Teaching Assistant Level 3 Free Essays

Assignment 2 Teaching Assistant Tracey Parkes Student Number TRA851PA Question 1 List ten important safety points for establishing a healthy, safe and secure environment. One. The individual needs, age and abilities of the children and young people. We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching Assistant Level 3 or any similar topic only for you Order Now You should take any specific needs of pupils into account when setting up the environment-for example the age, abilities and needs of the children with whom you are working. You should in particular take note of any pupils who have special educational needs (SEN). Furniture should be an appropriate size for the age of the children, so that they are able to sit comfortably when working. Children should not be hunched over tables which are to small or have difficulty in sitting normally. Also all materials must be age appropriate for their level of development of all pupils, for example for young children, small objects are potentially a choking hazard. Two. The duty of care. As we have a duty of care towards pupils, we should ensure that they are comfortable and safe and that the environment is secure and conductive to learning. Equipment should be stored safely so that it does not present a hazard. Drawers and storage should be clearly marked so that it is clear where different equipment is kept and pupils are able to find it easier. Three. Outdoor spaces. Outdoor areas to be used by children should be secure and boundaries regularly inspected to ensure that they are safe. Outside areas should also be checked regularly to ensure that they are tidy and any litter, broken glass, or animal mess has been cleaned up. If you are responsible for putting out equipment make sure that the children are aware of how it is to be used. Reinforce rules wherever possible to remind them how to behave. Any equipment should always be appropriate to the space available and should be put away safely. Plants can also be dangerous-thorns or nettles should be kept back and any poisonous plants noted and/or removed. Four. Safety equipment. Staff will need to ensure that safety equipment which is provided for use when carrying out activities is always used. This will include safe use of tools which are used for subjects such as design and technology, or gloves or goggles when handling materials in science activities. All pupils must listen carefully and follow instructions on the use of equipment and materials during all activities. Five. Specific risks to individuals. You should take any specific risks to individuals into account. These may include pregnancy, sensory, impairment or other needs which will impact on the way in which you plan the environment or carry out activities. Pupils should always be advised never to put any objects into their mouths during learning activities unless otherwise instructed to do so by the adult in charge. When doing cooking or tasting activities pupils would be given permission to sample the food. Six. Review and revise your health, safety and security procedure in line with changing circumstances and requirements and to make improvements. Seven. Make sure children and adults in the setting are following health, safety and security procedures, providing them with health and support when necessary. Pupils should not come in to contact (touch) electrical equipment when they have wet hands. Eight. Encourage children to help manage risk for themselves. All pupils should be taught how to use, arrange and store P. E. pparatus in the correct way and safely as appropriate to their age and level of development. All accidents which may occur should always be reported either to the teacher or teaching assistant as soon as possible to ensure their own safety and the safety of others. Nine. Promoting healthy behaviours. Students who are physically healthy are better learners. Promote good health i n your classroom by explaining to your students the importance of good nutrition and exercise. Wherever possible get your students out of their seats and moving during lessons, model a healthy lifestyle by staying fit and eating a healthy diet. Encourage your students to get plenty of rest, and communicate with parents how a healthy lifestyle can enhance academic achievement. Ten. Highlight violence prevention programmes and curriculum currently being taught in school. Emphasize the efforts of the school to teach students alternatives to violence including peaceful conflict resolution and positive interpersonal relationship skills. Cite specific examples such as second step violence prevention, bully proofing, or other positive interventions and behavioural support. Question 2. What are the procedures for checking toilet and wash areas. Toilets should be clean and in good repair, well ventilated and monitored regularly. Toilets should be cleaned at least twice a day, including between peak periods of use. There should be provision for extra cleaning if necessary, (e. g. by premises manage) and responsibility for this should be on the relevant persons job description. Any emergency maintenance should be carried out promptly to minimise disruption to the service. Toilets should remain open throughout the school day, any closures should be temporary for cleaning purposes. There should always be a set of toilets open to pupils of both sexes. All toilet areas should have hand washing facilities including warm and cold running water, soap and towels. Toilet paper, soap and towels should be restocked throughout the day. Liquid soap unlike bar soap, is less likely to become contaminated, ideally liquid soap should be wall mounted and disposable cartridges are considered to be the â€Å"gold standard† liquid soap that is simply â€Å"topped up† can become contaminated. Ideally recycled paper towels should be used for hand drying. However electrical hand dryers reduce washroom litter and reduce the risk of washbasin/toilet blockages. Dryers should be the high efficiency, high velocity hand dryer type. If roller towels are used, they should be regularly maintained, changed and cleaned. Drinking water supplies and facilities must not be located in toilet areas. There could be a daily, monthly or termly checklist in place: Daily checklist. General toilet area is clean and tidy. Toilets are flushed and clean. Toilet seats are not cracked or broken. Toilet seats are securely fixed on each toilet. Toilet lids are securely fixed on each toilet. Toilet chains/handles are intact. Urinals are clean and free of litter. Washbasins are clean and free of litter. Mirrors are clean. Floors are clean, dry and free of litter. Walls and tiles are clean. Ceilings are clean. Hand dryers are clean, and clean underneath. Locks work on all cubicle doors. Toilet paper dispensers are firmly fixed to the walls. Sufficient toilet paper in each cubicle. If used, sufficient soap is available in each dispenser. If used there are sufficient bars of soap at each sink. If used mechanical hand dryers work properly. If used there is a sufficient supply of paper towels in each dispenser. Bins are not over full. Sanitary bins are not over full or odorous. Sufficient supplies in sanitary vending machines. Any graffiti as been reported for removal. Any damage as been reported for repair. Sufficient plastic, disposable bags are available in disabled toilets. Monthly checklist. Toilets and washrooms are free of peeling paint and flaking plaster. Toilets flush easily. Toilets are in good order. Urinals are in good order. There are no leaks from toilets, urinals or pipe work. Toilet areas are heated sufficiently. Toilets and washrooms are well lit. Lights are working properly