External Visitors Policy

This policy will be distributed to:  All teaching staff, All Support Staff, School Governors, Visitors to school, Parents on request.

PURPOSE OF THE POLICY:

This policy links to the school Mission Statement:

MISSION STATEMENT

LOVE JESUS

LOVE LEARNING

LOVE EACH OTHER

“We are a learning community promoting the Gospel values of mutual trust, care and respect.”

There is no better way of carrying out this intention than by welcoming visitors into our school within the ethos and philosophy expressed in the above Mission Statement.

INCLUSION

As a school we ensure that all children and staff are treated fairly and equally. All children have equal rights to access all areas of the curriculum, regardless of race, gender and disability. Within this subject area, theSMTand all staff endeavour to provide the appropriate provision for this to occur. This policy follows the guidelines and practices that are stated and outlined in St. Oswald’s Equality Scheme.

How External Contributors Support the Curriculum

The National Curriculum offers many opportunities for enhancing provision through the involvement of external contributors.

When external contributors visit school staff will ensure that all activities are carefully planned.  This work is not a substitute or alternative to planned teaching programmes but activities provided by external contributors should enhance the teaching programme.  When appropriate they will be used to initiate new areas of learning.

Our school has established links with external contributors such as school nurse, sports providers, visiting speakers etc.

Where external contributors are to work directly with pupils, teachers will always undertake preparatory and follow up work e.g.

  • Writing letters of invitation
  • Arranging meetings to agree details of the activities
  • Evaluating activities

Teachers remain responsible for pupil behaviour, health and safety and child protection and will remain with the pupils throughout sessions held.

Aims

We aim to encourage and help our children to become active members of their wider community, involving community leaders, the church, parents, teachers and friends.  We take our responsibilities seriously in fostering links with many different kinds of external contributors who can offer contributions to PSHE, SRE, Citizenship as well as other subjects and aspects of the curriculum e.g.

  • Members of the Church
  • Volunteers, including students, parents, school governors and other members of the community
  • Members of the local community with specialist knowledge and experience of developing social skills.
  • Professionals from local government, local councillors, MPs, the police, health professionals or workers from voluntary or community organisations.

Benefits

Individuals, schools and communities can all benefit from working with external contributors.  These benefits are most likely to occur when work is planned and addressed to a particular development area or need in the PSHE/Citizenship curriculum.

External contributors should be selected by schools so that benefits are realised by all involved.

External contributors can:

  • Bring new ideas/perspective to a subject or topic
  • Offer specialist knowledge, experience and resources
  • Make sensitive or controversial topics easier to address
  • Form a friendly and potentially active link with the community and local services
  • Add variety to the curriculum
  • Give support to teachers through team-teaching approach

They may also:

  • Support curriculum planning or policy development
  • Provide specialist training for teaching and support staff
  • Support curriculum monitoring and evaluation activities

Working within Professional Boundaries

External contributors will be made aware that their roles, responsibilities and boundaries, when taking part in curriculum activities, may differ from other roles and responsibilities that they have taken in the community.  When working in a classroom situation, external contributors will work to the professional boundaries of the teachers.

We will also ensure that the responsibilities of the teacher and external contributor have been clarified e.g. the teacher alone will be responsible for behaviour and class discipline.

Developing Effective Partnerships

  • The purpose of work with the external contributor will be planned in advance.
  • The needs and interests of both school and external contributor will be negotiated and agreed.
  • The external contributor must be clear about what is expected before, during and after the visit.  They must be confident and willing to meet those expectations with appropriate practical and professional support from school

Guidelines

School Policies

All external contributors will work within school policies relating to handling sensitive issues and confidentiality, health and safety, behaviour and any specific policies relating to the subject content, such as citizenship, drug education and Sex and Relationships in Education.

Behaviour

The school and not the external contributor will remain responsible for pupil behaviour during the visit.

Confidentiality

The school’s policy on dealing with sensitive and controversial issues, including disclosure are contained within the Child Protection Policy and always apply.

Vetting External Contributors

External contributors to the school will be made aware of the school’s policy on child protection and the rules and local requirements concerning Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks.

Child Protection

The proper protection and safety of pupils is paramount in arrangements for external contributors and visits.

In line with the advice from the Department for Children, Schools and Families any person appointed to a position whose normal duties involve regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children will be asked to provide evidence of an Enhanced CRB disclosure.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Headteacher and the PSHE co-ordinator have the responsibility for monitoring and evaluating this policy.  As in all policies it will be shared and discussed with the staff and the Governing Body.

Conclusion

St. Oswald’sCatholicPrimary Schoolrecognises that the education of its pupils can be greatly enhanced by the input made by external contributors.  It is important that this policy is read in conjunction with all other school policies.

This policy was:

Discussed and agreed by relevant staff                   Date:

Discussed and adopted by the governing body Date:

…………………………………………….Chair Governors

Reviewed September 2016