Pushkin’s School seeks to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for its staff, pupils, parents, volunteers and visitors. This will be achieved by implementing the health and safety objectives detailed in this policy. This policy covers staff, pupils, visitors and other users of the premises.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the management team and teaching staff are required to:

take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by what they do at work;
co-operate with their colleagues on health and safety matters;
do their work in accordance with health and safety instructions and training;
inform the School Director of any work situation representing a serious and immediate danger, so that remedial action can be taken; and
give pupils the same care they would as a parent.

The management team is committed to ensuring the health and safety of everyone at Pushkin’s School.

We aim to:

ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure health, safety and welfare of all users of the school premises;
establish and maintain safe working procedures for staff and pupils;
develop safety awareness, by appropriate training if necessary, amongst staff, volunteers and pupils;
implement effective procedures for use in the event of fire and other emergencies; and
investigate accidents and take steps to prevent a re-occurrence.

The Education Authority’s Health and Safety Policy is adopted and complemented by this school’s policy. As Pushkin’s School is a group of weekend supplementary schools located within various public schools around the UK, this policy is formulated by considering the Health and Safety Policy of each school we cooperate with. Some of the health and safety procedures in this policy will be implemented and updated solely by the hired school. Pushkin’s School will regularly check the risk assessments, policy updates and any other necessary information from the hired school at each of our branches to ensure that every health and safety policy is adhered to and complied with.

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Organisation of Responsibilities

The School Director is primarily responsible for all health and safety matters. They will:

approve and review every school policy;
give strategic guidance;
monitor and review health and safety issues;
set up and monitor arrangements that cover all health and safety legal requirements;
ensure adequate resources for health and safety are available;
provide adequate training, information, instruction, induction and supervision to enable everyone on school premises to be safe;
ensure that all staff have a copy of the most up-to-date Health and Safety Policy;
initiate a risk assessment process when there is significant risk to health and safety, and communicating the results of those assessments to staff and other persons likely to be affected by the activity or process;
answer queries from staff on health and safety issues;
maintain the premises in a condition that is safe and without significant risk;
provide a safe and healthy working environment;
prioritise the welfare of all staff and pupils;
provide first aid when necessary; and
review and monitor the effectiveness of this policy.

The School Manager is responsible for running the school at each branch they work at. They will:

promote an open and positive health and safety culture in school;
report to the School Director on key health and safety issues;
follow the correct procedure to open and close the school and notify the School Director if changes are made or if any issues arise;
ensure that all staff co-operate with this policy;
provide a good example, guidance and support to staff on health and safety issues;
devise and implement safety procedures;
ensure that all staff have access to appropriate training;
deal with any hazardous practices, equipment or building issues and report to the School Director if they remain unresolved;
ensure that any contractors on site are competent in health and safety matters; and
provide first aid when necessary.

The School Administrator is responsible for arranging and maintaining Health and Safety procedures. They will:

update every policy annually;
produce and update risk assessments when necessary;
ensure that all risk assessments are accurate, suitable and reviewed regularly;
ensure that a list of first aiders is maintained, together with the dates for refresher training;
arrange necessary refresher training for first aiders;
maintain records of health and safety training undertaken by school staff;
keep up to date with new developments in health and safety issues at each school branch;
complete the ‘Health and Safety Checklist for Classrooms’ for each classroom annually;
carry out investigations into accidents and produce reports for any civil or criminal action which may arise; and
cover the School Director and School Manager when they are absent and undertake all of their safeguarding and health and safety responsibilities.

The Teaching Staff are responsible for ensuring the well-being of every child in their care. They will:

take care of the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues, and each child under their charge;
report any concerns regarding unresolved hazards in the school to the School Director or School Manager immediately;
report practices, equipment or physical conditions that could pose a health and safety risk to the School Director or School Manager;
ensure that they are familiar with each school’s fire procedure and their role in it;
ensure that all work under their control is undertaken in a safe manner;
supervise pupils and advise them on how to use equipment safely;
carry out a classroom and playground check before the start of the school day to spot any disrepair or hazards; and
leave the classroom and playground in a safe and tidy condition after lessons finish.

All School Staff will:

read this Health and Safety Policy;
comply with the health and safety arrangements and follow its procedures;
keep up to date with current safety procedures;
take reasonable care of their own and other people’s health and safety;
ensure that any work that has health and safety implications is prioritised;
follow safety instructions when using equipment;
fully cooperate with health and safety arrangements during large building projects initiated by the hired school;
follow the accident reporting procedure;
be able to carry out emergency procedures in respect of fire and emergency evacuation; and
contribute to and highlight any gaps in this policy and the school’s risk assessments.

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Health and Safety Arrangements and Procedures

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1. Accident Reporting

Pushkin’s School aims, so far as is reasonably practicable, to prevent or reduce the number of accidents and incidents. All accidents and incidents will be monitored, and necessary control measures will be implemented to prevent any recurrence.

