This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies - Behaviour Management; Anti-Bullying; Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety.
To comply with the Isle of Man Children’s Plan and to ensure that we properly protect the children attending Braddan Primary School, the Safeguarding policies of the Isle of Man Department of Education and Children will be wholly adopted by the school. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that the 5 key outcomes of Essentials for Learning are met:
Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying Life, Achieving Making a Positive Contribution and Prospering
At Braddan Primary School the health and safety of all children is of paramount importance and the school aims to provide a secure environment in which all children can flourish. In order to support this a wide range of measures are put in place:
Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policies
The school has detailed behaviour and anti-bullying policies that are updates with staff on an annual basis and is shared with pupils and parents.
The school has a detailed health and safety policy, which is monitored regularly. The Headteacher, and the Governors oversee the policy. Each term there is a fire drill that practices efficient evacuation from the buildings.
First Aid
In school we aim for the majority of staff to be trained in first aid by St Johns Ambulance, and this training is retaken every three years. There are a number of first aid kits situated around school. When a child is poorly, or has suffered an accident in school or on the playground there is a protocol for staff to follow:
• The incident is logged in the accident book
• For all head injuries an additional head injury form is completed and parents are informed
• If an injury is serious, an ambulance will be called and the parent directed to meet the child at Noble’s Hospital.
The Head monitors the accident book and head injury forms on a daily basis.
Lunchtime staff record incidents between pupils in log books that are monitored closely by the Head and SENCO as appropriate.
Staff are made aware of behaviour issues involving specific pupils through the school staff wiki site.
Asthma:children who require an asthma inhaler should register this need with the School Office on the form provided and inhalers must be in school AT ALL TIMES. Staff will check that asthma inhalers are available before leaving a classroom for any activity elsewhere in the grounds of the school or for any off site activity.
Epipens: these are stored in named bags in the main office for pupils to whom they are prescribed. Staff have regular training updates on the use of these.
If children soil themselves they will be offered the opportunity to clean themselves up and given a fresh set of clothing (parents will be informed). In extreme cases particularly with very young pupils, the Senior Education Support Officers will clean the child if necessary in the presence of another member of staff. Parents may be asked to come in if a child is very upset.
All staff who work at the school who come into contact with children and in whom the children have trust will be given appropriate CPD in matters relating to Safeguarding. It is an expectation that all staff undertake the Department level 1 Safeguarding training.
All matters relating to child protection will be reported to the designated Child Protection Officer, the Headteacher, Mrs Oates, or in her absence the Deputy Headteacher, Mrs Trimble. They will deal with the matter using the guidance provided in The Safeguarding Children Board (SCB) Inter-agency Child Protection Procedures.
Medical Register
Some pupils have medical conditions or requirements that it is important for other staff to know about. The school keeps a register of this information alongside a photograph of each of these children. This information is shared with those adults working regularly with these children, including lunchtime ancillaries. The information is shared in line with the DEC information sharing guidance.
Risk Assessments
These are carried out for any activities or events deemed appropriate, following Department guidance. All teaching staff have undertaken ‘evolve’ training to support the planning of off-site visits and associated risk assessments.
Site security
Braddan Primary School aims to provide a secure site, but the site is only as secure as the people who use it. Therefore all people on the site have to adhere to the rules, which govern it. Laxity can cause potential problems to safeguarding.
Therefore:
• All external doors should be closed and locked during teaching hours to prevent intrusion.
• Visitors must only enter through the main entrance and sign in the visitors book.
• All staff have a responsibility to question or challenge persons as to their presence on school property.
• Children will only be allowed home with adults with parental responsibility or confirmed permission.
• Children should never be allowed to leave school alone during school hours, and if collected by an adult, they should be signed out.
• Should a child leave the school premises without permission then staff have been informed never to chase after a child, but rather to report immediately to the office. Then parents and police will be informed of the circumstances.
Attendance
Excellent attendance is expected of all children, but when children are unwell parents are expected to confirm absence by telephone. If there is no notification school has a policy of phoning home after 9.30am to ascertain each child’s whereabouts. The school works closely with the ELO whenever a child’s attendance and punctuality causes concern. Attendance rates are reported each month to the Department of Education. Parents are informed if their child’s attendance falls below 80% (including authorised / unauthorised absences.)
Appointments of staff and induction of newly appointed staff and work placements
All staff that are appointed to work in school have a criminal records search called a CRB check. This search highlights people who have a criminal record or if previous allegations have been made them. It is the responsibility of all staff to familiarise new staff with procedures and policy, which affect the health and safety of all at school but especially the children.
Secondary school students who are on work placements should not be left unattended with pupils.
Volunteers
Volunteers regularly come into school to help. As long as this support is carried out under the direct supervision of the class teacher, and they are not working along with children, a police check is not absolutely necessary. However volunteers helping with swimming all need to have a paolice check carried out.
Child Protection Policy
The designated adult for Child Protection is Mrs Oates, the Headteacher. In her absence Mrs Trimble will undertake this role. This school follows the guidelines in the Isle of Man Education Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2008 which asserts that physical restraint may be used if there is the possibility that a child may be about to cause harm to him/ herself or to another. It also asserts that on no occasion should such physical contact be used as a punishment.
Photographing and videoing
At Braddan we adopt an approach which allows parents to photograph and film providing they follow certain guidelines:
• Parents consent to school taking photographs by signing a permission slip.
• Parents are informed that under no circumstance should they upload any images of other pupils onto the internet or any social network.
• School photographs that are for use outside of school are used to celebrate successes and permission is sought from each parent in writing that they are happy that images of their child can be used form time to time in this way, either in print or on the school’s website.
e-safety
All members of staff are required to adhere to the Department of Education and Children Acceptable Use Policy for ICT. The school has an e-safety policy, and an acceptable use policy in place for pupils who may take Department equipment home (laptops, i-pads, i-pods).
Team – Teach
From time to time it may be necessary to restrain a pupil in order to stop them causing harm to themselves, others or to property. A number of staff within school are trained on the use of positive handling and de-escalation through ‘team-teach’ training.
Mrs Oates
January 2018