Kings at Downside Risk Assessment Policy

This policy supplements the Kings at Downside Health and Safety Policy.

Coordinator / Nominated Director / Chair of Board of Directors
Centre Director / Director of College Services / Nigel Pamplin

Introduction

This guidance is applicable to all those with responsibility for developing / implementing risk management strategy and undertaking risk assessments for activities which are under their control. This includes the requirements of the Independent Schools Standards Regulations (ISSRs) 2014, and National Minimum Standards for Boarding.

Many activities undertaken by pupils at Kings at Downside, for example use of specialist rooms and equipment, the swimming pool and organised off site activities will be under supervision of Downside staff.In these circumstances Risk Assessments will be theresponsibilityof Downside staff. However, it is the responsibility of the Centre Director to ensure that suitable risk assessments are in place for all activities that involve Kings at Downside pupils.

The Kings at Downside Risk Assessment Policy is based on the Risk Assessment Policy of Downside School and is compliant with it.

Aims and Objectives

  • To ensure that major risks are identified and managed as part of an overarching policy with a view to promoting children's welfare.
  • To meet the ISSR requirement for a written risk assessment policy to be in place and to meet the requirement for leadership in and management of schools.
  • To ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are undertaken for activities where there is likely to be significant risk including school trips.
  • That identified control measures are implemented to control risk so far as reasonably practicable.
  • That those affected by school activities have received suitable information on what to do.
  • That the risk management strategy and risk assessments are recorded and reviewed when appropriate.
  • To identify those in the school responsible for conducting risk assessment and monitoring its implementation.

Roles and Responsibilities

Role of the Board of Directors / The Board of Directors will:
  • delegate responsibility for the enactment of this policy to the Director of College Services
  • require the Director of College Services to visit the school regularly, to liaise with the Centre Director and to report back to the Board of Directors on this policy;
  • assume overall responsibility for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this policy through its staff and procedures
  • continually risk assess the financial viability of the school

Role of the Director of College Services / The Director for College Services will:
  • regularly visit the school to discuss the impact of this policy with the Head of Boarding and Centre Director and ensure the policy is implemented effectively;
  • report back to the Board of Directors.

Role of the Centre Director / The Centre Director will:
  • Make staff aware of this policy
  • Have overall responsibility for risk management in the school
  • Ensure suitable risk assessments are in place for activities and areas led by Downside School
  • Maintain a register of all risk assessments
  • Undertake suitable training if necessary
  • Organise suitable training for other staff as necessary
  • Consult external specialists if necessary
  • Report to Director of College Services annually

The role of the Activities Co-ordinator / The activities co-ordinator will ensure suitable risk assessments are in place for activities taking place offsite.
All school personnel / All personnel will:
  • Be aware and adhere to this policy
  • be responsible for taking reasonable care of their own safety, together with that of pupils and visitors.
  • Ensure risk assessments that are in place for any activity with which they are involved are adhered to
  • Alert Centre Director or Head of Boarding to potential risks not covered by existing risk assessments
  • Undertake training as necessary

