F1) Risk Assessments

ELC’s teacher and ex-Social Programme Manager, Andrew Varney, is a member of the Safeguarding team and has specific responsibility for Risk Assessments. Andrew works closely with the Social Programme Manager to ensure that all risk assessments are updated and signed off by activity leaders prior to excursions/activities taking place.

Risk Assessments underpin every aspect of our Safeguarding Policy. We look at every situation our students, and in particular, those under 18, can find themselves in. We analyse those situations and we look for risks. If we identify a risk, we determine ways we can ideally eliminate or realistically minimise those risks and we adopt procedures accordingly.

Specific areas for analysis of risks include

• Getting to and from England and to their accommodation
• Getting to and from school from their accommodation
• In the school buildings and grounds
• In accommodation
• Students, Staff and Visitor risks
• Educational activities – including photo trails, surveys, visit to the Law Courts
• The social programme
• During free time – risks considered include: Abuse, Stranger Danger, Getting lost, Road Safety, Alcohol, Drugs, Shoplifting, Accidents, Sickness, Losing mobile, Fights, Terrorism, Breaking school rules such as travelling without consent, breaking the curfew, going to school residences in the evenings etc. Breaking the law (shoplifting etc)

See Risk Assessment Policy Includes (F2 Supervision Ratios on page 3)

http://www.elcbristol.co.uk/school/students-under-18 other related policies

F3) Missing Students

• On the first day, we make sure every student under 18 has a mobile phone and knows to keep their phones charged and switched on when they are not in school.
• Students under 18 have to sign in daily on arrival, in reception. The office staff check to see if anyone has not signed in.
• If a student U18 is not in school we call them at 09.30 (15 minutes after classes begin).
• If they don’t pick up, we phone the homestay provider.
• If they don’t know where the student is, we ask the student’s friends in school.
• If no one has any information and we can’t get through to the student, we go to the house.
• If we still can’t find them, we call the parents/guardian/emergency services.
• If the student doesn’t come back in the evening by 15 minutes after the curfew time, the homestay phones the school emergency number
• The Emergency Phone Holder will endeavour to track the student down. (he/she will phone student’s friends and might visit places in town where he/she may be)
• The same procedure follows if they are late home for dinner (30 minutes leeway given – although we don’t tell this to the students)
• If an under 18 is scheduled to go on an excursion arranged by the school and they don’t appear by the time the coach is due to leave, the excursion leader will call the students mobile and if there is no answer will call the Emergency Phone holder who will follow up.
• To minimise the chance of them going missing when given free time on Saturday excursions to another city, they have to go round in groups of 3 students and the excursion supervisor has to have the mobile phone numbers of all 3 people

F4) Welfare Provision

• The two Directors and the Residence Manager are the members of ELC’s Welfare Team. There is a ‘It’s good to Talk’ poster on the wall in every classroom. There is also a Safeguarding Poster (Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility) in every classroom and there is a poster with all the admin team’s photos up in every classroom, in the hallways and in the common rooms.
• The ELC Safeguarding team is made up of the Welfare Team + the Principal, the Vice Principal, the Registrar, the Residence Manager and a teacher/Risk Assessment Manager. There are always a minimum of 2 members of the team in the school at any time.
• During July and August there is always a member of the welfare or safeguarding team in the Summer Centre and 1 The Avenue.
• The Directors, Principal and Welfare Office endeavour to know the name and background of every student in the school and will go around classrooms and common rooms during break times.
• ELC's Emergency Phone Holder can be contacted by students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• All unaccompanied visitors have to sign in. They are given a red lanyard which they must wear and are given a flyer making them aware that there are Under 18s in the school and reminding them of their welfare responsibilities.
• Under 18s are given an activity flyer whenever they go on a school activity or excursion reminding them of procedures and expectations.

Welfare systems in place at ELC include:

• Pre-arrival information and Under 18s handbook are sent with the booking confirmation.
• Welcome talks/orientation walk – day 1
• Ease of identification – the school database allows for photo reports and the Under 18s photos are displayed n the teachers' room.
• Under 18s handbook given to students under 18 on-line before they get here and they are given a hard copy by the Registrar (DDSL), when she speaks to them on their first afternoon in school.
• Class Reps
• Under 18s rep
• A safeguarding poster is up in every classroom, hallway and staff room which makes it clear that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and who they should contact if they have a concern or somebody has told them something.
• NB system. An asterisk * is put against the students name on the database – this is also on class lists and on all student lists. An asterisk indicates there is some confidential information that staff need to be aware of. It could be anything from a medical condition, a recent bereavement, past history, issues at ELC and even if the student is a VIP for one reason or another.
• If a student issue/safeguarding concern is flagged, depending on the age of the student, either a member of the Welfare team or a member of the Safeguarding team will conduct a risk assessment for the student in question and will initiate a welfare plan - this can only go ahead with a student over 18, if they give their permission. It is obligatory to write a plan for students under 18.
• Complaints and student issues system for all students and an Under 18 log – password protected records are kept in the s-drive. Accessible only to the DOSs and the admin team
• Signing in. Under 18s have to sign in every day (ticking the box is not acceptable)
• Day 1 , new Under 18s meet at 3.35 with the Registrar who reminds students of the guidelines in the U18 handbook.
• The Homestay Officer phones the homestays accommodating students under 18s at the end of the student’s first week and thereafter every second week to find out how the student has settled in an if there are any issues.
• Friday interview with main teacher (first week, then every 3 weeks).
• Friday staff meeting – we have staff meetings on Fridays at 1pm. The meeting is attended by the teachers and members of the welfare team. At the meeting, every student in the school is mentioned by name and feedback is given on how things are going in class, in their accommodation and with their welfare in general. Particular attention is paid to under 18s and teachers are reminded of any NBs in the system,
• First week feedback form
• Mid-course Feedback form
• Leavers Reports – all data is entered onto our database which enables analysis of the accommodation provision and of ELC's services in general.

