Staff Protection Policy: Code of Conduct

Transcription

1 Staff Prtectin Plicy: Cde f Cnduct We have a cherished traditin f trust between staff and students at Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl. We recgnise that ur safeguarding duty is paramunt primarily t ensure the safety and welfare f ur students, but als t prtect ur staff. This Cde f Cnduct has been drawn up t prvide clear guidelines fr all staff as t what cnstitutes best practice in prfessinal behaviur t ensure the safety f all. It shuld help staff avid situatins where they might therwise be vulnerable: all schl staff must be careful t avid putting themselves at risk. The Cde has been agreed with staff and gvernrs, and all staff are expected t sign it. This schl adheres t the guidelines cntained in the DfE dcuments Keeping Children Safe in Educatin (DfE 2016) and Wrking Tgether t Safeguard Children (DfE 2013). Warwickshire s Staff Behaviur Plicy (Cde f Cnduct; WES 2014) frms the basis f much f the Cde, and the Warwickshire dcument shuld be read in cnjunctin with it. (It ges int mre detail in many areas.) Staff are als expected t have due regard t the natinal Teachers Standards (DfE July 2012, intrductin revised June 2013). A list f these and ther dcuments referred t in the drawing up f the Cde is included at the end f the Cde. Breaches f this Cde may result in disciplinary actin up t and including dismissal. Specific guidelines fr Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: General: All staff are expected t behave thughtfully and respnsibly at all times. Recruitment: See ur separate plicy dcument Safer Recruitment Prcedures fr guidelines arund recruitment, including statements in all recruitment literature t ur cmmitment t safeguarding, the need fr enhanced DBS checks and tw references. Safeguarding and child prtectin: All new staff, whatever their experience, are prvided with a full inductin prgramme that cvers plicies and rutines f the schl with particular emphasis n safeguarding and child prtectin. All staff receive safeguarding and child prtectin training updates in accrdance with DfE and WSCB guidelines at least nce every three years. These include Prevent training (cuntering extremism and radicalisatin) and CSE and FGM training. All staff have a duty t lk ut fr signs f physical, emtinal r sexual abuse f students r neglect r signs f radicalisatin in the light f a student s behaviur. Staff must pass any cncern n t the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL: the Assistant Headteacher: Prgress and Well-being) r the Deputy DSL (Head) withut delay. Green frms are available in the staff rm fr this purpse. Prfessinal relatinships between staff and students: Staff must maintain high standards f ethics and behaviur, within and utside schl, including treating students with dignity, building relatinships rted in mutual respect, and at all times bserving prper bundaries apprpriate t a teacher s prfessinal psitin. Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: Staff Prtectin Plicy Cde f Cnduct July

2 All staff emplyed at the schl hld a psitin f trust with regard t students. There shuld be n inapprpriate relatinships between staff and students, in rder primarily t prtect ur students frm abuse f that trust, but als t prtect staff frm allegatins f abuse. If yu are unsure abut what cnstitutes an inapprpriate relatinship, seek advice frm yur line manager, the Business Manager r the Headteacher. Maintain a prfessinal distance between yu and students, while f curse shwing that yu care. Use the student first names but never becme ver-familiar. Expect students t use yur surname and a title that yu prefer (eg Mr, Mrs, Ms r Sir r Miss. ) D nt allw them t becme ver-familiar with yu. This advice applies bth in schl and utside f schl. Avid cnfrntatin with students; always try t diffuse situatins. D nt shut r use sarcasm r therwise humiliate a student: be firm and calm, and criticise the behaviur rather than the individual. Always mdel the kind f behaviur yu expect frm yung peple. It is an ffence t have a sexual relatinship with any student up t the age f 18, and even thugh technically legal beynd 18, such a relatinship may well be viewed as a serius breach f prfessinal trust and respnsibility. If any allegatins are made against yu, stay calm and reprt the matter t the Headteacher immediately. Make ntes f what happened in case the matter has t be investigated further. Circumstances might ccasinally arise where a member f staff is apprached in sme manner by a student. This might take such frms as, fr example: an invitatin t meet inside r utside schl physical cntact initiated by the student persistent cntact by letter r . If such an apprach is made, reprt the incident immediately t yur line manager (r t the Business Manager r the Headteacher). A recrd shuld be made and actin taken as apprpriate, including reprting the incident t the Assistant Head: Pastral and Wellbeing (as DSL), the Head f Sixth Frm r the relevant Head f Huse (wh may cntact the student s parents). If yu suspect any clleague f imprper r unprfessinal behaviur, yu must reprt it t the Headteacher immediately. If yu suspect the Headteacher f imprper r unprfessinal behaviur, yu must reprt yur cncerns t the Assistant Head: Pastral and Wellbeing (as DSL) r member f SLT, wh will immediately infrm the Chair f Gvernrs. The schl will fllw Warwickshire prcedures fr managing allegatins against staff: the Warwickshire Safeguarding Children Manager/ Lcal Authrity Designated Officer (LADO) will be cnsulted and an investigatin will be undertaken. See ur Allegatins f Abuse Plicy. All cncerns will be investigated thrughly and cnfidentially, and apprpriate actin taken. Any serius prven allegatins will be dealt with accrding t the schl s disciplinary plicies and culd include summary dismissal as well as plice prsecutin fr a very serius case. The schl has a Whistleblwing Plicy. Meetings and cntact with students: All schl staff shuld take care t avid making themselves vulnerable. Fr their wn safety and prtectin, staff shuld exercise cautin in situatins where they are alne with students. Other than in frmal teaching situatins musical instrument tuitin, fr example, r MFL rals it is always advisable fr interviews r wrk with individual students r parents t be cnducted in view f ther adults. All rms that are used fr the teaching r cunselling f pupils shuld have clear and unbstructed glass panels in the drs. It is gd practice fr the dr t any rm in which ne-t-ne caching, cunselling r meeting is taking place shuld be left pen. Where this is nt practicable because f the need fr cnfidentiality, anther member f staff shuld be asked t maintain a presence nearby and a recrd will be kept f the circumstances f the meeting. Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: Staff Prtectin Plicy Cde f Cnduct July

