HOW TO BE A SAFETY AND SECURITY DIRECTORATE

Transcription

1 HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY DIRECTORATE

2 HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY DIRECTORATE

3 Table of Contents Safety and security in schools Management of serious incidents Ten steps to protect your school Managing and responding to fires Listening to students concerns about safety SchoolWatch Crime Stoppers in Schools How the School Security Unit can help you How School Response Officers can help you Applying the provisions of the Inclosed Lands Protection Act Managing violent behaviour of individual students Visitor management Responding to graffiti in schools Crime prevention education Threat assessment for individual staff Apprehended Violence Orders Being alert on a daily basis Community use of school facilities and community participation Guidelines for developing lockdown and lockout procedures for NSW Government Schools Safer schools contact numbers HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL

4 Safety and Security Directoratee Schools remain among the safest places for our students. Despite this, protecting our schools, staff and students is a priority for school communities. 1 The purpose of How to be a Safer School is to provide a desktop, plain English resource for principals which assists them to improve safety and security in schools and whic focuses on the important role of all school community members in crime prevention. Each person in the school community has a vital role to play in ensuring the safety and security of our staff, students and school properties. It is a shared responsibility that requires the commitment of everyone in the school community to: create a climate within the school that values safety, and be alert to any issues that may reduce safety and security. Accepting ownership for safety is an important step in assisting the school to improve security. The Guidelines for Schools and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents outline the requirement for schools to have plans in place to respond to incidents which breach safety and security. The guidelines also outline the need for all staff to be aware of the school s plan, to be assigned responsibilities within the plan and to be confident of the expectations of them in managing safety and security incidents. The Safety and Security Directorate The Safety and Security Directorate of NSW Department of Education and Training was established in May 2002 under the direction of former Police Assistant Commissioner, Ike Ellis. The Directorate can also assist schools with their safety and security by: supporting staff and student safety improving the physical security of schools addressing student behaviour, attendance and discipline developing and implementing crime prevention strategies supporting schools through critical incidents liaising with NSW Police The Directorate has a brief to establish at every level of the organisation, liaison and co-operative activity between education and Police. Important areas of the Directorate are the School Security Unit, which gives advice and training on security and protection issues, and School Response Oficers, who are police and teachers who staff a 24 hour, seven days a week hotline. They should be consulted when serious incidents of violence occur that require a rapid response. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 1

5 Management of serious incidents What is a serious incident? 2 A serious incident is broadly defined as an event which; causes disruption to an organisation; or creates significant danger or risk that could traumatically affect individuals within the organisation; or impacts on the effective operation of workplaces; or attracts negative media attention or a negative public profile for the workplace or the Department of Education and Training. For further information, please refer to the Department s Guidelines for Schools and TAFE NSW Colleges and Campuses: Management of Serious Incidents ( How to respond to a serious incident Actions to be taken by the principal and other key staff should include the following: Immediately assess the situation; contact emergency services, if necessary; arrange first aid and appropriate intervention to minimise additional injury, if required. Attend to injured persons. It is vital that trained first aid staff provide emergency care for those with physical injuries, where possible. Seek the assistance of relevant emergency services personnel upon arrival; if evacuation is required, implement the school s evacuation plan and manage the evacuation; ensure telephones are not used for anything other than the emergency; where there are threats of violence from individuals coming on to school property, explosions or any other incident of an exceptional nature where a rapid response is required from the Department, immediately report the matter to the School Response Officers (hotline telephone ); a member of staff who has been briefed on the issue should contact the district office and report the serious incident; contact injured person s parents or family, if required; and the principal should ensure that the media manager and the media unit is immediately aware of the situation and, if required, seek on site support to deal with the media and provide advice to parents or family. As soon as possible contact the workplace serious incident committee co-ordinator and principal and provide the facts of the incident; ensure the district superintendent is advised by ing or faxing a copy of the Serious Incident Report as a matter of priority. Copies of the proforma are obtained from the district superintendent; HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 2

