COLLECTION AND NON-COLLECTION POLICY

Information:
Prior to admittance to Yellowbird Education’s classes, workshops and camps, parents and carers will complete an application form for their child.

The application form requests the following information:
• Child’s full name
• Child’s Date of Birth
• Family’s home address
• Primary contact name and number
• Secondary contact name and number
• Parent’s email address
• Medical conditions
• Special educational needs
• Name of person(s) with permission to drop off and collect the child
• Permission for the child to travel to and from the venue on their own (aged 12 and above only)

Any changes to the above permissions must be communicated via email to hello@yellowbirdeducation.co.uk detailing the change. For example, the names of adults who can collect their child and on what day. Parents and carers must inform Yellowbird Education if someone has a restriction placed on them in respect of legal access to children.
On occasions when the parent is aware they will not be at home or at their usual place of work, they are asked to email Yellowbird Education to inform them.
In the event that a child is not collected by an authorised adult at the end of the day, Yellowbird Education will put into practise agreed procedures which will communicated with parents/carers. The child will be suitably cared for by the Directors and who is known to the child. The child will receive a high standard of care and will be reassured and informed of the situation. If a child is not collected at the end of day, they will participate in supervised activities by a member of our staff for which a charge is payable.

Procedures

Parents are sent via email the details of timings and collection details the week before a workshop commences. If a parent or carer is not able to collect a child as planned, they must inform Yellowbird Education immediately either on + 44 7912610366 or + 44. Yellowbird Education will make the necessary arrangements to look after the child until the parent or carer arrives.
If a child is not collected by the expected time at the end of the day, the following procedures will be followed:

• Parents will be contacted using the contact information provided
• Should Yellowbird Education be unsuccessful in contacting the primary contact, the secondary contact will be contacted
• The child will not be allowed to leave the premises with anyone other than those with written permission
• If a parent or carer cannot be contacted after an hour, the uncollected child policy will apply

Parents are required to ensure anyone dropping off or picking up knows these start and finish times. We are required to be out of the school promptly at the end of class. Late pick-ups will be subject to a fee of £10 per 10 minutes after an initial 5 minute grace period.

Leaving the premises independently

Permission must be given in writing for a child is allowed to leave the premises on their own. Only children 10 and over may leave without a parent/carer.

Procedures for Uncollected Children

If there are serious concerns that child has not been collected, the local authority Social Services Department will be contacted.

• The child will remain at the premises with at least two members of staff (one of which must be a Director)
• Social Services will aim to find the parents or a relative and if they are unable to do so, the child will be admitted into the care of the local authority
• Staff from Yellowbird Education will not look for the parent, take the child home or take the child to their own home
• A full report of the incident will be recorded in writing

COMPLAINTS POLICY

Complaints from Parents whose children are enrolled at Yellowbird Education

Yellowbird Education welcomes suggestions and comments from parents and takes seriously complaints and concerns they may raise.
Yellowbird Education acknowledges parents’ entitlement to complain and wishes to work with them in the best interests of the young people in our care.
A complaint is any matter about which a parent is unhappy and seeks action by
Yellowbird Education. It will be treated as an expression of genuine dissatisfaction which needs a response. Yellowbird Education wishes to ensure that:

• parents wishing to make a complaint know how to do so;
• Yellowbird Education responds to complaints within a reasonable time and in a courteous and efficient way;
• parents realise that Yellowbird Education will listen and take complaints seriously; and;
• Yellowbird Education will take action where appropriate

It is hoped that complaints and concerns will be addressed quickly and informally. If parents raise something face-to-face or by telephone, it may be possible to resolve the matter immediately and to their satisfaction.
References herein to complaints include any matters of genuine concern.
Reference to “Working Days” means Monday to Friday. From 09:00 until 17:00 (except bank holidays). In calculating the number of days, the day of receipt of the complaint and the day of dispatch of the response shall not be counted.
The complaints procedure can be found on the Yellowbird Education website and is thereby made available to parents of children enrolled in our courses or camps and parents of prospective children who will be attending our courses or camps.
This procedure applies to parents of current registered children. It does not apply to parents of prospective children or to parents of past children (unless in the case of past children the complaint was initially raised when the child/children was/were still registered and was not dealt with).

STAGE 1. INFORMAL RESOLUTION

If a parent has a complaint, they should normally contact Yellowbird Education on
hello@yellowbirdeducation.co.uk. Yellowbird Education will keep a written record of the complaint and the date on which it was received. In many cases, the complaint will be resolved immediately by this means to both parties satisfaction.
Parents should expect a response, within five working days, from Yellowbird Education acknowledging the complaint. Thereafter, Yellowbird Education will respond to the complaint and will give a date by which time to expect a written response, which should be no longer than a further 10 working days. If the complaint is received in the week the term ends or in the holidays, parents should expect a response within five working days of the start of the next term explaining how the Yellowbird Education proposes to proceed and be given a date by which time to expect a written response, which should be no longer than a further ten working days from the start of the next term.
The response will address the complaint from the parent and if appropriate action taken by Yellowbird Education.

STAGE 2. FORMAL RESOLUTION

In the event that parents are not satisfied with the response under Stage 1 above, they should put the complaint and the reasons why they are not satisfied with the response in writing to either or both Directors of Yellowbird Education.
To the Directors.
Parents should expect a response, within five working days, from Yellowbird Education acknowledging the complaint. Thereafter, Yellowbird Education will respond to the complaint and will give a date by which time to expect a written response, which should be no longer than a further ten working days. If the complaint is received in the week the term ends or in the holidays, parents should expect a response within five working days of the start of the next term explaining how the Yellowbird Education proposes to proceed and be given a date by which time to expect a written response, which should be no longer than a further ten working days from the start of the next term.
Within the time periods set out above:

I/ In most cases, the Director (s) will speak to the parents concerned. If possible, a resolution will be reached at this stage. It may be necessary, however, for the Director (s) to ask another appropriate member of staff to carry out investigations.
II/ The Directors will keep written records of all meetings and interviews held in relation to the complaint. Once they are satisfied that, so far as is practicable, all of the relevant facts have been established, a decision will be made with a written response to parents, informing them of the decision, giving reasons for the decision and, if appropriate, describe any action taken or proposed.

Stage 3 – Appeal

Should the matter not be resolved at Stage 2 (above) parents may wish to invoke an appeal within ten working days of the date of written notification of the Yellowbird Education’s decision, by notice in writing to: the Directors of Yellowbird Education. First Floor, Fulham Park House, 1a Chesilton Road, London, SW6 5AA.
The Director will refer the matter to a Complaints Panel (the “Panel”). The Panel shall comprise at least three persons not directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint, one of whom shall be independent of the management and running of Yellowbird Education, and one of whom shall be appointed the chairman of the Panel. The chairman of the Panel, in consultation with the Directors, reserves the right to substitute members of the Panel.
A hearing before the Panel (“Hearing”) will take place as soon as practicable, and normally within fifteen working days (this may be longer if the complaint is received during holiday periods) of receipt of the notice.
Parents will be asked if there are any papers they would like to have circulated beforehand. If the Panel deems it necessary, it may require that further particulars of the complaint or any related information be supplied in advance of the Hearing. Copies of all papers shall be supplied to all parties usually not later than five working days prior to the Hearing.

The parents may be accompanied to the Hearing by one other person. This may be a relative or friend. Legal representation will not normally be appropriate and only allowed in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the chairman of the Panel.
The Hearing shall not be conducted in an adversarial way and the primary concern of the Panel is to deal with matters fairly and, therefore, the chairman of the Panel has discretion to conduct the Hearing (including deciding on who may attend) in any way which will achieve this. The chairman of the Panel can give directions, which may include adjourning the Hearing in order to request further information (from either the parents or the School or third parties) or otherwise carry out further investigations or call witnesses.
After due consideration of all the facts the Panel considers relevant, the Panel will reach a decision and may make findings and recommendations, which it shall complete within ten working days of the Hearing.
The decision of the Panel will be final.
The Panel’s findings and recommendations, if any, will be sent in writing to the parents, the Directors of Yellowbird Education and, where relevant, the person(s) complained about.
The Panel’s findings and recommendations will be available for inspection on Yellowbird Education by its Directors.

Records

A written record of all formal complaints shall be kept for a minimum of three years.

Confidentiality

Parents can be assured that all complaints will be treated seriously and confidentially, although the Panel’s findings and recommendations will be available for inspections, as referred to above.
It is the Yellowbird Education’s policy that complaints made by parents should not rebound adversely on their children. Correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept confidential, except where the Secretary of State or a body conducting an inspection under section 109 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 requests access to them.
Furthermore, knowledge of the complaint (and any relevant papers) will usually be limited to the person to whom the complaint is addressed, the Director (s), and those directly involved.
Action which needs to be taken under staff disciplinary procedures as a result of complaints will be handled confidentially within Yellowbird Education according to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Anonymity

Anonymous complaints will not be pursued.

Information requests

The complaints procedure is for genuine complaints or concerns and should not be used simply to obtain information from the Yellowbird Education. Parents’ rights to information are governed by the standard terms and conditions of Yellowbird Education and by law.
Please refer to our Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice on the Yellowbird Education website for details on how we process and use this data, and what rights you may exercise regarding your data under the law.

Leavers

If parents wish to complain about something affecting their children after they have left Yellowbird Education, this must take the form of a letter to the Directors of Yellowbird Education within three working days of leaving. At the discretion of the Directors of Yellowbird Education such complaints may be dealt with outside of these procedures.

FIRST AID AND MEDICATION POLICY STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

Yellowbird Education is committed to caring for, and protecting, the health, safety and welfare of its children, staff, and parents.

We always confirm our adherence to the following standards:

To ensure that trained First Aid staff renew, update or extend their HSE approved qualifications at least every three years
To have a minimum of one trained paediatric First Aider on each site at any one time
To record accidents and illnesses appropriately, reporting to parents and the Health & Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (2013)
To provide accessible first aid kits at various locations throughout the premises
To record and plan for children and staff with specific medical conditions
To deal with the disposal of bodily fluids and other medical waste accordingly, providing facilities for the hygienic and safe practice of first aid
To contact the medical emergency services if they are needed, informing next of kin immediately in such a situation
To communicate clearly to children and staff where they can find medical assistance if a person is ill or an accident has occurred
To communicate clearly in writing to parents or guardians if a child has sustained a bump to the head, however minor, and to communicate in writing

Responsibilities of the Trained First Aiders

Provide appropriate care for children or staff who are ill or sustain and injury
Record all accidents centrally in the Accident Book (to be found with the supervisor on duty)
In the event of any injury to the head, however minor, ensure that the event is recorded in the First Aid book in the Medical Room and the supervisor informed immediately. An email will be sent to parents as well as a phone call to the parent or carer
Make arrangements with parents/guardians to collect children and take them home if they are deemed too unwell to continue the day
Inform the supervisor all incidents where first aid has been administered

Responsibilities of the Supervisor

Ensure that all staff and children are familiar with the first aid procedures
Ensure that all staff are familiar with measure to provide appropriate care for children with particular medical needs (eg. Diabetic needs, Epi-pens, inhalers)
Ensure that a list is maintained and available to staff of all children with particular medical needs and appropriate measures needed to care for them
Monitor and re-stock supplies and ensure that first aid kits are replenished
Ensure that the company has an adequate number of appropriately trained First Aiders
Co-ordinate First Aiders and arrange for training to be renewed as necessary
Maintain adequate facilities
Ensure that correct provision is made for children with special medical requirements both in company
On a monthly basis, review First Aid records to identify any trends or patterns and report to the Health and Safety committee
Report to RIDDOR, as described below
Contact emergency medical services as required.
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of guidance and advice from appropriate

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The company provides PPE to all staff. This includes disposable gloves, face masks and hand sanitiser. Surfaces are regularly cleaned with anti-bacterial disinfectant by the cleaning department. Staff should wear disposable gloves if physical contact is likely to be made with potentially contaminated areas or items. It is recommended that staff should wear a face mask when there is an anticipated risk of contamination with splashes, droplets of blood or body fluids. Staff should clean their hands thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol sanitiser before putting on and after taking off PPE.

