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Visitors' Policy

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Contents:

Statement of intent

  1. Legal framework
  2. Authorisation
  3. Safeguarding
  4. Exceptions
  5. Unidentified individuals
  6. Visitor conduct
  7. Monitoring and review

Statement of intent

This policy is designed to outline Colne Park High School’s procedures regarding visitors to our school site.

This policy will enable our school to:

  • Safeguard and protect the welfare of pupils and staff members.
  • Prevent unnecessary disruption to lessons and other educational activities.
  • Protect our grounds and facilities from vandalism and misuse.
  • Engage with the community and outside educational influences in a structured and productive manner.

 

1. Legal framework

This policy has due regard to all relevant legislation, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
  • DfE (2020) ‘Keeping children safe in education’
  • Childcare Act 2006
  • Education Act 1996

This policy operates in conjunction with the following school policies:

  • Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
  • Health and Safety Policy
  • DBS Policy
  • Contractors Policy
  • Volunteer Policy
  • Health and Safety Policy
  • First Aid Policy

The DSL is responsible for ensuring visitors have access to copies of and understand the following school policies:

  • Social Media Policy
  • Personal Electronic Devices Policy
  • Staff and Volunteer Confidentiality Policy

2. Authorisation

Individuals who would like to visit the school, but are not in contact with a member of staff regarding this, will arrange their visit through the school office, who can be contacted on 01282 865200.

The office will record the date and time of the proposed visit, reason for the visit, name of the visitor(s), and the name of the organisation they belong to where applicable.

The school office will be contacted about a proposed visitation at least two weeks in advance. The school office will pass all details on to the headteacher for a final sign-off before getting back to the visitors and confirming the details of their visit.

Teachers, or other staff members, arranging visitors to the school for educational purposes will collate all the above required information and pass this on to the school office for the headteacher’s authorisation.

Visitors who arrive at the school without a prior appointment may be permitted to meet with the headteacher/other staff members where these members of the school staff are happy to do so. The visitor will not be allowed into the school without the supervision of a teacher, member of school office staff or member of the SLT.

Parents are discouraged from visiting the school during school hours unless for a school event or emergency. Where a parent arrives at the school, they will follow the visiting procedures outlined in section 4.

3. Safeguarding

The school is committed to promoting the safety of all pupils, and may require visitors to undertake a DBS check depending on the purpose of their visit.

A visitor will require a DBS check if they work in ‘regulated activity’. Regulated activity is defined as:

  • Regular teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising pupils if the individual is unsupervised.
  • Regularly providing advice or guidance on physical, emotional or educational wellbeing.
  • Regularly driving a vehicle only for children.
  • Regular work for a limited range of establishments (known as ‘specified places’) with the opportunity for contact with children.
  • All relevant personal care, including helping a child with eating and drinking for reasons of illness or disability or in connection with toileting, washing, bathing and dressing for reasons of age, illness or disability.
  • All health care for children provided by, or under the direction or supervision of, a regulated health care professional.

DBS checks will be undertaken in accordance with the DBS Policy.

The DSL and headteacher will be responsible for determining whether DBS checks need to be carried out and ensuring that they are undertaken, where required.

Under no circumstance will a visitor who has not undergone a DBS check be left unsupervised with pupils.

The school will manage the risk of potential harm to pupils be taking steps to segregate pupils from visitors.

4. Visiting procedures

  1. All visitors to the school, including parents, will comply with the following procedure:
  • Immediately report to the school reception area on arrival
  • Provide their details to the school office staff, including:
      • Name
      • Purpose of visit
      • Name of pupil the visit pertains to/staff member who arranged the visit
      • Expected length of visit
  • Sign-in using the visitors’ book
  • Display ID badges/ lanyard provided at all times while on school property
  • Sign-out using the visitors’ book upon departure
  • Return ID badges to the school office before departure
    1. Visitors will be made aware of relevant school policies, including those in relation to health and safety, reporting a concern and emergency procedures.
    2. Visitors will be advised that our school is a non-smoking area and smoking is not permitted anywhere within school grounds. 
    3. Prior to the visit, all visitors will be made aware of any specific parking arrangements which the school has in place.

5. Exceptions

  1. Visits to the school by contractors are governed by our Contractors protocol.
  2. Visitors attending scheduled open days, sports events or other ‘by-invitation’ school activities will be exempt from the visiting procedures outlined in section 4.
  3. Anyone attending school events will keep to the areas of the school grounds where the events are taking place (e.g. the sports field, school hall).
  4. Unidentified individuals
    1. It is the responsibility of all staff members to politely question any individual who enters the school premises unaccompanied and/or without a clearly displayed name badge.
    2. Any such visitors will be directed to the school office where they can sign-in.
    3. If a visitor cannot be identified, the headteacher will be informed immediately.
    4. If a visitor refuses to report to the school office, or becomes aggressive or abusive, they will be asked to leave the premises and the police may be called to assist.

Visitor conduct

  1. Visitors to the school will be required to act in accordance with the school’s Code of Conduct and other relevant school policies at all times.
  2. The school reserves the right to escort individuals from the premises who act in an aggressive or threatening manner towards staff members, pupils, governors, parents or other visitors.
  3. Under section 547 of the Education Act 1996, it is an offence for any person to cause a nuisance or disturbance on school premises; therefore, the police may be contacted to assist in the removal of individuals from the premises, where necessary.
  4. In the event of persistent occurrence of unacceptable behaviour on the school site, the school has the right to request a banning order from the LA for the individual in question.
  5. Monitoring and review
    1. This policy will be monitored and reviewed on an annual basis by the headteacher.
    2. The next scheduled review date for this policy is January 2025.
    3. Amendments to the policy will be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.

 

 

 

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