6 offer support and facilitate counselling for those directly and indirectly affected. Organise support groups and counselling. Where necessary, refer students to the school or campus counsellor and staff to the Employee Assistance Program; organise assistance, such as transport home, for staff or students who are distressed; 2 provide staff and students with accurate information about the current situation and update this over subsequent days, unless there is a legal or privacy issue that prevents this from occurring; act quickly to dispel rumours; forward an accident report form to WorkCover within seven days in the event of death or serious injury at the workplace, or in the event of a dangerous occurrence at the workplace; consistent with the welfare needs of students and staff, return the workplace to a normal situation in as short a time as is practicable. It is important that all staff are aware of emergency plans and procedures, so that the plan can be implemented if workplace managers or other staff with key responsibilities are unavailable or injured at the time of a serious incident occurring. Further information School staff who require further advice concerning the management of serious incidents should consult their district staff welfare officer or student welfare consultant. Helping Police in the event of a serious crime In the event of a serious incident which requires Police attendance, principals should prevent any actions which could lead to loss or disturbance of evidence. The area should be cordoned if possible and nothing touched or moved. In particular, DO NOT: pick up a weapon, look at it and put it back use or flush a toilet that could lead to loss of evidence use telephones that might result in the loss of fingerprint evidence remove items from the scene walk unnecessarily around the scene. Trace evidence, footwear and tyre impressions can easily be obliterated in this way drive over and destroy the tyre prints of offenders vehicles. Principals should also consider the following: danger to themselves such as the presence of offenders, unstable structures, fumes, electrical hazards etc occupational health and safety issues eg, blood may be contaminated arranging or rendering assistance to any person in need determining the nature and size of the crime scene placing a responsible person at the scene to prevent any unauthorised entry. Further advice on preserving a crime scene can be obtained from School Response Officers on (02) HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 2

7 Ten steps to protect your school 1. Regularly review the school s serious incident management plan to include strategies for enhancing security. This may include liaison with the School Security Unit. Ensure that staff are aware of their responsibilities to assist in implementing this plan. 2. Do not store rubbish, timber and other combustibles under buildings where they can be used to start fires. Regularly liaise with local NSW Fire Brigade officers and encourage them to provide advice on fire safety to the school. 3. Develop a visitor management plan, including requiring visitors to sign in and wear visitor s badges. 4. Consider establishing a SchoolWatch program in conjunction with your P&C. 5. Conduct Crime Prevention Workshops to raise the awareness of students. 6. Where intruder detection alarms are installed, do not hang banners or stack items on shelves where they can obstruct detectors. Alarms cannot be triggered if obstructed. 7. Install locking devices on portable, valuable and attractive items. 8. Prune trees and shrubs, particularly near windows or doors, so they cannot provide hiding places for intruders or stolen goods. 9. At the end of the day, lock all doors, windows and gates. Do not place valuable, portable of attractive items near windows or doors, where they can be accessed without triggering alarms. Carefully close blinds so thieves cannot inspect the content of rooms. 10. Prepare for vacations by locking away all valuable items, doormats and bins, especially metal bins. Following an incident If windows and other glass panels are broken, replace them with laminated glass or lexan. Enter all security breeches on the new on-line security incident database. Provide trusted community members who live close by to the school with the 24 hour control room numbers ans ask them to report all suspicious activity at the site. The numbers are: Halion (country), telephone School Security Unit (metro), telephone Display Inclosed Lands Protection Act signs in prominent areas in your school grounds eg entry/exit points to discourage tresspassers.