and clean. Windows are clean and free of damage. Fittings and pipes are clean. Walls, tiles, grouting and ceiling are free of mould and mildew. Air vents are clean. There are no leaks from wash basins or pipes. Hand washing posters are displayed. Bins, preferably pedal bins with lids or recessed, are available in all washrooms. Mirrors are supplied and free of damage. Mechanical ventilation is working properly. Air fresheners are supplied and working properly. Sanitary bins are provided in all girls cubicles (year 3 or age 8 and above). Sanitary supplies are available for girls to access discreetly in toilets. Toilets are open throughout the day. Pupils are allowed to go the toilet when they need to. Toilets are cleaned at least twice a day. Quick daily toilet check system is working properly (3 or 4 checks per day). There is provision for extra cleaning as required. There is a system for pupils, parents, staff and governors to make comments or complaints about the toilets without negative repercussions. Pupils are encouraged to report issues e,g, supplies running low, locks are broken, toilets don’t flush, floors are wet, and these are dealt with promptly. Termly checklist. There is at least one toilet for every 20 pupils (one toilet for every ten pupils for under fives and in special schools). Toilets are conveniently located throughout the school site. Toilets are open throughout the day. Pupils are allowed to go to the toilet when they need to. Doors and partitions maintain user privacy, ideally reach ceiling height, gap at floor minimised or omitted, no gaps between. Cubicles and urinals cannot be reviewed from the entrance door. If urinals are used, there are at least an equal ratio of cubicles to urinals in boys toilets. Urinals are individual partitioned for privacy. Toilet paper is soft and absorbent. Locks are simple single action, and spares are held by the school. Effective key system established for unlocking doors in case of emergency. The toilet cubicles provide sufficient aural privacy for users. Walls and tiles are in good condition, no flaking or cracks and easy to clean. Push button taps allow enough time to wash hands properly. If used liquid soap dispensers are shared between a maximum of two basins. If used bars of soap are provided for each basin. There are sufficient mirrors. The following are in good condition, and pupils are able to use/reach easily. Toilets and urinals. Toilet chains or flush handles, buttons. Toilet paper on holders (easily reached from toilet seat). Wash basins and taps. Soap dispensers, bars of soap. Hand drying facilities. Bins. Mirrors. Designated unisex toilets or male/female cubicles for disabled users are available and are not of a lower standard than other toilets: They are wheelchair accessible. They are free of clutter. They have appropriate equipment for disabled users. They are fitted with emergency help button or card. Clinical waste system provided for discreet disposal of materials/waste. There is adequate ventilation. The sinks and taps are at an appropriate height. Toilets blocks are deep cleaned three times a year during school holidays. Drinking water is not sited in toilet areas. Staff are aware of pupils with special toileting needs and deal with these discretely. Pupils are encouraged to draw up a code of behaviour for the toilets and to communicate it to other pupils. Toilet management policy communicated to all pupils, parents, carers and staff. Toilet management issues are regularly included in all appropriate school council, staff and governor meetings. Question 3. What are your responsibilities for checking these areas. Responsibility would be to ensure the toilet and wash areas remain safe areas at all times. A risk assessment could be carried out on a daily basis to prevent any risks/hazards. If there are any issues then these should be reported straight away to the relevant person. Responsibilities would be to ensure hygiene standards are maintained for example washing off hands after using the toilet or before touching food. All children should wash their hands at least once a day in school as a group activity. The best time to do this is before eating at recess or at lunchtime. After about a week children will get used to this procedure and the role of the teacher will be limited to supervision. The teacher will remind the children to wash their hands after handling pets, before handling food, and before eating. Children should be encouraged to make this routine in family life. Schools should have a written toilet policy, in order to maximise learners, access to toilet facilities during the day to promote the health, well being and learning opportunities of all learners. Provide good quality toilet facilities throughout the school. The policy is drawn up with the participation of learners, and makes reference to how the school intends to keep the toilets clean, hygienic and in good condition. Learners are involved in the development, approval, implementation and review of the policy. Consideration of the rights of transgender learners should be made with regard for the school toilets. The policy is approved by governors, communicated to the whole school and reviewed regularly with the participation of learners. Children with physical disabilities or individual needs may need specific requirements within the toilet/wash areas. This information should be outlined in the schools procedures, it would be my job to ensure the facilities were suitable for their use. Having special needs doesn’t just mean they require wheelchair access. Some pupils suffer from medical conditions which mean they may need more privacy, toilets should be clean, properly equipped and also well stocked, there should be access without delay and extra time given for the toilet. For some health conditions (such as crohns disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, cystic fibrosis and incontinence). Unrestricted access to school toilets of a good standard can make the difference to being able to attend school regularly, and not being able to do so regularly, if at all. Many pupils suffer from health problems related to poor toilets and restricted access. Access to decent toilets whenever the need arises is a fundamental human right and necessary for good health and well being. Question 4 What risk assessment is applicable to the learning environment? You will need to be able to identify a number of hazards in all situations. Both in your setting and also when taking children off site. This means that you should be vigilant both when working with others and when planning off-site visits. It is also a legal requirement that schools complete a specific risk assessment form before carrying out some activities, or taking pupils off site. When supervising children you should be aware of the kinds of risks to which they are exposed and how likely these are to happen, bearing in mind the age and/or needs of the child. If you are working with children who have learning difficulties, they may also be less likely to have a fully developed awareness of danger. You will need to modify your supervision according to the needs of the children of their level of awareness. Identifying on-site hazards. Physical. Physical hazards will be varied and will range from objects being left lying around to more serious ones such as equipment not being checked. As you spend more time in school, you will get to know the kinds of hazards which you are likely to come across. Security. Potential security hazards may be around unidentified persons on the premises and children being able to go off site. Make sure that you are always vigilant as regards security issues and do not be afraid