Supervision of Children Policy

 

Approval Date

January 2022

Next Review

 

 

References made to ‘child’ and ‘children’ refer to children and young people under the age of 18 years.

AIMS

The O’Brien International School is committed to provide, as far as is reasonably practicable, safe playground/outdoor area and learning environments for the children of our school. This policy seeks to clarify the level of supervision provided before, during and after the school day so that all staff (including contractors, agencies and third-party organisations) and parents/carers are aware of the standards that are expected.

 

Supervisory Responsibilities

The headteacher will:

 

• Ensure adequate staff are available to meet the required supervision requirements for before the start of the school day, during break times and lunch times and at the end of the school day until all children have left the school grounds or are under parental/carer supervision.

• Ensure that staff are aware of their supervisory responsibilities,

• Continue to develop a culture of safety and safe environment for our children

• Ensure that this policy is communicated to parents/carers

• Review and evaluate the supervision procedures as required.

 

 

Supervising staff will:

 

• Support and assist in the implementation of this policy.

• Reinforce a ‘safe play’/use of recreational time message.

• Adhere to and follow the safeguarding and child protection, health and safety, behaviour polices and the staff behaviour policy/code of conduct, plus the additional policies listed on page 5.

• Report any concerns to the headteacher/member of the senior leadership team (SLT)/designated safeguarding lead (DSL) as appropriate.

• Understand their prime supervisory responsibility is to be with the class or group at all times. Children should not be put in the position of being left unsupervised. Good preparation and classroom management should ensure that there is no necessity for this to be the case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parents/Carers will:

 

• Respect the arrangements provided for the supervision of their children and acknowledge the times that supervision will be available

• Support the supervisory staff by also ensuring that their children (including other siblings who may not currently attend the school) adhere to the rules of the school whenever they are on the school site or participating in school events and activities;

• Report any concerns to the headteacher/member of the senior leadership team (SLT)/designated safeguarding lead (DSL) as appropriate;

• Inform the school of any changes to the arrangements for the collection of their child.

Before school:

Children, which includes pupils and their siblings, are not allowed to play ball games or use the playground equipment and must behave in a way that respects the adults and smaller children on the playground.

• The duty staff go outside at 08.20 to main entrance. One duty staff stands at each gate to ensure no children leave the playground after they have arrived and other duty staff stand on the playground.

• Staff should be on the playground/at their classroom doors by 08.30 in order to receive any messages from parents and to bring in children as promptly as possible.

Parent/carers should also note that there will not be staff on duty before 08.00 and are therefore encouraged to remain with their children until the gates are opened. Should there be any incidents such as bullying or accidents, the school cannot be held responsible and supervisory responsibility will remain with the parent/carer until the time specified above.

 

The gates will be opened at 08.20 for access to school and will remain open until 08.30. Any latecomers must report to the main school reception area.

 

Supervision Arrangements

 

During the school day all visitors with business in the school will be admitted through the school office. Certain visitors to the school must be accompanied by a member of staff at all times.

 

Leaving the school site: Children should not be allowed off-site during school hours unless there is clear evidence of a request (in writing, by email, in person or by telephone) from the parents/carers.

 

Errands: Children should not be sent off-site on a personal errand on behalf of a member of staff. This includes children collecting items from cars parked in the school car park.

 

Illness: When children are taken ill during the school day the school will contact the parents/carers, whether at home or at work. Information about contacts is kept in the secretary’s office.

 

Lesson Time: Children must be supervised at all times. Children should not be left in classrooms without supervision. Children attending clubs and extra-curricular activities should not be left in school unattended.

Visitors: All staff should check strangers by politely asking why they are on the premises and report to the school office if there is a concern.

Parents/carers are not allowed to approach children from other families to sort out disputes or arguments, staff or parents/carers should report any concerns about this to the school office.

Insert any additional arrangements as appropriate, for example children excluded during the school day.

Break Times

 

The headteacher/secretary will:

• Review break duty arrangements daily in the event of any staff sickness/absence thereby providing adequate supervision ratios

• Make the decision about whether it is a wet break time

• Provide supervision training for new members of staff to ensure children are safeguarded  

 

Class/Subject teachers will:

 

• Supervise the children in their care at all times

• Dismiss their class to the playground and check that supervisory staff are present before leaving the area.

• If it is deemed inadvisable for a child to be in the playground during break times because of their unacceptable behaviour, the class teacher will make the decision on whether the child should remain inside under the supervision of a member of staff and where they will be supervised.

• Once the bell has been rung, we expect children to enter school in the appropriate manner to ensure a positive start to the next lesson. Particular attention should be paid to supervising children in congested areas.

