WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Transcription

1 BUILTH WELLS HIGH SCHOOL WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME POLICY AND PROCEDURES BWHS Document Control Doc Number: Date Created: May 2014 Date Approved by H&S Committee: January 2015 Date Policy Adopted by Main Governing Body: March 2015 Date Policy Key Points to be Implemented by: Date Policy Completion Statement Signed off: Next Review Due:

2 BUILTH WELLS HIGH SCHOOL WORK EXPERIENCE POLICY & PROCEDURES CONTENT PAGE SUBJECT PAGE Foreword by Governing Body 4 Introduction 5 LEGISLATION RELATING TO WORK EXPERIENCE 6 Legislation Relating To Work Experience 6 Legislation Affecting Post 16 Students 8 Excluded Students 8 Other Work Related Activities 8 Insurance Cover For Students On Work Experience 8 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL: 9 Head Teacher and Governing Body 9 Nominated Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Member 10 Designated Work Experience Co-ordinator for the School 10 Teacher(s) Monitoring Work Experience Placements 11 Placement Providers 11 Parent or Carer of a Child 11 Work Experience Annual Plan 13 PRE-PLACEMENT PLANNING: 14 Minimum Standards Pre-Placement 14 Minimum Standards Alleged Incident Procedures 14 Minimum Standards Partnership Agreement with Schools 14 Minimum Standard Confidentiality 14 Minimum Standard Parents 14 Minimum Standard Work Experience Co-ordinator Training 14 RISK ASSESSMENTS PRIOR TO PLACEMENTS 15 SUITABILITY OF THE PLACEMENT 16 CONFIDENTIALITY 17 ANNUAL PROGRAMME OF DELIVERY 17 PRE-PLACEMENT CHECKLIST : QUESTIONS TO ASK? 19 HEALTH AND SAFETY, RESTRICTIONS, MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS 22 Responsibilities For Health And Safety 22 Visits To Workplaces 23 Restrictions on Activities Students May Carry Out On Work Experience 23 Prohibited Employment 23 Specialist Health And Safety Pre-Placement Briefings 25 Age / Literacy / Physical / Health Considerations 25 School Arranged Placements 25 Additional Safeguarding Considerations 26 Medical Information - Disclosures 27 Accident And Reporting Procedures (RIDDOR) 27 PLACEMENT APPROVAL PROCEDURES 28 Hours of Work and Payment 28 Work Experience to take place during Term Time 29 Out of County Placements 29 Extended Work Experience at Key Stage 4 29 Definitions relating to Extended Work Experience 29 PREPARATION OF STUDENTS AND CONTACT WITH STUDENTS ON 30

3 PLACEMENT Placement Preparation and Arrangements 30 Supporting Students During the Work Experience Placement 30 Timing of Placements 30 Contact with Students on Placement 30 Monitoring of Students whilst on Work Experience 31 Teachers using their own car to visit Students on Placement 31 Student Travel Costs to and from Placement 31 Work Experience Log Book 31 REVIEW: 32 Post Placement Feedback by the Student and Employer 32 Evaluation of Work Experience Placements Annual Report to School 32 SUMMARY OF POLICY KEY POINTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED 33 APPENDIX 1 35 QUALITY STANDARD FOR WORK EXPERIENCE QUALITY ASSURANCE CHECKLIST FOR THE SCHOOL Systems and Processes Checklist 35 School Responsibilities 36 Students Responsibilities 39 Parent / Carer Responsibilities 40 Work Experience Provider Responsibilities 41 Employer / Supervisor Responsibilities 43 POLICY COMPLETION STATEMENT FOR MAIN GOVERNING BODY 45 APPENDIX 2 - GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (previously 47 Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations 1997 (frequently referenced European Directive) Education (Work Experience) Act 1973 (1973 c.23) 48