8 Managing and responding to fires Prevention Wherever possible remove door mats and other flammable material from near doors and other entrances outside school hours. Ensure that rubbish bins are emptied and rubbish is stored in a secure area. Liaise with local NSW Fire Brigades officers on a regular basis and encourage them to visit periodically. 4 Invite officers from the local fire station to become familiar with your school s physical layout and its installed fire protection measures, eg hydrants and access points. Encourage the officers to provide risk assessments and advice. Support the introduction of the SchoolWatch program so that early warnings are provided if fire is detected outside school hours. Ensure that all fire protection devices are up to date and in perfect working order. Encourage the presentation of the Crime Prevention Workshop program module on Fire Lighting or the module on Malicious Damage which includes arson. Ensure that at least annually, prior to the fire season, a clean-up of materials that may become fuel for a fire occurs. This should be done routinely in bush fire prone areas. Review the school evacuation (escape) plan and test it at least bi-annually. Do one of these tests in conjunction with the local fire station. It is useful to plan and practise a second evacuation (escape) exit from any room or building in case one is blocked by fire. Ensure that the local fire brigade has keys to locks securing gates to enable speedy access outside school hours. Appoint a staff member to oversee fire prevention strategies for both students and staff. Response Ensure that the school s serious incident management plan is specific in its directions for school staff when responding to fire situations. Large fires start as small fires, so ensure that all fire situations are responded to as swiftly as possible and that they are all taken seriously. NSW Fire Brigades has requested that all fires, even if you believe they have been extinguished, be reported via the 000 emergency telephone line. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 4

9 Listening to students concerns about safety Students are an important source of information about safety and security in your school. They can play a valuable role in assisting staff to identify areas of risk and in offering solutions. School toilets Teachers should undertake active supervision of student toilet areas while they are on playground duty to ensure the toilets are not used as a venue for smoking, bullying or other anti-social behaviour. Executive staff should monitor the supervision of toilet areas and communicate regularly with general assistants and cleaning staff regarding the state of the toilets, especially hygiene. 5 School staff might consider reviewing the procedures for locking toilets after break times to ensure they are not accessible to truanting students and unauthorised persons. Staff can work with the student representative council to develop strategies to improve safety, such as considering the use of a student register for toilet access during class time. An increase in access during class time could indicate that toilets are perceived to be unsafe during breaks. Bus lines and canteen queues The school s discipline code should include behaviour in bus lines and canteen queues so that all students are aware of their responsibilities. Consequences for misbehaviour should be clear and consistently applied. Executive staff should supervise and monitor bus lines and canteen queues on a regular basis. Lockers To avoid problems in locker areas, schools can allow student access at set times when supervision can be provided. As lockers can be used as storage and distribution points for illegal substances, processes need to be set in place to ensure that contents of lockers can be monitored. Change rooms The PDHPE faculty can develop class rules for change rooms. Copies of the rules should be clearly displayed in the relevant areas and a copy pasted into the students note books. Change rooms can be secured after class following a physical inspection of the rooms. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 5

10 SchoolWatch SchoolWatch is a volunteer program that enlists school staff, students and the local community to assist in the prevention of crime on school property. SchoolWatch was initiated by the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of NSW. It is supported by the School Security Unit. How does it work? The concepts of SchoolWatch are very similar to those of Neighbourhood Watch programs. These include: Look Listen Observe, and 6 Report. SchoolWatch can operate in a number of ways. At an informal level, local residents who live near schools can be encouraged to become more aware of people in the school grounds over the weekends. Some schools have implemented a more structured approach to SchoolWatch. In these schools, SchoolWatch committees meet regularly and volunteers are rostered to visit the school grounds after hours. The reporting system for SchoolWatch is simple and anonymous. All calls, from anywhere in the state are directed to a central number monitored by the School Security Unit or its monitoring contractor. From there, local security contractors can be called out to specific locations. How do we find out more? Contact the School Security Unit on telephone number (02) for advice and material on how to establish a SchoolWatch program at your school or in your district. The School Security Unit will schedule a time to visit your school and meet with your Parents and Citizens organisation. The unit will help to design an appropriate SchoolWatch program for your school and community. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 6

