise pick-up and drop-off times when many parents are inevitably huddled around a small space. In good weather, it’s easy enough to encourage parents to space out, but in poor weather, people will naturally clump together in sheltered areas. Extending outdoor shelters near entrances can ease this congestion and reduce the likelihood of viral spread between parents and guardians.
5. Shelters open up the opportunity to teach outside
Over the past few years, much has been made of the benefits of outdoor learning https://www.lotc.org.uk/outdoor-learning-has-huge-benefits-for-children-and-teachers-so-why-isnt-it-used-in-more-schools/. By installing outdoor shelters, teachers can take to the playground for class, utilising the tools of the playground and school grounds to teach and using a sheltered classroom area for sit-down learning and writing up notes.
While outdoor shelters, both in schools and other busy environments, are more important than ever during the time of Covid-19, these shelters will also remain useful post-pandemic. Society has already learned its lesson from the coronavirus, and no doubt certain changes – such as improved personal hygiene, a rise in the popularity of open-air entertainment, and reduced reliance on public transport – are here to stay. For more advice and information on what kind of school shelters could work for your school, please just get in touch with us at Shelter Solutions