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SECTION 7
PUPIL WELFARE AND SUPPORT
Risk Assessment
7.1 Colleges normally complete risk
assessments for each subject area to ensure effective
arrangements are in place for pupils. Given the significant
risks associated with pupils in an essentially adult
environment, pupils should not be enrolled where risk
assessments for a particular course, specifically
incorporating pupils, have not taken place.
7.2 All colleges have risk assessment
procedures in place. An example of a risk assessment
handbook prepared by the Health and Safety officers from
schools and colleges involved in the City Vision project in
Glasgow is included on the Scottish Executive webpage
mentioned earlier alongside examples from Borders College
and Cardonald College. The comprehensive survey of risk
assessment from City Vision colleges, undertaken by
professional health and safety officers, is particularly
useful.
7.3 Colleges should consider implementing
health and safety policies by co-ordinating their
arrangements and policies with their partners. In this way
the procedures utilised in different institutions could
serve to enhance each other and ensure wide coverage of
health and safety related issues.
7.4 Colleges, in partnership with schools,
local authorities and parents or carers, should ensure
where possible that formal incidents reporting follows
similar schedules to those already in existence in schools.
A major incident should be reported to the school
immediately. A minor incident should be reported within a
day.
Cardonald College, Glasgow Cardonald College has individual Risk
Assessment procedures for school/college
courses. The format of the Risk Assessment
schedule for each course highlights the
activity, typical hazards, persons at risk and
evaluation of the severity and likelihood of
the risk. The procedures establish a risk
rating and invites comments on existing
controls. The risk rating has a scale from 1-2
which is 'tolerable' to 6-9 which is
'unacceptable'. Where risk ratings are over 6
the comments in the existing controls section
emphasise what is being done to minimise the
risks identified. The hazards described in the
Risk Assessment Forms are then summarised in a
Risk Control Action Plan which contains
sections on the action required, the person
responsible and date action is to be completed.
This form is signed by the Risk Assessment
Co-ordinator and the Divisional
Manager/Leader. |
7.5 Arrangements for pupils travelling to
school from their college placement outwith their normal
return journey should be co-ordinated with the school and
the local authority. For example, if a taxi firm was being
used to return a pupil to school then it should be one
which is registered for use with local authority schools
with the drivers having undergone an Enhanced Disclosure
check. The college co-ordinator would be able to proceed
with this arrangement by liaising with the school
contact.
Campus Safety Issues
7.6 No campus whether school or college
can ever be 100% safe. That said, colleges should do as
much as reasonably practicable to ensure pupils are safe -
and feel safe - on college grounds. Colleges should
continue to take all reasonable steps to ensure their
campuses are as safe as possible through employing
appropriate risk assessment strategies and making
appropriate arrangements with a range of partners.
A number of vocational programmes offer
guidance for training providers and colleges on
the issue of incidence reporting. The guidance
highlights what should happen when an incident
occurs and helpfully demonstrates what is
considered to be a minor or a major incident. A
clear structure on the appropriate action is
explained and the forms used in reporting
incidents is included in the guidelines.
Examples of the guidance procedures include
Glasgow's Vocational Programme and Inverclyde
Vocational Programme. |
7.7 It is important not to lose sight of
the fact that for many pupils the college experience helps
them to develop confidence in themselves, provides a route
for them to take responsibility for themselves and offers
an opportunity to experience adult learning environments.
These factors are important in these programmes but it is
essential that colleges maximise campus safety
arrangements.
Personal Support for Pupils
7.8 The report of the National Review of
Guidance 2004,
happy safe and achieving their potential,
establishes 10 standards of personal support for pupils in
schools. Colleges and schools should consider together how
these standards will continue to be met whenever learning
takes place. The standards are divided into three
sections:
- Learning for life;
- Review of individual progress; and
- Access to support.
7.9 Colleges have a significant role in
reviewing individual progress to help with transition
between stages in education and in helping plan for the
future. This is also important given the relevance of
individual learning plans for pupils emanating from
Assessment is for Learning24 pilots and the progression arrangements for the skills
for work courses.