11 Crime Stoppers in Schoolse Crime Stoppers is a program designed to assist in the detection and reduction of crime. It enables anyone with information about a crime to pass on information anonymously to the Police by calling the toll free number or reporting online at Schools can receive valuable feedback from Crime Stoppers to help provide a safe school environment. Schools can implement structures to promote early intervention and evaluate existing structures by reporting to Crime Stoppers. Process of reporting information to Crime Stoppers Caller rings to provide anonymous information Caller receives a code from the Police officer taking the call. This can be used to provide further information Matters relating to a crime are referred to Police for appropriate action. Information is entered into the Police database as an intelligence report 7 How can schools help promote Crime Stoppers? Crime Stoppers in Schools involves the active participation of students. Students help implement strategies such as: providing information for parents via school newsletters and brochures displaying posters around the school speaking at school assemblies and parent information evenings. Resources are being developed to help promote Crime Stoppers in Schools and establish links to Key Learning Areas such as Human Society and its Environment and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. Further information on Crime Stoppers can be found on the website Brochures can be downloaded from the website in different languages including Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese. One of the advantages of running a Crime Stoppers in Schools initiative is that it actively involves students, reinforces ownership and can prevent criminal activities in the school. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 7

12 How the School Security Unit can help you The School Security Unit is the Department of Education and Training security management advisory service. The unit provides advice and training to all government schools on a broad range of security and asset protection issues. A major emphasis of the unit is prevention and risk management. By evaluating the needs of individual schools, the unit s specialist staff are able to assist principals to prepare asset protection plans and integrate risk security management into day-to-day school operations. A comprehensive range of security related services are available. These include: security needs analysis and alarm system design incident follow-up and reporting security training and awareness programs promoting community involvement in security issues liaising with emergency services, government agencies and other security stakeholders providing advice to schools on all aspects of school security including; surveillance systems 8 guard services equipment registers emergency evacuations storing dangerous goods managing school keys. The unit should be contacted for advice about the reporting of security branches, alarm systems, guard services, asset protection planning and any other security issues. On the request of the principal, a visit can be scheduled to discuss specific security concerns. This can be arranged by telephoning (02) HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 8

13 How School Response Officers can help you School Response Officers are experienced police and teachers who work in the Safety and Security Directorate. They staff a hotline hours a day, seven days a week, to give advice and support to schools on violent incidents of an urgent nature. Additionally they are able to assit schools by: providing high level support to schools in managing and recovering from serious incidents related to criminal activity, particularly involving violence, weapons and illegal drugs. enhancing communication and relationships with Local Area Commands of Police. assisting in assessing threats and potential serious incidents. streamlining procedures for effective information collection and dissemination concerning serious incidents involving violence, weapons and drugs. identifying trends and patterns of criminal activity to help protect students, staff and school property. assisting schools to return to the core business of teaching and learning following a serious incident. 9 Schools should contact the Police Local Area Command or telephone 000 for immediate assistance in the event of a serious incident. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 9

14 Applying the provisions of the Inclosed Lands Protection Act The Inclosed Lands Protection Act provides a basis for taking action in relation to what is commonly referred to as trespass. Schools are places where parents and community members should be welcomed as partners in education, even in circumstances related to student discipline. However, there are circumstances where a parent or community member s presence on the school site is problematic. Situations where principals might consider issuing a notice prohibiting entry include: when two or more parents are engaging in aggressive behaviour towards each other on school grounds, possibly as a result of a community dispute when a parent is constantly harassing a teacher in a non-threatening manner where a member of the community constantly traverses the school grounds as a "short cut" and where a right of way does not exist. Schools are specifically defined as "inclosed lands" under the Act. The Act addresses a number of offences relevant to schools such as: entry without lawful excuse remaining on inclosed lands after a request to leave behaving in an offensive manner after a request to leave giving a false name and address. Principals should refer to Legal Issues Bulletin No 17 Unauthorised Entry Onto Departmental Premises for advice on the application of the Inclosed Lands Protection Act. The procedures referred to in the bulletin can be enhanced by adopting a number of additional approaches. 10 Local Police can be requested to deliver a letter which prohibits entry to the school if the particular circumstances warrant such action. This would need the prior agreement of the local Police and the issue should be thoroughly explored with them prior to determining the best method of delivering the letter. Local Police should be advised when a warning under the Act has been issued. If the person denied entry subsequently enters the school and the Police are called, principals should ensure they obtain a COPS event number. Principals should also maintain an accurate record of the time of entry, witnesses to the entry and a description of the behaviour of the person while on the premises. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 10