3 See ur separate Physical Cntact including Use f Frce Plicy. Whilst it wuld be unrealistic and undesirable t preclude all physical cntact between adults and children, staff are expected t exercise cautin and avid placing themselves in a psitin where their actins might be pen t criticism r misinterpretatin. Althugh it is permissible t tuch a pupil in, fr example, demnstrating a skill in PE, Drama r D&T, r in cmfrting a distressed pupil, administering first aid r cngratulating smene (r ccasinally in ther circumstances), it is advisable therwise nt t tuch, put yur arm arund, push r grab students unless it is t prtect them frm hurting themselves r thers. Particular care needs t be exercised in changing rms, shwers and tilet areas and staff shuld never use student tilets. If there is an issue with unifrm r jewellery having t be remved, r a student is t be searched, a female member f staff shuld d this, in the presence f anther member f staff. Hme visits t pupils r private tuitin f students shuld nly take place with the knwledge and apprval f the Headteacher. Visits/telephne calls by students t the hmes f staff members shuld nly ccur in exceptinal circumstances and with the prir knwledge and apprval f the Headteacher. Individual members f staff must nt give lifts in their cars t individual students (ne-tne). In exceptinal circumstances (eg transprting pupils t hspital), the Headteacher r Business Manager may authrise a member f staff t give a lift t a student (ne-t-ne) but nly with the agreement f that member f staff. Relatinships with parents Staff shuld aim t create a welcming and pen relatinship with parents. All parental cncerns shuld be treated seriusly and dealt with prmptly: see ur Cmmunicatins and Cmplaints Plicies. Particular care shuld be taken when the usual bundaries between staff and parents are blurred eg when parents are als members f staff, r when staff have friends wh are als parents. It is imprtant that cnfidentiality shuld be maintained and apprpriate bundaries bserved at all times bth in schl and ut f schl (eg when a member f staff s daughter brings hme schl friends, r when members f staff scialise with parents). See ur Cnfidentiality Plicy. Relatinships with ther staff All staff are expected t treat each ther with respect and relatinships between staff shuld be characterised by fairness and penness. This means valuing all cntributins, acknwledging difference, and wrking tgether t build a climate f cntinuus imprvement. Pliteness and respect are essential ingredients: where differences ccur they shuld be dealt with calmly and fairly. Staff shuld nt denigrate their clleagues in the presence f thers. All staff shuld exercise due cnfidentiality twards matters that are either discussed r verheard, whether abut students r ther staff. See ur Cnfidentiality Plicy. Yur staff sggs.rg.uk address is the apprpriate pint f cntact and this can be accessed frm hme. This is the nly address which shuld be used fr schl cmmunicatins including cntact with students, parents and clleagues. Staff must nt give their private cntact details ut t students. If accessing yur schl s frm a hme cmputer, ensure yu have apprpriate antivirus sftware installed and updated regularly. Laptps and netbks: All teaching staff are prvided with schl netbks r laptps. Great care must be taken when transprting laptps and netbks between schl and hme. They must nt be left in unattended cars, fr example. Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: Staff Prtectin Plicy Cde f Cnduct July