What to do in the case of an accident, injury or illness

A member of staff or child witnessing an accident, injury or illness should immediately contact a named trained first aider.
Any child or member of staff sustaining an injury whilst at class or camp should be seen by a first aider who will provide immediate first aid and summon additional help as needed.

The child or member of staff should not be left unattended.
Parents should be informed as necessary by telephone by the first aider or supervisor.
This will be followed up in writing and a record kept. A record of all accidents, injuries and the administration of first aid is maintained in the accident log.
In relation to a head injury, please refer to Appendix.

Contacting parents

Parents should be informed by telephone as soon as possible after an emergency or following a serious/significant injury including:
Head injury. The parent is informed immediately by a call from the supervisor and a follow up email sent.
Suspected sprain or fracture
Following a fall from height
Dental injury
Anaphylaxis & following the administration of an Epi-pen
Epileptic seizure
Severe hypoglycaemia for children, staff or visitors with diabetes
Severe asthma attack
Difficulty breathing
Bleeding injury
Loss of consciousness
If the child is generally unwell
If non-emergency transportation is required, an authorised taxi service will be used if parents are delayed. A member of staff will accompany the child until a parent arrives.
Parents can be informed of smaller incidents at the end of the day by the form supervisor on duty.

Contacting the Emergency Services

An ambulance should be called for any condition listed above or for any injury that requires emergency treatment. Any child taken to hospital by ambulance must be accompanied by a member of staff until a parent arrives. All cases of a child becoming unconscious (not including a faint) or following the administration of an Epi-pen, must be taken to hospital.

Accident reporting

The accident log must be completed for any accident or injury occurring with Yellowbird Education,. This includes any accident involving staff or visitors. The accident log will be monitored by the Lead First Aider as certain injuries require reporting (RIDDOR requirements). Care should be taken that the accident log, whether hard copy or electronic, is stored securely so that it can be seen only by those who have authority to read it.

Children who are unwell during the day

If a child becomes unwell, a parent should be contacted as soon as possible by the supervisor. In the event a parent is unavailable the company should attempt to contact the secondary contact. Anyone not well enough to be in the classes or camps should be collected as soon as possible by a parent.

First Aid equipment and materials

The supervisor is responsible for stocking and checking the first aid kits. Staff are asked to notify the supervisor when supplies have been used in order that they can be restocked. The first aid boxes contain (based on HSE guidance):

A first aid book
First aid report book
At least 20 adhesive hypoallergenic plasters
4 triangular bandages (slings)
Safety pins
Cleaning wipes
Adhesive tape
2 sterile eye pads
6 medium sized unmedicated dressings
2 large sized unmedicated dressings
Disposable gloves
Yellow clinical waste bag

Emergency care and/or medication plans and treatment boxes

The supervisor ensures that staff are made aware of any child with an emergency care plan. These care plans are heled with the supervisor. Emergency treatment boxes will be held with the supervisor on duty.

Children using crutches or having limited mobility – Parents must inform Yellowbird Education of the nature of injury and the anticipated duration of immobility. Arrangements will be made for the child to arrive/leave early to allow for a safe transfer around the building. Parents must inform Yellowbird Education of any particular difficulties.

If a child has either temporary or ongoing limited mobility, the company will consider whether the child requires a personal evacuation plan, for implementation in fire drills and similar occasions.

Dealing with bodily fluids;

In order to maintain protection from disease, all bodily fluids should be considered infected.

To prevent contact with bodily fluids the following guidelines should be followed.

When dealing with any bodily fluids wear disposable gloves.
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after the incident.
Keep any abrasions covered with a plaster.
Spills of the following bodily fluids must be cleaned up immediately.
Bodily fluids include:
Blood, Faeces, Urine, Nasal and eye discharges, Saliva, Vomit

Process

Disposable towels should be used to soak up the excess, and then the area should be treated with a disinfectant solution
Never use a mop for cleaning up blood and bodily fluid spillages
All contaminated material should be disposed of in a yellow clinical waste bag (available in all first aid boxes) then placed in the waste bin
Avoid getting any bodily fluids in your eyes, nose, mouth or on any open sores.
If a splash occurs, wash the area well with soap and water or irrigate with copious amounts of saline.

Infectious diseases

If a child is suspected of having an infectious disease advice should be sought from the supervisor who will follow the Public Health England guidelines below to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases to other children and staff.

ILLNESS

PERIOD OF EXCLUSION

COMMENTS

Chickenpox

Five days from onset of rash

Pregnant women up to 20 weeks and those in the last 3weeks of pregnancy should inform their midwife that they have been in contact with chickenpox.

Any children being treated for cancer or on high doses of steroids should also seek medical advice.

Covid-19

Follow medical advice

Follow government and WHO guidance

German Measles

For 5 days from onset of rash

Pregnant women should inform their midwife about contact

Impetigo

Until lesions are crusted or healed

Antibiotic treatment by mouth may speed healing

Measles

5 days from onset of rash

Any children being treated for cancer or on high doses of steroids must seek medical advice

Scabies

Until treatment has been commenced

Two treatments one week apart for cases. Treatment should include all household members and any other very close contacts

Scarlet Fever

5 days after commencing antibiotics

Antibiotic treatment recommended

Slapped Cheek Syndrome

None

Pregnant women up to 20 weeks must inform their midwife about contact

Diarrhoea and vomiting

48 hours from last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting

Exclusion from swimming may be needed

Hepatitis A

Exclusion may be necessary

Consult Public Health England

Meningococcal meningitis

Until recovered

Communicable disease control will give advice on any treatment needed and identify contact requiring treatment. No need to exclude siblings or other close contacts.

ILLNESS

PERIOD OF EXCLUSION

COMMENTS

Viral Meningitis

Until fully recovered

Milder illness

Threadworms

None

Treatment is recommended for the child and family members

Mumps

5 days from onset of swollen glands

n/a

Head Lice

None once treated

Treatment is recommended for the child and close contacts if live lice are found

Conjunctivitis

None

Children do not usually need to stay off the premises with conjunctivitis if they are feeling well. If, however, they are feeling unwell with conjunctivitis they should stay off the premises until they feel better

Influenza

Until fully recovered

Cold sores

None

Avoid contact with the sores

Warts, verrucae

None

Verrucae should be covered in swimming pools, gymnasiums and changing rooms

Glandular fever

None

n/a

Tonsillitis

None

n/a

Administration of Medication

No child should be given any medication without their parent’s written consent.
No Aspirin products are to be given to any child.
Parents must be given written confirmation of any medication administered, a copy of which will be kept on the child’s file.
Children will need to take medication during the day e.g. antibiotics. However, wherever possible the timing and dosage should be arranged so that the medication can be administered at home.

(i) Non-Prescription Medication

Non-prescription medication will not be administered to children.

(ii) Prescription-Only Medication

Prescribed medicines may be given to a child by the supervisor if they have been appropriately trained. Written consent must be obtained from the parent or guardian, clearly stating the name of the medication, dose, frequency and length of course. The company will accept medication from parents only if it is in its original container, with the original dosage instructions. Prescription medicines will not be administered unless they have been prescribed for the child by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist. Medicines containing aspirin will be given only if prescribed by a doctor.

All medication administered must be witnessed by another adult, documented, signed for and parents informed in writing.

(iii) Administration of Medication

Any member of staff administering medication should be trained to an appropriate level, this includes specific training e.g. use of Epi-pens

The medication must be checked before administration by the member of staff confirming the medication name, child’s name, dose, time to be administered and the expiry date.
It is advisable that a second adult is present when administering medicine.
Wash hands.
Confirm that the child’s name matches the name on the medication.
Explain to the child that his or her parents have requested the administration of the medication.
Document any refusal of a child to take medication.
Document, date and sign for what has been administered.
Complete the form which goes back to parents.
Ensure that the medication is correctly stored in a locked drawer or cupboard, out of the reach of children.
Antibiotics and any other medication which requires refrigeration should be stored in the fridge in the kitchen. All medication should be clearly labelled with the child’s name and dosage.
Parents should be asked to dispose of any out-of-date medication.

Major injuries from schedule 1 of the regulations:

Any fracture, other than to the fingers, thumbs or toes.
2. Any amputation.
3. Dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine.
4. Loss of sight (whether temporary or permanent)
5. A chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye.
6. Any injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn (including any electrical burn caused by arcing or arcing products, leading to unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours.
7. Any other injury leading to hypothermia, heat induced illness or to unconsciousness requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
8. Any other injury lasting over 3 days
9. Loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia or by exposure to a harmful substance or biological agent. 10. Either of the following conditions which result from the absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin:
11. Acute illness requiring medical treatment; or
12. Loss of consciousness
13. Acute illness which requires medical treatment where there is reason to believe that this resulted from exposure to a biological agent or its toxins or infected material.
Death
A specified dangerous occurrence, where something happened which did not result in an injury, but could have done.

Further information on RIDDOR reporting requirements can be found on the RIDDOR website; http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/

APPENDIX 1: Guidance to staff on particular medical conditions

(i) Allergic reactions

Symptoms and treatment of a mild allergic reaction:

Rash
Flushing of the skin
Itching or irritation

If the child has a care plan, follow the guidance provided and agreed by parents. Administer the prescribed dose of antihistamine to a child who displays these mild symptoms only. Make a note of the type of medication, dose given, date, and time the medication was administered. Complete and sign the appropriate medication forms, as detailed in the policy. Observe the child closely for 30 minutes to ensure symptoms subside.

(ii) Anaphylaxis

Symptoms and treatment of Anaphylaxis:
• Swollen lips, tongue, throat or face
• Nettle type rash
• Difficulty swallowing and/or a feeling of a lump in the throat • Abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting

Generalised flushing of the skin
• Difficulty in breathing
• Difficulty speaking
• Sudden feeling of weakness caused by a fall in blood pressure • Collapse and unconsciousness

When someone develops an anaphylactic reaction the onset is usually sudden, with the following signs and symptoms of the reaction progressing rapidly, usually within a few minutes.

Action to be taken

Send someone to call for a paramedic ambulance and inform parents. Arrange to meet parents at the hospital.
Send for the named emergency box.
Reassure the child help is on the way.
Remove the Epi-pen from the carton and pull off the grey safety cap.
Place the black tip on the child’s thigh at right angles to the leg (there is no need to remove clothing).
Press hard into the thigh until the auto injector mechanism functions and hold in place for 10 seconds.
Remove the Epi-pen from the thigh and note the time.
Massage the injection area for several seconds.
If the child has collapsed, lay him/her on the side in the recovery position.
Ensure the paramedic ambulance has been called.
Stay with the child.
Steps 4-8 may be repeated if no improvement in 5 minutes with a second Epi-pen if you have been instructed to do so by a doctor.

REMEMBER Epi-pens are not a substitute for medical attention, if an anaphylactic reaction occurs and you administer the Epi-pen the child must be taken to hospital for further checks. Epi-pen treatment must only be undertaken by staff who have received specific training.

(iii) Asthma management

Trigger factors

Change in weather conditions
Animal fur
• Having a cold or chest infection
Exercise
Pollen
• Chemicals
• Air pollutants
• Emotional situations
Excitement

General considerations

Children with asthma need immediate access to their reliever inhaler. Younger children will require assistance to administer their inhaler. It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that the company is provided with a named, in-date reliever inhaler, which is kept in the classroom, not locked away and always accessible to the child. Staff should be aware of a child’s trigger factors and try to avoid any situation that may cause a child to have an asthma attack. It is the parents’ responsibility to provide a new inhaler when out of date. Children must be made aware of where their inhaler is kept and this medication must be taken on any out of the activities.

