Headlands Primary School Adults Other Than Teachers Policy (AOTT)

Transcription

1 Headlands Primary School Adults Other Than Teachers Policy (AOTT) Principles/Rationale There is considerable involvement by parents and others in helping in the daily life and work of the school. The use of volunteers and AOTT can be an important factor in enriching the curriculum, as well as supporting other activities that take place in school. Pupils are brought into contact with a greater number of adults in a wide variety of learning situations, both in school time and during extra curricular activities. The use of volunteers and AOTT allows for a more effective development of school as a community resource with local people participating in our lives and activities to the mutual benefit of pupils, staff and parents. The use of AOTT may be in addition to, or more frequently as a replacement to normal levels of staffing for teaching, educational support and other staff provided from the school s delegated budget. Working with Volunteers There will be full consultation with members of staff who will work with a volunteer in advance of the individual being introduced into school. The Head will involve the relevant members of staff in selecting supporting volunteers to work in an area for which the member of staff has responsibility. When recruiting AOTT and volunteers, attention will be paid for the need for Criminal Record Bureau checks and List 99 checks for all school volunteers in whatever capacity they enter the school. The findings of these checks will determine the suitability of any volunteer. An index of ALL approved support staff is held in the office. Parents assisting on school day trips under the constant supervision of a member of school staff may not require a C.R.B. check. No member of staff will be obliged to work directly with a volunteer if this is against his/her expressed wish. Where volunteers are used in a teaching area, individual class teachers will retain responsibility for the teaching programme and adequate supervision of pupils. Where volunteers are used in an area or activity which is the responsibility of educational support staff, the latter members of staff will continue to carry responsibility for the area or activity involved. Volunteers will be allocated to and supervised by a member of staff. Volunteers will not be used as a substitute for staff but will supplement staff resources provided from the school s budget. It follows that staff will not suffer loss of hours or status as a consequence of the use of volunteers in a school. Staff with whom volunteers are working have the right, in the light of experience, to request the discontinuance of the use of voluntary help to the Headteacher, if it is not found to be valuable. All volunteers will be expected to arrive punctually and inform the school in good time if they cannot attend school when they are expected.

2 2 All volunteers are expected to dress and conduct themselves in a professional manner. The School reserves the right to decline offers of voluntary help. Use of Volunteers Volunteers will not be used in an activity which is beyond their capacity. Volunteers will not have access to confidential material, including records of all staff and pupils. They will be sensitive to, and informed about, their role as voluntary helpers. Volunteers will be given information about the school and its objectives. The Headteacher is aware of the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act insofar as it relates to volunteers. Volunteers will not attend any staff meetings unless it is deemed necessary for them to fulfil their role. Induction and Training All new volunteers will be given a School Booklet and be given an induction session when they join the school. This will provide them with information about the role and introduce them to the key policies and practices within the school. It will also be an opportunity for them to formally meet staff and other volunteers giving them basic information e.g. insurance and health and safety procedures. Use of AOTT in school A paid coach contracted to provide agreed services to the school will work at distance from, but under the direction of a teacher. Reasonable flexibility means that there are situations where it may be acceptable to allow a volunteer with clear expertise to work at some distance from a teacher. In such instances the employer will carry out a risk assessment and consider the volunteer s: relationships with the pupils knowledge of the pupils pupil management expertise in the activities observation and analysis skills The specific competence of any paid coach or volunteer will be established prior to their leading or supervising school activities at distance from the teacher. All AOTT will be over 18 years of age. School will inform the relevant parents of any regular use of paid instructors. The school will keep a register of the use of paid instructors.

3 3 Grievances Problems and conflicts can arise when working with volunteers and AOTT, as they do with paid staff. The role of volunteers and AOTT is clearly communicated to all staff and volunteers so that conflicts are less likely to arise. If things do go wrong, the first stage will be to try and resolve the problem through the normal channels of supervision. In situations where this may fail to work, it may be appropriate to put in place procedures to deal with situations when a volunteer or AOTT has a grievance against the school, or if a complaint is made against a volunteer or AOTT. Any complaint or grievance will be investigated thoroughly by the Headteacher and if necessary Governing body giving due respect to the feelings of both sides of any dispute. For further information see Complaints Procedure. Health and Safety Procedures The same legislation on health and safety applies to volunteers involved in school as it does to paid staff. The LA has a duty of care to ensure, as far as possible, that no-one is exposed to risks to their health and safety. Volunteers and AOTT will be provided with information and training on health and safety to prevent problems occurring. Volunteers and AOTT will never be put in situations of greater risk than would be acceptable to paid staff.

