Policies

Health & Safety

RATIONALE:
The Waikato Anglican School Trust is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all workers, students, visitors and contractors by complying with relevant health and safety legislation, regulations, New Zealand standards, and approved codes of practice.

PURPOSE:
To ensure the safety of staff, students, visitors and contractors.

GUIDELINES:
The Waikato Anglican School Trust is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for all workers, students, and other people in the workplace. We will achieve this through:

• making health and safety a key part of our role
• working with our workers to improve the health and safety system at our school
• doing everything reasonably possible to remove or reduce the risk of injury or illness
• making sure all incidents, injuries and near misses are recorded in the appropriate place
• investigating incidents, near misses and reducing the likelihood of them happening again
• having emergency plans and procedures in place
• training about hazards and risks so everyone can work safely
• providing appropriate induction, training and supervision for all new and existing workers
• helping workers who were injured or ill return to work safely
• making sure contractors and sub-contractors working at the school operate in a safe manner.
• continually evaluating, reviewing and updating our compliance in regard to the health and safety programme and this policy.

All workers are encouraged to play a vital and responsible role in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace through:

• being involved in improving health and safety systems at work
• following all instructions, rules, procedures and safe ways of working
• reporting any pain or discomfort as soon as possible
• reporting all injuries, incidents and near misses
• helping new workers, staff members, trainees and visitors to the workplace understand the safety procedures and why they exist
• reporting any health and safety concerns or issues through the reporting system
• keeping the work place tidy to minimise the risk of any trips and falls
• wearing protective clothing and equipment as and when required to minimise your exposure to workplace hazards.

All others in the workplace including students and visitors are encouraged to:

• follow all instructions, rules and procedures while in the school grounds
• report all injuries, incidents and near misses to their teacher or other staff members
• wear protective clothing and equipment as and when required to minimise your exposure to hazards while learning

Where applicable, students are provided with basic health and safety rules, information and training and are encouraged to engage in positive health and safety practices.

Safe School

RATIONALE:
The Waikato Anglican College Trust is committed to ensuring that students and staff members feel safe at school. The school has a zero tolerance to personal physical violence, personal verbal violence, violence against self, and violence against property.

PURPOSE:
To ensure that the school is free from violence and threats of violence in all its forms.

GUIDELINES:
In this document the word ‘violence’ refers to any of the four categories listed above. To achieve this:

1. Students and staff members will be taught how to recognise violence in all its forms and the effect it has on others.
2. That students will be taught and have the opportunity to participate in activities in life‐skills and health programs, which provide opportunities for exploring non‐violent means to resolve conflict and achieve goals.
3. Staff members model non‐violent methods of handling conflict and achieving their goals of effective student learning in well‐managed classes.
4. As a sign of our ongoing commitment to monitoring and improving the safety and wellbeing of students (and staff) we undertake a range of surveys throughout the year (i.e. Student Wellbeing Survey, Staff Wellbeing Survey, and as part of the Headmaster Performance Review).
5. The wellbeing programs at Years 9 and 10 and the extra studies programs at Year 11, 12 and 13 include opportunities for participating in activities which provide opportunities for exploring non‐violent methods of handling conflict and achieving personal goals.
6. The school’s disciplinary system will treat instances of violence very seriously.
7. The school’s policy for a violence free school will be publicised to students and the community.

Smoke Free Environment

RATIONALE: St Paul’s Collegiate School is committed to providing and promoting a smokefree environment. The Smoke‐free Environment Amendments Act (2003) requires school buildings and grounds to be smokefree. This legislation applies to all students, staff and visitors to the school.

PURPOSE: This policy allows us to comply with smokefree legislation, and promote a smokefree lifestyle to all members of the school community.

PROCEDURES:

• Smokefree signs are displayed across the school and anyone smoking on school property is asked to stop.
• Ashtrays or smoking areas are not provided.
• Students are educated through the curriculum about the harmful effects of smoking and exposure to second‐hand smoke.
• Our smokefree policy is communicated to the school community via our website and other means.
• Parents, and prospective employees are informed of our school’s smokefree policy.
• People hiring or using our school facilities are made aware of our smokefree policy. They are informed that it applies 24-hours a day, seven days a week and that there are no exemptions.
• All school activities outside of our school’s premises are smokefree, e.g. EOTC activities and sporting events. Parent helpers and volunteers are advised that they must not smoke while looking after students.
• Current employees are regularly reminded of the policy.

BREACHES OF THE SMOKEFREE POLICY:
Students found smoking in or around school are to be referred to the Associate Headmaster. Please refer to Student Smoking, Drug and Alcohol Policy for more information. Adults smoking in or around school environment will be reminded that the school is smokefree by law and asked to stop smoking or leave the premises. Employment relationship issues arising from smoking in the workplace are dealt with via staff disciplinary processes and this is covered by the Employment Relations Act.

COMPLAINTS:
All complaints involving smoking are referred to the Associate Headmaster / Headmaster/ Business Manager. Investigations take place within 20 working days of the complaint or incident and follow the procedures laid down in the Smoke‐free Environments Act 1990.

Complaints Policy

RATIONALE:
St Paul’s Collegiate School seeks to promote the safety and health of those within the school. The school is committed to ensuring that complaints are dealt with appropriately, speedily, confidentially and fairly, regardless of their sources and or the parties involved.

OBJECTIVE:
To ensure the safety and health of those within the school by ensuring a complaints process is in place and adhered to.

PROCEDURES:

• All complaints will be addressed under the St Paul’s Collegiate School Complaints Procedure. The complaint and the respondent have the right to confidentially and respect and to have a support person present at any stage of the process.
• Persons are encouraged to firstly discuss the issue with the teacher or an appropriate staff member. Verbal complaints will be investigated and recorded as circumstances require. Persons may request that there be a written record.
• Where the issue is not resolved, the complaint is to be put in writing, and will be addressed through the Complaints Procedure. All written complaints received are recorded in writing. A copy goes to the respondent and complainant. Outcomes will be reported back to the complainant and the respondent.
• Serious, and unresolved complaints, are referred to the Headmaster and the Board of Trustees. Persons may also refer the complaint directly to any statutory authority.