4 FOREWORD Work Experience is an educational activity, and the educational benefits should be maximised at all times. These experiences allow students to gain an insight into the world of work, its disciplines and relationships, usually by spending a short, continuous spell in a real work situation, either as a block placement of 1 or 2 weeks or an extended placement which may be one or more days per week over a longer period, for example over three terms. Because the work experience situation should be a real one, we must all be vigilant and ensure that students are in suitable placements and properly supervised. Unless the guidelines are followed, there is a danger that in the event of injury and or accident, an individual, such as the Head, Governing Body could be held liable for actions carried out on behalf of their school. The Local Education Authorities endorsing these Guidelines agree to support a policy of participation in work experience for all students before they leave school. The endorsing Authorities adopt the Work Experience: A Guide for Schools (February 2002) and the QCA Quality Standards intended as guidance to help improve the quality of work experience. See Appendix 1. Our Aim This policy provides a framework to ensure that students are able to access work experience placements that are carefully managed, monitored and provide a safe environment. This includes the organisation as well as health, safety and safeguarding requirements of all work experience programmes for all age groups of students. Our Priorities When preparing for work experience Builth Wells High School will ensure that: The adopted Builth Wells High School Work Experience Policy & Procedures needs to be read in conjunction with the SEN Policy that has additional information in relation to role support required for learners with SEN/ALN Students are provided with a positive experience with an emphasis on learning The school retains a duty of care at all times The potential risks to each student has been assessed The placement chosen by the student is suitable for them and any additional safeguarding issues are taken into account and actioned The school will provide a named contact (senior member of staff), who is available during the times when students are on placements. The school will obtain the consent of parents/carers and service provider. BWHS Health & Safety Committee January 2015

5 INTRODUCTION Work experience that is well planned and well organised has an important role in developing a student s personal and social skills and gives them important opportunities to learn directly about the world of work. However, students outside the school environment will be more exposed to the potential risks involved, both from the tasks they undertake and from the working environment, e.g. equipment and hazardous substances. The physical and psychological immaturity of students also constitutes a risk in itself and therefore it is important that these are taken into account in the risk assessment completed by the placement provider. Work experience placements are only permitted by law for students during Key Stage 4 and above, i.e. Years 10, 11, 12 and 13. Schools are encouraged to provide up to two weeks high quality work experience for all students, although most schools arrange a 5 day placement. The Working Time Regulations 1998 apply to students at work experience placements, for example they should not work for more than five days in any consecutive seven-day period. The number of hours worked and pattern of duties is normally agreed by the placement provider, school, and students. Schools should put measures in place to ensure that students on placements are not required to work excessively long hours or unnecessarily unsocial hours. It is strongly recommended that students should not be asked to work more than a standard eight-hour day. Children between 13 and the minimum school leaving age (MSLA) are prohibited from being employed in industrial undertakings such as factories, construction sites etc. except when on work experience schemes approved by Children Services Department. The Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990 have the effect of designating children on work experience placements as staff and employers must provide them with at least the same health, safety and welfare protection that they give their own staff. There are also some age-related restrictions that prohibit young workers, including children on work experience, from working with particular machinery or undertaking particular tasks. Employers should be aware of these restrictions. This document provides advice to Builth Wells High School on arranging work experience placements to ensure that all placements are in line with health and safety legislation. Definitions of Work Experience: Students placed with an employer to carry out a range of tasks defined in a job description, with an emphasis on the learning aspects of the work experience. (Health and Safety Executive) Work Experience can be classified as either: Block - the placement takes place over 5 or 10 consecutive working days. There is an expectation that every student will have an entitlement to 10 days, however most schools opt for 5 days. Extended the placement takes place on 1 or 2 days per week over a period of time. Schools must ensure that they comply with the criteria that are designed to safeguard students' entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. It is therefore unlikely that extended work experience of more than two days a week will meet this requirement.

6 LEGISLATION RELATING TO WORK EXPERIENCE Education Act 1996 Provide work experience in industrial and non-industrial settings but not on ships, for students who are in their final two years of compulsory schooling Enables students in Year 10 and 11 to assume the temporary status of a Young Person in Employment Law Education Act 2002 Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people within The School/Learning Centre Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 Encourage post 16 students to undertake work experience. Other Legislation to be adhered to includes: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 including amendments Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999 Working Time Regulations 1998 Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Sex Discrimination (Gender Re-assignment) Regulations 1999 Race Relations Act 1976 and Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 Disability Discrimination Act 2005 Gender Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2006 Human Right Acts 1998 Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 Equality Act 2006 Equality Act 2010 Protection of Freedoms Act References Where there is HSE guidance supporting the Regulations, it is included after the SI in each reference. The Education Act 1996, section 560 (England and Wales) and The Education (Scotland) Act 1980, section 44 The School Standards and Framework Act 1998, section 112 The Education (National Curriculum) (Exceptions at Key Stage 4) Regulations 1998 SI 1998/2021 The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 2 The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3 Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations SI 1992/2966 and Persona! protective equipment at work. Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations Guidance on Regulations L25 HSE Books 1992 ISBN The Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1990 SI 1990/1380 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 SI 1994/2865 and Management of health and safety at work. Management of Health and Safety at Work

