Visitors Information

Procedures for Visitors to the school please click here Visitors Form 

The Headteacher and Governors welcome you to Bishop Thomas Grant School and assure all visitors a warm, friendly and professional welcome, whatever the purpose of their visit.  We are committed to the Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment. Everyone at Bishop Thomas Grant have the right to be safe happy and healthy.

Wherever possible, visits to schools should be pre-arranged and agreed with by the Headteacher. Staff must hand a completed and signed by the Safeguarding Team ‘Application Form for School Visitors to School or Online’ to reception in advance of the visit to school.  All visitors must report to reception first and not enter the school via any other entrance. At reception, all visitors should explain the purpose of their visit and who has invited them. They should be ready to produce formal identification.  Only visitors who have DBS clearance are allowed to work with students at this school. Visitors without clearance will be accompanied by a member of staff at all times.

Visitors and supply staff will be issued with a visitor’s badge. Please wear your visitors badge in a visible position at all times whilst on the school premises. This procedure is necessary for safeguarding and fire safety pre-cautions. Local Authority employees should wear the identification badges issued by the organisation for which they work – e.g. Educational Psychologists, Social Workers. School Governors have been issued with badges and should wear them when they visit. Anyone without a badge will automatically be challenged by a staff member and escorted back to reception.

Once signed in visitors and supply teachers will be asked to read our ‘Visitor Guidance’ Leaflet. Once completed please let reception know of any queries you have.

Visitors should wait in the reception area until they are met by the appropriate staff member to be escorted to their destination. Supply staff will receive a safeguarding induction before commencing work. On departing the school, visitors and supply staff should leave via reception, sign out of the building, return their visitor badge and be seen to leave the premises.

Whist we recognise personal communication through mobile technologies is an accepted part of everyday life, we acknowledge that we have a duty to ensure that mobile phones/tablets/laptops are used responsibly. We ask parents and all visitors not to use their phones on school premises for the making or receiving of phone calls or taking of photographs.  Please Switch off you mobile phone/device and store it in your bag. No photographs, videos or sound recordings may be taken of students or staff without express written permission of the Headteacher. No personal equipment maybe used to take photographs, videos or sound recordings of students or staff at any time. In the event you do need to use your mobile phone or camera enabled device, please do so in an area that is not accessed by the children, this includes corridors. Such places could be in one of the offices or in the staff room.

If you require WiFi access for your work purposes during school hours please let the member of staff arranging you visit know and a temporary code will be issued to you.

If you are in school all day there is a facility for you to purchase lunch please let the member of staff arranging you visit know if you would like to use this facility.

We are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for students, staff and visitors as well as promoting a culture of vigilance where children and adults will feel confident about sharing any concerns that they may have about their own safety or the wellbeing of others. This commitment is expected and shared by everyone in the school community. The school will always act in the best interest of the child.  This Safeguarding Policy and Procedure is one element in our whole-School  arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in line with our statutory duties set out at s175 of the Education Act 2002 and s11 of Children Act 2004. All School staff recognise that safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility, irrespective of other daily duties and have a duty of care. Adults and students in our school take all welfare concerns seriously and encourage children to talk. A ‘telling school’ culture is promoted. We ask you to support our whole school safeguarding approach.

If you have a concern about a child please pass this on to a member of staff, who will then follow our safeguarding procedures. If they are not available, please speak with one of our Designated Safeguarding Officers Mrs O’Donovan, Ms Westlake, Mr Bennett, Ms Forde, Mr Todd or Mrs Levenson.

If you have concerns regarding any adult in school please inform Ms Boyle, Headteacher in her  absence inform Mrs Thompson, or Mr Todd, Deputy Headteachers or  Mrs O’Donovan; Safeguarding Lead immediately

Always share concerns with school staff, no matter how small they may appear, do not keep them to yourself.

When observing/working with young people

- Never touch them in a way that maybe considered inappropriate.

- Be aware of any changes in a young person – character, mood, behaviour, attendance etc.

