Visitors to the School Policy

Download VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL POLICY - CITYKIDZ 2014 REVISED 2020 (236.66 KB)

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL POLICY

INTRODUCTION

Visitors are always welcome in our school and we strive to make their experience happy and purposeful so that they will want to return!

Staff and pupils are reminded of the practice embodied in our school's vision to create an inner city school where every child is valued and receives a high quality education in a welcoming and safe environment. This policy will promote the excellent ethos of the school.

Our first duty is to our pupils and staff, and so we have to be mindful of necessary processes that must be in place to safeguard those in our care. Adherence to this policy will ensure that children and staff are safe and that visitors are properly welcomed, supervised and monitored.

This policy has been put in place to ensure that visitors to our school are carefully checked and monitored during their time here and that the safety of our children at CityKidz Pre & Primary School remains of paramount importance at all times.  We endeavour to safeguard all our pupils from subjection to any form of harm, abuse or nuisance. It is the responsibility of management and staff to ensure that this duty is uncompromised at all times.

In performing this duty, management and staff, recognise that there can be no complacency where child protection and safeguarding procedures are concerned.  CityKidz Pre & Primary School therefore requires that ALL VISITORS (without exception) comply with the following policy and procedures. Failure so to do may result in the visitor’s escorted departure from the school. It will ensure that no unauthorised person has entry to the school.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To prevent unauthorised persons from entering school.
  2. To make visitors welcome.
  3. To ensure that visitors are monitored and checked.
  4. To monitor visitors carefully during their time in school.
  5. To be able to account for, and locate, visitors at all times.

 THE POLICY APPLIES TO:

  1. All staff employed by the school
  2. All external visitors entering the school site during the school day or for after school activities.
  3. All parents and volunteers
  4. All pupils
  5. All Education related personnel 
  6. Building & Maintenance and all other Independent contractors visiting the school premises
  7. Independent contractors who may transport learners on minibuses or in taxis

STRATEGIES – VISITOR’S TO OUR SCHOOL

  1. External doors will be kept securely closed and external signs will direct visitors to the main entrance and reception desk.
  2. The gate to the playground will be closed once pupils have entered the school at 8.00am and will be opened again by the security personnel at 13h15 for the Foundation Phase.
  3. It will be locked again at 13h30 and reopened at 14h15 for the Intersen Phase. Thereafter the gates will be locked 14h45.
  4. Vehicular and pedestrian entry and exit to school will be restricted and monitored by the security personnel between 6:45am and 8:00am and between 14.30 and 15:00.
  5. All staff must observe the aforesaid restrictions on the gate opening times.
  6. Vehicular entry to the school will be limited to authorised vehicles only.
  7. The School Warden will make a note of their name, organisation, who they are visiting, car registration and direct them to the reception area to obtain a visitor badge number.
  8. All visitors must stop at the inner gate after reporting to the School Warden and press the call button to gain access to site, explaining who they are and the purpose of their visit.
  9. All visitors will report to the school reception desk where they will be welcomed and asked for their details and for the name of the person they need to see.
  10. Visitors must sign-in in the visitor book and sign out as they leave.
  11. Each visitor will be given an identification that must be worn visibly at all times.
  12. Visitors’ identification badges must be collected in by the office staff before the visitor leaves.
  13. Visitors will be asked to wait in the reception area until the person that they have come to see arrives to take charge of them. That person will be responsible for them during their time in school and will escort them back to reception at the end of their visit.
  14. Visitors will be accompanied, or supervised, during the whole of their time in school.
  15. The School Warden and Caretaker will be responsible for workmen/women, and trades people, during their time in school. They must show proof of identity if they are not already known to him/her. He/she will alert senior staff or the secretaries of their presence.
  16. The Principal must be informed immediately if members of the police, fire service, municipal authority, or other official bodies arrive at school unexpectedly.
  17. Any member of staff must challenge any stranger they meet who is not wearing identification or who is acting suspiciously.
  18. The school adopts a ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy towards abusive behaviour. If any visitor behaves in an unacceptable or threatening manner, they will be required to leave and be escorted from the premises immediately. They will be immediately removed from any situations where there is a possibility of them harming children or staff. If necessary the police will be summoned to remove them.

Visitors Departure from School

On departing the school, visitors MUST leave via reception and:

  1. Enter their departure time in the Visitors Record Book alongside their arrival entry
  2. Return the identification visitor’s badge to reception
  3. A member of staff should escort the visitor to the car park (ensuring the visitor does not re-enter the school site, potentially breaching security) or the front gate.

Unknown/Uninvited Visitors to the School

  1. Any visitor to the school site who is not wearing an identity badge should be challenged politely to enquire who they are and their business on the school site.
  2. They should then be escorted to reception to sign the visitor’s book and be issued with an identity badge. The procedures under “Visitors to the School” above will then apply
  3. If the visitor refuses to comply, they should be asked to leave the site immediately and the Principal and Senior Secretary  (Deputy Principal or Executive HOD if neither is available) should be informed promptly.
  4. The Principal, Senior Secretary, Deputy Principal or Executive HOD will consider the situation and decide if it is necessary to inform the police.
  5. If an unknown/uninvited visitor becomes abusive or aggressive, they will be asked to leave the site immediately and warned that if they fail to leave the school grounds, police assistance will be called for.