of challenging any individuals if you do not recognise them. Fire. Ensure that you are aware of fire procedures, particularly if you are new to the school. Hazards are increased in science laboratories, food technology classrooms or the school canteen. Food safety. You should be a good role model for children and always follow good practice yourself with regards to hygiene. This will include washing of hands before any activity involving foodstuffs, such as lunchtime or prior to cooking activities. Instruct children how to handle sharp knives, use hotplates and ovens and monitor their use. Personal safety. You should have an awareness and be vigilant when alone with other adults, or if for any reason you are in an isolated part of the school and working alone. Identifying off-site hazards. You will need to be aware of safety issues when taking children out of school. If you are taking children on an educational visit a member of staff should always go and look at the site, and undertake a risk assessment beforehand. This means that they will check what kinds of risk there might be and the likelihood of the risk occurring. This will depend upon the type of visit which may be a day, adventure activity or residential visit, including travelling abroad. The level of risk may be dependant on: The adult child ratio. Where you are going. How you will get there. Your planned activities. The group leader will look at the facilities and check that they are adequate for the needs of the children and young people-for example if there is a pupil who is disabled in the group. As well as a risk assessment, preparation will need to include other considerations. You must be familiar with the plans so that you are prepared for whatever happens. For educational day visits, the lead person will need to: Seek gain parental consent. Provide information for parents and children and obtain information on emergency contact/additional needs. Arrange for suitable safe transport. Confirm insurance arrangements are in place. Make sure there is a first aid kit and a first aider travelling with the group. Advice on and check that pupils have appropriate clothing for the activity or weather. Make lists of adults and the children for whom they will be responsible. Give information sheets and hold briefings for all supervisors, including timings and any additional safety information. Ensure that the rules of behaviour are understood by pupils, parents and supervisors, including rules for remote supervision. If you come across a hazard whether it be on site or off site, you should act immediately to make sure others are not put in any danger. This includes making sure that any other individuals are warned and directed away form the area straight away. If you are able to you should deal with the hazard but if this is not possible, you may need to direct others away from the area and/or send for another adult. Children in particular are naturally curious, and if they see something happening they will want to have a look! Write a reflective account showing how you have dealt with the hazard, either in your school environment or on an educational visit. You will need to describe, in order, the steps you took and how you ensured that the needs of all individuals were taken into account. In the normal course of your practice, it is likely that you will be involved in risk assessment at some stage, whether this is because you have some responsibility for health and safety or because you are going on an educational visit. There would usually be a member of staff responsible for ensuring that all risk assessments are carried out and the paperwork completed in good time before the visit or activity is carried out. This will then need to be checked and signed by the reprehensive and by the head teacher to show that it has been completed correctly. For visits including hazardous activities, residential or visits abroad, the school governors or the local educational authority will be required to give consent. You may be involved in risk assessment activities, in particular if you are taking children out of school premises. Always encourage children and young people to talk and think about any risks when they are working with you, so that they develop their own consideration of danger. Necessary risk assessment should include: Identify all the hazards present. Evaluate the associated risks, disregarding trivial and inconsequential risks. Consider the severity of the consequences and the chance it could happen. Identify all persons, (including staff, students, contractors visitors) at risk. Take account of the control measures. Identify any specific legal duty or requirement relating to the risk. Remain valid for a specified period of time. Provide sufficient information to enable the employer to decide on remedial measures and their priority. The level of risk arising from the work activity should determine the detail and nature of the risk assessment. How to do a risk assessment. Look for hazards. If you are doing the assessment yourself walk around your workplace and look at what could reasonably be expected to cause harm. Decide who may be harmed and how. In addition to staff think about people who may be in the workplace all the time e. g. cleaners, visitors, contractors, maintenance personal etc†¦. nclude students, members of the public, or people you share your workplace with, if there is a chance they could be hurt by your activities. There is no need to list individuals by name-consider groups of persons doing similar work or who may be affected similarly, pay particular attention to vulnerable persons: Staff and students with disabilities. Inexperienced staff. Lone workers. Pregnant workers. Young people on work experience. Visitors. Evaluate the risk arising from the hazards and decide weather existing precautions are adequate or more should be done. Even after all precautions have been taken, usually some risks remain. What you have to decide for each significant hazard is whether the residual risk is high, medium or low. First ask yourself if you have done all the things that the law says you have got to do. For example there are legal requirement on prevention of access to dangerous parts on machinery. Then ask yourself whether generally accepted industry standards are in place. But don’t stop there-think for yourself, because the law also says that you must do what is reasonably practicable to keep your workplace safe. Your real aim is to make all risks small by adding your precautions if necessary. Recording your findings. This means writing down the more significant hazards and recording your most important conclusions, for example, â€Å"portable electrical equipment inspected and tested are found sound† or â€Å"fume from welding: local exhaust ventilation provided and regularly checked† you must also inform your staff about your findings. There is no need to show how you did the assessment provided you can show that: A proper check was made You detailed who might be affected You dealt with all the obvious significant hazards, taking account the number of people who could be involved. The precautions are reasonable, and the remaining risk is low. Assessments need to be suitable and sufficient, not perfect. The real points are: Are the precautions reasonable Is there something to show that a proper check was made. Keep the written document for future reference or use. Review your risk assessment from time to time and revise as necessary. Sooner or later you will bring new machines, substances and procedures that could lead to new hazards. If there is any significant change you should add to the assessment to take account of the new hazard. In any