4 Great care must be taken t ensure that persnal data (eg pupil dates f birth r addresses) remain secure. Any such infrmatin must be accessed nly thrugh secure n-line rutes r via secure passwrd-prtected and encrypted prtable hard-drives r memry sticks (Data Prtectin Act). Scial Netwrking Sites: It is strngly recmmended that staff d nt have prfiles n scial netwrking sites. Staff may still chse t d s, but it is at their wn risk and against the advice f the schl. Shuld staff chse t have a prfile n a scial netwrking site, then the fllwing prcedures must be bserved, bth fr the prtectin f all staff members and fr the prtectin f pupils at the schl: Privacy settings must be set up s that the prfile fr any member f staff is private and nly invited friends can access persnal infrmatin. Even n a Facebk site that is private, defamatry material relating t schl, its emplyees r pupils must nt appear. Staff shuld d nthing t jepardise the schl s reputatin r bring it int disrepute eg bad-muthing clleagues r the schl. This wuld be regarded as unacceptable prfessinal cnduct. N pupil f the schl, including sixth frmers, shuld be a friend f any member f staff. A scial netwrking prfile is a persnal dmain t which the children in ur care shuld nt have access. Any electrnic cmmunicatin between students and staff shuld be via schl . Staff may chse t add frmer students f the schl as friends at their wn risk s lng as: the frmer student is ver the age f 18 privacy settings remain as detailed abve whereby the member f staff s prfile is private and accessible nly t invited friends. Staff may chse t set up a page n a scial media site fr cmmunicatin with students f the schl prvided that: permissin is sught frm SLT and the e-safety lead (Head f Cmputing) regarding the purpses f the site the site is established fr educatinal purpses nly and nt fr scial cmmunicatin the site is pen nly t students f the schl using real name lgins and is nt accessible t peple wh are nt members f the current schl cmmunity the advice f the schl Cmmunicatins Manager is sught t ensure the branding and language used n the site shares the schl s image. The use f Twitter may be used by Subject Leaders t disseminate subject specific infrmatin, fllwing these guidelines: This shuld primarily be used fr re-tweeting links frm relevant rganisatins r details abut lessns, tpics etc. Tweeting pinins and persnal thughts using the accunt is nt recmmended. Tweets shuld be prtected, t ensure students fllw using their real name. Mbile phnes: Staff must nt give their persnal mbile phne number t students. On many schl trips students are supervised the whle time, and there is n need t issue students with an emergency cntact number. Staff can use their persnal mbile phnes fr emergency cntact with schl. On schl trips where pupils are allwed sme unsupervised time away frm staff (eg mst residential visits including exchange visits), the Grup Leader will be given a schl mbile phne. In these circumstances it is wise t give the students the schl mbile phne cntact number and als t cllect the students mbile phne numbers centrally. Schl mbile phnes are held in the Finance Office. Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: Staff Prtectin Plicy Cde f Cnduct July

5 Mbile phnes/devices with built in cameras: staff must ensure their mbile phnes have screen lcks enabled at all times in schl. If a member f staff s phne is left unattended and accessible by a student, then that member f staff has left themselves pen t their camera being used fr imprper behaviur which wuld be regarded as prfessinal miscnduct. Attendance, punctuality, preparedness and dress: Staff shuld maintain the highest standards in their wn attendance and punctuality. All absence shuld be genuine (see ur Absence frm Wrk Plicy). Staff shuld be punctual and well-prepared, and shuld carry ut tasks t the best f their ability, taking pride in their wrk. Staff are expected t dress apprpriately; all staff shuld set a gd example t students in what they wear, aviding clthing that is verly casual r revealing. Male teaching staff are expected t wear a jacket and tie, and female teaching staff equivalently smart attire with a jacket. Staff must wear schl ID lanyards (r ID badges if preferred) at all times. Staff physical and mental wellbeing All staff are encuraged t lk after their physical and mental wellbeing. This includes maintaining a healthy wrk-life balance. We take issues f stress very seriusly, and lk t prvide apprpriate supprt and help in these cases. All staff shuld have access t cunselling and supprt. Staff needing supprt are encuraged t discuss issues and cncerns with the Headteacher in cnfidence. Supprt can be prvided bth internally (eg thrugh the prvisin f a mentr), r externally thrugh the Occupatinal Health Service. Trade Unins als prvide help, supprt and advice fr their members, and membership f a trades unin is strngly encuraged. Finance and resurces All staff shuld treat resurces respnsibly, and exercise due financial care. All staff have a respnsibility t lk after the resurces f the schl. This includes nt wasting resurces (including physical resurces and thse such as heat/ electricity); and fllwing the principles f reduce, re-use, recycle where apprpriate. Prcedures fr handling mney are dealt with in separate plicies see eg the Financial Prcedures and Gifts and Hspitality plicies and staff are expected t fllw these. Staff shuld nt, fr instance, slicit r accept any gift, lan, fee, hspitality r ther reward which influences the way in which they carry ut their duties. Any cash (frm eg cncerts r charity fundraising events) shuld be clearly labelled and sent as sn as practicable t the Finance Office. Failure t d s culd leave clleagues pen t accusatins f miscnduct. Wrk issues, including pssible cnflicts f interest Care shuld be taken t avid any cnflict f interest between activities utside the schl and prfessinal respnsibilities. Staff shuld nt undertake wrk r engage in activities in their wn time thrugh which they seek t exercise unfair advantage by virtue f their psitin. In n case shuld utside activities bring the schl int disrepute. Staff shuld nt, withut the prir knwledge and apprval f the Headteacher, undertake activities uncnnected with their prfessinal rle during wrking hurs. Staff in full-time emplyment shuld infrm the Headteacher where they are undertaking paid wrk which may impinge n their nrmal duties, including activities such as examining, private tuitin, r preparing publicatins r press articles. Where wrk is undertaken in the emplyee s wn time any fees paid may be retained by the emplyee. Hwever, where the wrk impinges n wrking time and/r invlves the use f schl resurces, it is necessary t seek apprval t use such resurces and agree the prprtin f any fee t be paid t the schl fr such use. Teachers are encuraged t Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: Staff Prtectin Plicy Cde f Cnduct July

