The health and safety of our students, parents or guardians, instructors and wider community is important.  No-one wants to be in an environment where they do not feel safe.  During the coronavirus pandemic, everyone has been required to make many adjustments to reduce to spread of infection.  Martial arts training is no different – we also have to make adjustments.

A comprehensive risk assessment for face-to-face training during the coronavirus pandemic has been performed.  This document contains all of the adjustments which we will be making to make our training environment safe for everyone.  It follows recommendations and best practices published by Sports England and the UK government.

Before attending a face-to-face class please make sure that you have read it, you understand what to expect and what your role is.  If you are a parent or guardian of a student please take the time to explain these adjustments to your child and why they are important.

A summary of the adjustments after 19 July 2021:

• If you are ill, potentially have coronavirus symptoms, or may have been in contact with someone who has coronavirus symptoms please do not attend class until you have been tested and received confirmation that you do not have coronavirus.
• If you receive positive confirmation that you or someone in your household bubble has coronavirus please inform SBN Matt as soon as possible (email kswerith@gmail.com or call 07853957688).  This is important as he will need to ask others in the school and the wider Erith Leisure Centre community to isolate until they can be tested.
• Everyone must sanitise their hands as they enter the Leisure Centre, before they start class, and after class finishes.  Hand sanitiser will be available at the Leisure Centre reception and in the hall for everyone to use.
• Please sign in when you enter the Leisure Centre to allow for track and trace.  Please inform SBN Matt if your contact details change – he will also be keeping attendance records should he need to contact students, parents or guardians.
• Wearing a face mask is encouraged whilst in the Leisure Centre, but it is not mandatory.  Please be aware of your surroundings and others around you – if you are close proximity to others in an enclosed space then please be considerate by wearing your face mask.  Students will not be required to wear a face mask during training.
• Doors will be open to provide ventilation whenever possible or necessary.  If it gets too cold and the hall is not near to its ventilation capacity then the doors may be closed to keep heat in.  However if the hall is close to its ventilation capacity then the doors will be kept open to encourage airflow.  This could mean the hall gets cold – we recommend bringing additional layers just in case (especially for spectators).
• Bring your own water and equipment (e.g. weapons, where relevant).  Equipment sharing will be kept to a minimum, any shared equipment will be cleaned after each class (e.g. mats, focus pads).  Food and drink will also not be shared.
• Changing facilities will not be available as these cannot be regularly sanitised.  Toilets will be available and will be regularly sanitised by the Leisure Centre staff.

A summary of the adjustments up to 19 July 2021:

• If you are ill, potentially have coronavirus symptoms, or may have been in contact with someone who has coronavirus symptoms please do not attend class until you have been tested and received confirmation that you do not have coronavirus.
• If you receive positive confirmation that you or someone in your household bubble has coronavirus please inform SBN Matt as soon as possible (email kswerith@gmail.com or call 07853957688).  This is important as he will need to ask others in the school and the wider Erith Leisure Centre community to isolate until they can be tested.
• All household bubbles must remain socially distanced.  During class, markers will be placed on the floor to help students stay apart.  Additional benches will be put out along the sides of the hall for parents or guardians to sit distanced from each other.
• Everyone must sanitise their hands as they enter the Leisure Centre, before they start class, and after class finishes.  Hand sanitiser will be available at the Leisure Centre reception and in the hall for everyone to use.
• Please sign in when you enter the Leisure Centre to allow for track and trace.  Please inform SBN Matt if your contact details change – he will also be keeping attendance records should he need to contact students, parents or guardians.
• If you are able to, please wear a face mask whilst in the Leisure Centre.  Students will not be required to wear a face mask during training, but will be required to whilst walking around the Leisure Centre.  Parents and guardians are required to keep their face masks on whilst spectating.
• Parents and guardians will be allowed to spectate whilst their children train.  However only one parent or guardian will be allowed per household please.   This is to reduce the number of people in the Leisure Centre.
• Doors will be open to provide ventilation.  This could mean the hall gets cold – we recommend bringing additional layers just in case.
• Bring your own water and equipment (e.g. weapons, where relevant).  Equipment will not be shared between participants.  Food and drink will also not be shared.
• Changing facilities will not be available as these cannot be regularly sanitised.  Toilets will be available and will be regularly sanitised by the Leisure Centre staff.

It’s really important that everyone follows these adjustments.  Failure to may not just impact our Martial Arts community, but also other users of Erith Leisure Centre and their families, as we share the same environment.

If you have any questions or concerns please get in contact.  We’re happy to answer any questions you may have – it’s important that you know how to keep yourself and everyone else safe, and that you feel comfortable within the school.