Accidents must be reported to the School Director or School Manager as soon as possible, who will conduct an initial investigation and record any injuries in the accident book. A copy of this record will be given to the parent/carer when they come to pick up their child. The details of the accident will be retained for at least 3 years

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2. Asbestos

It is the responsibility of each school that hires their premises to Pushkin’s School to have arrangements in place for managing asbestos. There are arrangements in place to ensure that any asbestos present in the premises is not disturbed by regular school work and work by contractors. Pushkin’s School staff are briefed on the hazards of asbestos, the location of any asbestos in the school and the action to take if they suspect that they have disturbed it.

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3. Administration of Medicines

Medication is only administered to pupils when written parental consent has been provided. The medicine will only be administered by the School Director or School Manager, with appropriate records kept. Only medicines that have been prescribed by the child’s GP or other relevant medical professional can be administered. Asthma medication and ‘EpiPens’ may be kept in appropriate locations, out of reach of other pupils.

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4. Electrical Safety and Testing

The hired schools are responsible for checking and inspecting all portable electric equipment within the school. All staff must visually check all electrical appliances prior to their use and report any defects to the School Director or School Manager. All defective equipment must be taken out of use immediately.

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5. Fire Safety and Emergency Evacuation

All members of staff are expected to know the specific procedure and assembly areas for each school location they work at. It is also the also duty of staff members to ensure that all escape routes are kept clear and to report any defective or damaged equipment (such as fire extinguishers) to the School Director or School Manager.

The hired schools are responsible for regularly checking fire alarms, firefighting equipment, fire doors and fire signage. Pushkin’s School follows the same emergency evacuation procedure as each hired school, which includes the same assembly areas. Fire drills will be conducted at each school at least once a year. Fire exits have appropriate signage and plans showing exit routes are displayed by the door of each classroom. The School Administrator will conduct and record a fire risk assessment annually. The risk assessment will be reviewed when there are new procedures, classroom equipment, or potential hazards.

In the event of a fire alarm, fire or emergency, it is the responsibility of the School Director and School Manager to notify the emergency services, check that all areas are clear, and to take the pupil registers to the assembly area.

Full details on these procedures can be found on the Fire Safety and Emergency Evacuation Policy. Each member of staff is expected to read and comply with this process. Additionally, a summary page of the emergency evacuation procedure will be available from the School Director and School Manager. This sheet will also be displayed in a break room designated for staff at each school branch.

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6. First Aid Provision

The first aider for the High Wycombe, Hemel Hempstead and Bracknell school branches is Elena Vlasenko (School Director). The first-aider for the Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea school branches is Olga Kisil (School Manager). If the School Director or School Manager is absent, Anton Vlasenko (School Administrator) will cover the school day and undertake all safeguarding and health and safety responsibilities. The School Administrator is first aid trained and should be contacted if a member of staff wishes to complete a first aid training course.

Any injuries to pupils or staff must be reported to a first aider, who will ensure that appropriate action is taken. Records of such injuries must be entered in the accident book. Each first aider must keep an accessible first aid box on school premises during school hours. The contents of the first aid box should be regularly maintained. Accidents, ill health conditions and dangerous occurrences which fall within statutory reporting requirements will be reported in accordance with RIDDOR 2013.

If an ambulance is required the emergency 999 service should be used. The opinion of a first aider is enough to authorise an ambulance to be called and this should take place without delay. It may be appropriate on some occasions to transport a member of staff or pupil to a hospital without the ambulance service, but this must always be on a voluntary basis.

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7. Health and Safety Proactive Monitoring

To improve health and safety performance and to assist in promoting a positive health and safety culture, the School Director and School Manager will ensure that health and safety inspections are carried out on a regular basis. The School Director and School Manager will monitor the general working environment as required. This will include the monitoring of noise, lighting, ventilation, fumes and dust levels. Any problems in these areas will be reported to the appropriate person for measurement and the implementation of remedial measures.

Pushkin’s School is committed to ensure that a good standard of housekeeping is maintained on school premises. This is maintained by the School Director and School Manager but is the responsibility of all staff members. This includes arrangements to ensure the:

safe condition of floors, passageways and stairs;
provision of unobstructed corridors and passageways;
proper storage and stacking of materials;
proper disposal of waste materials;
adequate access to stored materials, passageways and emergency exits;
safe condition and positioning of furniture and equipment;
identification and rectification of potential hazards; and
general cleanliness of classrooms and toilets.

The School Administrator will conduct and record a Health and Safety Checklist for Classrooms annually, which will help to identify potential housekeeping problems and necessary improvements.

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8. Manual Handling

Pupils and staff must only lift equipment and furniture within their own individual capability. Staff are expected to rearrange classroom equipment and furniture without the help of pupils. Heavy objects may require the assistance of another member of staff.

