Emergency Planning at Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service
This has been written following guidance in Emergency planning and response for education, childcare, and children’s social care settings October 2022.
Every emergency is different but, in all cases, educational and wellbeing impacts should be considered when taking any emergency and risk management actions. We will do our best to minimise the amount and length of any disruption to education or childcare, including maximising the number of students who are in face-to-face provision. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children remains of paramount importance. We will continue to have regard to any statutory safeguarding guidance that applies to our setting.
All education, childcare, and children’s social care settings should have emergency plans in place detailing what we would do and how we would respond if we needed to take any temporary actions in the event of an emergency.
The aim of this emergency plan is to help us respond effectively to an emergency at the setting or on an educational visit or outing while, where possible, continuing to prioritise and maximise face-to-face learning.
Our emergency plan is generic to attempt to cover a range of potential incidents occurring during, and outside, normal working hours including weekends and holidays.
These incidents include:
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public health incidents (e.g. a significant infectious disease incident)
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severe weather (e.g. extreme heat, flooding, storms or snow)
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serious injury to a child, pupil, student, or member of staff (e.g. transport accident)
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significant damage to property (e.g. fire)
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criminal activity (e.g. bomb threat)
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the effects of a disaster in the local community
We have included procedures for:
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extended services, for example for school breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and holiday activities
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open days, transition or taster days
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live performances with an audience
Our plan includes:
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roles and responsibilities
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when and how to seek advice should you need it
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details on the types of steps we might take in the event of an emergency and actions we would take to enact them quickly
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how we would ensure every student receives the quantity and quality of education and care to which they are normally entitled, including through remote education where appropriate
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how we would communicate any changes to students, parents, carers and staff; and how we would respond if school’s advice is not accepted
The planning process
Preparing for emergencies is an ongoing process involving:
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risk assessment
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planning
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training
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exercises
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reviewing
Throughout each stage of this process, we consult staff, outside agencies and Directors to gain their involvement and support.
We have adopted an emergency plan template and guidance from Nottingham County Council as suggested by DfE October 2022.
Significant public health incidents
A single suspected outbreak or incident of infectious disease will not normally constitute an emergency. Most infectious diseases in education, childcare, and children’s social care settings can be managed by following the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) health protection in education and childcare settings guidance.
Roselyn House School and The RHISE Centre have a specific contingency framework for Outbreaks of Covid 19.
Our emergency plans include a range of steps that we might take in the event of a significant public health incident. They should also include when we might consider seeking specialist advice from your UKHSA health protection team in line with the UKHSA health protection in education and childcare settings guidance. These are contained with Risk Assessment. Registered medical practitioners in England and Wales have a statutory duty to notify their local authority or local UKHSA health protection team of suspected cases of certain (notifiable) infectious diseases. Settings will be contacted if there are actions required within the setting as part of public health management. In large-scale public health incidents where decisions about actions to take in education, childcare and social care settings are made at a national level, DfE will work with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), UKHSA, the Chief Medical Officer, and other government departments, as well as relevant local authorities and directors of public health.
Severe weather
During severe weather conditions, such as extreme heat, flooding, storms, or snow, we aim to keep school open for as many students as possible. However, it might be necessary to close temporarily or part close due to inaccessibility or risk of injury. We will do all we can to reopen as soon as possible.
Where school is temporarily closed during severe weather, we will provide remote education for the duration of the closure in line with DfE guidance. Providing remote education does not change the imperative to remain open, or to reopen as soon as possible.
If flooding or severe weather has significantly impacted school we should contact the incident support team who will be able to assist in getting school reopened as quickly and safely as possible.
Email: incident.support@education.gov.uk
KS Education will make the most of two sites and utilise the one that is accessible. Alternative, temporary accommodation may be sought including Alternative Provision premises, libraries, church/ youth halls.
Workforce
As an employer, KS Education Limited will explain to staff any steps taken to keep them safe at work as part of our emergency plans. Roselyn House School and The RHISE Centre’s workplace risk assessments already consider any risks to female employees of childbearing age and, in particular, risks to new and expectant mothers. Employers should discuss concerns with staff.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has more information on managing risk and risk assessment in the workplace. UKHSA’s health protection in education and childcare settings guidance also contains practical advice on managing a range of infections, including for those who may be at higher risk of infection.