6 take part in examining and mderating as this is seen t be advantageus fr the schl. Hwever, external exam marking shuld nt take place within the wrking schl day. Release t attend any exam standardisatin r mderatin meetings as required by the exam bards shuld be agreed in advance with the Headteacher. Nrmally the csts f cver are reimbursed by the exam bards in these circumstances. In additin t financial interests, staff shuld exercise prfessinal judgement in disclsing t the Headteacher any nn-financial interests which may cnflict with the interests f the schl. Such disclsure will depend upn circumstances (eg in making appintments) and may include persnal acquaintances, membership f vluntary r ther rganisatins r any fficial psitin r public appintment. Staff Attendance at Student Prms/Balls Traditinally, staff attend these events within the cntext that students are viewed as part f the sixth frm until 31st August f Year 13. The fllwing cde f cnduct utlines safe practice designed t safeguard bth themselves and the students enjying these ccasins. Prfessinal security persnnel and a phtgrapher are recruited fr these events. Staff attend these functins as invited guests. Staff wh are invited t attend shuld let the Headteacher knw f the invitatin and their intentin t attend. Staff are nt expected t supervise r intervene if unruly behaviur ccurs. Staff are a calm and reassuring presence (with secure and established wrking relatinships). Staff are expected t cnduct themselves in a thrughly prfessinal and apprpriate manner at all times. Staff may purchase a mderate amunt f alchl (a glass f wine fr example) fr persnal cnsumptin but must nt purchase alchlic drinks fr students. Staff shuld nt take their wn pictures f students n persnal devices and shuld exercise cautin and prfessinal judgement if a student/s request pictures f them, either individually r as part f a grup. Staff are t attend in pairs r tris and n staff shuld remain alne at the venue if clleagues depart befre the functin ends (as is nrmally the case). Staff shuld nt ffer r prvide lifts hme t students. Other Plicies: All staff must have prper and prfessinal regard fr the eths, plicies and practices f Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl. All staff are expected t fllw the schl s plicies, including the Behaviur, Anti-Bullying and Equality plicies, and implement the Rewards and Sanctins system cnsistently and fairly, including keeping recrds up-t-date n Behaviur Manager. All staff must familiarise themselves with schl and natinal plicies listed belw. Staff shuld nt deliberately behave in such a way as t bring the schl int disrepute r jepardise the schl s r individual clleagues reputatins. This wuld be regarded as unacceptable prfessinal cnduct. Staff shuld nt behave in a discriminatry manner (eg racist, sexist, hmphbic etc - r abut disability) r make discriminatry remarks abut thers (see Equality Plicy). Further reading: Staff Behaviur Plicy (Cde f Cnduct): WES 2014 Keeping Children Safe in Educatin (DfE 2015) Wrking Tgether t Safeguard Children (DfE 2015) Teachers Standards (DfE, July 2012, intrductin updated June 2013) The use f frce t cntrl r restrain pupils (DfE, 2013) Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl key linked plicies: Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: Staff Prtectin Plicy Cde f Cnduct July

7 Child Prtectin and Safeguarding Plicy Safer Recruitment Prcedures Whistleblwing Plicy Physical Cnduct and the Use f Frce Plicy ICT plicies, including E-Safety and the varius Acceptable Use Plicies Staff Absence frm Wrk Plicy Cmmunicatins Plicy Cnfidentiality Plicy Financial Prcedures Plicy Gifts and Hspitality Plicy Behaviur Plicy Anti-Bullying Plicy Equality Plicy and Prcedures Rewards and Sanctins Plicy By adhering t this Cde f Cnduct staff can be assured that they are playing their part in safeguarding pupils and prtecting themselves. It is ur expectatin that all staff shuld sign annually that they have read and agree t abide by this Cde f Cnduct. Stratfrd Girls Grammar Schl: Staff Prtectin Plicy Cde f Cnduct July