 

 

Members of Staff on Supervisory Duty: See appendix map of where staff should be located which identifies any areas of where direct supervision should be provided e.g. play equipment

 

• Must be in the playground from before playtime starts and remain there until all the children are sent inside.

• Be vigilant at all times

• Not indulge in protracted conversation with other members of staff

• Deal with any incidents of behaviour and report them to the class teacher

• Report any significant safeguarding incidents immediately

• In-school procedures In the event of an accident resulting in injury:  The closest member of staff present will assess the seriousness of the injury. If remedial care is appropriate it will be administered by the member of staff. If it is considered more appropriate the member of staff will  seek the assistance of the Central Salud in San Miguel de Salinas. Qualified emergency cover is available 24hours a day in the centre.

 

 

Add any specific arrangements required for your school

 

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Lunchtimes

 

The headteacher/secretary will make the decision about whether it is a wet lunchtime and review arrangements daily in the event of any staff sickness/absence to ensure there are satisfactory levels of supervision throughout the lunch break. It is considered that these adults have a very important role within the school and the contribution they make to the management of the school, and the care and welfare of the children, is valued very highly. Communication between the supervising members of staff and the school office is undertaken by mobile phone. In the event of an incident or unexpected occurrence, the headteacher will ensure additional support will be provided to assist in the situation. The headteacher can be communicated with by mobile phone.

 

The Role of the Staff on Duty at Lunchtime

Staff on duty at lunchtime are responsible for:

 

• Supervising children on the school site as required by the headteacher

• Dealing with minor incidents and accidents following the health and safety policy.

• Organising activities for the children during wet lunch breaks-see wet play rotas-staff must not leave their designated areas

• Over-seeing children’s care and welfare during the lunch break, especially in the playground

• Undertaking training as required.

 

General organisation

 

Each member of staff on duty at lunchtime has a specific role to play within the general organisation and is given a specific schedule to follow.  

 

General duties

 

Each member of staff on duty at lunchtime is responsible for:

 

• Supervising children eating their lunch

• Managing the children’s behaviour

• Monitoring the playground

• Making sure all children observe the behaviour policy

• Ensuring the dining area is cleared up after use

• Assisting children with their meals as necessary

 

 

 

 

Guidelines

 

• Do not stay in one place for any length of time (within your designated area).

• Make sure you patrol all areas of the school building for which you are responsible.

• Do not stand talking to other staff or spend a long time with one group of children.

• Follow the behaviour policy.

• Aggressive play, bullying or rudeness should be reported to the class teacher.

• Record all accidents in the minor injuries record and seek help if the accident is a cause for concern.

• Read the health and safety policy for advice.

• Watch the games the children are playing, but do not get too absorbed, as it might distract you from what is going on elsewhere-be vigilant

• Do not let children spend all their time with you, as it can prevent them from mixing with other children.

• Avoid playing games with the children after you have initiated them, encouraging play between them in order to maintain a high level of supervision.

• Avoid questions to children that could be interpreted as ‘prying’ into family matters.

• Pass all lunchtime issues to appropriate staff e.g. class teacher/DSL

• Treat the children fairly, equally and with respect

• Be vigilant of groups of mixed age children with particular attention to EYFS/KS1 pupils

• Be vigilant of pupils with complex special educational needs and disabilities/behavioural needs

 

After School

 

The doors for all classes will open at 14.30.

 

Staff MUST NOT release children to persons that are not known to them and parents/carers must communicate any alternative arrangements to the school if they wish their children to be collected by another named person.

 

 

Children, which includes pupils and their siblings are not allowed to play ball games or use the play equipment and must behave in a way that respects the adults and smaller children on the playground.

 

 

 

Special Arrangements

 

Following after school clubs, sporting occasions or off-site activities that have been planned to finish after the end of the school day, parents/carers are asked to collect their children from the main entrance. Staff will ensure that children are only released to a known person unless prior permission has been given to either walk home alone in years 5 and 6 only or be collected by another named person.

 

This whole section may need revising depending on each school’s arrangements and phase.

 

All Other Times

 

Parents/carers must be aware that the school will not provide supervision for children in the playground outside these times, including open days, parent’s evenings and parent events. The children will be the supervisory responsibility of the parents/carer at all other times other than those stated in this policy.

 

 

 

This policy applies to:

 

• All staff and contractors, agency and other third-party organisations

• Children

• Parents/carers (at dropping off and picking up times).

 

Arrangements for monitoring and evaluation

 

The designated safeguarding lead will monitor the minor injuries recording forms/ behaviour logs and bullying incidents to ascertain whether there are recurring trends and how they could be resolved.