case it is good ractice to review your assessment from time to time. don’t amend your assessment for any trivial change, or still more for each new job, but if a new job introduces significant new hazards of its own, you will want to consider them in their own right and to do whatever you need to keep the risks down. Evaluate the risk assessment. Likelihood/frequency Severity Summary. Question 5. What are the respon sibilities for dealing with the following types of possible hazards that can occur in the school: unsafe buildings, fixtures fittings, unsafe equipment including play learning resources, hazardous substances, e. . cleaning materials, hygiene hazards in toilet or kitchen areas, security hazards, e. g. inadequate boundaries, unauthorized visitors. My responsibilities for dealing with the following types of hazards that can occur in the school are: Unsafe Buildings-All school premises have to meet the statutory requirements and including building maintenance, Education (school premises) regulations 1999. Unsafe equipment, including play and learning resources-It is my responsibility to ensure that all equipment learning resources are approved for safety including European Standards Markings BSI Kitemark. As this Kitemark gives consumers the assurance that the product they have bought or are using really does conform to the appropriate British Standard and should therefore be safe and reliable. If there are items that are not approved then these items should be removed immediately and the teacher would be informed. All play Learning Resources should be inspected on a regular basis, by doing this this will highlight any potential hazards, any play learning resources found to be a hazard will be reported to the teacher immediately. If there is any serious damage to any play learning resources it may be that these could be fixed, if they could not be fixed then they would need to be destroyed by a professional so I would inform a relevant person. Hazardous substances e. g. cleaning materials, hygiene hazards in toilet or kitchen area-Guidance should be followed which is set out in Workplace (Health, Safety Welfare Regulations 1992). My responsibilities would be to ensure that all cleaning materials hazardous substances are all stored appropriately and locked away from pupils. Toilets kitchens would be checked regularly to identify any issues, if any issues where to be found then these would be dealt with appropriately and reported to the appropriate personnel. If there were any spillages these would be cleaned up straight away using relevant equipment and a wet floor sign would be displayed to help tp prevent further incidents occurring. Security Hazards e. g. inadequate boundaries, unauthorized visitors-ensuring that all doors that are lockable are to be locked. To ensure that all visitors are supplied with a visitors badge and signed in the visitors log book. Question 6. How would you maintain pupil safety during play and learning activities? The duty of all within the sector to safeguard children. Under the Health and Safety at work Act, it is the responsibility of everyone in the school to ensure that safety is maintained and in particular the vulnerable groups such as children are safeguarded. Avoid accidents. Designing a classroom and learning area that is environmentally safe should be relatively straight forward, and yet many dangers are easy to overlook until an accident occurs. The physical environment of the classroom depends on the age group being taught, educate yourself on the developmental abilities of your age group and plan accordingly. For example, sharp scissors are necessary for a middle or high school biology class, but should be stored out of the way until they are needed to avoid any accidents. Teachers in a pre-school classroom should avoid furniture with sharp edges, since some pre-schoolers are still developing their large motor skills, and may fall frequently. Also consider the individual students you are teaching. Students with behavioural problems or developmental disabilities may require alterations to their physical environment to ensure their safety. Do not hesitate to make changes to your classroom as necessary. Creating a welcoming learning environment. Students learn best when they feel safe and comfortable. Make students feel welcome by taking the time to get to know each of them. Be consistent in the way that you treat students so that they feel that they can trust you. Promote a friendly atmosphere between students through group activities that foster respect for others. Do not allow students to laugh or tease one another, and let students know that bullying is not tolerated. Ensure that your classroom is a place where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, experimenting with new ideas, and making the mistakes that are an inevitable part of the learning process. Setting boundaries. Students need boundaries in order to feel safe secure enough to explore the world around them. One way to set boundaries in the classroom is to create rules. Rules should dictate how students behave in the classroom and interact with peers. The rules you create will depend on the students you teach. However the more simple and straight forward your rules, the more likely they will work, no matter the age group. To many rules will overwhelm younger students, or make older students rebel. Whenever possible engage students in the rule making progress, this makes students feel like a valued member of the classroom. Take time to explain classroom rules and the rationale behind them, students will not follow rules they feel are arbitrary. Make certain that the rules and the consequences for breaking them are clear and posted in the classroom. Helping individual students. It is important to build a relationship with your students so that you will know if a student needs help. If you notice that a student seems unhappy, depressed or angry, try to talk to that student, and contact parents if necessary. If a student displays behaviours or actions that are aggressive or otherwise disturbing, tell your principle and contact the appropriate personnel, such as police or counselors the situation demands. Plan the learning environment. Planning the learning environment is a task that should be done jointly between the teacher and the teaching assistant. When you develop a plan together that seeks to set out rooms and outdoor spaces in a safe and well organised fashion the learning environment will be more effective because well-organised forward planning will maximise the time available for teaching and learning experiences. Materials. All materials and equipment used in schools must fulfil recognised standards of safety. The most widely used, although not legally required, safety symbol is the kite mark, which shows that an item as been tested by the British Safety Institute. Before items can be offered for sale within the European Union, they must carry a CE symbol to show that they meet European standards. Always make sure that any equipment to be used by pupils is age and ability appropriate. The guidelines given by manufactures are intended to be a realistic means of checking that equipment is not misused. A child who is too young or too old may be unable to use the equipment safely and may hurt themselves or others as a result. Checking of equipment. The person responsible for all equipment in schools should routinely carry out safety checks or make sure that these are carried out on a regular basis. There should be regular walkabouts or other means for making sure that hazards are not being left un-reported. Where hazards are reported for example, items stored on top of cupboards that