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Children’s Services
Business Continuity Guidance and Plan Template for Schools
Autumn 2011
Helping to ensure that “Every Child Matters”
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Introduction
In response to the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and the Civil Contingency Planning Regulations 2005, Swindon Borough Council has been developing and enhancing its Business Continuity Plans.
Having robust Business Continuity Plans (BCP) in place is important, not just to meet our legal obligations, but also to demonstrate good Corporate Governance. Recent incidents, affecting schools both within and outside the Borough of Swindon, also demonstrate the importance of having good quality plans in place. Examples of such incidents include fire, flooding and major vandalism.
To be successful Business Continuity Management (BCM) has to become part of the culture of your organisation. On joining, all new staff should be made aware of the school’s BCM arrangements and this should be made an integral part of the induction process. It is good practice to ensure that all staff members in your school that has business continuity responsibilities receive training on BCM.
Emergency Pack
One of the most useful actions that you can take to cope with an incident is to have prepared an Emergency Pack in advance. This is a pack of items that will help you to implement your BCP. Items that you may wish to include are shown in Appendix 1.
Business Continuity Plans for Schools
As part of this process a Business Continuity Plan template, specifically designed for schools has been developed which can be found on page 3 onwards.
The Plan consists of three elements:
1) Page 3, showing the key priority actions in the event of an emergency;
2) Part A, containing key contact details, plans for an incident management centre, location of reference documentation etc;
3) Part B, showing the actions to be considered, in response to an incident, and a checklist to assist in ensuring all the key actions have been covered;
The Plan template should be personalised on an individual basis by each school. The Plan has been designed to be as simple as possible, whilst providing a fairly comprehensive reference document that will assist in dealing with an incident. The Business Continuity Plan template should be reviewed on at least an annual basis, taking into account any changes in relevant legislation, Government advice, feedback from schools etc.
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IN AN EMERGENCY
1. Call the Emergency Services on 999 if appropriate 2. Contact Swindon Borough Council’s Emergency Control Room on 01793 488677.
3. Contact the Head Teacher on 0XXXX XXXXXX or, alternatively XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX on 0XXXX XXXXXX.
4. Go to the immediate incident checklist on page 19 in Part B of this plan.
5. The contact information and details of the supporting documentation is in Part A from page 5 onwards of this plan.
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PART A Business Continuity Plan Template
1. Policy Statement 2. Distribution Notes 3. Business Continuity Plan Updates 4. Key Documentation 5. School Business Continuity Team (SBCT) 6. Incident Management Centre 7. Call-out Directory – Emergency Services, Utilities, Regulators, Other
8. Call-out Directory – Neighbouring Schools 9. Re-location 10. Hazards 11. Pupil/Student Information
12. Removal/Transport/Security Companies
13. Other Local Service Providers
14. Specialist Service Providers 15. Incident Log
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1. Policy Statement The Authority/Head Teacher stating must make a clear policy statement: - - The reason for the Plan. - The areas covered by the Plan. - The responsibilities for maintaining and testing the Plan. One example is shown below:
Policy Statement [School] and Swindon Borough Council are totally committed to ensuring that, in the event of an incident at any of the schools within the Borough of Swindon, we will continue to provide a high level of education for the pupils / students. The School Senior Leadership Team in conjunction with the Local Authority Business Continuity Team will be directly responsible for the overall handling, coherence and effectiveness of the Continuity Plan. The Governing Body of [School] and Director, Access and Provison, Children’s Services, Swindon Borough Council, are responsible for annually reviewing the Plan and identifying changes required. The School will be responsible for maintaining and testing their relevant sections of the Plan and Swindon Borough Council for the remainder. Signed: Date: Head Teacher……………… Swindon Borough Council ……………….. 2. Distribution Notes Internal Distribution The plan should be treated as a SECURITY document and its contents CONFIDENTIAL to the school at all times. Copies of this Plan are held by the following persons or kept in the following locations:- Hard Copy: Who Where Head Teacher Deputy Head Teacher School Business Manager Site Manager Local Authority Electronically: The controlled versions of this document are held: S:\
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3. Plan Updates It is imperative that the Plan is kept up-to-date. Formal updates will be issued annually. Interim updates will be issued should there be any major change. Approval: Name Governing Body Local Authority Responsibility for Updating the Plan: Name [School]
Date of Review
Person Reviewing Comments/amendments to the Plan
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4. Key Documentation Copies of the documents below are held by the following people or kept in the following locations: Hard Copy Document Where Revision Date 1 Health and Safety Policy 2 Telephone number of counselling service. 3 Property Handbook for Schools 4 Risk Management in Educational Establishments 5 Emergency Evacuation Procedure 6 Emergency School Closure 7 Accident / Incident Reporting 8 Procedure on Notification of Student or Member of Staff Death 9 Bomb threat procedure 10 Staff lists 11 Student Lists 12 Inventories 13 Dangerous chemicals Guide 14 Site Plans 15 BT Telephone directory for Swindon 16 Asbestos Plan Electronically The controlled versions of the above documents are held: S:\
5. School Business Continuity Team (SBCT) The SBCT should be comprised of suitably experienced Senior Management members and experts from relevant disciplines to be able to understand and manage the likely impact of the incident in order to minimise disruption to the operation of the School. It must be recognised that the most appropriate persons may not always be available, thus, it is crucial that suitable deputies are identified, contacted and brought into the SBCT in order that the best advice is available.
