Aim
To have in place a clear protocol and procedure, which is understood and implemented by all staff, Academy Councillors, visitors (including Contractors) and parents. The aim is to ensure that students at our Academy can learn and enjoy extra- curricular experiences, in an environment where they are safe from harm.
Visitors are very welcome to our Academy; however, it is our Academy’s responsibility to ensure that the security and well-being of our students is uncompromised at all times.
The Academy has a legal duty of care for the health, safety and wellbeing of all students and staff. This duty of care incorporates the duty to ‘safeguard’ all students from being subjected to any form of harm or abuse. It is the responsibility of the Academy Council and the Principal to ensure that this duty is always implemented.
In performing this duty, the Academy Council recognises that there can be no complacency where child protection and safeguarding procedures are concerned. The Academy therefore requires that ALL VISITORS (without exception) comply with the following policy and procedure.
Responsibility
Our Designated Lead Persons are Lis Jolley, Principal and Clara White, DSL. They are the members of staff responsible for the implementation, coordination, dissemination, and review of these procedures. All breaches of this policy must be reported to the Designated Leads.
Where and to whom the procedures apply
The Academy is deemed to have control and responsibility for its students anywhere on the Academy site, during normal Academy hours, during after Academy activities, and on Academy organised (and supervised) off-site activities.
The procedure applies to:
- All teaching and non-teaching staff employed by the Academy
- All external visitors/contractors entering the Academy site during the Academy day or for after Academy activities
- All Academy Councillors of the Academy
- All parents
- All students
- Other education related personnel (County Council staff, Inspectors, health care professionals)
- Buildings and Maintenance Contractors / Engineers
Protocol and procedures
Planned visitors (unchecked by CLF) to the Academy
All visitors to the Academy will be asked to provide formal identification at the time of their visit.
- The Academy office/ reception staff must be informed of all pre-arranged visitors to the Academy.
- Prior to the visit, the admin team should ascertain whether the visitor meets our safeguarding protocols – see appendix 1, 2 and 3
- Admin should determine whether the visitor should be always accompanied or whether the visitor is able to be unaccompanied whilst in the Academy.
- Visitors who have not been cleared should wear a yellow lanyard. Only fully cleared visitors should wear a blue lanyard.
- Contractors who have a DBS in place and can lone work or those who need to be accompanied will be given a Blue High Vis jacket. Meaning they are able to lone work. A Red High Vis jacket means that the contractor requires member of staff to be present. Please challenge if you see a contractor without academy/premises staff.
- All visitors should be greeted at the fob-controlled visitor gate and escorted to the Academy office.
- All visitors must report to the Academy office first and should not enter the Academy via any other entrance.
- At reception, all visitors must state the purpose of their visit and who has invited them. They should be ready to produce formal identification which must be a photographic ID and an original DBS on their first visit to the Academy.
- All visitors will be asked to sign the Visitors’ Record Book (which is always kept in the Academy office), making note of their name and who they are visiting, car registration number (if applicable) and arrival time.
- All visitors will be required to wear an identification lanyard, the lanyard must remain visible throughout their visit.
- All visitors should be made aware of whom the designated lead is for child protection and that any safeguarding concerns should be reported to them. Written guidance will be provided to visitors containing this information. There is a safeguarding board located in the foyer.
- The written guidance will also provide information on Health and safety, emergency procedures and first aid.
- Visitors will then be escorted to their point of contact OR their point of contact will be asked to come to the Academy office to receive the visitor. The contact will then be responsible for them while they are on site.
- On departing the Academy, visitors should leave via the main Academy entrance and:
- Enter their departure time in the Visitors’ Record Book alongside their arrival entry.
- Return the identification badge to the Academy office.
Please note:
If a planned visitor fails to arrive with appropriate identification, they will not be permitted to have unsupervised contact with a child. See further guidance on DBS checks – appendix 1
It may not be possible to facilitate a visit if you arrive earlier or later than your designated appointment time.
Unknown/unplanned visitors to the Academy
- All visits to the Academy should be planned in advance.
- Any visitor arriving who is not expected, may be refused entry to the Academy.
- Any visitor on the Academy site who is not wearing an identity lanyard (blue or yellow) should be challenged politely to enquire who they are and their business at the Academy.
- They should then be escorted to the Academy office to sign the Visitors’ Record Book and be issued with a lanyard.
- In the event that the visitor refuses to comply, they should be asked to leave the site immediately and the Principal (or the Teacher-in Charge) should be informed promptly.
- The Principal (or the Teacher-in-Charge) will consider the situation and decide if it is necessary to inform the police.
- If an unknown / uninvited visitor becomes abusive or aggressive, they will be asked to leave the site immediately and warned that if they fail to leave the Academy grounds, police assistance will be called for.