Staff shortages during an emergency
Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service are best placed to determine the workforce required to meet the needs of our students in our setting. Where we are experiencing staff absences, in the first instance we will attempt to cover absence or may bring together groups and classes with teachers and support staff working together. However if we do not have adequate staff to student ratio’s we may have to close some class groups or whole school. We will offer remote learning and where possible outreach.
Prioritising places
In exceptional circumstances, if high levels of workforce absence means we need to temporarily prioritise places in school (for example, where a setting is unable to operate at full capacity), we will give priority to the most vulnerable young people (see Annex A - Vulnerable Children and Young People) and children of critical workers (see Annex B – Critical Workers).
Remote education
Where possible, Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service provide remote education to allow students to keep pace with their education when in-person attendance in school or college is either not possible or contrary to government guidance.
We continue to be prepared to implement high-quality remote education so that any student who is well enough to learn from home, but unable to attend school in person, can continue to do so.
Some of our students may not be able to access remote education so we may look at Outreach support where this appropriate and safe to do so. Some of our students still do not have equipment to access Remote Education. School, at their own expense have provided Laptops where they can.
Free School Meals
If students are unable to attend school for a period of time, lunch vouchers/ dinners will be provided.
Recording attendance during an emergency
Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service should continue to record pupil absence in the register in line with the Pupil Registration Regulations and school attendance guidance using the most appropriate code. Where pupils are unable to attend school in exceptional circumstances they can be recorded as Code Y (unable to attend in exceptional circumstances) unless a more appropriate code applies. Where pupils are unable to attend school because they are ill or have an infectious illness they should be recorded as Code I (illness).
Vulnerable Children and Young People
All of our students are classed as vulnerable young people but some may have to be prioritised for continued face-to-face education. This will include CLA, students with safeguarding concerns and most complex students in the first instance.
We will continue to have regard to any statutory safeguarding guidance that applies to our setting, including:
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Keeping Children Safe in Education
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Working Together to Safeguard children
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schools (including mainstream and specialist settings) and further education providers put in place systems to keep in contact with vulnerable children and young people if they are not attending, particularly if they have a social worker.
This includes
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notifying their social worker (if they have one) and, for looked-after children, the local authority virtual school head
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agreeing with the social worker the best way to maintain contact and offer support
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keeping in contact with vulnerable children and young people to check their wellbeing and refer onto other services if additional support is needed Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children remains of paramount importance.
There should be no change to local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, which remain the responsibility of the 3 safeguarding partners:
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local authorities
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clinical commissioning groups
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chief officers of police
In the event of an emergency, we would expect all local safeguarding partners to be vigilant and responsive to all safeguarding threats with the aim of keeping vulnerable children and young people safe.
Safeguarding partners and designated safeguarding leads
Schools, must continue to have regard to statutory safeguarding guidance Keeping children safe in education, and they will have a trained designated safeguarding lead (DSL) (or deputy) available on site. There are five DSL’s at Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service.
Wellbeing and support
Some young people and adults may experience a variety of emotions in response to an emergency situation, such as anxiety, stress, or low mood.
We can access useful links and resources of support on the MindED learning platform for professionals. Other mental health resources for children and young people include:
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Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges
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UKHSA’s Every Mind Matters
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Become’s care advice line for looked-after children
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NHS guidance resources and services for mental health, learning disabilities and autism.
We have a trained Therapist on site and work collaboratively with our young people, adults, and their families who are anxious to reassure them.
Discussions should have a collaborative approach, focusing on the welfare of the child or young person and responding to the concerns of the parent, carer or young person.
There is a system for staff who can access support via Mrs Smith, Mr Dickinson in school and the school therapist.
Exam and assessment disruption
We are prepared for possible disruption to exams or assessment as part of your emergency planning and make sure our staff are aware of these plans through our exams contingency framework and Exams Officer.
In the very exceptional circumstances where we might need to close our school, student misses an exam or formal assessment due to circumstances beyond their control, we can discuss alternative arrangements with your awarding bodies. In line with awarding body requirements, we have contingency plans in place, including alternative venue arrangements, sufficient invigilator cover, and plans for if the exams officer is absent.