7 Regulations Approved Code of Practice L21 HSE Books 1992 ISBN (to be replaced) The Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations 1997 SI 1997/135 The Working Time Regulations 1998 SI 1998/1883 The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 SI 1981 /917 and First aid at work. The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations Approved Code of Practice and guidance HSE Books 1997 ISBN Free leaflet First aid at work: Your questions answered INDG214 HSE Books 1997 gives guidance particularly aimed at small workplaces. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 SI 1995/316.3 and Guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 L73 HSE Books 1995 ISBN Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 SI 1999/437 and General COSHH ACOP, Carcinogens ACOP and Biological Agents ACOP. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations Approved Codes of Practice L5 HSE Books 1999 ISBN and COSHH: A brief guide to the Regulations INDG136(rev1) HSE Books 1999 The Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 and the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 SI 1998/2573. Free guide for employers Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969: A guide for employers HSE4 HSE Books 1998 Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 SI 1996/1513 and A guide to the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 L95 HSE Books 1996 ISBN Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1997 SI 1977/500 and Safety representatives and safety committees L87 HSE Books 1996 ISBN Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 SI 1992/3004 (regulations 8, 9, 12, 20, 21 and 25) and Workplace health, safety and welfare. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations Approved Code of Practice and guidance L24 ISBN Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 SI 1998/2306 and Safe use of work equipment. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations Approved Code of Practice and guidance L22 HSE Books 1998 ISBN The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 SI 1997/1850 (The Fire Precautions (Workplace)(Amendment) Regulations 1999 SI 1999/1877 came into force on 1 December 1999) Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 SI 1989/635 and Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations Guidance on Regulations HSR25 HSE Books 1989 ISBN Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 SI 1996/341 and Safety signs and signals. Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations Guidance on Regulations L64 HSE Books 1997 ISBN Statutory Instruments (SIs) are available from The Stationery Office, The Publications Centre, PO Box 276, London SW8 5DT. Tel: HSE publications are available from HSE Books. See inside back cover for details.

8 While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the references listed in this policy, their future availability cannot be guaranteed. LEGISLATION AFFECTING POST 16 STUDENTS Work experience schemes for students post 16 do not need LEA approval, but Insurance and health and safety arrangements should be in place for every student irrespective of age. Post 16 students who are entering placements where there is substantial unsupervised contact with children will need to be vetted and the necessary checks made by the school/college on the Criminal Records Bureau. Employers should notify their insurers that they host work experience students and communicate further with their insurers if work placements are substantially longer than two weeks thus ensuring that their Public and Employer Liability Policies are no invalidated by the employer s non-disclosure of this fact. It is the responsibility of the Placement Organiser (The School) to make employers aware of this need. EXCLUDED STUDENTS Schools may wish to continue to include in their Work Experience Programme students who have been excluded (either fixed term or permanent). If they do wish to do so, then the appropriate Education Officers of the endorsing Authorities should be informed, and provision may be made in certain instances. Otherwise excluded students will not be able to take advantage of work experience. Employers should be fully briefed about the needs of individual students so that employers can take account of these in their risk assessment. OTHER WORK RELATED ACTIVITIES Work Experience may be defined as a placement on an employer's premises in which a student carries out a particular task or duty, or a range of tasks or duties, more or less as would an employee but with the emphasis on the learning aspects of the experience. In considering the suitability of matching students to placements, schools should give due consideration to the age and maturity of individual students and to the nature of the particular workplace environment. Visits, work observation, work-based projects, and community service do not normally come within the scope of work experience legislation. For work related activities that take place outside school premises, teachers must be familiar with their own school's requirements in respect of off-site activities and risk assessments. INSURANCE COVER FOR STUDENTS ON WORK EXPERIENCE The endorsing Local Authorities insure against their own liability in the event of a student being injured whilst on work experience. The endorsing Local Authorities do not however insure individual students against accidents for which neither the LEA nor employers could be held responsible i.e. where the student is negligent through ignoring instructions or behaving irresponsibly. The Association of British Insurers (ABI), the British Insurance and Investment Brokers Association and Lloyds of London have agreed as a matter of convention that students on work experience placements in conformity with the Act, and teachers on placements should be treated as employees for the purpose of insurance against personal injury (that is, they will be covered by the Employer's