- The Academy will follow lock down procedures.
Academy Councillors
- All Academy Councillors must comply with the Disclosure and Barring Service checks as required, as well as the recruitment checks as outlined by CLF HR. There is also relevant safeguarding training that must also be completed.
- New Academy Councillors will be made aware of and must become familiar with other CLF safeguarding procedures as part of their induction. This is the responsibility of the Principal. (see section on linked policies and procedures)
Contractors/ Work people
- Contractors/ work people should follow the procedures set out in visitors unchecked by CLF if booked on an emergency basis.
- Regular Contractors booked through our PQQ system should all be DBS checked and their organisation should have provided a letter of assurance (LOA). These contractors’ visits should be prearranged, and they should provide evidence of their DBS and show photographic ID on arrival.
- The name of the contractor on site must be listed on the LOA for them to work unaccompanied on site.
- All contractors on site, must be on the LOA. It is not acceptable for 1 contractor to facilitate the supervision of another contractor who is not covered by the LOA (their name does not appear on the LOA)
- All contractors should have made an appointment to attend the academy and the purpose of their visit should be made clear.
- Contractors arriving unannounced may be turned away if the Academy cannot facilitate their visit.
- We request that all contractor visits are booked for 3pm onwards to enable the contractors to work without children being present unless the CLF estates team are facilitating the visit, or it is an emergency.
Staff development
As part of their induction, new staff will be made familiar with this policy and be asked to always ensure compliance with its procedures. In addition, all staff complete an annual training course on safeguarding and the CLF Code of Conduct, EDI, Data Protection and Health and Safety and are expected to have read KCSIE (Keeping children safe in education).
Smoking including e-cigarettes and vaping.
The Academy has a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all adults and children at Academy. The No Smoking Policy is designed to secure a non-smoking healthy and safe environment to protect the staff, students and students, visitors, and contractors from the effects of tobacco smoke at the Academy and to ensure compliance with the Smokefree (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007. The No Smoking Policy is designed to ensure a healthy and safe working environment in compliance with the Health Act 2006. This is in the context that medical evidence continues to reinforce the link between inhalation of smoke both directly or by passive smoking and serious illness or the exacerbation of pre-existing health problems.
- The Academy has obligations to ensure the well-being of all members of staff, students and stake holders. To facilitate this and in the interests of providing a pleasant working environment for all, the Academy prohibits all types of smoking (including e-cigarettes and vaping) on the Academy premises at any time.
- The enforcement of the no smoking policy will be the responsibility of all designated responsible persons within the Academy. The Academy’s disciplinary procedure will apply for dealing with employees who breach the smoking ban at work.
- Any stakeholder found to be in breach of this policy will be asked to leave the premises and the Academy site.
- There are NO designated smoking areas within the Academy site.
- Staff are requested to refrain from smoking within the vicinity of the Academy site and if offsite, whilst supervising students, to enforce a comprehensive approach.
- The smoking ban will apply to all activities held on Academy site irrespective of whether held within Academy or outside of Academy hours, or within term time or within Academy holidays. It will also apply for those adults who are working with young people off site during academy hours whilst in the presence of the young people.
Linked policies and procedures
This policy should be read in conjunction with other related policies and guidance including:
- Safeguarding policy
- Employment Manual
- Code of Conduct
- Health and Safety policy
- Data Protection Policy
- Safer recruitment policy
- Additional policies – Whistle blowing, all documents and procedures linked to Prevent
- Keeping Children Safe in Education
Appendix 1
Blue Lanyard For fully cleared and vetted visitors only
Yellow Lanyard For any visitor who has not been fully cleared and vetted
Appendix 2
Guidance on DBS checks
Visitors – Checked (e.g Supply staff from an agency or Sirona Nurse)
These visitors will have been checked by their employer. The employer will need to provide us with a LOA (Letter of Assurance) and we ask that the visitor brings photographic ID and their original DBS. The details of the DBS – date of issue and number should be recorded on the SCR and should match the details provided on the LOA. These visitors are not permitted to support another member of their team who does not appear on the LOA.
Visitors – unchecked (e.g. emergency contractor)
There is no requirement for the individual to have a CLF DBS, however it is imperative that this visitor is always escorted whilst on site. Under no circumstances should this visitor be left alone with children.
Contractors
In most cases these visitors will be booked by the Estates Team. They will use known and approved suppliers however it is important that we are vigilant when permitting these visitors on site. Always know the name of the engineer that will be attending and when their visit will take place. Ensure that the contractor has a LOA in place and that their engineer is detailed on the LOA. These visitors are not permitted to support another member of their team who does not appear on the LOA. In an emergency, contractors can attend the site without the paperwork in place, however these visitors cannot be left alone on the site.
Full details can be found in appendix 2 below
Appendix 3