could fall down when the cupboard is opened, these should be recorded immediately. Safety checks should also be made on all equipment that could be hazardous if neglected. All electrical items used in school should have annual checks, carried out by a qualified electrician. Equipment such as fire extinguishers should also be checked annually and checks recorded on the outside of the extinguisher. Hazardous materials should always be locked away. All children should be given equal opportunities and this should be remembered in the learning environment. All pupils including those with special needs should be considered when planning and setting out materials and resources. The environment may often need to be adapted for the needs of particular children within the class. Factors to be considered, include the following: Light-this may need to be adjusted or teaching areas changed if a visually impaired pupils eyes are light sensitive. Accessibility-a pupil in a wheelchair needs to have as much access to classroom facilities as others. Furniture and resources may need to be moved to allow for this. Sound-some pupils may be sensitive to sounds, for example a child on the autistic spectrum who is disturbed by loud or unusual noises. It is not always possible for such noises to be avoided, but teaching assistants need to be aware of the effect that they can have on pupils. Safety in outdoor environments and spaces. Pupils should be encouraged to use the outdoor environment as much as possible. However there can be dangers if outside areas are not monitored carefully. Ponds and sandpits should be covered when not in use, as both can be hazardous, and un-covered sandpits can attract foxes and dogs. Toys and equipment should always be appropriate to the space available and be put away safely. Plants can also be dangerous, thorns or nettles should be kept back and any poisonous plants noted or removed. Good hygienic practice. You should be a good role model for pupils and always follow good practice yourself with regards to hygiene. This includes washing your hands before any activity involving foodstuffs, such as lunchtime or cooking activities. If you are giving first aid, you must make sure you follow the appropriate procedures. Principals of cross infection. When working with children you are vulnerable to picking up and also carrying infection, so you should keep up to date with all your own immunisations, for diseases such as mumps, flu and meningitis. However most childhood illnesses are most infectious before the symptoms occur and many pupils come to school with coughs and colds. Your school may have its own policy for these circumstances. For example some children seem to have a permanent cold during winter and it would not be practical for them to be out of school for long periods. You should be aware of the signs of common illnesses. Appropriate system for disposing of waste and for handling body fluids. Your school will have a policy that follows local and national guidelines for handling body fluids and disposing of waste. When dealing with body fluids, you should always wear latex gloves, disposing of them after use. There should be special bins for first-aid waste, which should be disposed of appropriately. How to supervise children safely. When supervising pupils you should be aware of the kinds of risks to which they are exposed and how likely these are to happen bearing in mind the age and/or needs of the child. Pr-school children particularly those under 3 years, are more likely to have accidents as they are less likely to have an understanding of risk and danger. If you are working with pupils who have learning difficulties, disabilities or additional support for learning needs they may also be less likely to have a fully developed awareness of danger, you need to modify your supervision according to the needs of the children and their levels of awareness. You may be involved in Risk Assessment activities in particular if you are taking pupils of school premises. Always encourage pupils to talk and think about any risks when they are working with you, so that they develop their own awareness of danger. Most activities carry some element of risk. Many educationalist now believe that the current tendency for many parents to keep their children indoors and take them everywhere by car is detrimental and over protective, as it does not allow them to explore and discover the world for themselves. Therefore it is important for all children to have the opportunity to take some risks. First aid and medical needs. Schools need to be able to cope with emergencies, and school management have a responsibility to help pupils take advantage of any medical or dental inspections arranged by the department of health, social services and public safety. Most children with medical needs- whether they are a result of a physical illness, injury or mental health condition- are able to attend school regularly. With some support they can usually take part in most school activities. Ensuring that you know the priorities for first aid. A. is for Airway. Establish an open Airway by tilting the forehead back, so that the child can breathe easily. B. is for Breathing. Check that the child is breathing by listening, looking feeling for breath. C. is for Circulation. Apply simple visual checks that the childs blood is circulating adequately, by watching for improved colour, for coughing or eye movement. Also you should be aware of where first aid equipment is stored and that it is clearly labelled and easily accessible. Question 7 What is the first consideration in an event of an evacuation from the school. In the event of a fire or any other emergency all staff should know and understand that their first consideration must be the evacuation of all the pupils to a place of safety. All staff should be fully aware of the fire and emergency evacuation procedures: Sound the alarm. Evacuate the building. Call the Fire Brigade. Assemble at a designated assembly point. Conduct a roll call using registers if possible. It is the responsibility of the Head Teacher and Governing Body of the premises to ensure that fire evacuation drills are carried out. The dangers which may threaten persons if a fire breaks out depends on many different factors, consequently, it is not possible to construct a model procedure for action in the event of fire which would be suitable for use in all premises. Question 8. Outline the procedure in the event of a fire or other emergency evacuation, including your specific role. Each fire routine must be based upon a simple, efficient procedure which is specifically designed for the premises in which it has to operate. It is therefore important that the following points must be given prime consideration: The purpose of the Fire Drill. Fire drills are intended to ensure, by means of training and rehearsal that in the event of fire: The people who may be in danger act in a calm and orderly manner. Those people who may have designated responsibilities carry out their tasks to ensure the safety of all concerned. The escape routes are used in accordance with a predetermined and practised plan. Evacuation of the building is achieved in a speedily, orderly manner. To promote an attitude of mind whereby persons will react rationally when confronted with a fire or other emergency at school or elsewhere. The Occupancy of the Premises. Consideration must be given to the age of the pupils attending the school and as to whether there are any children with special needs. Fire Drill Routine. A fire routine is based on a critical sequence of events, these being: Alarm Operation. Anyone discovering an outburst of fire must, without