9 Liability policy), provided always that the insurer has had notification. This Agreement is based on the assumption that placements will last up to two weeks. For placements lasting longer than two weeks the ABI have confirmed that extended placements are acceptable as long as the insurer has been notified of the placement details, including the duration. The endorsing Local Authorities follow best practice and require employers offering work experience placements to have both current Public and Employer Liability Insurance. Employers should notify their insurers that they host work experience students and communicate further with their insurers if work placements are substantially longer than two weeks thus ensuring that their Public and Employer Liability Policies are no invalidated by the employer s non-disclosure of this fact. It is the responsibility of the Placement Organiser (whether this is the school or the EBP) to make employers aware of this need. Placements with employers who do not have both Public and Employer Liability cover cannot be approved by the endorsing LEAs except where the employer is its own insurer, e.g. Crown and Government Departments. Where employers, other than the Crown or UK government Departments declare that they underwrite their own liabilities, specialist advice from the endorsing LEA insurance department should be sought. Where students are required to travel whilst on placement (e.g. in vans, lorries etc.) steps should be taken to ensure that adequate insurance is in place that takes account of the student's activities. Independent schools have responsibility for their own insurance arrangements and governing bodies must formally approve work experience schemes. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL HEAD TEACHER AND GOVERNING BODY: The Head Teacher and Governing Body has overall responsibility to ensure health, safety and welfare of students on work experience, and staff who are invited in the planning and preparation of the placement. They will: Ensure that a suitable and sufficient management system is implemented for work experience; Nominate a named member of SLT within the school with responsibility for ensuring that the health and safety requirements for work experience are fully carried out in accordance with this Policy; Develop a Work Experience Policy detailing the school s arrangements for work experience; Nominate a Work Experience Co-ordinator within the school; Include work experience initiatives within the School Improvement Plan; Ensure clear communication with all key parties involved with the work placements; Ensure that health and safety procedures etc. are followed in order to meet legislative, good practice and quality assurance standards; Ensure that all the administrative procedures contained within this policy are implemented to support the work experience programme run by the school;

10 Ensure that arrangements are in place to provide placement providers with any identified additional needs of the student. NOMINATED SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM (SLT) MEMBER: A Senior Leadership Team Member will be responsible for ensuring that procedures in relation to work experience are carried out in line with this policy. In particular he/she will ensure that: Health and safety requirements for Work Experience are carried out; Key staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to work experience; Staff follow procedures outlined in the Work Experience Policy; Ensure procedures are in place to use the risk assessments when matching students with placements; Ensure procedures are in place to advise parents or carers to the risk assessments; Ensure staff are using the updated guidance documents and paperwork; Ensure that students are given any necessary health and safety instruction and training prior to placements being made; Ensure clear communication and consultation are in place with all key parties involved with the work placements; Ensure Health and Safety updates relating to work experience are communicated to appropriate staff. DESIGNATED WORK EXPERIENCE CO-ORDINATOR FOR THE SCHOOL: The Work Experience Co-ordinator is responsible for developing procedures to ensure that students, placed with employers for work experience as part of his/her programme, are not subject to unacceptable risks and in particular he/she will ensure that: Meetings and training organised are attended in relation to their role; All work placement providers have been approved prior to use; Arrangements are in place to ensure that guidelines are implemented and monitored; Ensure that risk assessments are referred to when matching students to placements ensuring all potential risks have been considered; Ensure risk assessments are made available to parents; Provide information on any student s additional needs to enable an individual risk assessment to be carried out, if appropriate; Provide all work placement providers with information on student additional needs; The person responsible for mentoring the student is provided with a copy of the risk assessment and visiting teachers prior to the placement taking place; Ensure guidance on accidents/incidents involving students on placements is strictly followed.

11 TEACHER(S) MONITORING WORK EXPERIENCE PLACEMENTS The teacher(s) responsible for monitoring work experience placements will: Ensure that they are familiar with the risk assessments for placements being visited and that any identified personal protective equipment or clothing is worn; Ensure a work experience monitoring form is completed during the monitoring visit; Ensure a visit takes place once during a 5 day block placement and correspondingly once every 5 weeks for a one day a week placement; Ensure where it is not possible to make a visit due to location of placement phone contact takes place and is recorded on the monitoring visit report form; Ensure where there are any concerns, this is reported as soon as possible to the work experience co-ordinator and more frequent visits made; Ensure child protection and health and safety procedures are followed. PLACEMENT PROVIDERS Placement providers will be required to:- Assess the risks to their young workers (i.e. Under 18 years of age) including students on work experience, before they start work; Ensure that the risk assessment takes into account specific factors such as their immaturity, inexperience and lack of awareness; Introduce and implement control measures to eliminate or minimise the risks and ensure that these are implemented, including the wearing of personal protective equipment or clothing; Ensure the student receives adequate training and health and safety instructions prior to commencing the placement/first day; Nominate a mentor to work with the student throughout the placement; Provide adequate supervision as detailed on the risk assessment; Ensure students are made aware of the work activities involved and any associated significant risks; Ensure that students are informed of who has day to day responsibility at the workplace for supervising them, and who (if different) has overall responsibility for their health and safety during their work experience; Ensure arrangements are in place to notify parents of any accident/incident as soon as practicable; Inform the school Work Experience Co-ordinator as soon as practicable of any incident/accident; Complete the incident/accident book, and/or report as a RIDDOR to HSE in the event of serious accident/incident in line under required under RIDDOR. PARENT OR CARER OF A CHILD Parent or Carer of a child have no specific responsibilities under health and safety legislation, except when they provide work experience for members of their own family. In