Glasgow's Vocational
Programme A Training Charter, part of Glasgow's
Vocational Programme, outlines the nature of
the training programmes provided, the support
the pupil will receive when participating in
the programme and the commitment expected from
the pupil, parent or carer, training providers
and the school. Apart from sections on health
and safety, dress code, code of conduct etc.
there is also a section on Individual Training
Plans. This section describes how the training
plan will be in operation for the duration of
the programme and provides details on the
following: - the structure of the programme and the
qualification;
- progress reporting and
certification;
- the location of training;
- the nominated vocational coach;
- the training days involved; and
- the hours of training and transport
arrangements.
|
Medical Issues
7.10 To assist colleges make reasonable
adjustments for pupils wishing to attend college, the
college must first be aware of the needs of the individual
pupil. For some pupils, meeting their health care needs
will be an essential element in their education. Schools
must make colleges aware of pupils' medical conditions and
needs. Staff in colleges must ensure that documentation
regarding medical conditions is held by them and that
supervision of medication and the application of emergency
treatment are agreed between the college and the pupil, the
parent or carer, and liaison staff in the school and the
local authority.
7.11 The Scottish Executive guidance in
The Administration of Medicines in Schools25 states that confidentiality of information is very
important but outlines how information might be exchanged
between institutions:
"The Headteacher and school staff should treat
medical information confidentially. Information on a
pupil's health care needs is likely to be covered by
the Data Protection Act 1998. Care must therefore be
taken to ensure that consent is obtained before passing
information to another party. By virtue of the Age of
Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991, a person under the
age of 16 has legal capacity to consent to any
surgical, medical or dental procedure if in the opinion
of a health professional that person is capable of
understanding the nature of the treatment. Any exchange
of information should be with the consent of the child
(if he/she has the necessary capacity to understand
why) or otherwise the parent or guardian. Once consent
has been obtained sensitive information about a pupil
should be shared only with those who need to know.
Escorts and others should only be told what is
necessary for them to know to keep the child
safe."
7.12 In some cases, pupils require to take
medication while attending college. Needs for medication
will vary but may include asthma, diabetes, mental health
problems, epilepsy or severe allergic conditions. It is
imperative colleges have a record of medical needs,
notification of any medication the pupil is receiving and
what procedures should be followed in the event of an
emergency.
7.13 Given the nature of medical
conditions it is important colleges receive the written
consent of the parent or carer to participate in the
programme. It is vital that staff plan learning around
medical conditions and the application of medication. A pro
forma is attached as
Annex G which contains the typical information which
should be held by the college regarding medical needs. This
document should be completed in partnership with schools,
medical staff, parents or carers to plan for the medical
needs of the pupil while at school and college. The role of
a vocational co-ordinator described in section 10 of this
guide, for example, would assist in the planning of the
medical care of the pupil.
7.14 Neither college or school staff are
expected to administer medication or emergency treatment.
First Aid staff at college are qualified to a basic level
of medical assistance and not in administering medication
or treatment. Colleges should look at the medical needs of
the young person in two ways:
- Supervising medication - Nominated
college staff, as in schools, would supervise the pupil
who takes medication; and
- Emergency treatment - Staff qualified
to administer first aid and the emergency services
would be called. College staff would retain the medical
details of the pupil and inform those providing
emergency treatment of relevant medical
information.
Pupil Representation
7.15 Pupil representation is an essential
element in gaining the views of pupils engaged in
school/college partnership activities. However, the
National Union of Students Scotland (
NUS Scotland) is currently unable to
represent students under 16 years of age, so alternative
forms of representation are required for school age
pupils.
7.16 A variety of means are used to
promote pupil representation in school/college
partnerships, e.g. in the Dundee city-wide pupil
representation council elected pupils attend meetings once
per month to capture the views of all pupils, including
those on college programmes. Another example is from Reid
Kerr College which holds lunchtime meetings with
S5 and
S6 pupils and college managers and
staff.
7.17 Many colleges provide access to
student welfare officers who are able to assist pupils with
concerns they may have while attending college. The student
welfare officer plays a valuable role in assisting students
and can also act as an advocate on behalf of pupils,
representing their interests to relevant members of staff
within the college. These staff are normally introduced to
pupils during the induction process.
7.18 One way of ensuring a consistent
approach for pupils to be represented in discussions about
the development of school/college courses is to invite
pupil representatives to course team meetings. Course team
meetings are a major strength in college quality assurance
and improvement frameworks. They are held for most college
courses to allow student representatives to register their
views and to play a full part in the improvement agenda for
their course. Colleges should extend their normal quality
procedures to school/college partnership activities. Course
team meetings would be one element of this approach. The
meetings should include school/college courses with pupils
represented at them.
7.19 An additional benefit to this
approach would be that pupils would be participating in
activities which complement the purposes of
A Curriculum for Excellence, i.e. engaging
in activities where they are representing the views of
their peers would, in a variety of ways, help young people
to become confident individuals, successful learners,
responsible citizens and effective contributors.