hesitation, sound the alarm by operating the nearest fire alarm call point. Calling the fire brigade. All outbreaks of fire, or any suspected fire, however small should be reported immediately to the Fire Brigade by the quickest means available. This task could well be designated as the responsibility of the school secretary as a telephone will be readily available at that location. Evacuation. On hearing the Fire Alarm, pupils must be instructed to leave the building in single file and in a calm, orderly manner. The person in charge of each class must indicate the exit route to be used and everyone must be directed to a Predetermined Assembly Point. Specific arrangements must be made for pupils with physical or mental disabilities to ensure that they are assisted during evacuation. No running is to be permitted to avoid panic. On staircases everyone must descend in single file. Overtaking of classes or individuals must not be permitted. Lifts must not be used. Anyone who is not in class when the Fire Alarm sounds must go immediately to the assembly point. No one must be allowed to re-enter the building until told to do so by the Fire Service in attendance, or in the case of a fire evacuation drill the senior person in charge. Assembly. An area outside the school premises must be designated as an assembly point. It must be clearly marked and easily identified by any person who must be expected to be in the school premises. The assembly point must be far enough away from the school premises to afford protection from the heat and smoke in a fire situation. The assembly point must be in a position that does not put pupils and staff at risk by emergency vehicles responding to the incident. Roll call. One person should be nominated to have overall responsibility to ensure that a roll call is conducted in the event of evacuation of the premises. Immediately that classes have assembled at the assembly point, a roll or count must be made to ascertain that no one remains in the premises. Any visitors or contractors in the premises at that time must be included. The count at the assembly point must be checked with the attendance registers and visitors book to verify that everyone is out of the building. Attendance registers and visitors books should be held at a central point and must be brought to the assembly point when the alarm sounds. Each teacher must report to the nominated person in charge of the evacuation procedure to verify that everyone in their charge is accounted for or to inform him/her of the number of persons missing. Meeting the Brigade. During industrial action Fire Brigade or Fire Officer will mean the Fire Service in attendance. The person in charge of the roll call must identify him/herself to the Fire Brigade on their arrival. In doing so vital information can be relayed to the Fire Officer which will dictate the necessary actions to be carried out by the Fire Brigade. Typical information the Fire Brigade will need to know: Is everyone accounted for? If anyone is missing: How many? What is their usual location? Where were they last seen? Where is the Fire? What is in Fire? (It may not be apparent). Are there any Hazardous substances involved in the Fire or stored in the Building? (I. e. Chemicals, Solvents, Liquid Petroleum Gas or Acetylene Cylinders etc. Instruction, training and recording. During the first week of term or as soon as possible thereafter, all new entrants being pupils staff or support staff should be conducted around the primary escape routes of the school. They should also receive instruction on the school fire evacuation routine. All members of the staff should receive instruction and training appropriate to their responsibilities, in the event of any emergency. All members of staff should each receive a personal copy of prepared written instructions. They should receive two periods of verbal instructions given by a competent person in each twelve month period. Such instructions shall include details of how to call the Fire Brigade. In the case of newly engaged staff, instruction shall be given as soon as possible after appointment. A record of the training and instructions given and fire drills held, shall be entered in the log book and will include the following: Date of the instruction or fire drill Duration Name of the person giving the instruction Names of the person receiving instruction Nature of instruction of fire drill/ Fire drills which may be combined with the instruction given above, should be carried out at least once per term. The fir drill should simulate that one escape route is not available. Each fire drill should be started by a pre-determined signal and the whole premises checked as if any evacuation was in progress. In large premises a specific person shall be made responsible for organising staff training and the name of one other nominated person to co-ordinate the actions of the staff in the event of fire. Effective arrangements should be made for a deputy or deputies to carry out the above duties in the absence of the nominated persons. In smaller premises one specific person shall be made responsible for organising staff training and for co-ordinating the actions of the staff in the event of fire. Effective arrangements should be made for a nominated deputy to be available to carry out the above duties. Question 9. Outline procedure for dealing with missing pupils. The welfare of all children in schools is paramount. It is the responsibility of every adult working in the school to keep all children safe. Information for parents. The arrangements for the beginning and end of the school day. The role of our staff and the arrangements for supervising the children at school. The arrangements for registering the children for both morning and afternoon sessions. The physical security measures which prevent unsupervised access to or exit from our school site. The supervision of the playground and the physical barriers that separate it from the rest of the school. Procedures in place to minimise possibility of pupils going missing during the school day. High level of staff supervision in and around the school site, with behaviour of pupils with special needs carefully monitored. Security policy and procedures ensuring site is secure and limiting entry in and out of the school site. Detailed number of risk assessments in place identifying potential hazards and control measures taken to reduce the risks of a child absconding. Procedures in place to minimise possibility of pupils going missing during an educational visit. Appropriate level of staff supervision, with behaviour of pupils with special needs carefully monitored. Detailed planning in place for educational visits following clear code of practice. Actions to be followed by staff if a child goes missing. Procedures are designed to ensure that a missing child is found and returned to effective supervision as soon as possible. If a child was found to be missing the following actions would be carried out: If a child goes missing during playtime all classes return to class immediately. Take a register/head count to ensure all other children present, checking nearby toilets and classrooms if a child is found to be missing. Inform the school office. Senior teacher stays at office. Alert signal bells, and all available staff will go immediately to office area where search parties will be organised. Search areas are to include all areas of the school and streets immediately surrounding school. Description of pupil will be given to all involved. Every area searched in the school both inside and out, carefully checking all spaces, cupboards, washrooms where a small child may hide. Search concluded within 20 minutes. Class