12 this case they will have the same health and safety responsibilities as other placement providers. Parent or carer of a child can provide useful information about their child s medical or behavioral conditions, or particularly any potential health and safety problems that may relate in the placement. This information must be passed on to the placement provider so that s/he is able to carry out an effective risk assessment prior to the commencement of the placement.

13 WORK EXPERIENCE ANNUAL PLAN This step-by-step guide will help Builth Wells High School to annually plan and deliver high quality work experience provision, as follows:- Appoint a Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to be responsible for ensuring that procedures in relation to Work Experience are carried out in line with this policy ê Appoint a Work Experience Co-ordinator to liaise with employers, source suitable placements and organise the provision of work experience ê Consider the flexibility of placement timing (for example, to fit around programmes of learning, schemes of work, assignments and stages in the academic year, as well as considering the benefits of blocks of time versus a staggered approach) based on employer, learner and curriculum needs. ê Careful matching of student to a placement in a sector of interest, as well as liaison with employers about individual student needs ê Preparation of student (undertaken by Work Experience Co-ordinator) for example CV development, interview skills, how to conduct themselves in the world of work ê Preparation of employer, for example health and safety, how to link placement with the course, how to make placement meaningful and purposeful, and objective-setting ê Ensuring appropriate support for learners is in place, for example, mentoring, keep-in-touch visits or calls, and supervision during placement ê Monitoring and evaluation against objectives, review and reflection (capturing the benefits to students, including the variety of work activities undertaken and range of skills gained) ê Feedback to employers, including placement impact on learner skills and Progression, into further education or employment

14 PRE-PLACEMENT PLANNING To meet DfES Minimum Standards schools are advised to follow: Minimum Standards Pre-Placement Child Protection issues form part of the evidence base (including young person risk assessment) on which a decision to place a student is made. Minimum Standards Alleged Incident Procedures 1. Immediately after an incident has been alleged a log of all telephone calls and actions is to be kept. The Head teacher and nominated Work Experience SLT member must be informed. 2. The student must be withdrawn from the placement, by the school, as soon as is safe to do so. 3. The placement should be suspended from further placements until such time as the source of the incident (both personnel and systemic) has been removed and a revisit by a competent assessor has been undertaken. 4. Any relevant advice/information from Social Services or the Police would inform the re- assessment of the placement. 5. Internal systems and procedures would need to be reviewed accordingly. Minimum Standards Partnership Agreement with Schools Schools will not arrange an extended placement unless a Partnership Agreement has been agreed clarifying roles and responsibilities. Minimum Standard Confidentiality Schools need to consider carefully the situation where relevant information is not disclosed to the placement provider due to the requirements of the Data Protection Act Minimum Standard Parents The agreement/consent form must contain a statement encouraging parents to feed back issues arising during a placement. Minimum Standard Work Experience Co-ordinator Training The school will cover child protection issues during induction of new work experience staff and during refresher training of existing staff. The responsibility for ensuring the above standards are met remains with the school.

15 RISK ASSESSMENTS PRIOR TO PLACEMENTS The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states that employers must assess the risks to their young workers, including students on work experience before they start work. Risk assessments should be undertaken by the placement provider as soon as the placement details have been agreed in conjunction with the school and before the student takes up the work placement. Placement providers should be informed in advance about any individual students who may be at greater risk, for example because of any specific medical needs/behavioral needs or learning difficulties. The risk assessment must take into account the following factors; Inexperience and immaturity; Lack of awareness of existing or potential risks; The fitting and layout of the workplace and/or workstation; The nature, degree and duration of any exposure to physical, biological and chemical agents; The form, range and use of work equipment and the way in which it is handled; The organisation of processes and activities; The extent of the supervision to be provided to the student; The extent of the health and safety training provided, or to be provided to the student concerned; Risks from agents, processes and works listed in Prohibited Employment Any issues relating to students behavior and/ or learning needs. The extent of the risk will determine whether to restrict the work or the activities of the work experience student. If the placement provider concludes, that as a result of a risk assessment, there is a significant risk to the student undertaking this activity, the student must be prohibited from doing it. The placement provider must ensure that the control measures identified on the risk assessment are implemented. The person responsible for mentoring the student must be provided with a copy of the risk assessment. There is, however, an extra requirement on the employer to provide the parents/guardians of children at work (including those on work experience) with information on the key findings of the risk assessment and control measures taken before the child starts work. Where the placement provider employs five or more staff, the significant findings of the risk assessment must be recorded, including work experience risk assessments. Risk assessments are carried out on behalf of the placement provider and prior to the placement, to ensure the health and safety of students whilst on work experience. If the parents or carers require a paper copy of the risk assessment rather than accessing the risk assessment, it is the Work Experience Co-ordinator s responsibility to send the relevant document.