No. SBCT Name/ Contact Number
Deputy Candidates
Name/ Contact Number
1 Head Teacher † 2 Deputy Head Teacher † 3 School Business
Manager †
4 Site Manager † 5 Governor † 6 7 8
[† Suggested SBCT members. The exact membership of the SBCT should be determined by the school according to its needs]
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6. Incident Management Centre 6.1 Locations: Location 1 (Main): [Attach site map] External Lines Internal Lines Location 2 (Second Option): [Attach site map] External Lines Internal Lines Document requirements: See Reference Documentation list on p.16
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7. Call-out Directory-Emergency Services, Utilities, Regulators, Other
Service Tel: Tel (Other) Fax
Wiltshire and Swindon Police HQ Operations Room
0845 408 7000
Swindon Fire & Rescue Service
01793 401200 01793 838900 HQ (Devizes): 01380 723601
HQ: 01380 727000
Great Western Ambulance Service
01249 858500 Keith Scott (Locality Director for Wilts) 01380 733258
Swindon Borough Council Control Room
01793 466451 08:00-17:00
01793 616427/488677 07740 037609
Swindon Borough Council Civil Protection Unit
01793 464871
01793 466165
Director, Access & Provision
01793 46 5724 / 07720 072076
Hospitals/ Medical Great Western Hospital 01793 604020 01793 486991
Out of hours GP: 01793 541111
Regulators Health and Safety Executive
Info line: 0845 345 0055
0845 408 9566
Health Protection Agency 01380 814000 Regional Office: 01453 829740
01453 829741
Environment Agency 08708 506 506 Incident hotline (24hrs) 0800 807060
Utilities Electric Gas Water Sewage Telecomms Swindon Borough Council
Environmental Health Media Heart 01793 663038 and
provide current password
BBC Radio Swindon 01793 513652 and provide your DCSF number
Press Office-SBC 01793 463117 Interpreting Alpha Plus 01984 656751
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8. Call-out Directory – Neighbouring SchoolsSchool Tel (Main) Tel (Other) Fax
9. Re-location Any requirements listed in this section need to be communicated to the Local Authority Business Continuity Team.
9.1 Temporary accommodation N/A
Can temporary building be erected on the existing Yes No
Site?
9.2 Alternative Sites (to be considered in conjunction with LA)
N/A
If you cannot reoccupy your premises and the installation of temporary buildings is not an option, you will need to consider alternative courses of action for the initial period following the incident. e.g. obtaining other accommodation via the loan of some office space from another school, council, etc
State your options:
Remember you will still need to have a presence at the damaged site for people who will turn up here.
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You will also need to advise parents/carers and pupils and other concerns that you deal with of the new arrangements. You should consider preparing a letter to be saved on a separate disk. A suggested wording is given below: Sample Letter “You will be aware of the recent incident that has affected our school. We are currently working closely with Swindon Borough Council to ensure that disruption is kept to the minimum possible. However, as you will appreciate, it will be a while before we are back to normal. For the immediate future we have made the following arrangements, which will come into effect from ……… As from today we will be using ………. as the school office: Please note that our contact numbers are: (Tel and Fax Nos.) (Tel and Fax Nos.)