- Be observant of any unusual physical injuries a young person may have.

- If the young person discloses a concern that alerts you talk to them in a comfortable environment.

- Never offer confidentiality when talking with a young person.

- Allow the young person to speak freely.  If necessary inform them that you may need to make notes of what is said.

- Do not ask leading questions – this could make it impossible to pursue a case later.

- Do not make inferences or interpretations of what has been said, quote verbatim only. 

- Always pass your concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Staff as soon as possible. 

- It is better to be cautious than ignore signals.

If you feel that a child may be at risk of harm but are not sure, then inform one of the Safeguarding team immediately. They will offer advice and take appropriate action. Child abuse can happen to any child regardless of elements such as gender, culture, religion, social background ability or disability.

In the event of a fire evacuate immediately via the nearest exit with students in silence, shutting all doors as you leave and go to the main stairs on the top playground. Designated Fire Marshalls will sweep the building and ensure everyone has  evacuated and is accounted for and report to   Headteacher/ Deputy Headteacher. Do NOT re-enter the building until authorised by the Headteacher  

Lockdown If there is a threat to student and staff safety in the local area the school’s Lockdown guidance will be triggered: If due to an external incident, students are to remain in school or return to class. Full Lockdown; if the school is the target, students to be kept safe in a secure environment with possible evacuation. Follow staff instructions, quickly and silently move to the furthest area of the room, away from visibility of doors and windows. Turn all electronic devices off and remain calm. Do not leave the room (even for the fire alarm) until the Headteacher or Senior Staff have given the all clear.

If you have any concerns or are unhappy about anything during your visit to the school please the Headteacher or a Deputy Headteacher. If you are unable to access the Headteacher or a Deputy Headteacher, please speak to reception who will try to deal with your request.

Please familiarise yourself with Bishop Thomas Grant School’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy. We hope that you enjoy your visit to our school and we thank you for your co-operation.

Staff Procedures for Visitors to the School

Staff planning for a visitor to attend Bishop Thomas Grant School must comply with the following information:

• The Headteacher must be aware of and have given consent for the planned visit or online event
• Once authorisation is given, members of staff who arrange for external agencies or visitors in school or online must complete the Application Form for School Visitors to School or Online and hand it to the Safeguarding Team to receive authorisation for the visitor to attend in advance.
• The member of staff responsible for the visitor must direct them to the Visitors Information page on the website. A copy of this form must be handed to Reception to alert the Reception staff in advance of the visit.
• All visitors must report to Reception to sign in and receive a Visitor’s Badge. This badge must be worn at all times while on the premises. It is to be surrendered when the visitor signs out. This badge must contain Safeguarding Summary sheets inside and Reception will alert visitors to this.
• Any visitor that will have access to students directly must have an up-to-date Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and photographic identity to show at Reception before receiving a visitor’s badge.
• If Reception staff cannot authorise and validate a visitor’s badge then the Designated Safeguarding Lead, or the Deputy School Business Manager must be informed immediately. Visitors must remain at Reception until validation is accepted or refused.
• Visitors who do not need to be DBS-checked but who may offer their identity records/cards are:

        - HMI and Ofsted Inspectors

        - Members of the Metropolitan Police

        - Local Authority Visitors

        - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) representatives

        - NHS Staff

• Members of staff who invite visitors must ensure that the visitors are aware of and abide by the School’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedure and be willing to comply with it in the case of disclosure from a child. Visitors must also be aware of the names of the Safeguarding Team should they need to refer any concerns. They must read the Summary Safeguarding included in their identity badge.
• If a visitor does not meet all DBS requirements but has a ISA Barred List Check and photographic identity they must be under staff supervision at all times until they are escorted back to Reception.
• Visitors must observe confidentiality at all times.
• Please see résumé of practices and procedures in the leaflet, which is distributed within the visitor badge.
• Visitors i.e. contractors who may not have a DBS will be escorted at all times around the school unless in restricted area that is not accessible to children.