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Policy Part 1

It is the policy of Newbridge Preparatory School (hereafter referred to as “the School”) to comply with the terms of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and subsequent legislation to provide and maintain a healthy and safe working environment. The school’s health and safety objective is to minimise the number of occupational accidents and illnesses and ultimately achieve an accident-free workplace.

All employees will be provided with the necessary equipment, information, training and supervision to implement the policy and achieve the above-stated objective.

The school recognises and accepts the duty to protect the health and safety of all visitors to its premises, including contractors, temporary workers, and any members of the public who might be affected by our operations.

While management will do all that is within its powers to ensure the health and safety of its staff and others, it is recognised that health and safety at work is the responsibility of every individual associated with the school.

Each employee must take reasonable care of their own and other people’s welfare and report any situation that may threaten the well-being of any other person.

Management will provide every employee with the training necessary to carry out their tasks safely. However, suppose an employee is unsure how to perform a particular function or feels it would be dangerous to perform a specific job. In that case, they must report this to their supervisor or the person responsible for health and safety. An effective health and safety programme requires continuous communication between workers at all levels. It is, therefore, every worker’s responsibility to report immediately any situation which could jeopardise his or her well-being or that of any other person.

The school will make available such finances and resources as reasonably necessary to implement this policy.

All injuries, however small, sustained by a person at work must be reported to the Headmistress. Accident records are crucial to the effective monitoring and revision of the policy and must, therefore, be accurate and comprehensive.

The school recognises the civil and moral need to ensure that all employees adhere to this Policy and will be prepared to invoke the disciplinary procedure in case of any deliberate disregard for this Policy.

This Policy will be continually monitored and updated, particularly when changes in the scale and nature of our operations occur. The Policy will be updated at least every 12 months.

Signed:

G.Birkett

Mr G. Birkett

Chairperson of Health and Safety Committee
Dated: 30/06/2025

Reviewed 23/06/2025 SLT (no changes)
Reviewed 24/07/2025 NBB

Part 2: Organisation

This part of the Policy deals with the organisation, planning, implementation, operational monitoring, and management review of the Policy. It also covers the development of general policy and how we train our employees (and others) to carry out our activities. An organogram has been prepared to assist in understanding the health and safety structure within the School, which is shown at the end of this section.

1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS ("THE BOARD")

The Board has overall collective responsibility for health and safety within the school. It is responsible for ensuring that health and safety issues are considered and addressed and that the Policy is implemented throughout the School. They will also make adequate resources available, so far as is reasonably practicable, to enable legal obligations regarding health and safety to be met. This will include providing sufficient training opportunities to staff to ensure they can work safely. Where appropriate, advice from a Competent Person, John Watson of Watson & Watson Safety, is appointed annually to advise the School and tasks will be delegated to suitable employees to assist the Board in carrying out its duties. The Board will hold the Headmistress accountable regarding the requirements in this policy.

2. HEADMISTRESS

The Headmistress will be responsible for controlling health and safety within the school. This will ensure sufficient resources are deployed to meet health and safety requirements. The Headmistress will ensure that health and safety training is deployed as required. They will ensure that accidents are suitably and appropriately investigated and recorded. They will assist the Board in directing the overall management and development of the Policy, defining the aims of the Policy and communicating the responsibilities associated with the management of health and safety within the School. The Headmistress will also report to the Board on health and safety performance on a termly basis and will assist the Board in implementing changes in the Policy, which the Board have approved. The Headmistress will be responsible for the implementation of an Emergency Plan.

3. THE SITE MANAGER

The Site Manager will have delegated by the Headmistress the day-to-day management responsibility for ensuring that, so far as is reasonably practicable, arrangements are in place for:

  • Safety and security
  • Completion and review Risk Assessments of areas of responsibility
  • Fire safety
  • Electrical safety
  • Gas safety
  • Water quality
  • Asbestos
  • Emergencies
  • Staff induction and training for Health and Safety and other related to role
  • The appointment of competent contractors
  • advising the Headmistress on maintenance requirements;
  • co-ordinating advice from specialist safety advisors and producing associated action plans;
  • monitoring health and safety within the School and raising concerns with the Headmistress;
  • compliance with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations;
  • Building security.
  • Prevention of unsupervised access by pupils to potentially dangerous areas (in co-operation with others as appropriate).
  • Registration and control of visitors and management of contractors.
  • Site traffic movements.
  • Maintenance of School vehicles- tractor.
  • Testing arrangements, maintenance and records, including fire, electrical, gas, equipment, water quality, asbestos.
  • Good standards of housekeeping, including drains, gutters etc.
  • Control of hazardous substances for grounds maintenance activities
  • Appropriate pest control measures to be in place.