16 For Work Experience Placements taking place with effect from the adoption of this policy (2014) onwards, the school will set up a dedicated Work Experience Database to hold all placement information and enable access to site specific risk assessments and parental consents incorporated within the new process. The database could be linked to the Careers Wales database for details of placement providers etc. Further information on the risk assessment process can found in the school s Risk Assessment Policy and Procedures. Information can be also be found on SUITABILITY OF THE PLACEMENT The Work Experience Co-ordinator and nominated SLT will have responsibility to determine the suitability of all the work experience placements. When the school arranges any work experience placements, it must be satisfied that the placement providers: Have suitable systems in place to ensure the health, safety and welfare, so far as is reasonably practicable, of the student while under their control; Are competent to manage health and safety in relation to the placement; Will use competent people to supervise work experience Only placement providers approved by the SLT and Work Experience Co-ordinator must be used for work experience placements. If a placement provider is not already been approved, please contact them to arrange for an assessment prior to the placement commencing. Written parental consent is legally required before a placement can commence. It is recommended that this consent be obtained after the parent has sighted the risk assessment. Students on work experience are NOT permitted to work in the following areas: A tattoo studio A body piercing studio Parts of a beauty salon where semi-permanent make up is used An abattoir At any height On water see water guidelines In the air hot air balloons, helicopters, gliders etc. In gambling locations amusement arcades, betting shops, casinos. Behind the bar of public houses and restaurants selling alcohol In an off-licence With guns e.g. Gun shop, gamekeeper With fireworks Construction industry new build sites or total refurbishment sites are not deemed appropriate for work experience Remember that certain restrictions apply in particular industries e.g. catering.

17 CONFIDENTALITY Parents must inform the school of any issues, health or otherwise (behavioral issues, infringements of the law, language ability etc.) relating to the student prior to the student commencing work experience. The school is required to inform an employer of any of the above that may affect the employer s willingness to take that student for work experience. If this information is not supplied then the placement cannot be approved. Permission must always be sought from parents and the student before any information listed above covered by the Data Protection Act is shared. Please note that a placement cannot go ahead if such permission is not received. WORK EXPERIENCE - PROGRAMME OUTLINE A five day work experience activity will need to take place in June and involve all Year 10 students. ANNUAL PROGRAMME OF DELIVERY Month Early November November November to March School Activity Work experience programme launched in Year 10 lessons. Teachers prepare students and guide them in making choices. Students decide where to go using contacts and parental help. They also contact employers from the Careers Wales Database via the school Work Experience Co-ordinator. (This ensures that employers receive an appropriate number of requests). Students contact employers by letter, visit or phone call. November to March February Mid-March Once they have secured a placement, the employer receives a formal letter from the school confirming details. A risk assessment is produced by school and sent to parents with a consent form and a medical declaration to be returned asap. Focus on students who have not found a placement. All health and safety checks and new employer assessments are to be fully completed within one month of the placement commencing. Students go on one-week placement and are visited and/or contacted by staff. June Collapsed timetable day to consolidate knowledge and skills. De-brief of students continues in lessons. July Employers receive thank you letters from students produced in lessons and all student Logbooks/folders are assessed and awards presented.

18 Preparation Programme This consists of either four sessons that include two on health and safety, one on making the most of the work experience diary and expectations of behavior. However this may also take place as a special one off enrichment day programme. Health and Safety Brief For Students (Pre-Placement) Ensuring the placement is safe and the pupil is safe is not the same thing. Pupils need to be briefed on health and safety matters before the placement starts. The briefing should provide the pupils with a general awareness and understanding of the following: What occupational health and safety is and why it is important What the benefits of occupational health and safety are Hazard and risk, what each is and examples of each The general obligations of learners and employees and the limitations at work Accidents, ill-health and first aid Knowledge of what causes most harm to employees at work and the need for first aid Types of emergencies that can happen at work, including fire and the general control measures used in emergencies (alarms, fire-fighting, means of escape and so on) The general duties employers have towards learners and employees, including supervision, information, instruction and training, and prohibitions or restrictions for young people Safety signs and notices, what the main ones are and what they warn of The need for personal protective equipment and clothing as a last resort Safe systems of work, what they are and the background to control measures that result from risk assessment An awareness of key common safety and health hazards, risk and controls (for example, manual handling, slips, trips and falls, machinery and equipment, falls from height, transport, hazardous substances, and electricity). To support the preparation of students, covering the above topics, three resources are free to schools: 1. Be Safe: An introductory Guide to Health and Safety schools can order as many copies as they need for their students from the LSC (Ref:MISC/0609/03 Tel: ) 2. Check it out: risk assessment for young people on work placement HSE ( Risk it - A video package available free to schools from the LSC

