Safety in Physical Educatin Guidance - updated January 2016 Cambridgeshire Cunty Cuncil supprts the develpment f physical educatin (PE) and schl sprt as it plays a significant rle in the verall learning experience at schl. In s ding, the Cunty Cuncil recgnises that risk is present in all physical activities and these risks must be assessed and managed effectively. It is ften nt pssible r desirable t remve all risks frm physical activity, but it is imprtant that all the hazards and risks invlved in different activities are recgnised. These hazards and risks are likely t frm part f the apprpriate curriculum and teachers must ensure that children learn t manage these risks apprpriately. This dcument sets ut the Cunty Cuncil s guidance t avid unnecessary risks and supprt the teaching f such activities. All persns invlved in the administratin and supervisin f physical educatin must: have the cmpetence t be aware f the ptential hazards assciated with the activities undertaken under their cntrl take apprpriate precautins t identify risks likely t cause harm r injury t participants r thers teach participants t apprach activities with understanding and self-cntrl, s minimising risks t themselves and thers; ensure that activities undertaken are apprpriate t the experience and qualificatins f the persn in charge and t the age and capability f the participants. adhere t established, regular and apprved teaching practice and prcedures t help avid freseeable prblems. It is necessary fr all staff invlved in the teaching f physical educatin t have at least the minimum recgnised qualificatins befre being allwed t teach any f the range f PE activities. Thse activities where there are acknwledged ptentially higher risks; swimming, frmal gymnastics, tramplining and many f the utdr and adventurus pursuits will require teachers with apprpriate specialist training and natinally apprved qualificatins. There is a useful cmpetency checklist available in SAFE PRACTICE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT (2012) fr such activities and the range f persnnel that may teach r supervise them. (See later reference). Accrdingly this Guidance Dcument is addressed t: Gverning Bdies Headteachers, Yuth and Cmmunity Officers and Cntinuing Educatin Managers Teachers, Tutrs, Yuth and Cmmunity Wrkers and Caches
It is imprtant t recgnise that hwever specific the advice and guidance may be, in dealing with PE subjects, there will always be a need fr careful exercise f experienced prfessinal judgement by the individuals wh teach r supervise t ensure that their duty f care is prperly fulfilled in any given situatin. Any such judgement shuld frm part f a cmprehensive set f risk assessments undertaken and reviewed regularly fr the set up and delivery f physical educatin and schl sprt. This enables schls and settings t fulfil their duty f care t prvide a safe wrking envirnment and safe systems f wrk fr staff, students and visitrs. It must be knwn and understd by all invlved in teaching r supervising PE and schl sprt that their duty f care cannt be delegated t any ther bdy. The schl authrity (lcal authrity, gvernrs, trust) retains the respnsibility fr pupils where a duty is prvided thrugh a third party such as an individual cach, caching agency r at an ff site centre. The Cunty Cuncil adpts the guidance and advice f the Assciatin fr Physical Educatin (afpe) in their bk SAFE PRACTICE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT (2012 ISBN 978-1-905540-94-5). Published every 4 years this is the natinal guidance and best practice fr the subject. All educatinal establishments shuld have a reference cpy f the abve which is a natinally recgnised dcument and is the text t which reference wuld be made in a curt f law as regular and apprved practice. Cpies may be btained frm 1 st 4sprt.cm Chelsea Clse, Off Amberley Rad, Armley, Leeds, LS12 4HP. TEL: 0113 201 5555. Fax: 0113 231 9606 E-mail enquiries@1st4sprt.cm Website: http://www.1st4sprt.cm/ wh publish the bk n behalf f AfPE. Whilst Cambridgeshire Cunty Cuncil recgnises the use f afpe s Safe Practice in PE and Sprt bk, it shuld be nted that specifics in this lcal guidance nte take precedence ver any advice given in the Safe Practice bk. The Cunty s plicy fr cnducting swimming takes precedence ver any advice given in the Safe Practice bk. The Cunty Cuncil has a clear plicy fr schls fr Learning Outdrs, Educatinal visits and Outdr Educatin which takes precedence ver any advice given in the chapters n transprt management and grup management and adventure activities. Alngside the Cuncil plicy there is als a schl level plicy that the Educatinal Visit Crdinatr manages. Fr assistance please cntact the Outdr Educatin Adviser Service.