4. TEACHING STAFF AND KEY PERSONNEL

The Teaching staff and Key Personnel will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of those affected by activities under their control. They are responsible for maintaining up to date risk assessments for areas under their control. Specific risk assessment requirements are:

  • Science (including harmful substances and flammable materials) – Science Lead
  • Sports activities – PE Lead
  • Drama – Drama Lead
  • Art (including harmful substances and flammable materials) – Art Lead
  • Music – Director of Music
  • Design & Technology – Art and DT Lead
  • Outdoor lessons – Individual Teachers / Key Practitioners
  • Trips and visits – Staff Leading the trip or visit
  • Catering and cleaning functions – Cook

They will also be responsible for identifying training that is relevant to their area of control.

 

5. EXTERNAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISORS

The Site Manager will arrange as appropriate for external consultants to advise on matters of health and safety within the School. Such provision may include:

  • Structural surveyors are retained to give advice on the external fabric of the school as required.
  • Engineers monitor and service the school’s plant, equipment, including boilers, lifts and hoists annually.
  • Gym and fitness equipment.
    The school’s adherence to health and safety in catering and cleaning is subject to external inspection by the Environmental Health Department. In addition, Cook arranges: the professional deep cleaning of all equipment, high-level cleaning of all cooking, food preparation and storage surfaces areas annually
  • The school has a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, which is reviewed annually for items in the action plan and updated every year or when significant changes are made to the interior of buildings or new buildings are bought or added.
  • In addition to the weekly fire alarm tests, a qualified contractor tests the alarm system, together with all smoke detectors, emergency lighting, and extinguishers, annually.
  • An external health and safety consultant reports annually on the arrangements for health and safety in all areas, public spaces, sports and outdoor facilities.
  • The school has a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for legionella
  • The school maintains an asbestos register, and the Site Manager is responsible for ensuring that it is kept up-to-date and for any sampling or removal before major works take place. They are also responsible for the maintenance of an asbestos management plan. He is also responsible for ensuring contractors are fully briefed on areas of asbestos before starting work.
  • The school has current electrical test certificates for all its buildings. It uses NICEIC-qualified electrical engineers to inspect and maintain its electrical installations
  • All work on gas boilers and appliances is carried out by registered Gas Safe engineers. A competent Principal Designer, Principal Contractor / Contractor is appointed in order to ensure compliance with the Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2015 whenever construction work is undertaken.

 

6. THE FIRST AID AND MEDICATION COORDINATOR / H&S ADMIN

The First Aid and Medication Coordinator will be responsible for:

  • Maintaining an accident book and reporting notifiable accidents to the Health & Safety Executive.
  • Keeping statistics and preparing summary reports for the School Health and Safety Committee.
  • Checking that all first aid boxes and eye wash stations are replenished.
  • Ensuring all medication and Medpacs are appropriately stored and supplied by parents
  • Investigating accidents and incidents and recording the same
  • Co-ordinating and implementing of H&S training and associated record keeping
  • Agreeing Contracts and IHC plans or medication, including auto-adrenaline pens
  • Maintaining First Aid Records
  • Maintaining Medical Records
  • Maintaining Accident Records

7. SCHOOL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE

The Committee will meet at least once a term and be chaired by the Headmistress. The Director responsible for overseeing health and safety will attend these meetings. The other members of the Committee will be:

  • Health and Safety Admin, who also acts as secretary
  • The site manager
  • The Competent Person
  • The H&S Director

The role of the Committee is to:

  • discuss matters concerning health and safety, including any changes to regulations.
  • monitor the effectiveness of health and safety within the school.
  • review accidents and near misses and discuss preventative measures;
  • review and update risk assessments.
  • discuss training requirements.
  • monitor the implementation of professional advice.
  • review the safety policy guidance and update it;
  • assist in the development of safety rules and safe systems of work.
  • monitor communication and publicity relating to health and safety in the workplace.
  • encourage suggestions and reporting of defects by all members of staff.

8. STAFF

  • follow the Policy.
  • Take reasonable care for their health and safety and that of others affected.
  • follow requirements imposed on the school or any other person under health and safety law and cooperate fully to enable the duties upon them to be performed.
  • Carry out all reasonable instructions given by managers / senior staff.
  • make properly use anything provided for their health and safety, such as protective equipment. Reckless or intentional interference with such equipment will potentially be regarded as a dismissible offence.
  • comply with any reasonable request made by any of the persons named above in relation to the fulfilment of their duties.

The cooperation of all staff is essential to the success of the Policy, and the school requests that staff should notify their Head of Department / School Safety Co-ordinator of any hazards to health and safety which they notice and of any suggestion they wish to make regarding health and safety. Staff are required to:-

16/09/2019 – SAF/GM/
19/10/2021 – SAF
20/09/2022 – Reviewed roles SAF
02/11/2023 – Reviewed
24/08/2024 – Updated for change of competent person (Watson & Watson)
09/06/2025 – Reviewed
24/07/2025 – Reviewed NBB