Management Information Sheet
Guidance on Site Security and CRB Checks for Construction/Maintenance Contractors
We have recently had a number of queries from schools regarding requirements for ensuring the security of a school site and the issue of CRB checks for construction/maintenance contractors. Some of these queries have followed recent visits by Ofsted using the new inspection framework.
The new OFSTED framework does not prescribe specific measures in relation to these matters but given that "the effectiveness of settings and services in taking reasonable steps to ensure that children and learners are safe" is a core safeguarding outcome to be inspected, some inspectors have chosen to focus heavily on physical security measures and CRB checks.
The key piece of legislation that deals with school sites and premises is "The School Premises Regulations (1999)". There is nothing within these regulations that deals specifically with site security, which is seen as a health and safety issue. The Local Authority is responsible for establishing an overall health and safety policy but responsibility for health and safety within each school rests with the governing body.
The key in all matters related to health and safety is "reasonableness", which can be defined as "suitable and sufficient". Governors must be confident that they can demonstrate to inspectors that they have taken reasonable steps in securing their site. For example, some measures such as locking external gates to a school site when not in use and, as far as possible, having only one point of entrance for visitors to the school, are understood expectations. Other examples, such as expecting schools to install eight foot high fences around the whole site perimeter, which would divert significant sums of money away from educational purposes, is arguably not reasonable. In addition, the requirements for physical security in a large urban high school will differ from those in a small rural primary school.
All schools must regularly carry out risk assessments of their site using guidance on General Risk Assessment. This includes reference to an assessment of site security using a Security Checklist created by Risk & Insurance. Reasonable (suitable and sufficient) steps should then be taken to ensure the physical security of the site based on the findings of the risk assessment. Those steps will include managerial action to mitigate risk.
Risk and Insurance carried out a risk ranking survey of all schools in 2007/08 using questions set by DCSF and this included an assessment of the overall adequacy of site security. All schools received a hard copy of their survey and this should be referred to when reviewing security arrangements through risk assessment as above. If a further copy of the survey is required, please contact Derek Gorrod in Risk and Insurance on 01603-222989 or at derek.gorrod@norfolk.gov.uk.
The matter of CRB checks on construction and maintenance contractors is a more straightforward one. CRB checks are required on anyone who is likely, through the normal course of their work, to have unsupervised contact with children. Construction staff would never be expected to be alone with children. Their work will be contained within a specifically demarcated area of the school to which pupils have no access at any time. They should be expected to sign in on arrival and have clearly visible identification at all times. Where contractors need to work in other areas of a school, this must be agreed in advance with the Headteacher and managed appropriately and reasonably. Casual visitors that need access to the school should sign a visitors book, wear an identification badge and be accompanied by a member of staff for the duration of their visit. Such visitors might include surveyors, utilities representatives, etc.
Governors are advised to be clear about these policy areas and the practices they have adopted. This should enable them to provide inspectors with the assurances they require in demonstrating they are "...taking reasonable steps to ensure that children and learners are safe".
The new OFSTED framework does not prescribe specific measures in relation to these matters but given that "the effectiveness of settings and services in taking reasonable steps to ensure that children and learners are safe" is a core safeguarding outcome to be inspected, some inspectors have chosen to focus heavily on physical security measures and CRB checks.
The key piece of legislation that deals with school sites and premises is "The School Premises Regulations (1999)". There is nothing within these regulations that deals specifically with site security, which is seen as a health and safety issue. The Local Authority is responsible for establishing an overall health and safety policy but responsibility for health and safety within each school rests with the governing body.
The key in all matters related to health and safety is "reasonableness", which can be defined as "suitable and sufficient". Governors must be confident that they can demonstrate to inspectors that they have taken reasonable steps in securing their site. For example, some measures such as locking external gates to a school site when not in use and, as far as possible, having only one point of entrance for visitors to the school, are understood expectations. Other examples, such as expecting schools to install eight foot high fences around the whole site perimeter, which would divert significant sums of money away from educational purposes, is arguably not reasonable. In addition, the requirements for physical security in a large urban high school will differ from those in a small rural primary school.
All schools must regularly carry out risk assessments of their site using guidance on General Risk Assessment. This includes reference to an assessment of site security using a Security Checklist created by Risk & Insurance. Reasonable (suitable and sufficient) steps should then be taken to ensure the physical security of the site based on the findings of the risk assessment. Those steps will include managerial action to mitigate risk.
Risk and Insurance carried out a risk ranking survey of all schools in 2007/08 using questions set by DCSF and this included an assessment of the overall adequacy of site security. All schools received a hard copy of their survey and this should be referred to when reviewing security arrangements through risk assessment as above. If a further copy of the survey is required, please contact Derek Gorrod in Risk and Insurance on 01603-222989 or at derek.gorrod@norfolk.gov.uk.
The matter of CRB checks on construction and maintenance contractors is a more straightforward one. CRB checks are required on anyone who is likely, through the normal course of their work, to have unsupervised contact with children. Construction staff would never be expected to be alone with children. Their work will be contained within a specifically demarcated area of the school to which pupils have no access at any time. They should be expected to sign in on arrival and have clearly visible identification at all times. Where contractors need to work in other areas of a school, this must be agreed in advance with the Headteacher and managed appropriately and reasonably. Casual visitors that need access to the school should sign a visitors book, wear an identification badge and be accompanied by a member of staff for the duration of their visit. Such visitors might include surveyors, utilities representatives, etc.
Governors are advised to be clear about these policy areas and the practices they have adopted. This should enable them to provide inspectors with the assurances they require in demonstrating they are "...taking reasonable steps to ensure that children and learners are safe".