Recognising an asthma attack

Child unable to continue an activity
Difficulty in breathing
• Chest may feel tight
• Possible wheeze
Difficulty speaking
• Increased anxiety
• Coughing, sometimes persistently

Action to be taken
1. Ensure that prescribed reliever medication (usually blue) is taken promptly.
2. Reassure the child.
3. Encourage the child to adopt a position which is best for them-usually sitting upright.
4. Wait five minutes. If symptoms disappear the child can resume normal activities.
5. If symptoms have improved but not completely disappeared, inform parents and give another dose of their inhaler and call the Lead First Aider or a first aider if she is not available.
6. Loosen any tight clothing.
7. If there is no improvement in 5-10 minutes continue to make sure the child takes one puff of their reliever inhaler every minute for five minutes or until symptoms improve.
8. Call an ambulance.
9. Accompany child to hospital and await the arrival of a parent.

(iv) Diabetes management

Staff must be made aware of any child with diabetes attending the classes and camps.
Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemic attack)

Pale
Glazed eyes
Blurred vision
Confusion/incoherent
Shaking
Headache
Change in normal behaviour-weepy/aggressive/quiet
Agitated/drowsy/anxious
Tingling lips
Sweating
Hunger
Dizzy

Action to be taken

Follow the guidance provided in the care plan agreed by parents.
2. Give fast acting glucose-either 50ml glass of Lucozade or 3 glucose tablets. (Children should always

have their glucose supplies with them. Extra supplies will be kept in emergency boxes. This will raise the blood sugar level quickly.
3. This must be followed after 5-10 minutes by 2 biscuits, a sandwich or a glass of milk.

Do not send the child out of your care for treatment alone.
5. Allow the child to have access to regular snacks.
6. Inform parents.

Action to take if the child becomes unconscious:

Place child in the recovery position and seek the help of a first aider.
Do not attempt to give glucose via mouth as child may choke.
3. Telephone 999.
4. Inform parents.
Accompany child to hospital and await the arrival of a parent.

Signs and symptoms of high blood sugar (hyperglycaemic attack)

Hyperglycaemia – develops much more slowly than hypoglycaemia but can be more serious if left untreated. It can be caused by too little insulin, eating more carbohydrate, infection, stress and less exercise than normal.

Feeling tired and weak
Thirst
Passing urine more often
Nausea and vomiting
Drowsy
Breath smelling of acetone
Blurred vision
Unconsciousness

Action to be taken

Inform the supervisor
Inform parents
Child to test blood or urine
Call 999

(v) Epilepsy management

How to recognise a seizure

There are several types of epilepsy, but seizures are usually recognisable by the following symptoms:

Child may appear confused and fall to the ground.
Slow noisy breathing.
Possible blue colouring around the mouth returning to normal as breathing returns to normal.
Rigid muscle spasms.
Twitching of one or more limbs or face
Possible incontinence.

A child diagnosed with epilepsy will have an emergency care plan

Action to be taken

Send for an ambulance;
If this is a child’s first seizure,
If a child known to have epilepsy has a seizure lasting for more than five minutes
If an injury occurs.
Seek the help of the Lead First Aider or a first aider.
Help the child to the floor.
Do not try to stop seizure.
Do not put anything into the mouth of the child.
Move any other children away and maintain child’s dignity
Protect the child from any danger.
As the seizure subsides, gently place them in the recovery position to maintain the airway.
Allow patient to rest as necessary.
Inform parents.
Call 999 if you are concerned.
Describe the event and its duration to the paramedic team on arrival.
Reassure other children and staff.
Accompany child to hospital and await the arrival of a parent.

Appendix 2: HEAD INJURY POLICY

Background

A head injury is defined as any trauma to the head excluding superficial injuries to the face. Fortunately, the majority of head injuries within the premises are minor and can be managed at the premises or at home. However, some can be more severe and it is important that a child is assessed and treated accordingly. The risk of brain injury can depend on the force and speed of the impact and complications such as swelling, bruising or bleeding can occur within the brain itself or the skull.

Concussion is defined as a traumatic brain injury resulting in the disturbance of brain function. There are many symptoms but the most common ones are dizziness, headache, memory disturbance or balance problems. Concussion is caused by either a direct blow to the head or blows to other parts of the body resulting in a rapid movement of the head e.g. whiplash.

It is also important to note that a repeat injury to the head after a recent previous concussion can have serious implications.

Process for managing a suspected head injury

All head injuries that occur on the premises must be recorded immediately in the First Aid book by the person who witnessed the accident. The same person will inform the supervisor of the child; this is to ensure that the child is monitored throughout the day if they remain at the premises following the injury.

A member of the supervisor is informed immediately, a First Aider assesses the injury and a call is made by the member of the supervisor to the parent(s) regardless of the severity of the injury and an email is sent to the parent or carer.

The supervisor is informed. The exception for this is if the child needs urgent medical attention, at which point the Emergency Services should be called by the witness and/or supervisor with no delay. The child must be assessed and monitored for at least one hour by a qualified First Aider and referred for medical review as per the guidelines in this document. If in doubt, the First Aider should call NHS 111 for advice or 999.

If after one hour the child is symptom free, he/she can return to the sessions but must be kept under observation for the remainder of that day. This applies even if the child feels it is unnecessary. As concussion typically presents in the first 24-48 hours following a head injury, it is important that the child is monitored and assessed until they go home.

Recognising Concussion

One or more of the following signs clearly indicate a concussion:

Seizures
Loss of consciousness – suspected or confirmed
Unsteady on feet or balance problems or falling over or poor co-ordination

Confused
Disorientated – not aware of where they are or who they are or the time of day Dazed, blank or vacant look
Behavioural changes e.g. more emotional or more irritable
more of the following may suggest a concussion:
Lying motionless on the ground
Slow to get up off the ground
Grabbing or clutching their head

Emergency Management

The following signs may indicate a medical emergency and an ambulance should be called immediately:

Rapid deterioration of neurological function
● Decreasing level of consciousness
● Decrease or irregularity of breathing
Any signs or symptoms of neck, spine or skull fracture or bleeding for example bleeding from one or both ears, clear fluid running from ears or nose, black eye with no obvious cause, new deafness in one or more ear, bruising behind one or more ear, visible trauma to skull or scalp, penetrating injury signs
Seizure activity
● Any child with a witnessed prolonged loss of consciousness and who is not stable (i.e. condition is

worsening)

Referral to Hospital

The supervisor, or in their absence, a qualified First Aider, should refer any child who has sustained a head injury to a hospital emergency department, using the Ambulance Service if deemed necessary, if any of the following are present (a member of the SLT must be informed):

Any loss of consciousness as a result of the injury.

Any focal neurological deficit – problems restricted to a particular part of the body or a particular activity, for example, difficulties with understanding, speaking, reading or writing; decreased sensation; loss of balance; general weakness; visual changes; abnormal reflexes; and problems walking since the injury.

Amnesia for events before or after the injury (assessment of amnesia will not be possible in preverbal children and unlikely to be possible in children aged under 5).
Persistent headache since the injury.
Any vomiting episodes since the injury.
Any seizure since the injury.
Any previous brain surgery.
A high-energy head injury. For example, pedestrian struck by motor vehicle, occupant ejected from motor vehicle, fall from a height of greater than 1 metre or more than 5 stairs, diving accident, high- speed motor vehicle collision, rollover motor accident, accident involving motorised recreational vehicles, bicycle collision, or any other potentially high-energy mechanism.
Any history of bleeding or clotting disorders.
Current anticoagulant therapy such as warfarin.
Current drug or alcohol intoxication.
There are any safeguarding concerns (for example, possible non-accidental injury or a vulnerable person is affected).
Continuing concern by the professional about the diagnosis.

In the absence of any of the risk factors above, consider referral to an emergency department if any of the following factors are present, depending on judgement of severity:

Irritability or altered behaviour, particularly in infants and children aged under 5 years.
Visible trauma to the head not covered above but still of concern to the healthcare professional.
No one is able to observe the injured person at home.
Continuing concern by the injured person or their family/guardian about the diagnosis.

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to take the child to the nearest Emergency Department if it is recommended by the supervisor.

Questions to ask the child to determine issues with memory.

If they fail to answer correctly any of these questions, there is a strong suspicion of concussion “Where are we now?”
“Is it before or after lunch?”
“What was your last activity?”

DO’s and DON’Ts

If he/she is vomiting or at risk of vomiting DO NOT give him/her anything to eat or drink until completely recovered
Unless there are injuries elsewhere, monitor the child in a semi upright position so that the head is at least at a 30-degree angle if lying down.
DO apply a covered instant cold pack to the injured area for 15-20 minutes UNLESS the area has an open wound.

Head Injury Notifications

The person supervising the child at the time is responsible for contacting:

The supervisor
The supervisor contacts the child’s parents/carers

If the head injury is minor and the child stays at the premises, the parent/carers will be informed by the supervisor straight after the injury has happened.

A Head Injury email is sent home and the child monitored for potential deterioration of symptoms.

MISSING CHILD POLICY

Procedures

• Children are registered upon arrival at the start of every day
• High level of supervision throughout the day by Yellowbird Education staff
• Staff undertake regular head counts
• Children are reminded at the start of every day not to leave a room unaccompanied (i.e. without an adult) and the importance of not speaking to strangers

Lost at the premises

Member of staff to report to supervisor on duty immediately if they suspect a child is missing. Supervisor will make enquiries as to when the child was last seen and where.
At least two members of staff must search the building to locate the missing child.
Staff must remain vigilant in respect of the safety of other pupils with regard to supervision and security.

Ensure the remaining pupils are supervised.

Staff must keep calm and remain in regular contact via the radio.
If a child cannot be located within 10 minutes, then the police and parents or carers must be informed. The supervisor will make available a photograph of the child (if available) as well as a description of the child.
The supervisor will continue to search the premises and will continue to keep in touch via mobile phone. The child must be comforted and reassured when found.

A fire drill will be considered to see if the child arrives at the assembly point.

Children removed from the premises by unapproved adult

No child is allowed to leave the premises with an adult other than those specified on the child’s application form. All staff to be informed if a parent is not permitted to pick up a child. If a child is seen or believed to be taken from the premises by an unapproved adult, the police and parents will be immediately informed.

Measures in place to ensure a child does not go missing

• Staff are informed about challenging unknown people within the premises
• All visitors and staff to wear a Yellowbird Education ID and lanyard
• Entrance and exit doors to be locked throughout the day and staffed by a person at reception
• Supervision of children at all times
• Sufficient staff to maintain adult: children ratios

Following up an incident

• Review the incident with the Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Assess the effectiveness of the risk assessment procedures
• Taking written statements from adults and children where applicable
• Collecting information from any other witnesses
• Talking to children
• Reporting to Ofsted or RIDDOR if applicable
• Reporting the incident to relevant authorities if applicable
• Yellowbird Education to issue advice to parents and carers if deemed necessary

Safer Recruitment Policy

The Directors undertake a formal annual review of this policy for the purpose of monitoring and of the efficiency with which the related duties have been discharged, by no later than one year from the date shown below, or earlier if significant changes to the systems and arrangements take place, or if legislation, regulatory requirements or best practice guidelines so require.

Signed: Janie Richardson, Viv Richardson
Date reviewed: July 2023 Date of next review: July 2024

SUMMARY

Yellowbird Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We therefore adopt recruitment and selection procedures and other human resources management processes that help to deter, reject, or identify people who might abuse children, or are otherwise unsuited to work with them. This policy sets out procedures and practices that are to be followed for the safe recruitment of all staff.

The definition of staff is any person working with Yellowbird Education. Staff working at Yellowbird workshops are freelance and self-employed, however their work with recruitment still follows the list of checks provided in the regulations for each new member of staff. Administers working at workshops and with children’s data also fall in to this category.

‘Staff’ refers to anyone working with Yellowbird Education.

