CSBM assessment tasks: Managing risk in schools

This document provides an overview of the tasks required to be successfully completed in order to pass the module.

Below are each of the assessed activities for this module, once you have completed them please submit your completed work to your regional provider who will arrange for an assessor to review and mark your work.

Please refer to the Programme Handbook for further details on the assessment process.

Unit 1: Management of risk

Write a critique of how your school manages risk. This critique should:
·  illustrate how your school avoids and/or accepts risk
·  use examples of actual risks in your school and describe the probability of their reoccurring and their potential impact
·  illustrate how your school applies control measures, implements changes needed, and monitors the effectiveness of the changes
Where appropriate, the critique should illustrate how your school could improve its policy and practice, including putting in place practices where they do not exist – e.g. with regard applying control measures, implementing changes, and monitoring the effectiveness of the changes.

Learning outcomes and unit checklist

The Learner will: / The Learner has:
1: Understand the benefits of risk management to schools / 1.1: Research national guidance relating to risk management in schools
1.2: Explained the key concepts and techniques related to risk management in schools
1.3: Referenced key texts/websites used to complete the task
2: Be able to evaluate and take precautions against risks in a school / 2.1: Described the different kinds of risks facing schools
2.2: Explained the key processes of risk management
2.3: Applied techniques of risk assessment to specific risks occurring in a school
3: Be able to evaluate how a school manages risk and the systems and processes involved / 3.1: Described the systems and processes of risk management in schools
3.2: Collected evidence related to a school’s risk management
3.3: Evaluated a school’s systems and processes
4: Be able to summarise how a school could improve its policy and practice in risk management / 4.1: Summarised key findings from an evaluation of school’s policy and practice in risk management
4.2: Achieved a professional standard of presentation


Unit 2: Health and safety

Write a report to the governor body which evaluates your school’s approach to health and safety.

In doing so, consider:

·  Your school’s written health and safety policy and its compliance with current legislative requirements

·  Evaluate those areas of risk which directly impact on support staff, focusing on one of the five risks discussed in the module unit

·  Your school's approach to safeguarding children and safer recruitment

Learning outcomes and unit checklist

The Learner will: / The Learner has:
1: Understand the legislative context impacting on schools’ health and safety policies / 1.1: Summarised key aspects of health and safety legislation impacting on schools
1.2: Explained the importance of compliance with health and safety legislation in schools
1.3: Referenced key texts/websites used to complete the task
2: Understand what should be included in a school’s health and safety statement / 2.1: Summarised the legislative requirements relating to schools’ health and safety statement
2.2: Assessed a school’s health and safety policy compliance with these legislative requirements
2.3: Summarised the overall pattern of responsibilities relating to the school’s health and safety policy
3: Be able to evaluate a school’s approach to health and safety and analyse the implications of specific risks for a school / 3.1: Identified those areas of health and safety that impact specifically on support staff
3.2: Analysed a particular risk facing a school and the effectiveness of its current policies and practices
3.3: Formed judgements about a school’s management of health and safety
4: Be able to report on the effectiveness of a school’s health and safety management systems to a governing body / 4.1: Communicated findings to governors in an accurate and succinct manner
4.2: Adopted an appropriate style of communication for the audience
4.3: Achieved a professional standard of presentation


Unit 3: Fire safety

In preparation for an external inspection, write a brief report for the Senior Leadership Team which identifies:

·  How the school currently complies with fire safety regulations

·  Areas for improvement

Learning outcomes and unit checklist

The Learner will: / The Learner has:
1: Understand fire safety regulations
/ 1.1: Summarised the key fire safety laws and regulations impacting on schools
1.2: Identified the key responsibilities impacting on schools
1.3: Referenced key texts/websites used to complete the task

2: Be able to apply those regulations in a school context and investigate its policies and procedures

/ 2.1: Identified a school’s fire safety policies and procedures
2.2: Investigated a school’s fire safety procedures, including protection measures, and safety drills
2.3: Collected evidence related to a school’s fire safety procedures, in policy and in practice
3: Be able to evaluate the ways in which their school complies with fire safety regulations / 3.1: Analysed evidence relating to a school’s fire safety policies and procedures
3.2: Assessed the level of compliance with fire safety regulations
3.3: Identified ways in which a school could improve its fire safety measures
4: Be able to summarise how a school might improve its fire safety measures / 4.1: Summarised key findings and reported them in writing 4.2
Adopted an appropriate style of communication for the audience
4.2: Achieved a professional standard of presentation

Unit 4: Emergency and contingency planning

Evaluate the effectiveness of the ways in which your school plans for various emergencies and contingencies. In doing so:

·  consider the measures your school currently has in place regarding loss prevention

·  consider the extent to which the risks associated with matters such as security, fire, disruption to key services etc, are assessed

·  evaluate any disaster recovery plan which may be in place, including guidance on dealing with the media; if no plan exists, consider the merits of establishing one and the key people you would need to contact in order to formulate your plans

·  consider the appropriateness of undertaking a disaster exercise

Learning outcomes and unit checklist

The Learner will: / The Learner has:
1: Understand effective policies and procedures for loss prevention, contingency planning and disaster recovery / 1.1: Explained the key concepts and techniques related to loss prevention
1.2: Explained the key concepts and techniques related to contingency planning and disaster recovery
1.3: Referenced key texts used to complete the task
2: Be able to assess their school’s current position regarding loss prevention measures / 2.1: Identified key sources of evidence in a school related to its loss prevention measures
2.2: Summarised the adequacy of current measures in place
2.3: Identified potential areas for improvement
3: Know how to put in place appropriate contingency planning and recovery measures / 3.1: Identified key sources of evidence in a school related to its contingency plans and recovery measures
3.2: Summarised the adequacy of current plans and measures in place
3.3: Identified potential areas for action and describe how these should be addressed
4: Be able to report on a school’s systems for loss prevention, contingency planning and disaster recovery management / 4.1: Summarised key findings emerging from the evaluation of a school’s systems
4.2: Adopted an appropriate style of communication for the audience
4.3: Achieved a professional standard of presentation

Module summary of learning

For each of the operational modules, you are also required to complete a module summary of learning. This is focused on the professional learning gained through completion of the module. You should analyse and discuss your learning and its impact on the workplace. This task focuses on the ability to manage one’s own professional learning, reflect on experience, develop insights into self, and take action to enhance one’s knowledge and skills. It also concerns the ability and willingness to be accountable for outcomes in a professional role and to make decisions in a context of limited supervision.

Learning outcomes for the module summary

The module summary of learning is designed to assess specific learning objectives that are common for all of the operational modules. On successful completion of the module summary of learning participants will be able to:

·  evaluate their professional competence in relation to a specific operational area of school business management

·  reflect on the learning gained through completion of the module assessment tasks and learning activities

·  summarise insights gained into current policy and practice in a school and the impact of work undertaken on these to date

·  identify areas for further professional learning and the improvement of policy and practice in a school

The maximum word-count for the module summary of learning is 600 words +/– 10 per cent.

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