teacher/supervisor remain with class, asking all adults and children when they last saw the child. Childs class kept busy and occupied. Doors and gates checked for signs of entry/exit. If a child is still missing after 20 minutes staff carry out the following procedures: Missing pupils procedure. All other classes asked to return to/remain in class and carry out register roll call to ensure no other pupils are missing. Details of missing pupil collated on form by office staff. Search team return to school office and are allocated wider search areas in and outside school site. Police contacted to aid in search. Parents contacted and asked to ensure someone is at home in case the child returns there. School cooperates fully with any investigations. head teacher informs chairman of governors. Actions to be followed by staff if a child goes missing on an educational visit. Gather the group together and take a head count. Ensure group is safe and adequately supervised. Organise â€Å"search† using people that know the child. Contact emergency services if necessary. Contact school. Contact the police. School contacts parents and explains situation and asks them to come to school. School cooperates fully with any investigations. head teacher informs chair of governors. Procedures for when a parent discovers their child is missing (under their supervision) before or after school. The following procedures should be in place to support a concerned parent that has lost their child; Parent is taken straight to the officer or a staff member goes on their behalf with relevant details, including description. Bells are rung and all available staff go to office area. Descriptions are given and searches are allocated. Senior member of staff stays at office. If a child is not found within ten minutes then the police are rang. When child found staff inform office in person or by mobile phone. An incident form to be filled out. Question 10. List the procedures for dealing with accidents and injuries including the provision of first aid. First aid information. Notices should be indicated throughout the school indicating the location of the first aid boxes, and the names of the schools first aiders. Emergency procedure in the event of an accident, illness or injury. If an accident, illness or injury occurs, the member of staff in charge will access the situation and decide on the appropriate next course of action, which may involve calling immediately for an ambulance or calling for a first aider. If summoned, a first aider will access the situation and take charge of first aid administration. Always be aware of the priorities of first aid. A. is for Airway. Establish an open airway by tilting the forehead back so that the child can breathe easily. B. is for Breathing. Check that the child is breathing by listening, looking and feeling for breath. C. is for Circulation. Apply simple visual checks that the childs blood is circulating adequately by watching for improved colour, for coughing or eye movement. Always ensure that all first aid equipment is clearly labelled and easily accessible and fully stocked. Aims of first aid. To preserve life by providing emergency resuscitation, controlling bleeding, treating burns and treating shock. To prevent any injuries from worsening, by covering wounds, immobilising fractures, and placing the casualty in a recovery position. Provide reassurance, administering any other treatment necessary, relieving pain, handling gently, moving as little as possible, and protecting from the cold. In the event that the first aider does not consider that he/she can adequately deal with the presenting condition by the administration of first aid, then he/she should arrange for the injured person to access appropriate medical treatment without delay. Ambulances. The first aider/appointed person is to always call an ambulance on the following occasions: In the event of a serious injury. In the event of any significant head injury. In the event of a period of unconsciousness. Whenever there is the possibility of a fracture or where this is suspected. Whenever the first aider is unsure of the severity of the injuries. Whenever the first aider is unsure of the correct treatment. If an ambulance is called then the First Aider in charge should make arrangements for the ambulance to have access to the injured person. Arrangements should be made to ensure that any pupil is accompanied in an ambulance, or followed to hospital, by a member of staff until one of the pupils parents, guardian or their named reprehensive is present. A member of staff will remain with the pupil until one of the pupils parents, guardian or named representative appointed by the parent arrives at the hospital. Procedures in the event of contact with blood or any other bodily fluids: First aiders should take the following precautions to avoid risk of infection. Cover any cuts and grazes, on their own skin with a waterproof dressing. Wear suitable disposable gloves when dealing with blood or any other bodily fluids. Use suitable eye protection and disposable apron where splashing may occur. Use devices such as face shields, where appropriate, when giving mouth to mouth resuscitation. Wash hands after every procedure. If a first aider suspects that they or any other person may have been contaminated with blood and/or other bodily fluids which are not their own, the following actions should be taken without delay. Wash splashes of skin with soap and running water. Wash splashes out of eyes with tap water and/or an eye wash bottle. Wash splashes out of the nose or mouth with tap water, taking care not to swallow the water. Record details of the contamination. Take medical advice (if appropriate). Accident reporting. All accident, administration of first aid and/or medicine will be recorded in the accident Report Book and/or First Aid Book which is located in the school office. The record shall include: Date, time and place of accident. Name and form of the person involved. (if a pupil). Details of injury and treatment and any medication given. Outcome of accident. Name and signature of the person or the first aider dealing with incident. Reporting to parents. In the event of an accident/injury to a pupil at least one of the pupils parents must be informed as soon as practicable. Parents must be informed in writing of any injury to the head, minor or major, and be given guidance on action to take if symptoms develop. In the event of a serious injury or an accident requiring emergency medical treatment the pupils form teacher, in consultation with the proprietor, will telephone the pupils parents as soon as possible. A list of emergency contact details is kept at the school office. In the invent of a minor injury, where appropriate the First Aider will contact parents by telephone at the end of the school day. A copy of the schools accident and first aid book is available for inspection by parents. Reporting to HSE. The school is legally required under the reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occuranses Regulations 1995 (S1 1995 /3163) (RIDDOR) to report the following to the HSE (most easily done by calling the Incident Contact Centre) (ICC) on 0845 300 99 23. Accidents involving pupils or visitors: Accidents where a person is killed or is taken from the site of an accident to an hospital and where the accident arrises out of or in connection with; Any school activity (on or off premises). The way a school activity has been organised or managed (e. g. he supervision of a field trip). Equipment, machinery or substances. The design or condition of the premises. Accidents involving staff. Work related accidents resulting in death or major