Elements of safer practice

Safer practice in recruitment means thinking about and including issues to do with child protection and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at every stage of the procedure. It requires a consistent and thorough process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about applicants. We will:

ï ensure that the job description makes reference to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

ï ensure that the person specification includes reference to suitability to work with children

ï obtain comprehensive information from applicants

ï obtain independent professional and character references that answer specific questions about suitability to work with children

ï follow up one or more references with a telephone call to verify that referee is genuine and can substantiate the content of the reference letter

ï ask the candidate to attend a face-to-face or Zoom interview that explores the candidate’s suitability to work with children as well as his or her suitability for the post

ï verify the identity of the successful applicant

ï verify that the applicant has any academic or vocational qualifications necessary.

ï check his/her previous employment history and experience and follow up on any gaps in employment

ï obtain a voluntary enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for all our staff before appointment or as soon as practicable after the person’s appointment

ï obtain assurance that appropriate child protection checks and procedures apply to any staff employed by another organisation working with our pupils on another site

ï make our checks in advance of employment or as soon as practicable after appointment.

This checklist will be used at each stage of the process and records will be retained as a permanent record at the end of the process.

Recruitment

ï There will be a reference to the need for the successful applicant to undertake a DBS check.

Application form

ï An application form will be completed by applicants.

ï The form will ask for previous education and employment history, relevant training, skills offered, suitability for the post, other interests and details of any criminal records. Candidates will be asked for:

ï Personal details (full name, address, contact telephone numbers, date of birth).

ï The name of their degree qualification, the awarding institution and the date awarded where applicable.

ï The name of their teaching qualification where required, the awarding institution and the date awarded.

ï Details of two referees (including their last employer).

ï A current enhanced disclosure (where applicable) until such time as an enhanced DBS check has been undertaken

ï A DBS update service ID number if applicable.

ï A personal declaration of medical fitness to carry out the duties described in the job description.

ï In the case of overseas applicants we would also ask about their visa status, if applicable, and confirmation that they held a police check from their home country.

ï We carefully check the employment history of candidates to see if there are any breaks in service that cannot immediately be explained and seek advice if concerned. Also, for any period of living abroad for three months or more with in the last two years, an overseas criminal records check is required.

Job description

The job description should clearly state the main duties and responsibilities of the post and include the individual’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children.

Candidate’s information pack

The pack will include:
1. The application form
2. The job description and person specification

3. relevant information about Yellowbird

ï All applications will be scrutinised to ensure that they are fully and properly completed and that employment is consistent and does not contain any discrepancies.

ï Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

ï As part of the shortlisting process, we will consider carrying out an online search as part of our due diligence on the shortlisted candidates.

REFERENCES

ï As far as practicable employment references should be received and deemed satisfactory prior to offering an interview at which an employment decision will be made.

ï Two written references are required, the first of which must be from the current employer, or most recent employer if the person is not currently working.

ï If there is no current employer, verification of the most recent period of employment and reasons for leaving should be obtained. (This recognises that, in effect, not all employers will provide a substantive reference.)

ï References should be from a senior person with 'appropriate authority'.

ï Information provided directly by the candidate should be verified.

ï The purpose of receiving references is to obtain objective and factual information to support appointment decisions.

ï References will always be sought and obtained directly from the referee and we will not rely on references provided by the applicant or open references.

ï The reference request will ask for a range of specific comments related to the post, including whether the candidate has ever been the subject of a disciplinary or capability process, whether he/she meets in full the criteria for the post, and whether there is any known reason why the person should not be employed to work with children. If a reference is taken over the telephone, detailed notes will be taken, dated and signed.

ï All referees will be contacted to verify the reference and to obtain more information if required. Notes of these conversations will be kept on the candidate’s file. These will be signed and dated.

ï References received electronically will have their source authenticated by a phone call.

ï If a candidate refuses to allow us to take up a relevant reference, whilst being sympathetic, we would explain that we could not continue the registration process unless we could take the reference.

ï For parent employed staff we will carry out references should they be deemed appropriate.

Ex-offenders

Yellowbird Education is committed to the fair treatment of the staff we employ, regardless of race, gender, religion or belief, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants/maternity status, age, physical/mental disability, marriage or civil partnership, gender reassignment or offending background. We actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcome applications from a wide range of candidates. We select all candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience. As an organisation using the Disclosure and Barring Service to assess applicants' suitability for positions of trust, Yellowbird complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly. It undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a disclosure on the basis of conviction or other information revealed. However, it is unlikely we will choose to have a member of staff working with us who has previous convictions of a serious nature.

ï We require all staff offered employment to provide details of their criminal record. We request that this information is sent under separate, confidential cover, to the school HR manager, Mr N Christey, and we guarantee that this information will only be seen by those who need to as part of the recruitment process.

ï Yellowbird Education will be required to ask questions about your entire criminal record due to the nature of work with children.

ï We actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcome applications from a wide range of candidates. We select all candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience.

ï Disclosure is required for all staff.

ï We confirm that all those who join Yellowbird Education who are involved in the recruitment process have been suitably trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstance of offences. We also ensure that they have received appropriate guidance in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex- offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

ï At interview, or in a separate discussion, we ensure that an open and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or any other matter that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.

ï We make every subject of a DBS check aware of the existence of the DBS Code of Practice and make a copy available on request.

ï We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a DBS check with a person seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.

ï Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of your offences.

The interview process

ï The interview will assess the merits of each candidate against the job requirements and explore their suitability to work with children.

ï A member of the interview panel will have completed Safer Recruitment training.

Invitation to interview - teaching assistants and teachers

ï Candidates are asked to bring documents confirming any educational and professional qualifications that are necessary or relevant to the post, i.e. the original certificate, or diploma or a letter of confirmation.

ï Candidates are interviewed by the Director with a set of interview questions appropriate to the job.

ï Candidates are asked if there are any conditions they may need to make us aware of for their attendance of the interview, e.g. access requirements.

Pool of available teachers

An offer of joining Yellowbird Education to the successful candidates is to be conditional upon: receipt of at least two satisfactory references, verification of the candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK, a satisfactory DBS check, verification of the candidate’s medical fitness, verification of qualifications where needed.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Yellowbird Education requires all staff working regularly with opportunity for contact with children to have to apply for a DBS check. Disclosures show spent and unspent convictions and cautions. The police may also provide details of acquittals or other non-conviction information held on local police records which are relevant to the job or role being sought. DBS guidelines advise that a criminal record can start as early as the age of 10 years. Until the school has had sight of the original disclosure certificate the applicant will be treated as unchecked.

Barred list/List 99 check

This check will be used in the event that an enhanced disclosure is not received in advance of a member of staff starting work, or where a certificate is delayed and the staff member has a DBS from a previous employer with no more than a three-month gap between employments. We obtain this through the Teachers’ Pensions online service (TP online). TP online deals with checks for all staff, not just teachers.

The flowchart of Disclosure and Barring Service criminal record checks and barred list checks (Department for Education, 2016) is used to decide which check is applicable and when. (Appendix 1)

Prohibition order

This check will be carried out on all teachers and staff members who are in regular contact with children via the TRA (Teaching Regulation Agency). It is possible to access details of teachers who have sanctions against them in relation to teaching in England and EEA member states. The TRA Services includes teachers who:

ï may be the subject of a suspension or conditional order imposed by the General Teaching Council for England (prior to abolition) that is still current

ï have been prohibited from teaching

ï have sanctions from EEA member states

ï have been prohibited from management within a school (Section 128)

Processes for all employed staff:

ï All staff employed in regular work with the opportunity for contact with children will be required to complete criminal records check with the DBS and prohibition and barring checks prior to employment.

ï New staff who have an existing enhanced DBS check with another body will be able to commence working at the school providing they are registered with the DBS online update service. A separate barred list check will also be undertaken.

ï If a DBS certificate is delayed and the member of staff has an original certificate from their most recent employer, providing their last day of employment was not more than three months the school will carry out a barred list check and a risk assessment. The risk assessment will be reviewed regularly and will describe the supervision measures taken.

ï Records of satisfactory DBS checks will be held centrally.

ï When a conviction or caution is revealed in a DBS check the HR counter signatory will speak to the Head in confidence. Rigorous checks of references will be implemented and a confidential note relating to this discussion will be sent to the Head for inclusion on the centrally held register. The Head will also attach to the file a brief written rationale for action and decisions taken.

ï All staff will be asked to renew a DBS check every 5 years or agree to an online update service.

Processes for volunteers and helpers

All regular volunteers and helpers at the school will complete an enhanced DBS check prior to taking up their role and this also applies to other individuals who have regular contact with the school. The enhanced DBS check will be required for any unpaid person working with the children more than 3 times in any given month.

The process for obtaining a DBS check for Yellowbird Directors

Our Directors will obtain the following and send completed to the DfE:

ï An application form from the DBS Bureau.
ï Documents to verify their identity.

Directors and advisory body

All directors and advisors will be required to undergo the following:

ï Identity checks
ï DBS check
ï Section 128 check
ï EEA/Overseas checks
ï Interview with the Director of Governance and the Head

Delayed DBS checks

If an enhanced DBS check is delayed the Director may allow a member of staff to commence work if the following conditions are in place:

ï The DBS application has been made.

ï Supervision of the individual is in place.

ï A review of the safeguards is undertaken every 2 weeks.

ï The individual is informed about the safeguards.

ï A check against the barred list/List 99 is made.

ï A note is placed on the Single Central Register to record the measures in place.

Previous employer disclosure

The Director may accept a satisfactory enhanced DBS check from a previous employer providing that the following are in place:

ï All other checks are completed.

ï A check against the barred/List 99 is made.

ï There is not a gap in employment of 3 months or more.

ï There is written consent from the subject.

ï Details must be recorded of who obtained the disclosure, the level, date and unique reference number.

People not requiring an enhanced DBS check

Examples of people who do not need to apply for a disclosure include:

ï Visitors who have business with the Head or other staff or who have only brief contact with children with a teacher present. Supervision for people in this category will be arranged at all times.

ï Students aged 16 or under.

(Note: if children are participating in the activity during the hire period, whether pupils of the school or not, a DBS check will be required).

Verification of qualifications

Yellowbird Education class teachers do not need to have a teaching degree to teach.

IDENTITY AND CONFIRMATION OF ADDRESS

Identity checks are made against a birth certificate and a passport or a driving licence. Photographic identity will be required. In addition to this, we confirm their home address by requesting a form of official documentation (from different sources), e.g. a utility bill or bank statement dated within the last 3 months.

MEDICAL ASSESSMENT

Yellowbird Education requires a Medical Assessment which enquires about any previous or existing medical conditions of the candidate. If the response to any question is ‘yes’, further specific details are requested. Candidates are also asked to sign a Medical Declaration giving permission for us to approach their own GP, where necessary, to establish their medical fitness for any post.

OVERSEAS CHECKS

If a candidate has lived abroad for a period of 3 months prior to the appointment the school will check evidence from the person’s country of origin and countries where they have lived before an appointment is made. We will use the Home Office guides to see what checks are available from different countries. A UK national returning after working in a foreign country will be asked to obtain a certificate of good conduct/police clearance or equivalent from the country in question. If a police clearance/certificate of good conduct or equivalent is not available we will obtain more references and seek an Embassy Check.

RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

We will check that any person over the age of 15 that we employ is entitled to work in the UK. We will refer to the UK Border agency booklet Prevention of Illegal Working – Summary Guide for employers.

SUMMARY OF VETTING PROCEDURES

All of our candidates are carefully assessed and vetted in accordance with DfE regulations and employment legislation and our own quality control procedures. We take our security procedures very seriously and random audit checks are regularly carried out to ensure the continuing standards of our systems.

Yellowbird checks the following:
(a solicitor or Justice of the Peace or person of equivalent standing must countersign any photocopies if originals are not supplied)

ï Previous employment history.