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9. Medical Suitability for Work and Medical Arrangements

Pre-employment medical surveillance is undertaken for all new staff members by means of a Medical Fitness Declaration Form. By signing this form, the staff member is confirming that they know of no reasons, on grounds on physical or mental health, why they should not be able to undertake the responsibilities of their job role. Any confidential medical information held by the School Director is held in the strictest confidence. Full details on pre-employment checks carried out by Pushkin’s School can be found on the school’s Safer Recruitment and Selection Policy.

Information such as restrictions on certain types of work, or special precautions necessary for health and safety reasons, will be considered to avoid putting the staff member or others at risk. Where a staff member is pregnant or suffers from an ill health condition which is likely to affect their work, they should notify the School Director or School Manager as soon as possible to enable any special precautions to be implemented.

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10. Playground Equipment and Supervision

The use of playground equipment during break and lunch times must always be supervised by at least two members of staff. The supervising staff members must ensure that the whole playground area is covered so that every child can always be seen. Playground equipment must be returned to where it was found when the break is over. The School Director and School Manager may decide to not allow the use of playground equipment during weather conditions such as rain, snow or ice.

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11. Risk Assessments

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires risk assessments to be carried out to identify risks for staff members and others who can be affected by their activities. Risk assessments are used to identify potential sources of harm so that they can be minimised or avoided, which reduces the chance of injury and ill health. Pushkin’s School has a duty to carry out risk assessments for all activities which affect members of staff, pupils, parents, visitors and contractors.

A full risk assessment will be conducted by the School Administrator annually. Details will be recorded, and appropriate controls will be put in place. Controls must be monitored regularly by the School Director and School Manager and reviewed as necessary. The risk assessment will be updated when new equipment or activities are introduced. A copy of the risk assessment can be obtained from the School Director and School Manager, and staff are expected to inspect and refer to it.

12. School and Pupil Security

All staff and pupils are required to assist in maintaining good standards of security on school premises. The school can only be opened and closed by the School Director and School Manager. During school hours, the main entrance doors must be shut to prevent unauthorised persons from entering. Visitors must be signed in and out and should always be supervised by a member of staff. When parents arrive to drop off or pick up their children, they must stay within the entrance corridor/room and not go into any classroom or hall. The only exception is during theatrical performances, where parents are welcome to watch their child’s performance in the school’s hall. Parents may use the school’s adult toilets if they wish to.

To keep our pupils secure, Pushkin’s School requires all staff to undergo a DBS check prior to them beginning to work.

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13. Slips, Trips and Falls

The potential for slips, trips and falls on school premises is included in the risk assessment and appropriate controls have been put into place. Controls include the appropriate procedure to mopping floors and regular hazard spotting inspections.

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14. Supervision of Pupils

Sensible, safe behaviour must be promoted to pupils by all members of staff. Dangerous or risky behaviour displayed by pupils must be addressed and dealt with appropriately. Pupils are only allowed into the classroom, hall or playground when under staff supervision. If a pupil is not present at the start of each class, the School Director or School Manager must be notified immediately.

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15. Training

Pushkin’s School is committed to provide instruction and training for all members of staff on safe working practices and procedures. The School Director will ensure that all staff members have the appropriate level of competence to be able to safely carry out their roles. The School Director and School Manager will ensure that new staff members receive induction training, and that all staff are competently trained in the safe use of equipment. They will also provide refresher training, along with any further training necessary as a result of changes in the workplace arising from the introduction of new procedures or new equipment. All training must be recorded and signed by all staff that attended. A list of what is included in the school’s annual refresher training and induction training can be found on the school’s Safeguarding Policy.

Every policy or agreement that requires a staff signature must be read and adhered to. Staff are advised to keep a copy of each of these policies and agreements for future reference. Alternatively, they can all be found on the Pushkin’s School website (www.pushkinsrussianschool.co.uk/policies).

16. Work on Maintenance or Improvements of School Premises

Pushkin’s School ensures that all staff using the school premises conduct themselves and carry out teaching in such a manner that all statutory and safety requirements of the hired schools are always met. Pushkin’s School staff must not:

introduce new equipment for use on the school premises without the approval of the School Director or School Manager;
alter fixed installations;
remove fire and safety notices or equipment; or
take any action that may create hazards for other persons using the premises or the school staff and pupils.

Contractor work on the premises during school hours should be notified in advance to the School Director or School Manager by the hired school. Contractors must be signed in and out, and they will share the same rules and responsibilities as visitors. They must follow the arrangements provided by the hired school and should notify them of any hazards from their activities which may affect the school’s occupants. When no notice of planned work has been provided, the contractors must show evidence of approval to work by the hired school, such as a permit to work. A permit and risk assessment must be provided for work that includes:

mains electrical wiring, mains incomers and distribution boards;
removal of asbestos or work where asbestos materials are known or suspected to be in place;
major excavations;
access to roofs and roof voids;
sterilisation of water systems with chemicals; or
access to confined spaces such as voids, sumps and drains.

Where staff or pupils become aware of potential dangers caused by contractors, they must report it to the School Director or School Manager immediately.

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Pushkin's School

of Russian Language and Literature

Health and Safety Policy (2019-2020)

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