You will, no doubt, hear all sorts of information from various sources. Any information not provided by the school or Swindon Borough Council must be treated with considerable caution. We will provide updated information as frequently as possible both via the board at the entrance to the school and a weekly update letter to every family. Thank you for your support and understanding in what has been a difficult time for all of us. Yours sincerely, etc.
9.3 Additional Staff
Will additional staff be required Yes No
(e.g. supply teachers, agencies)
NUMBER WORK TIME REQUIRED
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10. Hazards List environmental or other hazardous substances/materials where additional action will be required. List also any safety manuals, hazard data sheets and contact telephone numbers of manufacturers or authorities who will need to be informed e.g. Environment Agency etc.
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11. Pupil/Student Information It is important that all schools maintain an up to date list of emergency contacts for all pupils and staff. This information should include the following, as a minimum, and should be taken on all school trips/journeys taken out of school hours or that involve overnight accommodation. Name of Pupil / Student: - Date of Birth: - Home Address: - Telephone Number: - Emergency Daytime Contact: - (Address and Telephone number) Alternative Emergency Daytime Contact: - (Address and telephone number) Doctors Name: - Practice Address: - Telephone Number: - Any Medical Condition: - Any Medication: - Special Dietary Requirements: - Allergies: -
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12. Removal/Transport/Security Companies
Name and Address Telephone & Fax Numbers (24 hr if available)
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13. Other Local Service Providers
Service Name and Address Telephone (including 24 Hour)
and Fax No.
Access Control/ Security Passes Agencies: See Supply Agencies Air Conditioning Engineers Building Fabric/Repairs Boilers CCTV Carpenter Caterers Cleaning Services
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14. Specialist Service Providers
Service Name and Address Telephone (including 24 Hour)
and Fax No.
Diocesan Boards Examination Boards Estate Agents Health and Safety
Coach Hire Computer Equipment Drain Cleaning Hire Companies Lifts Locksmiths Mechanical Engineers Mobile Phones Security Company Supply Agencies Van Hire
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3. ………………………………School – Log Sheet
Location and Description of Incident: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… LOGKEEPER(S) 1................................... 2................................... 3.........................................................
SERIAL TIME MESSAGE ACTION SIGNED
NOTES FOR LOGKEEPERS (a) Serial must be four figures (b) Note when log keepers change (c) Each entry must be signed When Complete: Make sure that this log sheet is kept safe as it could be Used as evidence in any subsequent inquiry into the incident
Page Number ..........................
Date .........................
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PART B Immediate Incident Checklist
Major Incidents Staff who become aware of an actual or potential major incident or issue should notify Head Teacher on [……….…] or the Deputy Head Teacher on [……….…] or the Senior Management Officer on [………….], who will implement the necessary procedures for contacting the Director, Access & Provision on 01793 46 5724.
ACTIVITY COMPLETED WHO BY?
WHEN?
Call emergency services (999)
Evacuate the premises
Roll call
Everyone safe (including joint users)
Restrict access to the affected areas
Pupils / students are assembled in the designated area and supervised
Contact the LA BCT on 01793 488677 (Control Room)
Obtain a copy of students, staff and their families contact lists
Liaise with emergency services incident officers at the scene
Record the details of casualties:-
Obtain information on: Names
Obtain information on: Injuries
Obtain information on: Current location of casualties
Obtain information on: Where will be moved ?
Obtain information on: Whether next of kin have been informed?
Injury Who is accompanying injured person(s) to hospital
Provide accommodation which is restricted to next of kin, pupils and staff, as appropriate
Provision of immediate transport, assistance, and counseling as appropriate
Incident in School Time Decide whether to keep other pupils in school
Decide whether to send pupils home (all or some)
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Contact/bus/coach companies and Transport Unit- Mainstream Transport 01793 466213 SEN Transport 01793 466216/466215 1 Liaise with police for alternative coach parking 2 Provide instruction to companies to proceed or advise of
alternative arrangements If necessary consider arrangements for getting pupils home
Provide letter for children to take home to their parents, explaining what has happened so they receive your version of the facts and the actions that the school is taking.
Incident outside of school hours
Decide how to contact parents to inform them of the incident and taken course of actions; for bad news avoid phone chains
Consider announcements via the local radio stations
Communicate with all partners that share the affected site e.g. youth centres, Early Years Settings.