ï References will be sought directly from the referee and, where necessary, he/she will be contacted to clarify any anomalies or discrepancies. Detailed written records will be kept of such exchanges. Where necessary, previous employers who have not been named as referees may be contacted in order to clarify any such anomalies or discrepancies. Detailed written records will be kept of such exchanges. ï If a candidate for a post working with children is not currently employed in a post working with children, a reference will be sought from the most recent employment in which the candidate has worked with children to confirm details of the candidate’s employment and his/her reasons for leaving.

ï Identity Check x 2.

ï UK visa or right to work check.

ï Disclosure and Barring Services Enhanced Check.

ï List/List 99 check.

ï Prohibited Check. ï Overseas check including a check of sanctions from EEA member states.

ï Health Check.

ï Face-to-face/Zoom registration and interview process.

ï All teachers are issued with our Safeguarding Policy, Whistle blowing policy, Keeping Children Safe in Education part 1 with Annexe 1, Staff Code of Conduct Policy and Equal Opportunities policies.

ï Overseas Qualified Teachers must supply the same information as above, plus proof of registration as a teacher in their own country, and clear national police checks for each country in which they have resided. If a National Police Check is not available extra references will be sought and an Embassy Check. Where an Embassy Check is not available and all opportunities have been exhausted to contact relevant departments to obtain a criminal record check, a statement from an official person who has known the candidate during their employment in the country will be accepted providing it is satisfactory to the Head.

REFERENCES

Reference requests will ask the referee to confirm, in writing:

ï The referee’s relationship to the candidate
ï Details of the candidate’s current post and salary
ï The candidate’s performance history and conduct

ï Whether the candidate has been subject to capability procedures and the outcome of this

ï Whether the candidate has been subject to disciplinary action relating to the safety and welfare of children, including where the sanction has expired, and the outcome of this
ï Details of any substantiated allegations or concerns about the candidate relating to the safety and welfare of children

ï Whether the referee has any reservations as to the candidate’s suitability to work with children and young people (if so, the school will ask for specific details of the concerns and the reasons why the referee believes the candidate may be unsuitable to work with children)

ï The candidate’s suitability for the post with explicit reference to the job description and person specification. The reference request will also ask the following question of the referee following guidance from the Prevent Duty Guidance ‘Are you completely satisfied that the applicant is not involved in ‘extremism’ being vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs? Extremism also includes calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.’

All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, vetting procedures and DBS clearance.

References are the ‘property’ of the selection panel and strict confidentiality will be observed. Employer testimonials, i.e. those provided by the candidate and/or marked ‘to whom it may concern’, will not be accepted. References must be in writing and be specific to the job for which the candidate has applied. The selection panel will not accept references from relatives or people writing solely in the capacity as a friend of the candidate, for any post. References will be verified and any discrepancies or areas of potential concern will be discussed with the candidate at interview. If the field of applicants is felt to be weak, the post may be re-advertised.

NEW Starter PACK

This will include:

ï Job Description.

ï The Staff Employment Handbook including the Staff Code of Conduct will be sent when letter of intent has been signed and returned.

ï A Staff Employment Details Form to be returned to the Staff administrator.

ï A Health Questionnaire, to be returned to the administrator.

ï Details about a DBS check.

RECORD KEEPING

INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

A record file will be held for all individuals within the following categories:

All staff who are employed to work at Yellowbird

ï All others who work at the school who have regular contact with children. This will cover volunteers, people brought into the school to provide additional teaching or other experience for pupils but who are not staff members, e.g. a specialist sports coach or artist.

THE SINGLE CENTRAL REGISTER OF APPOINTMENTS

The Single Central Register (SCR) is kept in electronic form and updated by the administrator. The Director is responsible for ensuring that the SCR is accurate and complete.

Members of staff

The following information will be held on the school's Single Central Register for staff currently employed, plus the date of the check and the initials of the person who completed the check:

ï Identity - name, address and date of birth.

ï Post start date and title.

ï Identity check – Address, date of birth and passport seen, the initials of the person who has seen it and the date it was seen.

ï DBS – the number and date printed on the certificate, the initials of the person who saw it and the date the certificate was seen.

ï Barred list/List 99 – status, date of check and initials of checker.

ï Overseas checks if carried out.

ï Evidence of right to work in UK for those who are not nationals of a European Economic Area (EEA) country.

ï Details of two satisfactory employment references.

ï Employment history – initials of the staff member who checked and confirmed the employment history.

ï Prohibition checks - status, date of check and initials of checker.

ï Overseas checks where applicable.

ï Identity

Directors -

The SCR must contain the following information for each member of the proprietorial body (other than the chair), where applicable:
• enhanced disclosure;
• identity;

• right to work in the UK;
• overseas checks (including EEA), where applicable.
Prohibition and barring checks (teaching/management and barred list)

Volunteers

Regular volunteers will be required to have:

ï An enhanced disclosure if they are carrying out unsupervised activities.

ï Note of an informal interview.

ï A note that no concerns have been raised by others on the school community.

The date of these checks and the initials of the person who completed the checks will be included on the SCR.
One–off volunteers who are supervised by a member of staff will not require these vetting checks.

CONTINUING AWARENESS

It is a requirement that all members of staff attend training annually in regards to Safeguarding Children and that all members of staff are briefed regularly on the schools Safeguarding Children Policy and should not hesitate to report any concerns to the school’s Safeguarding Children Officers. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) will attend Safer Recruitment training. We will renew DBS Disclosures every 5 years or organise an update service check every 5 years.

BEHAVIOUR AND EXCLUSION POLICY

Yellowbird Education undertakes a formal annual review of this policy for the purpose of monitoring and of the efficiency with which the related duties have been discharged, by no later than one year from the date shown below, or earlier if significant changes to the systems and arrangements take place, or if legislation, regulatory requirements or best practice guidelines so require.

Signed: Mrs Janie Richardson

Date reviewed:

September 2023

Date of next review:

September 2024

Policy statement

We recognise that positive behaviour is learned in an atmosphere of mutual respect, praise and encouragement, where adults model positive behaviour, language and body language. We have high expectations of behaviour and we seek to encourage good habits from the moment a child enters our workshops. We base our approach on three broad values: respect for others, respect for self and respect for property.

Respect for others:

ï We encourage our children to listen to others, respect their views and to show empathy.

ï We show our children how disruption and poor behaviour affects others around them.

ï We seek to nurture a culture in which all children are valued as people.

ï We all move about our building in a quiet and orderly manner to avoid interrupting another activity.

ï We hold open doors for each other.

Respect for self:

We encourage our children to develop this by:

ï listening to their thoughts and views

ï providing opportunities for them to represent others, e.g. yellowbird Education council members, house captains and vice-captains

ï providing opportunities to be involved in yellowbird Education decision making, e.g. yellowbird Education council, librarians and eco committee

ï Rewarding good and excellent behaviour, e.g., prizes and challenge certificates

Respect for property:

ï We give children responsibility for looking after areas of the yellowbird Education and equipment.

ï We disapprove of any damage to other people’s property.

ï We encourage the careful handling and putting away of items in the classroom, hall and playground.

ï We encourage children to keep the yellowbird Education site tidy and not to drop litter.

ï We have a clear recycling policy and a team of child eco-warriors, which forms part of the eco committee.

Aims:

To promote good behaviour inside and outside the classroom.

To promote self-discipline and respect.

To help all children to be aware of what is acceptable behaviour and attitudes and what is not.

To provide appropriate rewards and sanctions to help children to meet the standards we set.

To ensure that staff encourage praise and reward good behaviour as well as provide good role models.

Expectations Children will be expected to:

ï be courteous at all times to members of staff and to each other

ï participate actively during lessons by completing booklets

ï hand in homework on time

ï develop a responsible attitude and should be able to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour

ï show respect for opinions and beliefs of others

ï understand that bullying or bad language will not be tolerated

ï put their point of view sensibly and sensitively Staff will be expected to:

ï reinforce clear expectations of behaviour as set out in the rules and playground rules at the beginning of each workshop

ï promote and reinforce positive behaviour

ï deal with incidents of poor behaviour and follow procedures, ensuring that any sanctions are applied fairly and consistently

ï listen to children

ï be excellent role models for the children to follow

ï respect children for their individuality and not label children

ï ensure that no child is discriminated against because of their ethnic origin, gender, sex, culture, religious belief or because of any family responsibility that they may have

ï use calm voices and encourage children to do likewise

ï never use physical punishment of any kind and not use physical intervention at any time, unless a child is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others.

To a large extent good behaviour at Yellowbird Education depends on the teachers. Children behave better if they have good role models and a consistent approach. They also behave well if they are given clear tasks which they are capable of achieving and they take some responsibility for their own learning. Good discipline is assisted by good organisation.

Parents are expected to:

ï work in partnership with staff to ensure good behaviour

ï inform staff of any concerns

ï respond to concerns raised by staff

ï ensure that children come to yellowbird Education correctly equipped and prepared to work Behaviour

Yellowbird promote;

ï Be respectful.

ï Be helpful.

ï Be truthful.

Our playground rules (following the yellowbird Educations rules):

ï Do not go behind the shed or hedge.

ï Play quietly in the quiet area.

ï Do not play ball games in the front garden.

ï Use the equipment sensibly.

ï Reception children are only allowed in the Reception playground.

ï Use the blocks in the front garden.

ï Leave the play equipment in the quiet area.

ï Do not go in the shed or greenhouse without an adult.

Expectations In all classrooms a notice outlining what our expectations are of behaviour at specific times (e.g. assembly, lunchtime etc) will be outlined in assemblies. Teachers will go through these with the children at the start of each weeks workshops and encourage pupils to adhere to them.

Managing poor behaviour:

Where poor behaviour does occur it is important to react quickly and calmly to exert authority and to restore good order as quickly as possible. It is important to show that poor behaviour is not acceptable but it is also important to assess the reasons for the poor behaviour and to work to change this.

Children who have behaved inappropriately and children who are the victim of poor behaviour by others will be listened to and valued.

Parents will be contacted and it will discussed carefully as to how we can support the child.

Biting and physical violence

Should a pupil bite or use physical violence against another pupil or a staff member, the Head (or in his/her absence another member of the Senior Leadership Team) should be informed immediately. He/she will contact the parents of the perpetrator, and may ask for the pupil to be taken home. It will be made abundantly clear to the parents that this will not be tolerated and should there be a recurrence further disciplinary steps will be taken. Every effort will be made to explain to the pupil concerned why it is always wrong to bite or hit another pupil or staff member and try to ascertain the reasoning behind this behaviour. Where felt appropriate, the services of an educational psychologist or GP may be recommended.

General sanctions

ï All staff will need to admonish and punish pupils from time to time. Staff should be able to maintain their authority and empower themselves by not referring to a senior colleague unless there is a compelling reason.

ï Staff may withdraw playtime for short periods if appropriate. Children should not miss more than 10 minutes of a particular playtime.

ï Sanctions such as missing playtime should always be served on the day the child is made aware of the sanction.

ï Staff should take into account that the problem you are dealing with may be a symptom of further underlying difficulties.

ï Do not publicise poor behaviour to other pupils.

ï Never remove a pupil from class unless absolutely necessary. If a pupil is removed they must be taken to another member of staff.

ï Do not compound an individual incident by adding any further misdemeanours (deal with one incident at a time).

ï Pupils have a right to a fair hearing and appropriate sanctions. Any pupil must be listened to carefully before any referral is made.

ï Corporal punishment will never be used or threatened. No punishment should be degrading or humiliating.

A number of general rules apply:

ï We will avoid overreactions which can escalate already difficult situations.

ï We will avoid the use of group punishments.

ï We will never use punishments that are degrading or humiliating.

ï We will never use repetitive or mindless punishments.

ï We will ensure that any punishments are proportionate.

ï We will make reasonable adjustments for children with special educational needs/disabilities.

ï We will not seek parental consent for our sanctions.

