Supervision Policy

Thispolicy was originally formulated in 2005, and revised in May 2014. It applies to all staff and children during school hours, break times, and on all school related activities.

 Rational

The rules for National School 121(4) and 124(1) obliges teachers to take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of pupils and to participate in supervising pupils during school time and during all school related activities.

Legislation such as the Health Safety and Welfare at Work Act and recent Court judgments have placed a “duty of care” and accountability on schools that must be underpinned by a policy covering all possible eventualities.

Relationship to the Characteristic Ethos of the School

This policy is in keeping with the school ethos of providing a safe and secure environment for learning for all pupils and the wider school community.

Aims of Objectives

  • To develop a framework that effectively ensures, as far as is practicable, the safety of children while in school, at play on the yard or while engaged in school related activities.
  • To observe and monitor behavioural patterns outside the confines of the classroom.
  • To contribute to effective school management and comply with relevant legislation.

School Procedures

  • It is the policy of the school to supervise pupils at all times during lunch breaks i.e.11.00 am – 11.15 amand12.30 pm to 12.55 pm.
  • It is the policy of the school to supervise before and after school according to national directives.
  • The Board of Management informs parents that the school does not accept responsibility for pupils dropped off earlier than9.05 amand collected after1.55pmand2.55pm
  • ARotafor supervision is drawn up in consultation with Principal and staff and thisRotais displayed on the staff room notice board and in all classrooms
  • Rules of the school yard are reviewed and revised continually and communicated to children regularly. See Rules Attached
  • Supervision duties are compulsory.
  • If parents indicate a worry about a particular child on the yard all teachers rostered for yard duty are informed of the concern so that the particular concerns can be addressed satisfactorily.
  • Children line up in rows according to class and are called in turn by the teacher before returning to their classroom.
  • Teachers collect pupils from outside the fire exit door. Teachers on yard duty remain with the classes until the class teacher returns from break.
  • Teacher taking a course day can swap supervision duties with a willing colleague. If a teacher is unexpectedly absent a volunteer colleague will assume his/her duties in a reciprocal arrangement.
  • One Special Needs Assistant is on duty during lunch breaks.  While this Assistant provide individual supervision for Special Needs children, they can act in an observing and reporting capacity, bringing instances of misbehaviour to the attention of the teacher on yard duty. The schools anti-bullying /discipline policy covers incidents of misbehaviour.
  • Children with injuries/complaints are dealt with directly by the teacher on yard duty. All pupils report injuries to the teacher on yard duty before leaving the yard. Children are then permitted to report directly to the staff room if there is an incident on the yard.
  • Teachers are on supervision duties one week in 3/4 depending on staff allocation
  • First Aid boxes and Accident Report books are kept as a matter of procedure (See Accident and Injury Policy)
  • If children remain uncollected after 2.45 pm, the school will ensure that a duty of care is provided, the parent will be contacted and a member of staff will remain with the child until a parent/guardian calls

 

Special Provisions

a)     Out of school activities such as games, swimming, tours, back up provisions are put in place to ensure adequate levels of supervision are put in place. The level of supervision is assessed prior to the activity.

b)     If a teacher is called from his/her classroom to meet with a parent, another member of staff maybe released to cover. However, it is school policy to request parents to make appointments outside school hours.

c)     On wet days children remain in their classrooms under the normal supervisionRota. Children from senior classes assist the class teachers.

d)     When visiting teachers such as P. E., Music, Language, take over a class, the school encourages teachers to maintain a presence. neither SNAs or pupils are left in sole charge of a class.

e)     The School Safety Statement lists all hazards on the school yard and supervisors are accordingly briefed.

f)     Parents may request that their children be allowed leave during the school day due to health commitments etc. notes informing teachers of leave during the day is requested in Homework Journal unless an emergency

g)     If a child leaves at our request due to illness or injury this is recorded by the class teacher in A5 Diaries. Each classroom has their own Diary

 

Success Criteria and Review

  • Ensuring a safe child-friendly school yard
  • Providing well organised and safe out of school activities
  • Re- enforcing school rules termly
  • Reviewing supervision duties yearly
  • Altering or adjusting procedures deemed to be inoperable

 

Implementation

This policy will be in operation from September 2014. It was ratified by the Board of Management in June 2014.

 

Playtime/Playground Rules

Bellsignals break times

SNA brings Teacher on Duty tea/coffee at11.00ambreak

At12:30break another member of staff provides supervision to allow teacher have 10 minutes lunch break

Staff will remain with children until teacher on duty is ready. Class Teacher is to escort them to the yard.

All children are let out through the Exit Door onto play area.

Children play in allocated areas

  • Area 1 Junior and Senior Infants
  • Area 2 Rubber Surface/Ball Court
  • Area 3 Tarmac
  • Area 4 The Field – out of use in wet weather

Teacher and SNA circulate around all play areas to ensure that all children are observed at all times.

Children must request permission from teacher on duty to retrieve a ball or to go into the toilet, pupils enter through classrooms weather permitting. Pupils to be accompanied by other pupil.

No rough playing, bullying, teasing, name calling, pushing, pulling clothes, arm wrestling, ground play etc

Walk into line when time is up

No talking in lines

Walk to and from the classroom

Look out for potential hazards ex. open shoe laces, stones

Anticipate danger

All accidents are recorded in the Accident Book

First Aid Box is in the Staff Room

List of Medical Requirements/ Allergies are displayed in the Staff Room