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Action Card 1 for School Business Continuity Team
Major Incidents Focused on School Premises:
Stage 1 – Actions for consideration by the School Senior Leadership Team in the first 24 hrs Action Contacts / Comments Person /
Group Responsible
Completed
1 Declare an emergency situation exists
2 Phone emergency services
3 Activate Evacuation Procedure
Assemble at agreed locations Ensure Safety of Pupils and Staff
4 Ensure notification of the LA BCT, of the Incident, via the Swindon Borough Council Control Room: 01793 488677
Phoning the number will activate the LA BCT part of the plan including notifying all relevant people/groups. A representative of the LA BCT will attend the site as a matter of urgency.
5 Activate School Incident Management Team
Identify a suitable meeting area for the recovery teams
6 Establish an Incident Management Centre (IMC), if appropriate
On or off school’s premises Engage Civil Contingencies Emergency Vehicle. This can be done through the Council’s Control Room (01793 488677) or via the LA BCT Target Time: • 60 minutes during normal working day • 120 minutes at all other time
7 Delegate individual(s) to notify all staff
Personnel Notification Procedure: e-mail, intranet, manual call or meeting
8 Provide current incident information to staff dealing with calls
9 Activate procedure for informing parents
This procedure could also inform other relevant people such as trades people, out of hours users, support staff, etc.
10 Actively manage pupils 11 Establish media
communication via the LA BCT
See Incident Communications Guidelines. Pass media enquiries to the LA BCT as soon as practically possible
12 Establish priorities for salvage and advise emergency services and recovery team
These might include e.g.: Equipment, records, registers, cheque books, course work, animals/livestock
13 Make alternative arrangements for examination groups
In consultation and support from the LA BCT.
14 Assess disruption to education process
15 Update Chair of Governors, parent groups etc.
It might be helpful to use parent groups as an information focal point.
16 Record Financial expenditure
To be communicated to the LA BCT
17 Notification of Insurance Company, agreed Loss Adjusters and Intermediaries
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18 Consider the introduction of “contemplator” areas
There should be suitable areas where pupils and staff have the opportunity to talk through and express their emotion e.g. areas for quiet thought or small meeting areas, etc.
Action Card 2 for LA Business Continuity Team STAGE 1 – Actions for Consideration by the LA Business Continuity Team in the first 24 hrs
Action
Comments
Person - Group Responsible
Completed
1 Upon receiving an incident notification establish emergency phone facilities if required
Staffing information line numbers. This can be supported by the Civil Protection Unit at an early stage
2 Media enquiries to Corporate Press Officer
3 Identify information point(s) at suitable location (s)
Providing basic information in this way will reduce enquiries.
4. Identify possible welfare support needs for pupils and staff, and agree / allocate responsibilities
In consultation with the School Business Continuity Team.
5. Review of accommodation, catering and supervisory staff for pupils arriving at or remaining on site
In consultation and with support from the School Business Continuity Team.
6 Consider alternative accommodation needs
e.g. Temporary buildings, relocation, specialist facilities in consultation with the School Business Continuity Team.
7 Liaise with emergency services, e.g. death, injury, etc.
8 Liaise with representative(s) of the school
9 Mobilization of appropriate departments
Refer to contact lists ????????
10 Request the attendance of the Civil Protection Vehicle
In liaison with the Civil Protection Unit who will provide the vehicle, if available.
11 Consider possibility of asbestos contamination and safety measures required
12 Ensure building and site safety and security (including risk assessments, safe working practices and provision of personal protective equipment
13 Evaluate damage to the building and the likely disruption to the education process
14 Site organisation: establish remaining facilities on site
15 Provision of accommodation
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and catering for pupils who attend the school
16 Set up internal/perimeter notices
17 Issue information bulletin/establish media control
18 Liaise with diocesan authorities where appropriate
19 Pupil relocation/school twinning arrangements
20 Set up and manage an LA incident helpdesk
Action Card 3 for the School Business Continuity Team
Major Incidents
STAGE 2 – Actions for consideration by the School Senior Leadership Team from 24 hrs to 2 weeks
Action
Comments
Person/ Group
Responsible
Completed
1 Review Stage 1 2 Identify most urgent issues
The school will need to focus particularly on key educational needs
3 Identify useable facilities on site 4 Review health & safety and
security/fire prevention on site
5 Review welfare support for pupils and staff
6 Establish alternative timetables 7 Establish supply cover for
teaching/non teaching staff In consultation with the LA BCT
8 Check/reschedule examination arrangements
9 Update information to school users and local community
Do you have a communications plan, which covers such things as notice boards, newsletter, web sites, reception points, etc?