CCC Specific guidance Individuals. All watches, jewellery and cultural r religius adrnments must be remved. This includes earrings, studs and sleepers. If such items cannt be remved the individual is nt prepared in an acceptably safe way and cannt cntinue as is, s must take part in mdified activity. Care als must be exercised t ensure gd hygiene is bserved. Schls shuld nt accept respnsibility fr remving r string rings r studs used as adrnment t bdy piercing. Items that are remved shuld nt be stred cmmunally t avid cntagin/infectins. Lng hair must be tied back securely and fingernails shuld be apprpriately shrt t prevent injury and applies t bth bys and girls. Pupils must be dressed and shd in a manner which is apprpriate t the activity and which allws full freedm f mvement withut any danger f snagging. Persnal prtective equipment shuld be wrn when it is deemed necessary fr safe participatin. Equipment. Apparatus must be inspected annually fr wear and signs f pending failure. It shuld be checked (as teachers are nt qualified t inspect) at the start f every sessin by the teacher and by pupils, and then by an assigned member f staff mre frmally n a termly basis and by a qualified persn annually wh is cmpetent t carry ut any necessary repairs and issue a certificate f "Serviceability fr Use". Brken r suspect apparatus must be put ut f use and clearly marked s as t prevent further use until it has been repaired. Teachers must understand the uses f mats. Mats need t be selected carefully t meet the needs f bth child and activity. The general purpse mat f apprximately 25 mm thickness is adequate t meet mst landing needs inherent t the usual level f Primary schl gymnastics. Mats shuld nt be placed in indiscriminate and inapprpriate prfusin as they will becme a real and greater danger t participants tripping and falling. Mats may be required by inexperienced pupils in the very early stages f gaining skills in traversing apparatus at height. Once pupils have develped sufficient skills and cnfidence mats can be safely dispensed with. Frmal gymnastics as an extra curricular activity. All the frms f frmal gymnastics have the ptential fr danger. Only teachers wh have successfully taken a specialist curse in gymnastics are qualified t teach frmal gymnastics and the named skills (BG awards r Olympic Gymnastics). Unless qualified t this level, springbards and trampettes are nt t be used at primary level.
Physical educatin in secndary schls. All the afrementined requirements stated relating t Primary schl PE will need t be met but a higher level f awareness, training and cmpetence will be required f staff t ensure risks are cntrlled t an acceptable level given the wider range f activities ffered and increased levels f hazard and expsure. Secndary schls shuld cnsider carefully the cmpetency f individuals wh teach r supervise PE and schl sprt t ensure that their duty f care is prperly fulfilled in any given situatin and ensure this is reflected in their risk assessments and safe systems f wrk. Tramplining in secndary schls T teach and supervise Tramplining in secndary schls, teachers must have undergne a specialist caching curse t a qualificatin standard set by the British Gymnastics such as British Gymnastics Teachers award (level 1 fr teaching up t but nt including rtatin r level 2 t include rtatin), r a British Gymnastics caches award level 2. Pupils will nt be allwed t undertake wrk that is f a higher level f attainment than that f the supervising teacher r cach. T cntinue t teach and cach, the hlder f the initial British Gymnastics teachers caching qualificatin is required t update their training after three years by successfully cmpleting a British Gymnastics Tramplining Refresher Training Curse and will thereafter be renewable by refresher training every three years. Out f schls hurs (OSHL) activities This dcument als sets ut the Cunty Cuncil expected standards fr OSHL activities including schl sprt, which may take place befre schl, during lunchtimes and after schl and which may be delivered by supprt staff. Supprt staff is the term given t all adults, ther than trainee teachers, withut qualified teacher status (QTS) wh cntribute t the learning f pupils in schls. This term includes regular staff n the schl rll as well as visiting staff, whether ccasinal r regular cntributrs. In physical educatin and sprt cntexts such cntributrs are usually caches emplyed directly r indirectly n shrt term arrangements. The Cunty Cuncil adpts the guidance and advice f the Assciatin fr Physical Educatin (afpe) which has prduced cncise guidance fr head teachers and ther leadership staff respnsible fr deplying visiting supprt staff within physical educatin and sprt. This guidance, ( Best practice guidance n the effective use f individual and agency caches in PE and schl sprt ) is available n the CCC website pe.learntgether.rg.uk, the afpe website: www.afpe.rg.uk and in Safe Practice in Physical Educatin and Sprt, 2012 and cvers safe recruitment, inductin, qualificatins, experience and qualities necessary fr a cach t wrk alne, day t day management, mnitring quality and effectiveness, and dealing with inadequate perfrmance by the cach.
Assciated Cunty Cuncil frms and dcuments Manual Handling - See sectin 3.13 Manual Handling Training See sectin 3.4 Infrmatin & Training Fire - See sectin 3.11 Fire Safety PPE - See sectin 3.21 Persnal Prtective Equipment Accident Reprting - See sectin 3.8 Accidents/Incidents First Aid See sectin 3.7 First Aid Sun safety Play Equipment (Fixed) Playgrund Equipment Checklist