15 Managing the violent behaviour of individual students The school s serious incident management plan should include clear procedures for the management of violence. These procedures should be developed in conjunction with, and communicated to, all staff. When a student s behaviour has escalated to a point where there is a threat of harm or injury to other students or staff, the procedures should be implemented to ensure that: the risk of harm is minimised strategies to de-escalate the crisis are implemented. Initially, staff should use the least intrusive options for managing behaviour and physical restraint should be avoided, wherever possible. Refer to Legal Issues Bulletin No. 9, Physical Restraint of School Studnet s on the DET intranet; Seven strategies to minimise risk of harm As early as possible respond to any signals that a student is losing control. Implement strategies for de-escalating behaviour eg, move slowly, speak respectfully and calmly, keep a reasonable distance, be brief with verbal instructions, avoid power struggles and acknowledge any co-operation. Do not stand in close physical proximity to the student if the behaviour continues to escalate. If possible, remove the student from the classroom. If this is not possible, implement procedures to make all other students and staff safe or remove them from the room. The period when a student is losing control, or is out of control, is not the time to discuss the misbehaviour. This is better done after the incident has been diffused and the student is calm again. 11 Send a student or staff member to get immediate support from a pre-determined back-up person. Ensure that key staff who can assist with the crisis are informed. The principal or deputy should call the Police, if necessary. After the incident Allow time for the student to cool down in an area with supervision. Try to engage the student in some independent activity. Return to normal working conditions as soon as practicable. Implement the school s serious incident management plan and appropriate discipline strategies. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 11

16 Visitor managemente On arrival at the school, all visitors should report to the office so that staff are aware of their presence in the school. Signage to welcome and direct visitors to the office should be displayed prominently. All visitors should sign a visitors book and wear a badge or sticker, and if applicable, their organisation s identification badge. The school visitors book should include details such as the date, time of arrival, name, purpose of visit, contact details and time of departure. Staff and students should be aware of the school s visitor management strategies and should direct or accompany any person without a visitor s badge to the office. All volunteers in the school, even regulars, should sign in at the office when they arrive. All persons arriving at the school to carry out work or inspections should be registered, including the maintenance contractor. The school newsletter is one means of advising parents and community members about the school's visitor management strategies. Each year, the first newsletter should remind parents and caregivers wishing to meet with the principal or another staff member that they need to arrange an appointment prior to their arrival at the school. A poster could be developed by staff and students and prominently displayed near the school entrance, setting out the school s visitor management strategies. 12 HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 12

17 Responding to graffiti in schoolse Incidents of graffiti in schools can take many forms. The most distressing is personalised graffiti directed at staff members or particular students. This form of graffiti is usually committed by someone within the school environment. Another common form of graffiti is tag graffiti. This form of graffiti is placed in public places such as schools for display or message delivery purposes. Graffitists claim tags are art, but in most cases they are simply malicious damage to the building upon which they are placed. Five suggestions for dealing with graffiti 1. Quick removal Research has shown that the quicker offending graffiti is removed, the less likelihood there is of repeat attacks. 2. Photographing instances of graffiti The offending graffiti should be photographed for future reference. This can assist in identifying the graffitist. 3. Keeping school staff informed School staff should be shown photographs of tags and made aware of the nature of graffiti. It is likely that the person placing graffiti on school buildings may be a student, in which case it is likely that their school bag or another personal item may also have their tag displayed in some way. 4. Prevention and education Modules in the Crime Prevention Workshop program deal with graffiti. Where there is a prevalence of graffiti attacks, presentation of the module should be considered. Contact your district office or Police Local Area Command for more information about the program. 5. Council clean-up teams In some areas, local councils have graffiti clean-up teams. Further information regarding graffiti clean-up strategies can be obtained on the New South Wales graffiti website, 13 HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 13

