Scoil Lorcáin Risk Assessment
A. – Staff
B. -School Premises
C. -Use of School premises by other groups
D. -Visitors/Guests
E. –Volunteers
A -Risk to the child from a member of staff
-Harm not recognised or reported promptly.
B. -Unauthorised removal of a child from the school.
-Unauthorised access to a child in the school
-Access to the school by unwanted personnel
C. -Risk of harm to the child by a member of an outside organisation
D -Risk of harm from an authorised visitor to the school
E. -Risk of harm from a volunteer
A -Child Safeguarding statement and DES Procedures are available to all staff.
-School personnel are required to adhere to the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and
Post-Primary Schools 2017 and all registered teaching staff are required to adhere to the Children
First Act 2015.
-Principal and Deputy Principal have received training in child Protection Procedures.
-All staff to view TUSLA training module and any other online training offered by the PDST.
-All staff members are provided with a copy of the school’s Child Protection Policy.
-The BOM ensures that the correct recruitment and induction procedures are followed when
recruiting staff for the school.
-All Staff are required to be vetted and submit vetting disclosures to the BOM before beginning
work in the school.
-Staff are to be kept up to date with best policy and practice in relation to Child Protection
-Child Protection is put on the agenda for all staff and BOM meetings.
-An annual review of the schools Child Protection and Anti Bullying Policies is undertaken
by the BOM.
B -All exit doors to the school are locked. Only authorised persons may gain access to the school.
-Staff and children only are allowed beyond the foyer of the school. Security cameras are in
place in the main corridors and on the perimeter of the school.
-Parents/authorised persons must report to school office if they are collecting pupils early
from school.
C -Members of other organisations e.g. theatre groups, dancing classes etc. must provide the
school authority with a vetting disclosure if they are working directly with children.
-Other children who are on the premises after school hours remain under the supervision
of the school staff.
D -Visitors are required to sign the visitor’s book on arrival at the school. They are required
to wear a ‘visitors badge’ and are clearly identifiable when moving around the school.
E -Policy and Procedures in place.
-Volunteers working regularly in the school are required to provide the school with a vetting
disclosure.
-Volunteers always work under the supervision of a teacher.
-They never work with a child outside the view of the teacher.
-The teacher must remain with the class at all times.
F. -Students on work experience
G. -Contractors working in the school
H. -Sports Coaches
I. -Pupils
F -Policy and Procedures in place.
-When organising work experience placements the school will ensure that it receives
Vetting
G -Contractors working in the school are required to sign in on arrival at the school. They are required
to wear a ‘visitors badge’ and are clearly identifiable when moving around the school.
-The identity of contractors and their staff is checked on the arrival in the school.
-Contractors will be required to provide a vetting disclosure if working regularly on the premises
during school hours.
-Access to pupils is restricted.
-If, in the case of an emergency or in exceptional circumstances a contractor needs to work in a
classroom or where children are present, the teacher will remove the children if necessary, or
ensure they are closely supervised.
H -Procedures in place for sports coaches in the school.
-Coaches are required to provide the school with a vetting disclosure.
I -The school has a Data Protection Policy in place.
-Records containing sensitive information are stored safely and securely in line with the school’s
Data Protection Policy.
-An Attendance Strategy for the school has been formulated and submitted to TUSLA.
-Attendance records on Aladdin are password protected.
-Each class teacher has strategies for dealing with absenteeism and inappropriate behaviour.
-There is an effective Anti-Bullying Policy in place in the school.
-The school strives to maintain an environment where children feel confident to approach a
staff member if they have a problem.
-There is a Safety, Health and Welfare at Work policy in place in the school.
-Staff are vigilant with regard to the welfare issues of the child i.e. identification of families who are in
need of support.
-The school nurse is contacted with regard to Welfare issues where necessary.
-The school has a healthy lunch policy in place.
-Children who are not collected wait in the foyer until a parent or authorised person comes to
collect them.
-Care Orders and Protection Orders issues by the courts are stored in the Principals Office.
-The children are identified by means of a ‘red flag’ which is in a covert area in the general office.
-These names are strictly confidential and only known to relevant staff members.
-There is a supervision policy in place in the school.
-Teachers supervise all areas of the playground. There are designated areas for the class levels to
separate the different age groups.
-The school’s Code of Behaviour outlines the strategies for promoting positive behaviour and the
children are reminded of these during school assemblies and SPHE lessons.
J – The children are encouraged to work co-operatively and to support one another in school activities
⦁ There is an effective Anti-Bullying Policy in the school.
⦁ Workshops on bullying are organised for the senior classes.
⦁ Teachers on duty monitor the interactions of the children.
⦁ Issues arising are dealt with under the school’s Code of Behaviour and recurring issues
are recorded on the Behaviour Report Sheets.
K – The school has an Internet Acceptable Use Policy.
⦁ Access to online content on the internet is restricted in accordance with our Acceptable Use
Policy on internet use through its agency-The National Centre for Technology in Education
⦁ A filtering system has been applied and is a safety precaution for children when using the
internet.
⦁ Internet sessions are supervised by a teacher and are used for educational purposes only
⦁ The children are not allowed use chatrooms.
⦁ The senior classes take part in workshops on Internet Safety organised by trained personnel.
L – Glass panels in the doors of the Learning Support rooms or doors open.
⦁ Table between teacher and pupil.
⦁ A policy on Intimate Care is in place in the school.
⦁ Special needs Assistants always work in two’s when looking after the toileting needs of a young
child or the intimate care needs of an older child with special needs.
⦁ Parents are involved in planning for toileting and intimate care needs.
M – Swimming Policy in place.
N – The same Code of Behaviour applies when the children are in class at lunchtimes on wet days.
⦁ The school has a licence from MPLC to show suitable DVD’s at lunchtimes.
⦁ U-rated DVD’s may be shown in the school in all classes.
⦁ PG rated DVD’s may be shown in 5th and 6th classes with the consent of the parents.
⦁ Children also have access to board games and books at lunchtime.
O – Children may not bring in mobile phones unless in exceptional circumstances and with the express
agreement of the Principal or Deputy Principal in his absence.
⦁ Mobile phone will be kept in Secretary’s office until home time
It is noted in this risk assessment that parents taking photos or videos for purely personal, family,
⦁ household or recreational purposes does not come within the Schools Data Protection Policy.
⦁ Parental permission is obtained before the school publishes photographs in the newspapers etc.
⦁ Personal details or full names of children are not included with photos or videos of children on the school website.
⦁ Explicit consent(signature) must be obtained from the parents/guardians.
⦁ The school adheres to the ‘best practice’ guidelines as outlined by the INTO and which are in compliance with the Data Protection Act.
⦁ Photographers are not allowed to have unsupervised access to the children.
In undertaking this risk assessment, the board of management has endeavoured to identify as far as possible the risks of harm that are relevant to this school and to ensure that adequate procedures are in place to manage all risks identified. While it is not possible to foresee and remove all risk of harm, the school has in place the procedures listed in this risk assessment to manage and reduce risk to the greatest possible extent.
This risk assessment has been completed by the Board of Management on 27/02/19
It shall be reviewed as part of the school’s annual review of its Child Safeguarding Statement.