Playtimes and lunchtimes

If a member of staff is concerned about poor behaviour at playtime or lunchtime they will tell the child that the behaviour is not acceptable, the reason why it is not acceptable and give them a warning. If the poor behaviour continues, the member of staff will ask the child to stand next to them for 5 minutes and reflect on their actions.

Reporting and Recording Poor Behaviour

Parents will be informed by email or in person if the child has been asked to have time out.

Examples of behaviour which leads to discussing with the supervisors;

Calling out

Unkind comment

Teasing

Lack of effort

Not following instructions

Being disrespectful to adults or children

All poor behaviour is noted by the team, so that the low-level behaviour may be monitored and analysed by the senior staff.

For repeated poor behaviour it may be necessary for further action to be taken, for example, the Director and class teacher may agree to put the child in question into the behaviour log. If this happens, the Director will contact the child’s parents and with the class teacher an action plan will be discussed and implemented. This will identify the concern and set out further strategies to be used to correct the poor behaviour.

Exclusions

The decision to exclude a child from workshops, whether for a fixed term or permanently is exceptional and serious. It will usually be the final step in a process for dealing with disciplinary issues following our wide range of other positive strategies, which have been tried without success. It is an acknowledgement by the yellowbird Education that it has exhausted all available positive strategies for dealing with the child and would only be used as a last resort. The Supervisor, or in his/her absence a member of the senior leadership team, will make the decision to exclude and manage the exclusion.

There are three exceptional circumstances which may lead to a child being removed from the yellowbird Education site:

a) There is sufficient evidence that a child has committed a disciplinary offence and may be excluded for a fixed term or permanently.

b) A child is accused of a serious criminal offence outside the yellowbird Education’s jurisdiction where the Head considers it is in the interests of the individual concerned and the yellowbird Education community for the child to be educated off-site for a fixed period.

c) A child’s presence on the yellowbird Education site represents a serious risk to the health or safety of other children or Yellowbird Education staff. This may only occur for medical reasons and does not constitute an exclusion.

Single incident

Temporary exclusion may be used in response to a first-time serious breach of yellowbird Education rules and policies or a disciplinary offence. In this case the Directors will investigate the incident thoroughly (the Directors may ask for the investigation to be undertaken by another senior member of staff) and consider all evidence to support the allegation. The child will be encouraged to give his/her own version of events and the Director/Supervisor will check whether the incident may have been provoked, for example, by bullying or racial harassment.

Temporary/fixed-term exclusion

A temporary exclusion will occur if the child is in serious or repeated breach of any yellowbird Education regulation. Some offences liable to immediate temporary exclusion would be repeatedly smoking, bullying, the misuse of alcohol, or threatening behaviour. This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. A temporary exclusion should be for the shortest time necessary: 1-3 days is usually enough to secure benefits without adverse consequences. Exclusion for a period of time, from half a day to 3 days for persistent or cumulative problems, would be imposed only when the yellowbird Education had already offered and implemented a range of support and management strategies. These could include:

ï discussion with the child

ï peer mentoring

ï discussions with parents

ï target setting

ï mediation

ï internal exclusion (i.e. on the yellowbird Education site)

Permanent exclusion

A decision to exclude a child should be taken only:

a) in response to serious breaches of our policies, and/or
b) if allowing the child to remain in yellowbird Education would seriously harm the education or welfare of the child or others in the yellowbird Education. Only the Directors can permanently exclude a child.

A decision to exclude a child permanently is a serious one. It will usually be the final step in a process for dealing with disciplinary offences following a wide range of other strategies, including fixed-term exclusion from attending Yellowbird workshops, which have been tried without success. It is an acknowledgement by Yellowbird that it has exhausted all available strategies for including the child and should normally be used as a last resort.

There will, however, be exceptional circumstances where, in the Director's judgment, it is appropriate to permanently exclude a child for a first or 'one-off' offence. These might include:

ï serious actual or threatened violence against another child or a member of staff

ï sexual abuse or assault

ï supplying an illegal drug

ï carrying an offensive weapon

ï persistent and defiant misbehaviour including bullying (which would include racial bullying) or repeated possession and/or use of an illegal drug on the premises.

ï In circumstances where a criminal offence has taken place, the yellowbird Education will also need to consider whether a referral on to other agencies may be appropriate, for example the Police or Social Services Department, etc.

Drug-related exclusions

Illegal drugs have no place within the yellowbird Education. Where legal drugs are concerned, the Head will conduct a careful investigation to judge the nature and seriousness of any incident before deciding what action to take. The decision will depend on the precise circumstances of the case, for example, the seriousness of the incident, the circumstances and needs of those involved and the evidence available. Factors that will be considered in determining an appropriate response to a drug-related incident have been set out in our Health and Safety Policy.

Directors’ process

Before deciding whether to exclude a child, either permanently or for a fixed period, the Director should:

ï ensure that a thorough investigation has been carried out
ï consider all the evidence available to support the allegations, taking account of the behaviour and equal opportunities policies, and, where applicable, the Race Relations Act 1976 as amended (2000) and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as amended (2001)

ï allow and encourage the child to give his or her version of events
ï check whether the incident may have been provoked, for example by bullying or by racial or sexual harassment
ï if necessary, consult others, but not anyone who may later have a role in reviewing the Directors’ decision.

The standard of proof to be applied is the balance of probabilities, i.e. if it is more probable than not that the child did what he or she is alleged to have done, the Director may exclude the child. However, the more serious the allegation, the more convincing the evidence substantiating the allegation needs to be. The Director will need to gather and take account of a wider range of evidence (extending in some instances to evidence of the child's past behaviour) in determining whether it is more probable than not that the child has committed the offence.

Where a police investigation leading to possible criminal proceedings has been initiated, the evidence available may be very limited. However, it may still be possible for the Director to make a judgment on whether to exclude the child.

Marking attendance registers following exclusion

When a student is excluded temporarily, he/she should be marked as excluded.

Removal from yellowbird Education for other reasons

The Director may send a child home, after consultation with that child’s parents and health professional as appropriate, if the child poses an immediate and serious risk to the health and safety of other children and staff, for example the diagnoses of illness such as a notifiable disease. This is not an exclusion and should be for the shortest possible time.

Procedure for appeal

If parents wish to appeal the decision to exclude, the matter will be referred to the proprietor. The proprietor, who was not involved in the initial decision to exclude, will acknowledge the complaint and schedule a hearing to take place as soon as practicable and normally within five days. The Director will make provision for a hearing before a panel of at least three people who have not been directly involved in the exclusion.

Records relating to the decision to exclude and the parents’ complaint will be copied to all parties not later than two days prior to the hearing. In no circumstances, however, are staff be required to divulge to parents or others any confidential information on or the identities of children or others who have given information which has led to the exclusion or which the Director has acquired during an investigation.

The parents may be accompanied to the hearing by one other person. This may be a relative, teacher or friend. Legal representation will not normally be appropriate. If possible, the Director will resolve the parents’ complaint without the need for future investigation. Where further investigation is required, the proprietor will decide how it should be carried out. After due consideration of all the facts they consider to be relevant, the Director will reach a decision on whether to uphold or rescind the exclusion or they make other recommendations. This decision will be made within 10 days of the hearing.

The Director will write to the parents informing them of the decision and the reasons for it. The decision of the Director will be final. The Directors’ findings and, if any, recommendations will be sent in writing to the parents concerned.

Support systems for children

The following systems exist within the workshpps to provide support for children whose behaviour is a concern.

ï Identification of members of staff who the child feels comfortable talking to and access created to these staff.

ï Time-out in the library is offered to children who have problems managing anger. The teacher may suggest this or the child may ask to use this. The library provides a quiet space in which the child can cool off and regain control of their emotions. An area of soft cushions is provided for this purpose. They can also reflect on what occurred. The teacher or Director supervises these sessions.

ï Peer mentoring may be used when we feel a child will respond to the thoughts and views of another child about how to change and manage behaviour.

SEND children

Like all children, those with learning and physical disabilities display disruptive or challenging behaviour for a range of different reasons. They may not be accessing their education or making progress, they may have problems with communication, they may have mental health needs, or there may be issues outside of yellowbird Education. In some cases, a child’s perceived disruptive or challenging behaviour arises directly as a consequence of their disability or as a consequence of a lack of reasonable adjustments made to accommodate their disability. Under the Equality Act 2010, if a SEND child is displaying disruptive or challenging behaviour, early intervention is needed to assess whether appropriate reasonable adjustments have been made for them. The fact that a child has a disability does not mean they should never be disciplined, but behaviour and discipline methods should reflect the need to pay extra attention to the underlying causes of their difficulties to reflect the additional barriers disabled people face in society. At Yellowbird we ask our teachers to take the following additional steps to prevent behaviour issues with our SEND children and to manage poor behaviour:

ï Learn about children’ individual difficulties and accommodate them. For example, do not ask a child on the autistic spectrum to sit squashed on the rug at circle time.

ï Share ideas and best practice to manage behaviour and to prevent escalation of situations.

ï Be sure that any sanctions you give a SEND child are achievable.

ï Re-challenge and refocus to diminish repetitive poor behaviour.

ï Assess regularly to ensure that there is early intervention of specialist help if required.

Our SENDCO is important in providing support for teachers following these steps.

Searching

Members of staff can search a child for any item if the child agrees.

The Director and staff authorised by him/her have a statutory power to search children or their possessions, without consent, where they have reasonable grounds for suspecting that the child may have a prohibited item, or where there is a safeguarding concern. In both cases, the member of staff searching should be of the same gender as the child and there should be a witness to the search. Prohibited items are:

ï knives or weapons

ï alcohol

ï illegal drugs

ï stolen items

ï tobacco and cigarette papers

ï fireworks

ï pornographic images

ï any article that the member of staff reasonably suspects has been, or is likely to be used:

o to commit an offence
o to cause personal injury to, or damage to the property of, any person (including the child)

Confiscation

Members of staff may confiscate, retain or dispose of a child’s property if they judge the property to be contributing to poor behaviour or the breaking of rules. Items will be either:

ï returned at the end of the day (for example, mobile phones)

ï destroyed (matches, cigarettes, pornography)

ï handed to the police (knives, weapons)

Use of reasonable force

All members of staff have the power to use reasonable force to prevent children committing an offence, injuring themselves or others, or damaging property, and to maintain good order and discipline in the classroom. The government also authorises the use of force, if appropriate, by staff conducting a search without consent for knives, weapons, alcohol, illegal drugs, stolen items, tobacco, cigarette papers, fireworks, pornographic images and articles. Force cannot be used when searching for any other items even if they are in the yellowbird Education rules. Physical force may be planned or used as an emergency intervention. It may include:

ï the holding of a child by one or more adults so as to restrict their mobility and movements

ï the holding a child by one or more adults to guide them to another space in the yellowbird Education

ï blocking a child’s path

ï physically interposing between children

The use of reasonable force and physical intervention will take into account the characteristics of the child including their age, physical needs or disability and development level. The decision to use reasonable force and physical intervention will follow a risk assessment approach. The following will be considered:

ï the potential outcomes of not intervening

ï any risks in the immediate environment

ï the vulnerability of the child

If reasonable force and physical intervention are used staff will ensure the following:

ï A written report is given to the Directors.

ï Parents will be informed on the same day or as soon as reasonably practicable.

ï A range of support will be considered for the child, which may include external professional help.

ï Targets for the child will be clearly defined.

ï Attempts will be made to try to identify that triggers for challenging behaviour.

ï Strategies will be put in place to help prevent challenging behaviour.

ï Parents are included in the next step discussions.

Children who are found to have made malicious accusations against staff

Children that are found to have made malicious allegations are likely to have breached behaviour policies. Yellowbird will, therefore, consider whether to apply an appropriate sanction, which could include temporary or permanent exclusion (as well as referral to the police if there are grounds for believing a criminal offence may have been committed).

Staff professional development

Yellowbird will review general and specific staff induction and continuing professional development (CPD) and identify how to ensure staff training reflects practice outlined in this policy and the Anti-bullying Policy and practice. Where specific training needs have been identified for particular members of staff, the Director will ensure that those members of staff have access to the advice, training and development opportunities appropriate to their needs.