18 Crime prevention education The Crime Prevention Workshop program has been developed for primary and secondary schools. The workshops aim to bring together young people, Police and teachers to: raise the awareness of young people about the consequences of involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour for both perpetrators and victims enable young people to develop strategies to avoid involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour establish constructive relationships between young people and Police. When are Crime Prevention Workshops implemented at a school? Crime Prevention Workshops can be conducted in response to particular incidents in a school, eg concern about a rise in assaults at a school or as part of a long term plan to cover a number of topics in crime prevention. How are Crime Prevention Workshops implemented? Schools or Police can initiate workshops. Student welfare consultants can help liaise between schools and Police and provide support for the implementation of Crime Prevention Workshops. The workshops are jointly delivered by teachers and Police. What is in the Crime Prevention Workshop packages? The Crime Prevention Workshop program includes teaching modules and video support material. It is modular in form, to allow flexibility of delivery. All modules can stand alone. The modules are regularly updated to address issues identified as being most relevant to young people s involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour. There are modules for secondary students in Years 7 and 8 and also for primary students in Years 5 and 6. Some modules are suitable for other years. Your student welfare consultant can advise on the modules currently available. 14 HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 14

19 Threat assessment for individual staff Teachers and other staff working in schools, by the nature of their occupation, are sometimes the subject of threats of violence. While the actual risk is generally low, the potential exists for violent or threatening incidents to occur. It is important that all threats against staff are treated seriously, reported and investigated promptly. A threat against a Department of Education and Training staff member, which has eventuated as a direct result of the person s work duties, regardless of whether the threat is delivered at the work place, must be reported to the principal or district superintendent at the earliest opportunity. When a principal or district superintendent receives a report of threats being made against a staff member, it is their responsibility to facilitate the initial response to the threat. This includes contacting NSW Police and organising counselling and support for the person through the Employee Assistance Program (EAPS), if necessary. The principal (or district superintendent) should contact the Safety and Security Directorate who will facilitate the Department s process for assessing the rating of the threat in terms of: intent (the desire of the person making the threats to carry them out) likelihood (the probability of the threat occurring) capability (the capacity of the person to carry out the threat), and consequence (the impact of the threat if it is carried out). The authorised Departmental officer who conducts a threat assessment will liaise with the principal, district superintendent and other appropriate staff and external agencies to ensure that actions are implemented at an appropriate level to reduce the threat and the impact of that threat on the staff member. To arrange for an assessment to be conducted, please telephone HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 15

20 Apprehended Violence Orders The Department is committed to ensuring that staff are afforded protection from acts, or threatened acts, of violence which relate to their employment. School staff can obtain an apprehended violence order (AVO) in situations where they fear for their safety and where reasonable grounds exist to justify those fears. If an application for an AVO is the appropriate course of action to protect a staff member, the Department will arrange legal support and representation in court. Principals are often faced with decisions about whether a particular situation is best dealt with by application of the Inclosed Lands Protection Act or by obtaining an AVO. In general, a matter which is contained strictly within the physical confines of the school and which does not involve behaviour that staff find threatening, should be handled by applying the Inclosed Lands Protection Act. In a situation where staff are threatened and/or the behaviour is not confined to the school premises, an AVO is more appropriate as it provides protection for staff when they are away from the school. Principals should discuss the most appropriate course of action in these situations with an officer from the Safety and Security Directorate. Principals should refer to Legal Issues Bulletins No 6 and No 11 which deal with Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) in detail. 16 HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 16

