Rydal Penrhos School's Missing Pupil policy.
Introduction
The safety of our pupils is our paramount concern. Every adult who works at the school appreciates that he or she has a key responsibility for helping to keep pupils safe at all times.
In practice, all members of staff contribute to the safety of pupils at the School by providing appropriate supervision in accordance with the directions of the Principal, Head and Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Schools are under a general duty to supervise pupils to the standard of a prudent, careful parent.
Any member of staff who notices a pupil is missing, or sees a pupil in a place where the pupil should not be, has a duty to inform a member of SLT without delay. All new staff will receive induction into the importance of effective registration and supervision of pupils.
Policy Objectives
The procedures identified in this policy are to ensure:
• that pupils are kept safely on the school premises during school hours. • that pupils who leave school during the day only do so with the appropriate permissions and knowledge of appropriate staff • that the building, grounds and play areas are safe and secure during school hours • that teachers and staff keep pupils under appropriate supervision at all times. • that if a pupil ‘goes missing’, he/she is located quickly and returned safely to the school buildings.
Definition of ‘Missing’
A missing pupil during the normal school day may be defined as: ‘a pupil who has registered at either the morning or afternoon registrations slot, but fails to go to a class or a timetabled activity, and whose whereabouts cannot be accounted for.’
Registration of Pupils: Principles and procedures
• Staff recognise that effective registration procedures play a vital role in keeping pupils safe from potential harm
• All pupils are registered before school begins in the morning, at 8.30am, and for each lesson during the day (including after school clubs and activities for which they are signed up). • The registers are checked by the School receptionists just after each registration session. • If a pupil is absent from school for the first registration period, without notification from their parent or guardian via telephone call, email or letter, their parent/guardian will be contacted by 9.30am to ascertain why the pupil is not in school. Action will be taken by a member of the SLT if there is no explanation for the pupil’s absence. • If a teacher cannot account for a pupil’s absence at any time during the day they should alert the School’s receptionist, who will explore other places where the pupil could be. If the pupil is not found to be in a different location (within school premises or with a school activity group?), a member of SLT will be alerted immediately that a pupil is ‘missing’, and they will decide which course of action needs to be taken. • Staff covering a colleague’s absence must register the class in the usual manner.
General ‘routine checks’
A number of routine checks should be made before declaring a pupil ‘missing’.
These include:
• check with Reception that a pupil has not signed out for an appointment
• checking with Reception /emails for medical appointments etc. • asking pupils/peers if they know the whereabouts of the pupil - with suggestions being followed up • referring to music/speech and drama rotas • checking emails from colleagues who are undertaking school trips/fixtures during school time
If the pupil cannot be accounted for then a member of SLT will decide upon the next course of action.
Missing Pupils (procedures during the school day)
A pupil who has been registered as present at school but who is absent from a lesson is deemed to be a missing pupil. Every class teacher takes a register of pupils using the school information management system, iSAMS. Following the reporting of a missing pupil to Reception, the following procedures should be followed:
1. Reception checks that the pupil is not signed out, in the Health Centre or due to have a peripatetic lesson (e.g. Music or Speech and Drama).
2. Reception should let a member of the SLT (the Deputy Head: Pupils Progress & Welfare or Head of Pastoral Care - Senior School. or Deputy Head or Head of Prep - Prep School) know as soon as possible that there is a missing pupil.
3. The senior member of staff will then contact teachers and pupils who have taught or been with the missing pupil prior to their disappearance, to ascertain at what point in the day the pupil went missing.
4. If not found, a fire drill roll call will be considered, to check the site.
5. If this initial investigation fails to reveal the whereabouts of the missing pupil the Deputy Head: Pupils Progress & Welfare or Head of Pastoral Care (Seior School) or Deputy Head or Head of Prep (Prep School) will contact the parents/guardian and the Police. This would happen no later than forty five minutes after the reported time of disappearance. At the same time all teaching and support staff will be alerted by email or telephone to look out for the missing pupil. The School will then act in accordance with Police advice.
6. Once a missing pupil has been located this will be communicated to all teaching and support staff by email or telephone.
Please note that this procedure is to be followed in the case of any child, including visiting pupils, going missing.
Missing Pupils (procedure boarders)
There are many points in the day when boarders are registered; breakfast, supper evening and weekend roll calls/check-ins. A boarder who is absent from a roll call/check-in is deemed to be a missing pupil. Following the reporting of a missing pupil to the member of staff on duty in the House, the following procedures should be followed:
1. House staff checks that the pupil is not within the boarding house having not signed in, signed out, in the Health Centre or involved in a school based activity.
2. House staff should inform the Housemaster/Housemistress and let the Head of Pastoral Care know as soon as possible that there is a missing pupil.
3. The Deputy Head or Head of Pastoral Care will then contact teachers and pupils who may have been with the missing pupil prior to their disappearance to ascertain at what point in the day the pupil went missing.
4. If this initial investigation fails to reveal the whereabouts of the missing pupil the Deputy Head or Head of Pastoral Care will contact the parent/guardian and the Police. This would happen no later than forty five minutes after the reported time of disappearance.
The School will then act in accordance with Police advice.
This policy is subject to review on a biennial basis; however, it may require earlier revision in the light of any regulatory change which comes into force in the interim.