Supervision of Pupils Policy

The Governors and the Headteacher have specific obligations to ensure, as far as is practicable, a safe place of work is established for all employees and others that enter the school. The employer is required to ensure that the supervision of pupils throughout the school day is adequate to ensure their health, safety and welfare.

The Headteacher has responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the duty to deploy and manage the teaching and non-teaching staff. The Headteacher must ensure the maintenance of good order and discipline at all times during the school day when pupils are present on the school premises and whenever pupils are engaged in authorised school activities, whether on the school premises or elsewhere.

In consultation with the rest of the staff, the Headteacher must organise and maintain a reasonable system of supervision for all pupils who are on any part of the school premises or for whom the school has accepted responsibility.

The Headteacher alongside senior managers have the responsibility for checking that these scheduled duties are being carried out.

The teacher has a duty of care to the children, which is based on the principle of in loco parentis. This can be thought of as the standard of care expected of prudent parents in the care of their children.

Registration

A register is taken of pupils at the start of the morning and afternoon sessions. Parents are responsible for notifying the school if their child is absent for any reason. The school will contact the parent if a child fails to arrive at school without an explanation.

Supervision during lesson times

Above all other considerations the safety of pupils must be an overriding concern.

Children should be under supervision at all times during the school day. Staff ratios in the EYFS allow for appropriate supervision, and staff are trained in accordance with the EYFS Statutory Framework.

From time to time it may be desirable that older children are allowed to exercise some personal responsibility e.g. individual use of the library, delivering a message elsewhere, carrying out a survey or investigation. Nevertheless, each teacher has a responsibility to ensure the safety and good conduct of all children under his/her care at any particular time and should always be aware of the whereabouts of each child. Teachers should not leave a class unsupervised. If, in an emergency, a teacher needs to leave the classroom for any length of time, the Head or another appropriate adult should be summoned immediately. When a member of staff is supervising in a remote location a mobile phone may be advisable. The school has a number of phones which can be used for this purpose.

When arranging supervision procedures, the following points have been taken into consideration.

• The ages and numbers of pupils being supervised
• The physical condition of the school and its environment
• Any dangers or risk to which the pupils may be exposed (be they temporary or permanent)
• The type of activity in which the pupils are involved
• The quality and experience of supervisors

Parents will be made aware of supervision procedures and policies when their child enters the school. Any changes in policy and/or procedures, will take place after consultation with stakeholders, and parents will be informed through regular newsletters.

The school accepts responsibility for pupils from 8:45am. This will be emphasised to new admissions. A member of staff will be on duty in the playground from 8:35am. No child in Key Stage 1 will be allowed to leave school unless accompanied by an adult. No person under the age of 18 should have responsibility for collecting children from school. 

No pupil will be sent off site on a personal errand on behalf of any member of staff.

If a child is taken ill, it is important that the school has several up to date contact numbers for one or both parents whether at work or home. This information will be held on the school pupil database. If a pupil returns to school after a serious injury or illness, the Headteacher should bear in mind the need to see a doctor’s certificate to verify a child’s fitness capabilities.

No pupil should be left unsupervised for any reason except in an emergency. If this happens, it is the duty of the teacher(s) concerned to make a colleague aware of the situation so that adequate supervision can be arranged as soon as possible.

If a pupil is excused from certain lessons (e.g. RE or PE) the class teacher should try to arrange appropriate supervision. If this is not possible then parents should be informed that adequate supervision is not available.

Break Times

During break times the Headteacher must ensure that there is adequate supervision both indoors and outdoors, throughout break times. A rota is agreed at the beginning of the school year, and it is essential that all members of staff are aware of their roles and are fully conversant with all procedures.

During wet break times teachers are requested to stay with their class and to inform a colleague to cover for comfort breaks. Refreshments are brought to the classroom.

The Headteacher must be satisfied that the midday supervision is adequate, both in terms of quantity and quality of staffing.  They are responsible for ensuring that staff are appropriately directed on how the supervision is to be carried out.

The Senior Meals Supervisor will organise the deployment of non-teaching staff to cover all areas of identified supervision and to direct her team to the areas to be patrolled and give guidance on how to carry out their duty properly.

Every lunchtime a member of the senior management team will be on call and available to deal with any problems. A member of non-teaching staff is available for medical care and treatment. There is always a trained first aider on site.

As part of the PHSE curriculum older pupils are asked to work with and ‘look after’ younger pupils, but it should be noted that ‘this is an acceptable addition to but not replacement for staff cover.’

During all break times the school will give high priority to maintaining good discipline and high levels of safety.

Members of staff who are on duty must ensure that they take the responsibilities seriously and that the health and safety of the pupils is paramount at all times. When on patrol or break duties staff should:

• be on time for their duty.
• be vigilant at all times ensuring sensible behaviour both inside and outside.
• patrol actively and not stay in any one place for too long.
• ensure that pupils move back to their classrooms as soon as the bell rings to signal the end of break.
• Report any incidents of misbehaviour etc. to the appropriate staff immediately, and record via behaviour watch if required.
• be aware of pupils who need particular monitoring.

The End of the Day

The school day finishes at 3.15pm, it is not physically possible for all pupils to leave simultaneously, so a member of the school staff is on duty at the end of the day to maintain discipline and safety. This supervision is for half hour at the end of the school day although the school will attempt to disperse the children as quickly and safely as possible. That member of staff will check that pupils have been collected and that any children uncollected by 3:30pm are bought to the supervising member of staff at the main entrance to await collection.  The school office will call to find out why children have not been collected and will update the supervising member of staff.

A member of the SLT is on duty at the end of the day and will remain on the premises until all children have been collected.

If a parent regularly fails to collect their child/ren at the end of the school day a member of the SLT will make contact verbally and if this does not improve the situation our concerns will be put in writing. Social services will only be used when all other avenues have been pursued.

Visitors

The Headteacher is responsible for all people who are on the school premises. They are also responsible for the removal of any people who have not gone through school procedures. Staff should also be aware of the need to check whether visitors to the site have an appropriate badge, have signed in using the electronic visitor’s system and are expected. Any suspects should be reported to the school office.

The Headteacher should also inform all staff of any visitors expected on the school premises and this should be entered in the shared calendar.

Inclement Weather

Children are expected to go outside for break times unless the member of staff decides that the weather is too wet or dangerous.

Common sense will be needed to assess whether children are adequately dressed for the weather conditions as this will affect any decision as to whether it is appropriate for children to be outside.

Extreme wind and severe frost/ice are examples of weather conditions when it is likely to be inappropriate for children to be outside at breaktime. During PE sessions staff will need to take a similar approach in assessing the children’s safety.