21 Being alert on a daily basis It is important for schools to be alert on a daily basis to any security and safety issues. One method of maintaining awareness is to conduct White Level Inspections. NSW Police will provide training for school staff on how to undertake this strategy. A White Level Inspection is undertaken by an employee in their workplace. A White Level Inspection involves looking for any articles that are unusual, cannot be accounted for, or are suspicious. The purpose of these inspections is to provide a level of confidence within the workplace that staff and students are secure. The people in the best position to conduct these inspections are those who know and work within the area. The implementation of the White Level Inspection strategy provides a level of confidence in the provision and maintenance of a secure workplace and in the integrity and safety of the site. Inspection areas are small areas, which can quickly be inspected by the staff who usually work there, eg a classroom or staff room. These areas should be of a manageable size. White Level Inspections should be undertaken: each day upon arrival at work when instructed to do so by the principal in response to increases in threat levels. When conducting a White Level Inspection visual checks should be made of: the route to the work area the work area all drawers and cupboards within the inspection area. Once this is done, normal work commences. In the event that a foreign item is identified which is either hidden, obviously suspicious or is not a typical item found in that area: do not attempt to move the item report it to your supervisor. 17 HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 17

22 Community use of school facilities and community participation Schools are an important focus for communities. Parents and community members should be encouraged to participate in the life of their school through parent organisations and the many activities which schools organise. The Department of Education and Training has an obligation to ensure the most effective use of school facilities. Parents and community members should be encouraged to use the school s facilities, out-of-hours, for appropriate purposes. In approving the use of school facilitates for out-of-hours activities by community groups and organisations, the principal should ensure that the proposed uses are consistent with the values of public education. Principals should negotiate a community use agreement between the school and the user group. If the proposed use is for up to twelve months, agreements should set out the terms, conditions and charges, if any, for the use of the facilities. Consideration should be given to including a paragraph in the agreement about safety and security issues in relation to the use of the facilities. This might include agreements about the management of keys and alarms by the community organisation. It may also include information on the expected appropriate standard of behaviour for users of the facilities. The district properties officer can assist principals in all matters concerning community use of school facilities and the establishment of commercial ventures in schools. For further information, refer to Community Use of School Facilities; Policy Statement and Implementation Procedures. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 18 18

23 Guidelines for developing lockdown and lockout procedures for NSW Government Schools 19 These guidelines have been developed to assist staff in developing lockdown and lockout procedures as part of the school s serious incident management plan. Lockdown and Lockout Lockout is a procedure which prevents unauthorised persons from entering the school and is commonly used when the threat is general or the incident is occurring off the school property. This procedure allows school activities to continue as normal during the outside disruption. Lockdown is a procedure used when there is an immediate threat to the school eg school intruders. Lockdown minimises access to the school and secures staff and students in rooms. As part of this procedure, everyone must remain in the room until the situation has been declared safe by an authorised person eg principal or police officer. Lockout Procedures Steps to implement lockout: 1. A specific bell signal or communication system should be developed which alerts designated staff to implement the lockout. 2. If necessary, the principal, designated serious incident co-ordinator or supervising staff should direct students who are in the playground or outside school fences (eg ovals) to immediately return to the nearest school building and classroom. 3. The principal or designated serious incident co-ordinator should ensure that all doors and perimeter fences, if appropriate, are secured and that students are accounted for and safe. 4. The only entry to the school for the period of lockout should be through the main entrance. The principal should ensure that access is monitored and that only authorised personnel have access. 5. The principal liaises with NSW Police or other emergency services if necessary, to develop and implement a plan for students to depart at the end of the school day if the incident is still continuing. Lockdown Procedures Steps to implement lockdown: 1. Lockdown signal/code is given usually a unique audible sound from PA speakers. Should an intruder be identified, the staff member who identifies the intruder should contact the principal or designated serious incident co-ordinator who will determine if lockdown procedures should be initiated. 2. Principal or the designated serious incident co-ordinator calls Principal or the designated serious incident co-ordinator(s) are responsible for locking and securing all exterior doors and entrances. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 19

