Woodland View Primary School

Dear all
I am writing in response to parent concerns around hand washing at school. I understand that some children’s
hands are becoming sore.

I want to reassure you that this is not down to sanitizer chemicals or harsh soap. We
replaced our chemical based soap, before your children returned in September, with a full buttermilk soap. We
chose it as it adds moisture to the skin and can nourish dry skin as it is marketed as gentle and kind for repeated
handwashing.

We believe that red skin irritations are most likely down to the children not drying their hands
completely and then going out to play in the recently reduced temperatures. We will endeavour to support the
children to ensure their hands are dry and we ask that you speak to them at home about drying their hands
carefully. We have baby lotion in school for children to use if their hands are sore. Unfortunately, we can’t have
individual soaps or creams in school as in order to comply with our Health and Safety regulations, anything
used in our classrooms has to have official COSHH regulation sheets with it.

I understand that people are concerned about routines in school and the amount of times children are washing
their hands but the steps we are taking are from the Government Guidance. So far, touch wood, we have not had
to close any bubble within school and send your children home for two weeks, we are pleased with this as many
schools have had whole year groups having to isolate at home. We believe that this may be partly down to the
strict routines and measures within school which includes hand washing, mask wearing, staggered times and our
one-way system.

Your support for these measures has meant that we have kept our children and staff as safe as
possible and ensured limited disruption to their education. We know there is the possibility we will have a
positive case in school sooner or later but we are working hard to make that as small a possibility as we can.

Can I please therefore urge you to continue that support for our safety measures and if you are worried then
please speak to your class teacher or the school office. We are all in this together and so far our cooperation is
working well.

Many thanks
Ruby Grey