4 4 The Role of the AOTT The AOTT must work to support the school s physical education and extra curricular programmes. The AOTT will: have an appropriate coaching qualification have current public liability insurance be aware of and follow LA and school policies; understand the principle of higher duty of care; work within the sportscoach UK (or Governing Body equivalent) Code of Ethics and Conduct for Sports Coaches; visit the school prior to the delivery, meet the designated teacher and agree the programme; ensure the sessions are pre-planned with clear learning objectives, matched to the school scheme of work ; ensure the activities and equipment are suitable for the age, ability and size of the group; ensure the activities are suitably differentiated and inclusive for the group; keep a formal record of sessions to aid future planning; make sure the teaching environment (including any equipment they are providing) is safe for the activity to take place; provide information to the pupils about opportunities in the community to continue their involvement in the activity; participate fully in periods of supervision and monitoring activities; inform the school of any incidents which occur; complete school documentation when required e.g. registers, accident report forms. All AOTTs will have the benefit of an induction programme. The school will appoint a designated teacher, usually the Headteacher, who retains overall responsibility for the work of the AOTT. The school retains responsibility for the health and safety of pupils. The school will ensure that; the work of the AOTT follows the school programmes for curriculum and extra curricular activities; sessions are pre-planned with clear learning objectives, matched to the school scheme of work; the activities and equipment are suitable for the age, ability and size of the group; the activities are suitably differentiated and inclusive for the group; there is a formal record of sessions to aid future planning; And for curriculum activities that: the programme of study for the physical education national curriculum is fulfilled; appropriate assessment of pupils progress is made in discussion with the AOTT; appropriate reporting of pupils progress and attainment is made in discussion with the AOTT. The school will ensure that the AOTT is aware of relevant LA and school procedures and policies. In particular:

5 5 health and safety policy; first aid, accident and emergency procedures; behaviour management procedures; child protection procedures; dress (both pupils and AOTT). The school will ensure that; the roles and responsibilities of the AOTT and teachers are clearly defined; there is an agreed period of and level of supervision which is determined by competency; that if the AOTT is using their vehicle to transport pupils all matters relating to insurance, taxation and road worthiness of the vehicles has been assured. The parents of the pupils involved in these journeys must have given written consent prior to the journey; the equipment and facilities are safe and in good repair; the facility and equipment requirements regulations are confirmed; a review is scheduled to evaluate the success of the programme and the performance of the AOTT; the AOTT is informed of any relevant information about the young people involved in the activities (medical, emotional); Role of the School monitoring and evaluation The school will regularly and systematically monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision. The school will assist the AOTT s with any external monitoring requirements

6 6 APPENDIX 1 Process for successful practice with all volunteers and AOTT Pre-employment procedures: 1. Headteacher to inform the employer (LEA/Governors) and parents that procedures are underway with a view to deploying volunteers or paid coaches. 2. Employer to establish the conditions of service, ie employee/contractor/volunteer 3. Headteacher/Governors to clarify the arrangements for liability insurance cover. 4. Volunteer or paid coach to obtain any necessary level of disclosure certificate. 5. Subject leader or teacher to establish that the volunteer s or paid coach s level of competence is appropriate to the demands of the pupils and the activity/activities to be delivered. 6. Subject leader or teacher to ensure individual and joint planning of the work under the direct supervision of a designated teacher and to provide an opportunity for the volunteer or paid coach to have access to schemes of work and other relevant documentation as well as observing the pupils prior to working with them. 7. Subject leader or teacher to have a contingency plan available should the volunteer or paid coach not arrive for the planned session. This may involve sending children home if suitable cover cannot be found in time. When the volunteer/paid coach s programme has been agreed/sanctioned: 8. Subject leader or teacher to provide the volunteer or coach with information about the relevant school procedures eg travel off-site, not engaging in physical activity as a

7 participant in a game with pupils, child protection, dealing with parents, behaviour, confidentiality, accidents and emergencies, schemes of work. 7

8 8 When the programme begins: Paid coaches (contractors) Volunteers 9. Subject leader or teacher to negotiate and undertake an agreed period and level of supervision compatible with safe and effective practice which is determined by competency this may involve continuously working alongside the paid coach or not at all. 10 Subject leader or teacher to undertake direct supervision of the volunteer at all times other than those circumstances where the volunteer is deemed to be capable and safe to operate at some distance from a teacher. 11. Subject leader or teacher to ensure that risk assessment procedures are fully implemented and regularly updated and inform the volunteer or paid coach on the personal circumstances of the pupils, eg bereavement, illness. 12. Subject leader or teacher to regularly and systematically monitor and review the quality of provision and identify, agree and provide for the professional development needs of the volunteer or paid coach.