24 4. If safe to do so, the principal or designated serious incident co-ordinator will wait outside the main entrance of the school to direct emergency services or will delegate another member of staff to do this. Only authorised personnel should be allowed access to the school premises. 5. All outside activities should cease immediately. If appropriate the principal, designated serious incident co-ordinator or supervising staff should direct students who are in the playground or outside school fences (eg ovals), to immediately return to the nearest school building and classroom or evacuate to a predetermined off-site location. 6. Staff should follow prearranged and rehearsed instructions to secure doors and move students out of line of sight of doors and windows. Staff should ensure students remain calm and quiet. 7. Staff should check corridors outside their classrooms for nearby students and direct any students in the immediate vicinity into their classroom. Staff should not leave the classroom to get students. The door should then be closed. 8. Staff should record the names of students who are in the room. Any missing and/or extra students should be noted. If possible, staff should provide details to the principal or the designated serious incident co-ordinator as requested. 9. Staff should maintain room security and should not open doors for anyone under any circumstances. Students and staff should stay where they are until official notification is provided by the principal or an identified police officer that the lockdown is over. 10. Where the lockdown lasts an extended period of time or extends beyond normal school hours, the principal or designated serious incident co-ordinator should notify parents via local media and with the assistance of local police. 11. In conjunction with local police, the principal or designated serious incident co-ordinator should arrange for parents to pick students up from school at a designated safe area. Issues to consider when developing lockdown and lockout plans: School serious incident policies and procedures should be addressed regularly in staff meetings. New and casual staff should be provided with a copy. Lockdown/lockout drills should be practiced and revised regularly. Not everyone will be inside a classroom when the incident begins. Develop procedures for individual students, classes, teachers and other staff who may be in corridors, playgrounds, ovals/fields or elsewhere when the incident is announced. Decide where they should go, eg report to the nearest building. Consider the school s external doors. Who will be assigned the responsibility for securing all external doors, if they can be locked safely? Assess communications devices in classrooms. When the school is in lockdown mode, teachers should identify any communication devices in the room including school phones, mobile phones, pagers and computers with internet access. The school may wish to develop a policy limiting use of these devices during a lockdown. Consider bells and fire alarms. Timed automatic school bells should be turned off for the duration of the lockdown if this is feasible. Develop an all clear signal. Everyone should know the official signal for the beginning and end of a lockdown or lockout. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 19

25 A lockdown or lockout may occur at any time including the beginning or end of the school day. Think about appropriate procedures if a lockdown or lockout becomes necessary as students are arriving for school or leaving at the end of the day. Buses and cars may be on the premises and many students may be outside. Practice your lockdown / lockout plan 2 to 4 times per year. Vary the times of day for the drills so that students and staff are confident in a variety of circumstances. Inform your NSW Police Local Area Command when you plan to schedule a lockdown exercise and invite them to participate. Utilise the expertise of NSW Police Local Area Command personnel in developing lockdown / lockout plans specific to your school. Review lockdown procedures in consultation with your Local Area Commander at least once per year or after an incident where lockdown has been used. Reviews could be done at your regular LAC Principals Forum. Consider timing the drills and then announcing to everyone how many minutes it took to accomplish the lockdown. Try to improve your times with subsequent practice. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 19

26 Safer schools contact numbers 1. NSW Police Call 000 Schools should telephone 000 for immediate assistance in the event of a serious incident. In a less urgent situation, schools should contact their Police Local Area Command. 2. School Support Officers Call School Safety and Response hotline (24 hours per day 7 days per week) Experienced senior officers and police officers staff the hotline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for immediate assistance for serious incidents involving violence, weapons, illegal drugs and or major criminal activity. 3. School Security Unit Call School Security hotline (24 hours per day 7 days per week) This unit is a specialised area that provides advice and training to schools on security issues. School principals can request a visit from the unit to discuss security concerns. The unit also operates a hotline for physical security issues on NSW Fire Brigades Call 000 All fires, even if you believe they have been extinguished, should be reported on the 000 emergency line. HOW TO BE A SAFER SCHOOL 20