Key risks identified and needing to be managed include: /
  • Child Protection and Safeguarding;
  • pupil supervision during activities, both educational and residential, in Kings House;
  • Pupil supervision in areas of the school that may have particular risks, for example the swimming pool and specialist classrooms;
  • use of hazardous equipment e.g. in Design Technology, science or Art;
  • pupil supervision on school trips ie away from school;
  • pupil use of IT;
  • management of visitors on school premises;
  • fire and emergencies;
  • management of hazardous substances;
  • the suitability of staff to undertake designated roles and checks to ensure that they are suitable. This includes staff not employed by the school who work with pupils on another site eg at Activity Centres or taxi drivers;
  • risk areas which are not directly related to health and safety, including but not limited to:
  • financial
  • recruitment procedures
  • terrorism, including the prevention of fundamentalism and extremism
  • pupil self-harming
  • security
What is a risk assessment?
A risk assessment is a tool for conducting a formal examination of the harm or hazard to people (or an organisation) that could result from a particular activity or situation.
  • A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm
  • A risk is an evaluation of the probability (or likelihood) of the hazard occurring and the estimated severity
  • A risk assessment is the resulting assessment of the probability and severity of the outcome (e.g. loss of life, destruction of property)
  • Risk control measures are the measures and procedures that are put in place in order to minimise the consequences of unfettered risk (e.g. staff training, clear work procedures, preliminary visits, warning signs, barriers and insurance).
Risk assessments can be used to identify the potential hazards to people (slipping, falling), property (fire), strategic (reputation, loss of pupils, impact on development), financial (falling pupil rolls), compliance (child protection issues) and environmental (asbestos, Legionella).
What should a Risk Assessment contain?
The risk assessment process will consist of the process or activity owner considering the following 6 steps:
  1. what could go wrong?
  2. who might be harmed?
  3. how likely is it to go wrong?
  4. how serious would it be if it did?
  5. what can be done to stop potential risks?
  6. how are plans checked that they are working?
Proforma templates for Risk Assessments are held on the School’s IT system.
CLEAPPS provides risk assessments for science experiments.
When should a Risk Assessment be reviewed?
  • When a new risk is identified
  • When there are changes to the activity
  • After a near miss or accident
  • When there are changes to the type of people involved in the activity
  • When there are changes in good practice
  • When there are legislative changes
  • Annually if for no other reason
Accident Reporting
The Centre Director is responsible for reporting and recording any notifiable accident that occurs on school premises to a pupil, member of staff, parent, visitor or contractor to the HSE in accordance with the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR). All notifiable accidents and near misses are reviewed by the school's Health and Safety Committee with a view to assessing whether any measures need to be taken to prevent recurrence.

Equality Impact Assessment

Under the Equality Act 2010 we have a duty not to discriminate against people on the basis of their age, disability, gender, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

This policy has been equality impact assessed and we believe that it is in line with the Equality Act 2010 as it is fair, it does not prioritise or disadvantage any pupil and it helps to promote equality at this school.

This policy affects or is likely to affect the following members of the school community () / Pupils / School Personnel / Parents/carers / Directors / School Visitors / Wider School Community
 /  / 
Question / Protected Characteristics / Conclusion
Does or could this policy have a negative impact on any of the following? / Age / Disability / Gender / Gender identity / Pregnancy or maternity / Race / Religion or belief / Sexual orientation / Undertake a full EIA if the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘not sure’
YES / Yes / No
NO /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / 
UNSURE
Does or could this policy help promote equality for any of the following? / Age / Disability / Gender / Gender identity / Pregnancy or maternity / Race / Religion or belief / Sexual orientation / Undertake a full EIA if the answer is ‘no’ or ‘not sure’
YES /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / Yes / No
NO / 
UNSURE
Conclusion / We have come to the conclusion that after undertaking an initial equality impact assessment that a full assessment is not required.

Appendix A

Annual Policy Review Sheet

The Review should be completed annually by the Centre Director with specific details of each individual Kings college/centre

Review Date / Primary Reviewer Name (Policy Coordinator)
Date of Last Review:
Date of Next Review:
Is this policy being implemented fully, with all outlined procedures followed as prescribed? / YES/NO
If this policy is not being implemented fully, as prescribed, please outline what you have put in place instead and the reasons behind the change:
How are staff made aware of this policy?
Does this policy require any specific/specialised training for staff, if yes please specify what it is and whether it has been done?
Monitoring the Effectiveness of the Policy
The information in this policy and appendix will be reviewed annually by the Centre Director, or when the need arises, and the necessary recommendations for improvement will be made by the Centre Director to the Board of Directors.
Please comment on the overall effectiveness of this policy – giving any suggestions or recommendations for improvement:
Coordinator: / Date:
Centre Director: / Date:
Chair of Board of Directors: / / Date:
Next Review Date:

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