19 De-briefing Programme There will be two one-hour sessons devoted to Work Experience held within one week after the work placements have ended. The de-briefing sessions will encourage students to reflect on their experiences and think about the differences between school and work. Students should also write a thank you letter to their employer at this time. The second session will also provide an opportunity for students to complete their Logbooks and hand in their folders to their Form Tutors within the 2 week deadline after their placement ends. Students can use their work experience provider as their second referee on any future applications for Post-16 places. Equal Opportunities for all students All students are given an equal opportunity to access the preparation before and de-briefing after Work Experience. All students are given an equal opportunity to access placements. Every student is entitled to one week of work experience. Work experience is seen as an effective means of challenging stereotypical choices. Students are encouraged to try activities, which would not normally lie within their scope of interest. PRE-PLACEMENT PREPARATION CHECKLIST : QUESTIONS TO ASK? The following Checklist has been designed to aid effective management and organisation of the school s Work Experience Programme. The Work Experience Co-ordinator will use this checklist to ensure all areas of pre-planning, placement and reporting can be completed thoroughly on behalf of the school. 1. PRE-PLACEMENT PREPARATION CHECKLIST QUESTIONS TO ASK? Current provision and learning from others Processes and Procedures Staff readiness Can you use the school s existing infrastructure to arrange work experience placements as part of Study Programmes, or do you need to consider a whole school approach? Have you looked at examples of good practice and what other institutions are doing to implement work experience, including for those students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD)? Have you appointed an appropriate level of staff to be responsible for work experience in your school and across your curriculum areas? Do you need to recruit additional staff? What support systems, e.g. ICT and administration, will you need in order to identify, allocate, monitor and evaluate work experience placements? Has a school database been compiled that is capable of acknowledging any revised legislative, Health and Safety, Safeguarding guidance etc? How will staff ensure that work experience placements are relevant to individual students needs and career aspirations, including those students with LDD? Have all your curriculum teams started incorporating work experience into their curriculum planning?

20 Employer Engagement Student/parent readiness How will you source work placement places with new and/or existing employers? Are you aware of any sector gaps that you need to address to match student choices? Do you have clear and simple mechanisms in place for employers to offer work placements for your learners? Do you understand the varying preferences and needs of local employers so that you can be sufficiently flexible in planning around these? Have you considered working with neighbouring schools, colleges and training providers in engaging with employers? Have you considered working with external organisations, such as the local Education Business Partnership/Careers Wales and Job Centre Plus to source placements? How will you heighten awareness in your students and their parents of the value of work experience and how it will complement their Study Programme? Do your students understand their responsibilities with regards to their work experience placement? Have you planned into the curriculum some form of employability training to prepare students that are not quite work ready? 2. PROVISION OF WORK EXPERIENCE Have staff ensured that each work placement has clear aims and objectives that are relevant to individual students programmes of study, including those with LDD? Have staff agreed up-front the roles and responsibilities between employer/student? Do all staff know what the mechanisms are for arranging, monitoring and recording work experience placements? Staff readiness Have staff clearly planned out and timetabled their work experience placements? Have staff advised employers of any additional health and safety and/or safeguarding checks that are needed beyond what the employer already has in place? Are staff confident that these additional checks are fit for purpose and not unnecessarily burdensome? Employer readiness Has the employer agreed up-front the roles and responsibilities between employer/student? Is the employer aware of the capability of the student, so expectations are managed? Is the employer aware of the principles of meaningful work experience, e.g. purposeful, offers challenge, structured, supervised, etc.? Does the employer understand their responsibility for evaluating each student s performance and providing a reference at the end of the placement? Is the employer aware that their existing Employer Liability Insurance will cover work experience placements? Is the employer aware of the HSE simplified health and safety guidance for work experience placements?

