West Leigh Infant School Policy for Security Procedures

West Leigh Infant School

Policy for Security Procedures

Agreed by Staff: May 2015

Ratified by Governors: Summer 2015

Review Date: Summer 2018

Welfare 1 WEST LEIGH INFANT SCHOOL POLICY FOR SECURITY PROCEDURES

POLICY FOR SECURITY PROCEDURES At West Leigh Infant School it is important to create a secure and safe environment for all children and adults. Parents need to be confident that procedures are in place to provide this environment. Children need to know that they can feel safe. Staff should feel that the Governing Body has done everything they can to make the working environment a safe place to work.

Security of Children and Staff

Controlled Access To prevent unauthorised or unknown visitors entering school, a security gate with key pad and camera controls access at the Ronald Hill Grove entrance, security locks are fitted to all external doors (excluding the fire doors which only open from the inside) including the main entrance to the school. Security cameras identify callers to the main office. External doors should remain closed at all times unless a vigilant adult is on duty and remains next to the door. The gate at the London Road entrance is for Foundation Stage pupils and parent/carer arrivals and departures in the morning and afternoon only and is padlocked at all other times. The internal Foundation Stage railings have two keypad controlled gates (with quick release latches for emergencies).

Visitors An external gate at the bottom of the Infant walkway Ronald Hill Grove entrance, controlled by staff in the Office, is protected with a camera and key pad security code known only to staff employed in the Infant School and senior staff in West Leigh Junior School. The main entrance to the school is clearly marked and large, clear signs ask visitors to report to the main office. Visitors have to buzz, identify themselves and sign in, stating the purpose of their visit. They are then given a badge to wear which they return on signing out. They are then either escorted by office staff to the member of staff requested – or asked to take a seat while the member of staff is contacted. The member of staff then comes to collect the visitor.

Parents bringing ‘forgotten’ items to the school are asked to place the item in a covered box outside the main entrance. These items are collected regularly and taken to the child by the Welfare Officer .

All staff are alert to unrecognised adults in school. Staff ask any unknown person the purpose of their being on the premises. If, at any time, an unsatisfactory reason is given, or proof of identity cannot be produced then the member of staff concerned should ask for assistance from the nearest member of staff. The unauthorised person will be asked to leave and will be escorted from the premises as they are committing a trespass. If that person refuses, becomes aggressive or damages property no attempt is to be made by staff to remove the intruder from the premises but the police should be called immediately.

CCTV The governors undertake to review annually security options including the appropriate installation and use of CCTV.

Entering and Leaving School All children enter and leave the site via Ronald Hill Grove or London Road gates. If a child arrives after the morning whistle, they are taken to the medical room via the Ronald Hill Grove entrance by the parent/carer/guardian. The child will be signed into school by the Welfare Officer.

All parents are asked to wait outside the school building at the beginning and end of the school day. They are welcome to enter via the main entrance if they need to call at the Office or wish to ask to see a teacher. The Office Manager will contact the staff member and bring them to the foyer to meet the parent/carer/guardian where a decision may be made to conduct the discussion in the classroom rather than the foyer.

Parents attending assembly or a meeting will be asked to sign in and out of the building.

Supervision on School Grounds

2 WEST LEIGH INFANT SCHOOL POLICY FOR SECURITY PROCEDURES

Two members of staff are on duty in each playground every morning from 15 minutes before the whistle is blown, so that parents can safely leave their child at one of the gates. Teachers collect their classes from the playground. The site supervisor makes sure that the outside doors are securely closed.

All children are supervised when in the playgrounds. This is by teachers and support staff at morning (and afternoon breaks) and by the mid-day staff at lunchtime. At no time are the children left unsupervised outside during these periods.

Any child who is sent from the Dining Hall or Annex to the main school building or visa versa should be accompanied by at least one other child and a mental note should be made by the person responsible to check their timely return to the Annex or Dining Hall.

Children attending swimming lessons are always accompanied to the Pool in the Junior School Playground by the Welfare Officer or classroom support staff.

Leaving School at the End of the Day At the end of the school day all children leave by the appropriate doors. Children are dismissed one at a time to their parent/guardian/carer or a notified adult. Children in Seahorses Class must be collected from the annexe door and are not permitted to leave through any other classroom. All children know that, if the adult who should be collecting them has not arrived, they stay with their teacher. If after a few minutes, no-one has arrived the teacher will take the child to the medical room. The Welfare Officer telephones the parents to see what the delay might be. The child stays in the medical room until an adult arrives. No child is allowed to leave unless we are sure they are safe.

Any children collected by after school clubs gather in a pre-designated area and wait for the appropriate adult to collect them.

Leaving School During the Day No child is allowed out of school during the day for an appointment unless a known and notified adult arrives to collect him or her. Parents know they need to report to the medical room and sign their child out of school and then back in on their return. Staff will check that consent has been received from the person with parental responsibility and that the person collecting is who they say they are, requesting ID where appropriate.

Security of Personal Property Children are asked not to bring anything of value to school. Individual staff are responsible for any items they bring to work. Staff are expected to make sure the doors are closed securely if they are the last person to leave a room.

Security of Equipment and Cash Main items of school equipment, for example computers, TVs, videos, are security marked. Equipment of this nature should be locked away out of sight during school closures.

Any cash left on the premises is kept in the safe and monies are banked regularly. Numeracy money and the Charity Jar are kept out of sight in cupboards. Security of Building  An effective intruder alarm is in operation. This is always on when the school is not in use  Security lighting has been installed  The Head Teacher and Site Manager are designated key holders and are responsible for the security of the building  It is the responsibility of the class teacher to make sure that their classroom is secure, windows closed and equipment switched off before leaving the premises

Lone Working Whilst we aim for the school building to be secure at all times, we assume that a determined intruder can always gain access to a building. Procedures are in place to prevent injury on site but accidents do occur. Therefore to protect staff WLIS does not advocate Lone Working and advices against it. The Site Manager

3 WEST LEIGH INFANT SCHOOL POLICY FOR SECURITY PROCEDURES should be informed when any member of staff plans to be on site. The staff member should not engage in any behaviour or activity which could lead to injury and should have access to a telephone, in case of an emergency. The Site Manager’s contact number is 07908987144

Site Manager It is the responsibility of the site manager to check daily that:  All locks and catches are in working order  The emergency lighting is working  The fire alarm has no faults  The security system is working properly and before leaving the premises, to check:

 All the windows are closed  The doors are locked and secure  The security alarm is set  All gates are locked  Electrical items in communal areas such as laminators are unplugged

Head Teacher/Deputy/ Assistant Head Teachers It is the responsibility of the Head/Deputy/Assistant Head Teachers to perform the above functions in the absence of the Site Manager.

In addition, the Head Teacher is responsible for the security of the premises during the school day. Review of Policy and Procedures The Resources Committee of the Governing Body will review this policy and the procedures, which are in place, on an annual basis. They will complete risk assessments based on Southend on Sea guidelines on School Security.