Links to other policies

This Behaviour Policy follows advice in Behaviour and Discipline in Schools (2017) and should be read in conjunction with the following related policies:

Anti-bullying Policy

E-safety Policy

Equality Policy

Safeguarding Policy

Complaints Policy

ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

TI-BULLYING POLICY

Aims

The aim of this anti-bullying policy is to ensure that all children learn in a supportive, safe and secure environment without fear of being bullied.

Yellowbird Education is committed to providing a caring and safe environment for all children enrolled in our classes, camps, and workshops so that they can learn and succeed in a secure atmosphere.

Purpose

Persistent bullying may have a profound effect on the social, emotional and mental wellbeing of a child. Bullying can prevent a child from learning effectively and succeeding in activities. Bullying may also have long-term detrimental effects on a child.

Yellowbird Education seeks to promote a secure and happy environment devoid of threat, harassment and any type of bullying behaviour. This policy reflects procedures within the company to reinforce our anti-bullying stance. Therefore, the purpose of this policy encourages practices within Yellowbird Education that reinforce our stance and to discourage practices that contravene them.

Definition of Bullying

Bullying is the systematic use of strength or power to hurt, either physically or emotionally by intimidating or demeaning others by an individual or a group.
Bullying can be emotional, physical, racist, homophobic, biphobic, transphobic, verbal or cypher.
Although there is no legal definition of bullying, it is usually persistent, often covert and is a deliberate attempt to hurt, threaten or frighten someone.

Bullying can take many different forms including:

Physical. This includes physical violence such as kicking, hitting, pushing and removing an individual’s belongings
Verbal. This includes using words to harm an individual’s feelings. For example, name calling, mocking and making hurtful comments
Emotional. This includes isolating an individual or spreading rumours about them
Cyber-bullying. This involves the use of technology to hurt an individual. For example, text messaging, using social media and posting images to harm an individual
Racist. This type of bullying is motivated by racial, ethnic or cultural prejudice
Sexual. This involves unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments
Homophobic or biphobic. This occurs when bullying is driven by a prejudice against lesbian, gay or bisexual individuals
Transphobic. This type of bullying occurs when bullying is motivated by prejudice against trans people
Disability. This occurs when bullying is motivated by a prejudice against people with any form of disability.
Sexist. This type of bullying occurs when it is motivated by a prejudice against someone because of their gender

Signs and Symptoms of Bullying

The following is an example of the signs and symptoms to look for if a child is suspected of being bullied.

Changes in academic performance
Appears anxious and shy
Regularly feeling sick or unwell
Reluctance to attend
Clothes, bags and belongings torn or damaged
Money and possessions going missing
Unexplained cuts or bruises
Unexplained behaviour changes
Loss of appetite
Not sleeping
Loss of weight
Appears alone and isolated
Not very talkative/appears preoccupied
Clinging to adults

Reasons why Children Bully

The following includes a list of the reasons why children may bully another individual.

The need to appear powerful
Unhappiness
Feelings of inadequacy
Difficulties at home/family
Learned behaviour (they too have been bullied)

Who to Contact

If a child has concerns about bullying. They can contact the following members of staff

Teacher
Helper
Supervisor
Administration Staff

The Role of Yellowbird Education Staff

Yellowbird Education receive annual training on anti-bullying practices and procedures.

Children will be able to feel comfortable with discussing their concerns with any of the abovementioned staff. It will be made clear that bullying in any form is unacceptable. Children will be assured that it will be taken seriously and dealt with promptly.

To implement procedures to confront bullying in any form
To attend training sessions on anti-bullying
To listen to all parties involved in incidents
To investigate incidents promptly and as fully as possible
To take appropriate action or to supervisor on duty as appropriate
To record in writing the incident in full
For the supervisor on duty: to share with parents of the victim and bully, incidents of persistent and/or serious bullying
To implement appropriate procedures for a member of staff
To promote the use of a range of learning styles and strategies which challenge bullying behaviour
To promote open management styles which facilitate communication and consultation within Yellowbird Education and relevant outside agencies when appropriate
To model the values Yellowbird Education believes in with respect to anti-bullying
To promote the use of interventions which are least intrusive and most effective

Anti-Bullying Procedures

Children who have been the victim of bullying will be supported by

Offering an immediate opportunity to discuss the incident and share their experience with a member of staff of their choice
Reassurance
Offering continuous support
Restoring self-esteem and confidence

Children who have bullied will be helped with the following actions

Discussing what happened
Discovering why the child became involved
Establishing the wrong and the need to change
For the supervisor on duty: informing the parents or carers to help change the child’s attitude

Responses will vary depending on the circumstances of the incident but may include:

Involvement of external agencies
Monitoring by the supervisor on duty
Peer support/mentoring
Liaison with parents or carers
Permanent exclusion from all future Yellowbird Education classes, camps and workshops

Anti-Bullying Strategies

As part of Yellowbird Education’s commitment to anti-bullying, the following strategies will be deployed as when appropriate.

Regular promotion of anti-bullying in briefings with children
Constant supervision of children throughout the day
Anti-bullying training for all Yellowbird Education staff
Strong staff-children relationships so that children feel comfortable in reporting any incidents
Regular contact with parents or carers to raise any concerns

Anti-Bullying Advice to Children

As a member Yellowbird Education, we expect you not to have to put up with any form of bullying behaviour
You should feel free to speak out to your mum or dad or any member of staff if you are being bullied. We can help you to cope with it straight away
When someone else is being bullied or is in distress, inform a member of staff immediately
Do not be afraid to report any incidents. Watching and doing nothing can suggest support for the bully. Even if you are just a bystander, you have a role to play in reporting any incidence of bullying
Do not put up with bullies in your group of friends. Bullies will soon stop if they are left out or are by themselves
Take care how you speak and act towards other pupils. Always aim to be considerate and helpful.

Anti-Bullying Advice to Parents/Carers

TALK to your child on a regular basis, so any problem is easier to share
LISTEN to what they say
ENCOURAGE your child to feel good about themselves, realising that we are all different and equally important
If you believe your child is being bullied, or is a bully, talk to other adults at home or at school and explore the options. DON’T STAY SILENT
If your child is a victim assure them that it is not their fault and that you are going to do something to help
Be realistic in your expectations, sometimes on-going problems can take time to resolve
TRY to be co-operative with the company and not be aggressive. Without a good working relationship between parents and the company the situation could deteriorate, which won’t help you or them
ALWAYS remember that children can’t solve bullying on their own. They NEED the support of parents/carers

Monitoring and Review

This policy is subject to review annually for the purposes of assessing its implementation and effectiveness.

E-safety Policy

Signed: Mrs Janie Richardson

Date reviewed: September 2023

Date of next review: September 2024

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Children at Yellowbird do not use devices except if they touch type. These devices are not linked to the wifi or internet.

Teachers may use the schools interactive whiteboards for internet use and for the use of the white board. Yellowbird has their own log on that is not connected to the school intranet.

Aims:

ï We will ensure that computers and other devices in school are subject to filtering and monitoring of internet usage. Only the directors and supervisors have access to Yellowbird laptops.

ï We will ensure that all staff and visiting staff accessing the computing system are aware and comply with our computing policies and agree to the Staff Acceptable Use of Computing Agreement.

ï We will ensure that the use of mobile phones by staff and visitors adheres to our safeguarding procedures and staff guidelines.

Scope of the policy

This policy applies to all members of the Yellowbird Education who have access to the interactive whiteboards. Yellowbird Education have our own log in details which do not allow access to the schools system.

Roles and responsibilities Designated Safeguarding Lead

ï has overall responsibility for e-safety at YBE

ï is responsible for establishing and reviewing the YBE e-safety policies/documents along with the Directors

ï receives reports of e-safety incidents and creates a log of incidents to inform future e- safety developments.

The designated safeguarding lead should be trained in e-safety issues and be aware of the potential for serious child protection/safeguarding issues to arise from:

ï sharing of personal data

ï access to illegal/inappropriate materials

ï inappropriate online contact with adults/strangers

ï potential or actual incidents of grooming

ï cyberbullying

(N.B. It is important to emphasise that these are child protection issues, not technical issues. The technology provides additional means for child protection issues to develop).

Directors and supervisors:

ï The Directors are responsible for the safety (including e-safety) of all members of the community, though the day-to-day responsibility for e-safety will be delegated to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

ï The DSL is responsible for ensuring that staff receive suitable training to enable them to follow and enforce this policy throughout the school.

The DSL:

ï ensures that all staff are aware of the procedures that need to be followed in the event of an e-safety incident taking place

ï provides advice for staff

ï keeps up to date with e-safety technical information and advice in order to carry out their role effectively and inform and update others as relevant once a term

ï ensures that all users of the school computing systems have signed and agreed to the Staff Acceptable Use of Computing Agreement.

The person responsible for online safety is the DSL.

At PGP - External contractor (Alex Howard)

The technical staff are responsible for ensuring:

ï liaison with school

ï day-to-day responsibility for protecting against e-safety issues

ï that the school’s technical infrastructure is secure and is not open to misuse or malicious attack

ï that users may only access the networks and devices through a properly enforced password protection policy

ï that web filtering is updated on a regular basis

ï that network and endpoint security systems are implemented and updated

Teaching, office and support staff

The teaching and support staff are responsible for ensuring that:

ï they have an up-to-date awareness of e-safety matters and of the school’s e-safety policy and practices in an annual e-safety inset day

ï they have read, understood and signed the Staff Acceptable Use of Computing Agreement once a year or following any review (appendix 1)

ï they report any suspected misuse or problem via email to the DSL

ï all digital communications with children/parents/carers and staff should be on a professional level and only carried out using official systems

Parents/carers

Parents/carers play a crucial role in ensuring that their children understand the need to use the internet/mobile devices in an appropriate way.

ï the appropriate use of digital and video images taken at school events

ï their children’s personal devices not being brought into workshops

Education and training – staff/volunteers

It is essential that all staff receive e-safety training and understand their responsibilities, as outlined in this policy.

Training will be offered as follows:

ï Formal e-safety training will be made available to staff either alone or as part of wider safeguarding training.

ï All new staff should receive e-safety training as part of their induction programme, ensuring that they fully understand the school e-safety policy and Staff Acceptable Use of Computing Agreement.

ï This e-safety policy and its updates will be presented to staff.

ï The DSL will provide advice/guidance/training to individuals as required.

ï Reference to the relevant websites/publications, e.g. www.swgfl.org.uk, www.saferinternet.org.uk and www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers.

Technical – infrastructure/equipment, filtering and monitoring by the school for hire.

The school has a managed computing support service provided by an outside contractor. It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that the managed service provider carries out all the e-safety measures that would otherwise be the responsibility of the school. It is also important that the managed service provider is fully aware of the school e-Safety Policy and Staff Acceptable Use of Computing Agreement.

The school will be responsible for ensuring that the school infrastructure/network is as safe and secure as is reasonably possible and that policies and procedures approved within this policy are implemented. It will also ensure that the relevant people named in the above sections will be effective in carrying out their e-safety responsibilities, including:

ï School technical systems will be managed in ways that ensure that the school meets recommended technical requirements.

ï There will be regular reviews and audits of the safety and security of school technical systems.

ï Technical infrastructure must be securely located and physical access restricted.

ï All users will have clearly defined access rights to school technical systems and devices.

ï All users will be provided with a username and secure password. Users are responsible for the security of their username and password.

ï The ‘master/administrator’ passwords for the school computing system, used by the external contractor and DSL, must also be available to the Head upon request.

ï The external contractor in liaison with the DSL is responsible for ensuring that software licence logs are accurate and up to date and that regular checks are made to reconcile the number of licences purchased against the number of software installations.

ï An appropriate system is in place (an email to the DSL) for users to report any actual/potential technical incident/security breach to the relevant person, as agreed.