21 Is the student sufficiently work ready for the work experience placement so as to maximise the benefit for both the student and employer? Has the student agreed up-front the roles and responsibilities Student readiness between employer/student? Is there an appropriate level of support and contact time available to the student whilst on placement? Does the student understand their responsibility to assess their own performance at the end of their placement? 3. WORK EXPERIENCE FOLLOW-UP How will you know if the work experience placement has been successful? Has the employer and the student carried out their assessment of the student s performance? Evaluation Is any follow-up activity necessary with employers who provided work placements? Is there anything else that needs to be done to improve on the current arrangements and can these be implemented to inform policy? Has the work experience been properly recorded in the student/learner s Log Book? Have the students Logbooks/folders been assessed? Have certificates and Awards been decided, printed and organised? Records and audit Has any feedback from students been noted? Have any concerns been noted and the school s Health and Safety Committee informed? Has the work experience programme been sufficiently documented so that it can be scrutinised through the common inspection framework?

22 HEALTH AND SAFETY, RESTRICTIONS, MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY Teachers who place students into work experience also have a common law duty to look after children in their care. They must take reasonable steps to satisify themselves that placements will be safe. Teachers should be able to equip themselves, though training and experience, with skills, which enable them to assess the general suitability of placements. However while on placement both the individual student and the employer are responsible for health and safety in the work place. In common law one can be sued if by one's actions, or through the failure to discharge responsibilities, one is deemed to cause injury or loss to another person. A DfES publication-giving guidance to health and safety good practice in work experience was published in November 1999 and the Health & Safety Executive publication, 'Managing Health and Safety on Work Experience: A Guide for Organisers' was published in Schools must follow these key documents and this set of Guidelines and any Welsh Assembly Government guidelines in their organisation of work experience. A booklet available from the Health and Safety Executive: 'Be Safe - A Guide to Health and Safety in Training' is valuable reference material and schools must ensure that they are distributed to students. During briefings prior to placement, students should have the importance of good practice with regard to health and safety at work outlined to them. The School retains a duty of care at all times, and will ensure: Placements are vetted, in accordance with Health and Safety Procurement Standards i (HASPS) by a trained and competent person either in the School or service provider We will ensure our students are matched carefully to the placement and support the student when they are on a placement Our students are prepared and briefed about health and safety and understand how to identify hazards and the sort of control measures that can be put in place to reduce the risk of injury or accident Our students develop a set of safe behaviors, so that they play an active part in the process and acquire practical, transferable skills from their experience Students must not work excessively long hours, no more than 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week, 5 days per week with no unsocial hours Any contracted work experience organisation or internal team (as appropriate), organising work experience for our students will be competent in health and safety and able to decide on the suitability of any placement Systems are in place to ensure the health, safety and welfare, so far as reasonably practicable, of placements, i.e. H&S Policy, Risk Assessments, communications and consents Students are supervised by competent people whilst on work experience

23 Any contracted work experience organisation or internal team (as appropriate), organising placements will ensure specific activities that students undertake on a work placement take account of any restrictions and prohibited work aligned to age. We will remain aware of legislation and guidance documents relating to work experience published by the Department for Education and the Health and Safety Executive and update this policy as appropriate. VISITS TO WORKPLACES Before approval is given on any placement, a competent person on behalf of the LEA or Governing body should visit the premises according to National risk banding schedules, in order to appraise general placement suitability from a health and safety point of view. Extended work experience placements are subject to different visiting schedules for details, contact Education Business Partnerships/ Careers Wales. By law, any employer with five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy statement. Possession of this may provide a useful pointer to the employer's general attitude to safety. Visits should be undertaken by a competent person who has experience and appropriate training in health and safety. (Regulation 6 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 refers to appointing competent persons to assist with measures that must be taken to comply with health and safety laws. In regulation 6 (5) it says:- A person shall be regarded as competent... where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him properly to assist in undertaking the measures referred to... Himself ). RESTRICTIONS ON ACTIVITIES STUDENTS MAY CARRY OUT ON WORK EXPERIENCE Legal Restrictions Depending on availability, students should be able to secure placements that enable them to engage in the enhancement of key skills for employability in areas of most value to them in relation to their transition plans. However, the Authorities endorsing these Work Experience Guidelines operate the following restrictions on the employment of young persons: Work experience placements at sea will not be approved, except on estuaries and local inshore waters and these will only be approved after considering the risks associated with the placement. PROHIBITED EMPLOYMENT Students should not be placed into: Certain work using radioactive substances and manipulating redlight Vitreous enamelling on metal or glass Blasting, asbestos manufacture, certain chemical processes, chromium plating, rubber manufacture, certain occupations involving lead processes Locomotive driving and the driving of cranes in docks