Place of School Age Pupils in Wider College
Life
7.20 Although pupils enter what is
primarily an adult environment, they should be able to
enjoy many of the facilities that colleges offer. As most
pupils on school/college courses are under 16 years of age,
this should be discussed in the planning phase between
partners. Pupils must have a clear understanding of which
facilities can and cannot be offered.
7.21 Agreements for such pupils to join
certain clubs and societies would have to be negotiated
between the college, school, and the society itself. Pupils
under 16 years of age should not therefore expect to have
an automatic entitlement to participate in college clubs
and societies.
7.22 Many colleges have excellent sports
facilities. Where appropriate supervision is agreed between
the partners and in place, pupils should be able to use
facilities such as sports halls, gyms and swimming
pools.
7.23 Agencies which use college facilities
should be made aware that under 16 year old pupils are on
the premises and if they are approached by these pupils
they must act accordingly in line with:
- college, school and local authority
guidelines;
- legal obligations; and
- parental wishes.
7.24 At various points in the year
agencies will be involved in providing information and
advice on aspects of health education, including sexual
health and drug addiction. It is important that everyone
involved in the care and welfare of the pupil are aware
these activities occur regularly in college and may occur
while the pupils are on college premises.
School and College Libraries
7.25 An issue concerning school and
college libraries is the use of Information and
Communication Technologies (
ICT). In many instances the levels of
access to the internet pupils have in school and in college
vary, e.g. some colleges have recommended websites to
pupils who cannot access them from school computers such as
in Glasgow schools where pupils found many recipe/cooking
websites, suggested by college staff, blocked.
7.26 Pupils enrolling for a college course
should have the same borrowing rights as other students. In
this way they would be able to borrow books and journals as
necessary as part of their agreement in attending the
college. During induction procedures pupils would be
informed of the resources available within the college
learning resource centre and, if applicable, the resources
available within the school library.
7.27 Appropriate planning involving
librarians in schools and colleges would help to address a
number of issues:
- it would allow library staff to discuss proper
skills matching so that pupils with appropriate skills
in
ICT would not be automatically
assumed to have proficient eliteracy skills. In the
same way pupils may have lower reading levels than
adult students and librarians should consider this in
their planning for programmes; and
- teaching staff should plan to inform the library
staff which resources are necessary for their courses.
This would help library staff plan resources around
this information.
7.28 Most colleges operate a system where
the pupil is provided with a password and email address
upon enrolment. This allows them access to the college
electronic resources and in some cases enables the tutor
and the pupil to communicate outwith attendance at classes
by email.
7.29 Induction procedures normally include
presentations from college librarians and a tour of the
library. In addition the pupil usually signs an acceptable
users policy with their school, incorporating the approval
of the parent or carer, as well as an internet users policy
for the college.
Changing Facilities
7.30 Colleges should, where possible, make
facilities available to pupils to take off their school
uniforms, if they so choose, when entering the college and
to put their uniforms back on when leaving.
Anti-Bullying Policies
7.31 Schools and colleges should build on
their existing arrangements for dealing with bullying.
7.32 Schools' arrangements for dealing
with bullying should be informed through the information
exchange that occurs regularly between school and college
co-ordinators.
7.33 Colleges implement their procedures
when a pupil discloses to college staff they are being
bullied or if a member of staff thinks it is occurring.
This information should automatically be shared with school
or local authority staff.
7.34 College arrangements are designed to
ensure students are free from harassment of any kind while
at college. There are a raft of measures to promote
anti-discrimination incorporated into college procedures
and pupils should be made aware of these at the induction
phase.
Menzieshill High School,
Dundee The School, as part of the Dundee City
Council Education Department policy, has a
stated aim in its
Guidance Policy on Bullying"to offer opportunities for all its
members, pupils and staff, to exercise care and
concern for each other, for the school
environment and for the wider community".
The document establishes a set of procedures
for staff at all levels for preventing and
dealing with bullying behaviour. |
Appeals and Grievance Procedures
7.35 Appeals and grievance procedures of
both the school and college should be made clear to pupils
at induction and their parent or carer so they could access
them if necessary.
7.36 Once the relevant provisions in the
Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Bill are in force
colleges (and universities) will be within the remit of the
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. Further information
about the Ombudsman can be found on the Ombudsman's website
at
http://www.scottishombudsman.org.uk
. Schools and local authorities are already within the
Ombudsman's remit.
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