Staff Policies

Edits from 2019-2020

All policies now include :

This policy should be read in conjunction with the schools COVID-19 Policy. Due to the ongoing pandemic there may be some aspects of this policy which may suddenly change or be placed on hold.

Acceptable Use of ICT for Staff and Staff Handbook

New bullet points…

You must be aware of what is on your screen and potentially viewed by pupils when accessing the internet using a ‘teacher’ log-in/user. Teachers must prepare internet searches prior to pupils’ arrival and the start of a lesson.
Pupils should only use laptops when logged in as ‘Student’. Student user settings have appropriate restrictions.
Teachers should closely monitor and scrutinise what their pupils are accessing on the iPads and laptops.
‘Teacher’ user settings do not hold any restrictions when accessing the internet. Under no circumstances must you open the internet to search for something when your Interactive Whiteboard is on and the children can see the screen.
When using a search engine to research, the children should be taught to use Kiddle rather than Google. This is a child friendly search engine site.
The school does not allow the use of Smart watches by teachers during the working day.

Behaviour Policy

Added…

COVID-19

This policy should be read in conjunction with the schools COVID-19 Policy. Due to the ongoing pandemic there may some aspects of this policy which may suddenly change or be placed on hold.

The school recognises that during the Spring Term 2020 parents have worked hard to support children at home to continue their education. Some school cultures, norms and routines may have been disrupted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and some pupils may have been exposed to a range of adverse experiences.

The schools aim is to settle all pupils back into a happy, healthy school routine from September 2020.

The expectations within this policy continue to be upheld in line with the reopening of full-time school from September 2020. This includes attendance expectations. Pupils required to be in full time school will be expected to reintegrate back into school life from September 2020.

Certain behaviours are now considered more serious due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, for example purposefully coughing on someone. This kind of behaviour will be dealt with in an age appropriate manner and parents will be informed.

First Aid Policy

COVID-19 Illness section added.

Online Safety Policy

Appendix A – Acceptable Use of ICT for Staff Updated

Risk Assessment Policy

Added …..

COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak is dynamic and changing daily, if not hourly, and there are now many agencies providing information. The school takes guidance from Department for Education (DfE) and Independent schools Association (ISA).

The schools COVID-19 Risk Assessment identifies and assesses risks and describes methods of controlling those risks. We recognise that this risk assessment must be a fluid process, updated whenever advice, circumstances, or any of the assessed risk factors are seen to have changed.

Visitors and Volunteers Policy

Added….

COVID-19

Visitors will only be permitted by advance arrangement and declaration of good health. Visitors will be asked to continue to follow any government guidelines including two metre social distancing during their visit.

Safeguarding Policy

‘Supply teachers’ have been added within ‘Managing Allegations’ section.

Role of the DSL

Added…

The DSL should help promote educational outcomes by sharing the information about the welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues that children, including children with a social worker, are experiencing, or have experienced, with teachers and school and college leadership staff.

NPCC- When to call the police should help designated safeguarding leads understand when they should consider calling the police and what to expect when they do.

https://www.npcc.police.uk/documents/Children%20and%20Young%20people/When%20to%20call%20the%20police%20guidance%20for%20schools%20and%20colleges.pdf

Definition of Safeguarding has changed

Safeguarding is defined for the purposes of this guidance as: protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development;

Child at Risk

Added….

All staff should be aware that safeguarding incidents and/or behaviours can be associated with factors outside the school and/or can occur between children outside of the school environments. All staff, but especially the designated safeguarding lead (and deputies) should consider whether children are at risk of abuse or exploitation in situations outside their families. Extra-familial harms take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple harms including (but not limited to) sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, and serious youth violence.

Added….

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

CCE is where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child into any criminal activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or (c) through violence or the threat of violence. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. CCE does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

CCE can include children being forced to work in cannabis factories, being coerced into moving drugs or money across the country, forced to shoplift or pickpocket, or to threaten other young people.

Some of the following can be indicators of CCE:

children who appear with unexplained gifts or new possessions;
children who associate with other young people involved in exploitation;
children who suffer from changes in emotional well-being;
children who misuse drugs and alcohol;
children who go missing for periods of time or regularly come home late;

and

children who regularly miss school or education or do not take part in education.

Added…..

Children who need a social worker:

Children may need a social worker due to safeguarding or welfare needs. Children may need this help due to abuse, neglect and complex family circumstances. A child’s experiences of adversity and trauma can leave them vulnerable to further harm, as well as educationally disadvantaged in facing barriers to attendance, learning, behaviour and mental health. Local authorities should share the fact a child has a social worker, and the designated safeguarding lead should hold and use this information so that decisions can be made in the best interests of the child’s safety, welfare and educational outcomes. This should be considered as a matter of routine.

Where children need a social worker, this should inform decisions about safeguarding (for example, responding to unauthorised absence or missing education where there are known safeguarding risks) and about promoting welfare (for example, considering the provision of pastoral and/or academic support, alongside action by statutory services).

Radicalisation

Definition of terrorism has been added

Terrorism is an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use or threat must be designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause

Online Safety

Added….

The school is committed to keeping children safe online ‘including when they are online at home’

Procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against staff members, supply teachers, volunteers and the Head Teacher

Added…..

This about managing cases of allegations that might indicate a person would pose a risk of harm if they continue to work in regular or close contact with children in their present position, or in any capacity with children in the school. This should be followed where it is alleged that anyone working in the school including supply teachers and volunteers has:

behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;
possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child;
behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk of harm to children;