We are responsible for making sure students, parents and carers know what has been agreed, for example:
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plans for using alternative venues
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where a pupil or student is absent for acceptable reason, the opportunity to apply for special consideration to receive an exam result, based on the exams and non exam-assessment that the student was able to complete
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the opportunity for students to sit any missed exam or formal assessment at a later date, where their qualification allows it
Assessments
We have an assessment calendar throughout the school year but if a student is unable to complete an assessment our procedures allow for them to catch up whenever they are able to do so.
SEND and specialist settings
Health professionals attending school may be following slightly different guidance from UKHSA due to their wider work in settings with vulnerable adults. In an emergency, where possible, specialists, therapists and other health professionals who support children and young people with SEND (for example speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists and specialist teachers), should provide interventions as usual.
All our students have an EHC plan, where they are not attending school because they are following public health advice, multi-agency professionals should collaborate to agree how to meet their duties to deliver the provision set out in the EHC plan.
Some students with SEND may need specific help adjusting to any changes in their routines that emergency measures may involve. Staff should plan to meet these needs based on the individual student and their circumstances, which will be agreed by SLT and SENCO.
To make sure pupils and students with medical conditions are fully supported we will use individual healthcare plans to help ensure they continue to receive an education in line with their peers. This should include working with families and the relevant health professionals, as well as local authorities and other services as necessary.
We will consider whether we need any additional processes in place for students who regularly:
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attend more than one site or different providers
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move between a training provider and workplace as part of an apprenticeship, traineeship or supported internship
Insurance
Public Liability Insurance – Markel £5,000,000 within this Insurance Policy we have Business Interruption Insurance which covers increase in cost of working up to £150,000 for 24 Months
The following links may be useful:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pandemic-flu
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-advice-for-schools
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-security
December 2022
Annex A – Vulnerable Children and Young People
Vulnerable children and young people include those who:
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are assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, (including children and young people who have a child in need plan or a child protection plan) and children who are looked-after by the local authority
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have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
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have been identified as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who could therefore benefit from continued full-time attendance. This might include:
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children and young people on the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services or in the process of being referred to children’s services or who have previously received support from children’s social care services (as identified by local authorities) o adopted children or children on a special guardianship order
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those at risk of becoming NEET (‘not in employment, education or training’)
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those living in temporary accommodation o those who are young carers o those who may have difficulty engaging with remote education at home (for example due to a lack of devices or quiet space to study)
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care leavers o children and young people in a family circumstance presenting challenges for them, such as drug and alcohol misuse, parental offending, adult mental health issues and domestic abuse
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others at the provider and local authority’s discretion including pupils and students who need to attend to receive support or manage risks to their mental health
Annex B – Critical Workers
Critical workers We expect you to maximise the number of children, pupils and students who are in faceto-face provision during an emergency. If the impact of an emergency means that not everyone can attend face-to-face provision, we expect you to inform parents as part of your emergency communications of the impact, set out the groups you are prioritising for face-to-face provision, and invite parents to tell you if they meet one of the critical worker categories. Parents whose work is critical to an emergency response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined in the following sections. If exceptional circumstances mean that attendance is temporarily limited, children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to their setting if required, but parents and carers should keep their children at home if they can. Health and social care This includes, but is not limited to, doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributors of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment. Education and childcare This includes:
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support and teaching staff
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social workers
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specialist education professionals who must remain active during an emergency response to deliver this approach
Key public services This includes:
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those essential to the running of the justice system
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religious staff
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charities and workers delivering key frontline services
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those responsible for the management of the deceased
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journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting Local and national government
This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of:
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an emergency response
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essential public services, such as the payment of benefits including in government agencies and Arm’s length bodies (ALB).
Food and other necessary goods This includes those involved in food:
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production
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processing
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distribution
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sale and delivery
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as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines)
Public safety and national security This includes:
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police and support staff
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Ministry of Defence civilians
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contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to an emergency response)
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fire and rescue service employees (including support staff)
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National Crime Agency staff
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those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas Transport This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during an emergency response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.
Utilities, communication and financial services This includes:
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staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure)
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the oil, gas, electricity, and water sectors (including sewerage)
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information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during an emergency response
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key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services)
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postal services and delivery
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payments providers
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waste disposal sectors