ï Regularly updated security measures are in place to protect the servers, network, endpoints and mobile devices from accidental or malicious attempts which might threaten the security of the school systems and data.

ï Providing temporary access to ‘guests’ (e.g. trainee teachers, supply teachers, visitors) onto the school systems.

Bring your own device (BYOD)

There are a number of e-safety considerations for BYOD that will be reviewed regularly. Use of BYOD should not introduce vulnerabilities into existing secure environments. Considerations will need to include levels of secure access, filtering, data protection, storage and transfer of data, mobile device management systems, training, support, acceptable use, auditing and monitoring.

ï Yellowbird Education has a set of clear expectations and responsibilities for all users.
ï The school adheres to the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.
ï All users are provided with and accept the Staff Acceptable Use of Computing Agreement
ï All network systems are secure and access for users is differentiated.

ï All users will use their username and password and keep this safe.

The only devices which children may bring into YBE are a laptop that is not connected to the internet/wifi and/or a mobile phone when the child walks to school. In both instances, permission must be sought from the Supervisor.

Any device brought in to school is done so at the owner’s own risk.

No chargers may be brought into school unless it has been PAT tested and has the correct sticker on it.

Use of digital and video images

YBE will inform and educate staff, children and visitors about the risks and will implement procedures to reduce the likelihood of the potential for abuse.

ï When using digital images, staff will inform and educate children about the risks associated with the taking, use, sharing, publication and distribution of images. In particular they should recognise the risks attached to publishing their own images on the internet, e.g. on social networking sites.

ï In accordance with guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office, parents/carers are welcome to take videos and digital images of their children at school events for their own personal use. To respect everyone’s privacy and in some cases protection, parents/carers should not share or make the images/video publicly available on social networking sites, nor should parents/carers make comments on any activities involving other children on social media.

ï Teachers are allowed to take digital/video images to support educational aims, but must follow school policies concerning the sharing, distribution and publication of those images. Those images should only be taken on YBE equipment.

ï Care will be taken when taking digital/video images that children are appropriately dressed (i.e. fully clothed) and are not participating in activities that might bring the individuals or YBE into disrepute.

ï Care will be taken not to publish any images with personal information on display, i.e. names or other background images.

ï Photographs taken will not present any risk to the security of the school or YBE.

ï Children’s full names will not be used anywhere on a website or blog, particularly in association with photographs.

Data protection

Personal data will be recorded, processed, transferred and made available according to the Data Protection Act 1998 which states that personal data must be:

ï used fairly and lawfully
ï used for limited, specifically stated purposes
ï used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive
ï accurate
ï kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary
ï handled according to people’s data protection rights
ï kept safe and secure
ï not transferred outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection

See the Data Protection Policy for more details.

Communications

When using communication technologies YBE considers the following as good practice:

ï The official email service is be regarded as safe and secure and is monitored. Staff are aware that email communications may be monitored.

ï Users must immediately report, to the DSL, the receipt of any communication that makes them feel uncomfortable, is offensive, discriminatory, threatening or bullying in nature and must not respond to any such communication.

ï Any digital communication between staff and parents/carers (email, chat, etc) must be professional in tone and content and in line with the school style guide. Personal email addresses, text messaging or social media must not be used for these communications.

ï Personal information should not be posted on the school website and only official email addresses should be used to identify members of staff.

Social media - protecting professional identity

All educational companies have a duty of care to provide a safe learning environment for children and staff. Staff members who harass, cyberbully, discriminate on the grounds of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, religion or belief, race, sexuality, marital status or maternity or who defame a third party may render the school liable to the injured party. Reasonable steps to prevent predictable harm must be in place.

We provide the following measures to ensure reasonable steps are in place to minimise risk of harm to children, staff and YBE through limiting access to personal information:

ï training to include acceptable use, social media risks, checking of settings, data protection, and reporting issues.

ï clear reporting guidance, including responsibilities, procedures and sanctions

ï risk assessment, including legal risk.

Staff should ensure that:

ï other than on the school social media accounts and school website, no reference should be made on social media to students/children, parents/carers or school staff

ï they do not engage in online discussion on personal matters relating to members of the YBE community

ï personal opinions should not be attributed to YBE

ï security settings on personal social media profiles are regularly checked to minimise risk of loss of personal information.

Monitoring

The DSL will keep a log of any incidents reported to him and E-safety will form part of any termly safeguarding review.

At least once a term the DSL will contact the school to ensure the school firewall to see that it is working correctly. The time of the test and the results of it should be noted by the DSL.

Responding to incidents of misuse

Illegal incidents

If there is any suspicion that the web site(s) concerned may contain child abuse images, or if there is any other suspected illegal activity, refer to the DSL immediately. If the incident concerns a member of staff, it should be reported to the Head.

In the event of suspicion, all steps in this procedure should be followed by the DSL:

ï Have more than one senior member of staff/volunteer involved in this process, this is vital to protect individuals if accusations are subsequently reported.

ï Conduct the procedure using a designated computer that will not be used by children and if necessary can be taken off-site by the police should the need arise. Use the same computer for the duration of the procedure.

ï Record the URL of any site containing the alleged misuse and describe the nature of the content causing concern. It may also be necessary to record and store screenshots of the content on the machine being used for investigation. These may be printed, signed and attached to the reporting log (appendix 3) except in the case of images of child sexual abuse (see below).

ï Once this has been completed and fully investigated the investigation group will need to judge whether this concern has substance or not. If it does then appropriate action will be required and could include the following:

o Internal response or discipline procedures.
o Involvement by Local Authority or national/local organisation (as relevant). o Police involvement and/or action.

ï If content being reviewed includes images of child abuse the monitoring should be halted and referred to the police immediately. Other instances to report to the police would include:

o incidents of ‘grooming’ behaviour
o the sending of obscene materials to a child
o adult material which potentially breaches the Obscene Publications Act
o criminally racist material
o other criminal conduct, activity or materials
o ‘extremism’, being vocal or active in opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. Extremism also includes calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.

Isolate the computer in question as best you can. Any change to its state may hinder a later police investigation.

It is important that all of the above steps are taken as they will provide an evidence trail for the school and possibly the police and demonstrate that visits to these sites were carried out for child protection purposes. The completed form should be retained by the group for evidence and reference purposes.

Actions and sanctions

It is more likely that YBE will need to deal with incidents that involve inappropriate rather than illegal misuse. It is important that any incidents are dealt with as soon as possible in a proportionate manner, and that members of the school community are aware that incidents have been dealt with. It is intended that incidents of misuse will be dealt with through normal behaviour/disciplinary procedures – see the Behaviour Policy or Staff Handbook.

APPENDICES

Appendix 1
STAFF ACCEPTABLE USE OF COMPUTING AGREEMENT

Staff use of the school’s internet and email service

Teachers do not email parents directly.

INTERNET DOs and DON’Ts

DOS

ï If you see any unacceptable site or material as a result of an innocent internet query, unsolicited pop-up widow or in any other way, report it immediately to the DSL.

ï Staff or approved adult users should at all times abide by the copyright laws in respect of documents and materials downloaded from the internet.

ï Staff using a school laptop or other device off the school site, at home or elsewhere, will still have to abide by the Internet Acceptable Use of Computing Policy. Colleagues will be aware that the misuse of such devices for activity not agreed by the school may be breaking the law under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

ï Staff will at all times work to maximise the safety of children within their care in their use of the internet.

ï Staff will be aware of the ethos, standards, equalities and ethnic mix of the school and will not access any internet material or work with the internet in any way that infringes or offends these.

DON’TS:

ï Don’t log on to the network with another user’s account.

ï Don’t alter the settings of computers or make other changes which make them unusable by others.

ï Software may only be installed by the school’s IT department.

ï Don’t download classroom resources or materials if you are unsure about their suitability.

Personal use of the YBE computing systems is not allowed. Printing of personal material, via download or mass storage device, is not permitted at any time.

Any member of staff found to be not adhering to these procedures will be issued with a verbal warning, in the first instance, after which the school’s Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures will apply.

ï Never pass on, or make obvious, or leave in an insecure place any passwords associated with using the internet, email or computer system.

ï Don’t provide personal details or contact details of your own, or any other person, to internet sites including weblogs, forums or chat rooms.

ï Don’t upload an image to a website without complying with guidance on images loaded to the internet.

Staff use of YBE email service

DOs

ï Do remember that sending an email from your Yellowbird Education account is similar to sending a letter on headed paper. It is your responsibility to maintain professionalism at all times and to ensure that you do not in any way bring discredit or embarrassment to YBE.

ï Do check your email regularly - ignoring messages is discourteous and confusing to a sender.

ï Do treat the content of any email or an attachment that you prepare in the same way as any other paper-based letter or document from a legal point of view. The laws of the land apply equally to electronic messages and documents as they do to paper documents, including the laws relating to defamation, copyright, obscenity, fraudulent misrepresentation, freedom of information, and wrongful discrimination. Remember it is easy for your email to be passed on electronically to others should any recipient decide to do so.

ï Do make sure that the 'subject' field of any email that you send is meaningful and representative of the message it contains.

ï Do make sure that your email address is included on any contact information put onto paper-based letters or documents.

ï Do ensure that any email received by a member of staff which is regarded as illegal or offensive is reported to the Directors immediately.

ï Do refer to the style guide when composing an email communication.

DON’Ts

ï The school’s email system should not be used by any user (adult or child) for the sending of personal mail unconnected with school work or activity.

ï To safeguard against computer viruses do not open external emails or email attachments that look in any way suspicious - report them to the DSL.

ï Never open an attached program file with a file extension of ‘exe’, ‘com’ or ‘bat’ sent to you with an email unless you are absolutely certain that it has come from a trusted source. All such files must be thoroughly virus-checked before they are opened.

ï Do not make changes to someone else's email and then pass it on without making it clear where you have made the changes. This is a form of misrepresentation.

ï Do not copy images or any other material for use in your email or an attachment that infringes copyright laws.

ï Do not attach large documents (e.g. a document greater than 15 pages long) to an email. Take great care with multiple attachments that they do not present an unacceptable accumulated email size to the email system.

ï Do not, under any circumstances, give your email password to anyone else.

ï Do not print out all your email messages as a matter of course. Only print those for which it is an absolute necessity to do so.

ï Do not broadcast an email to any group of recipients unless it is absolutely necessary. Also, never send or forward chain email.

ï Unless you are authorised to do so, do not send an email to any supplier that could be interpreted as creating a contract in any way. In general, do not use emails for contractual purposes. N.B. Within the law, a user could send an email contain wording which may form a legally binding contract with a supplier.

ï Do not create email congestion by sending trivial messages or by copying emails to those who do not need to see them.

ï Do not attempt to read another person's email.

ï Take care not to reply to a whole group when responding to an email sent to a group of recipients unless absolutely necessary.

Passwords

ï Staff passwords should be changed immediately on suspicion of a breach.

ï Passwords must have 6 characters or more, one capital letter and one number.

ï Changes to your email and computer passwords should be made by completing a password change request form via the DSL.

Other forms of computing

Mobile telephones

ï Personal mobile telephones may only be used in the staff room or in the school office or in a classroom where no children are present.

ï Personal mobile telephones should be switched off or in ‘silent’ mode and stored securely when outside of the designated areas.

ï The use of personal mobile phones is not allowed in any place whilst contact with children is taking place.

ï Mobile telephones must be kept in a lockable drawer or in the staff room.

Wifi-enabled devices.

ï Only the school’s guest wifi connection may be used, mobile phones or personal devices by YBE.

Other Policies

COLLECTION AND NON-COLLECTION POLICY

COMPLAINTS POLICY

FIRST AID AND MEDICATION POLICY STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

MISSING CHILD POLICY

Procedures

Safer Recruitment Policy

BEHAVIOUR AND EXCLUSION POLICY

ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

E-safety Policy

Yellowbird Education