F5) First Aid and Medical Provision

• Students are advised they should have private travel / health insurance before they come to the UK to cover all non-emergency treatment.
• 3 members of staff have first aid training (including the summer centre assistant). A poster showing who they are is displayed in every classroom and in the hall ways.
• 1 member of staff (the Director of Studies) has had Mental First Aid training.
• The First Aid box is checked every term (prior to the scheduled Health and Safety meeting) by the Homestay Officer in 1 the Avenue and by the Summer Centre Assistant in the Summer Centre.
• School Doctor (Pembroke Road Surgery) - 2 minutes' walk from 1 The Avenue – Students can generally see a doctor the same day or the next (Monday to Friday) provided they let us know first thing in the morning.
• Boots Pharmacy – Clifton Down Shopping Centre (they can see the pharmacist 7 days a week – open 08.30 to 20.00 (10.00 to 16.00 Sundays)
• Walk-in Medical Centre (33 Broad Street BS1 2EZ) open 08.00 to 20.00 (10.00 to 18.00 Sundays)
• Call 111 for 24 hour medical support
• Accident and Emergency (24/7) at the BRI (Bristol Royal Infirmary)
• Appointments can be made with local dentists and emergency treatment is available at the University Dental Hospital Lower Maudlin Street BS1 2LY – 7 days a week from 07.00 to 20.00 – to ensure they are seen, students should get there early
• Under 18s are accompanied by a member of staff if they have to visit the doctor, hospital or the dentist if the member of the safeguarding team deems it to be necessary and practical.
• Under 18s who are sick and have to stay at home are visited by a member of staff (at lunchtime) if the homestay cannot stay home with them and if it is deemed by the member of the safeguarding team dealing with the case that the seriousness of their condition makes it necessary.
• Procedure if a student feels unwell
  • while they are in class – informs teacher who tells the office staff
  • during break and lunch times – informs office staff
  • during an activity/excursion arranged by the school – informs social organiser
  • during the weekend – If an under 18 is sick at the weekend, they should ask their homestay family for help and then either go to the pharmacy, call 111 to speak to a trained medical practitioner or visit the Broadmead Medical Centre (full details are in their student handbooks). If it is an emergency they should go to the Accident and Emergency department of the BRI (Bristol Royal Infirmary) hospital and remember to call the Emergency Phone Holder on the school emergency number. They can also phone this number for assistance if they are not with or are able to contact their host family.

ELC requires to be fully informed of any medical condition/disability of a prospective student in order to be able to provide appropriate care for the student. In the case of such information not being provided we may have to refuse acceptance of the student and request that the student is returned home at his/her own expense.

• The office staff, social organiser, homestay or Principal will assess the situation and decide what course of action to take: Possible courses of action
  • Administer first aid (if trained or if a First-Aider is available)
  • Book a doctor’s appointment (or a dentist’s appointment)
  • Take the student to the pharmacist
  • Take the student to the hospital (BRI) accident and emergency (or the Dental Hospital) or to the nearest hospital if the student is away from Bristol on an excursion – the contact details of the local hospitals is noted in all the excursion risk assessments.

  Exactly who takes the student under 18 will depend on the circumstances. If it happens during the school day, the school receptionist will accompany the student. If it happens while the student is in their homestay, the homestay will take them or if that is not possible, will call the the Emergency Phone Holder who will arrange for someone to take the student, either himself or one of the Welfare Team. If it happens during the social programme, one of the social organisers will take them.

  • Inform the student’s homestay and/or parents/guardian

See: First Aid Policy

For full policy links see:

http://www.elcbristol.co.uk/school/students-under-18

NB Private Fostering When a child under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled) is cared for for 28 days or more by someone who is not their parent or a close relative this is called a private fostering arrangement. It is a private arrangement between a parent and the carer. ELC Bristol does not accept any students under 16 and is not in a position to be able to accept students under 18 who are disabled for more than 28 days, so there is no requirement in the school for any Private Fostering arrangements.