injury (including as a result of physical violence) must be reported to the HSE immediately (major injury examples: dislocation of hip, knee or shoulder, amputation, loss of sight, fracture other than to fingers, toes or thumbs). Work re lated accidents which prevent the injured person from continuing with his/her normal work for more than three days must be reported within 10 days. Cases of work related disease that a doctor notifies the school of (for example: certain poisonings, lung diseases, infections such as tuberculosis or hepatitis, occupational cancer. Certain dangerous occurences (I. e. near misses-reportable examples, bursting of closed pipes, electrical short circuit causing fire, accidental release of any substance that may cause injury to health. Visits and events off site. Before undertaking any off site events, the Head of a school will access level of first aid provision required by undertaking a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the event and persons involved. When appropriate a portable first aid kit will be carried. Administration of medicine (and procedures for pupils with medical conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes etc). A central list of all pupils medical conditions and any particular requirements are kept at the school office. A further copy is held by each form teacher. Parents of pupils required to carry or use an Inhaler or Epipen are required to notify the school of this. The school will obtain parental consent before administering any medications to pupils. The information held by the school will include a record of pupils who need to have access to asthma inhalers, epipens, injections or similar and information regarding relevant parental consent, as well as a record of dispensation of medication (name of pupil, name of medicine, date, time, dosage, signature of person who supervised). Where appropriate individual pupilswill be given responsibility for keeping such equipment with them if a parent concents to the puil carrying his/her own medicine. This will be reviewed on a regular basis. The first aiders will retain and administer an Inhaler or Epipen for each pupil who is deemed not to be sufficiently competent to carry this themselves. In other cases such equipment and medicines will be kept, suitably labelled, in a locked cabinet by a First Aider in the First Aid Room. As a general rule, First Aiders should not administer any medication that has not been prescribed for that particular pupil by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmasist. No pupil shall be given medicine containing asprin or paracetomol unless prescribed for that particular pupil by a doctor. Storage of Medication. Medicines are always kept securely stored in accordance with individual product instructions save where individual pupils have been given responsibility for keeping such equipment with them. All medicines shall be stored in the original container in which they were dispensed, together with the prescribers instructions for administration and properly labelled, showing the name of the patient, the date of prescription and the date expiry of the medicine. All medicines will be returned to the parent when no longer required to arrange for safe disposal. Question 11. List the main syptoms for the following: asthma attack, diabetic, epeleptic seizure, severe alleric reaction. Asthma symptoms. People with asthma experience symptoms when the Airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus. Common symtoms of Asthma include: Coughing, especially at night. Wheezing. Shortness of breath. Chest tightness, pain or pressure. Still, not every person with Asthma as the same symptoms in the same way. You may not have all of these symptoms, or you may have different symptoms at different times. Your Asthma symptoms may also vary from one Asthma attack to the next, being mild during one asthma attack and severe during another. Some people with Asthma may go for extended periods without having any symptoms, interrupted by periodic worsening of their symptoms called asthma attacks. Others might have Asthma symptoms every day, in addition some people with Asthma will only have Asthma during exercise or Asthma with Viral Infections like colds. Mild Asthma attacks are generally more common. Usually the airways open up within a few minutes to a few hours. Severe attacks are less common but last longer and require immediate medical help. It is important to recognise and treat even mild symptoms to help you prevent severe episodes and keep Asthma under better control. Know the early Asthma symptoms. Early warning signs are changes that happen just before or at the very beginning of an asthma attack. These asthma attack symptoms may start before the well known symptoms of asthma and are the earliest signs that your asthma is worsening. In general these signs are not severe enough to stop you from going about your daily activities. But by recognising these signs, you can stop an asthma attack or prevent one from getting worse. Early warning signs include: Frequent cough, especially at night or waking. Loosing your breath easily or shortness of breath. Feeling very tired or weak when exercising. Feeling tired, easily upset or grouchy or moody. Decreases or changes in lung function as measured on a peak flow meter. Signs of a cold or allergies (sneezing, runny nose, cough, nazel congestion, sore throat and headache. Trouble sleeping. If you have early warning signs or symptoms, you should take more asthma medication as described in your asthma action plan. Know the asthma symptoms in children. In the UK more than 1. . Million have asthma. For unknown reasons the incidence of asthma in young children is steadily increasing. While asthma symptoms can begin at any age, most children have their first asthma symptoms by age five. Asthma is characterised by in lamination of the bronchial tubes with increased production of sticky secretions inside the tubes. Not all children with asthma wheeze. Chronic coughing wit h asthma may be the only obvious sign and a childs asthma may go unrecognised if the cough is attributed to recurrent bronchitis. Diabetes. Below is a list of the common diabetes symptoms: Frequant urination. Have you been going to the bathroom to urinate more recently? Do you notice that you spend most of your day going to the toilet? When there is too much glucose (sugar) in your blood you will urinate more often. If your insulin is infective, or not there at all your kidneys can not filter glucose back into the blood. The kidneys will take water from your blood in order to dilute the glucose-which in turn fills up your bladder. Disproportionate thirst. If you are urinating more than usual, you will nedd to replace that lost liquid. You will be drinking more than usual. Have you been drinking more than usual lately? Intense hunger. As the insulin in your blood is not working properly, or is not there at all, and your cells are not getting there energy, your body may react by trying to find more energy-food. You will become hungry. Weight gain. This must be a result of the above symptoms (intense hunger). Unusual weight loss. This is more common among people with diabetes type 1. As your body is not making insulin it will seek out another energy source (the cells arnt getting glucose). Muscle tissue and fat will be broken down for energy. As type 1 is of a more sudden onset and type 2 is much more gradual. Weight loss is more noticeable with type 1. Increased fatigue. If your insulin is not working properly, or is not there at all, glucose will not be entering your cells and providing them with energy. This will ma How to cite Teaching Assistant Level 3, Papers