10 Formalize the revised transport arrangements
11 Review services/deliveries to site In consultation with the LA BCT e.g. catering, cleaning
12 Prepare inventory to furnish alternative accommodation
13 Maintain information update to staff In consultation with the LA BCT
14 Update Governors, parent groups etc.
In consultation with the LA BCT
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ACTION CARD 4 (LA Business Continuity Team) MAJOR INCIDENTS
STAGE 2 – Actions for consideration by the LA Business Continuity Team from 24 hrs to 2 weeks
Action Comments Responsibility
Date Completed
Review Stage 1
Temporary accommodation decision
Relocation of all or parts of the school
Provision of temporary classrooms and furnishings
Establish Health and Safety responsibilities
Review fire and security safety measures
Update welfare support for pupils and staff
Ensure CDM compliance
Compliance with Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations (1994)
Review communications arrangements
Review IT arrangements
Formalize transport arrangements
Update DCSF/GOSW
Update the Diocesan Authority if applicable
Update the various interested outside groups/organisations
Maintain issuing of information
Handle media interest
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ACTION CARD 5 (LA Business Continuity Team) Ongoing Overview STAGE 3 – After the Incident – Actions for consideration by the LA Business Continuity Team
Action Comments Responsibility
Date Completed
Review Stages 1 and 2
Review welfare support for pupils and staff
Review the temporary accommodation
Scaling down of LA BCT involvement
Continue with the communications to outside interested bodies
Update media information as necessary
Planning new building
Rebuilding and occupation of new/ repaired premises
Assessment meeting between LA BCT, SBCT and appointed loss adjustor
Assessment of progress and agree future actions
Final report to Group Director: Children and Chair of Governors
Disband the LA BCT
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Ongoing Incident Checklist for the School Senior Leadership Team [This checklist can also be used at the time of an incident. Please add to this as necessary] Staff/Governors - Hold a staff briefing session as soon as possible - Ensure all health & safety risks have been identified and are being managed - Provide staff at set points to meet students returning to school - Provide written information regarding the incident and how it will affect the school - Alteration to duty rotas - Review courses/timetabling - Issue new fire notices and procedures and record in the Fire Log Book - Hold a fire drill as soon as possible, so pupils and staff will know their exit routes
and assembly points. You may feel it appropriate to talk the pupils through the practice first.
- Alter/adapt school programmes - Communications: Internal and External - Consider imminent examination issues Premises
- Obtain plans of the building. Mark on them the parts which have been affected by the incident - Walk through the buildings to amend (and then transfer to the plan): - Check for obstacles to pupils movements - Check/re allocate toilet facilities - Identify new routes - Review entrances/exists - Identify new entrances/exists - Check fire escape requirements (consult with the Fire Service) - Walk through the yards and establish areas where access will have restricted access for contractors and their vehicles - Reallocate space e.g. parking, pupil areas etc - Review site security - Review Health & Safety - Review fire prevention arrangements - Review lettings / joint use arrangements and hold meetings to discuss changes
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Pupils/students - Assembly – Pass on information to pupils - Issue new timetables - Issue maps showing restricted areas etc - Issue an information sheet to pupils and parents Parents/Carers - Hold parents/teachers meetings General - Change the message on the school answer-phone regarding changes to pupil attendance etc - Provide notices around the school perimeter regarding progress Ongoing Incident Checklist (LA Business Continuity Team) This checklist can be used at the time of an incident. Please add to this as necessary.
- Hold regular meetings of SBCT with LA BCT - Establish Health & Safety requirements - Establish access requirements for vehicles - Establish pupil / staff restricted access areas - Adapt doors to fire exit/exit doors as necessary - Overhaul the fire alarm / fire detection / security systems - Install temporary facilities
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Appendix 1 Emergency Pack
One of the most useful actions that you can take to cope with an incident is to have prepared an
“Emergency Pack” in advance. This is a pack of items that will help you implement your plans.
Items that you may wish to include are:
Documents:
• Business Continuity Plan – your plan to recover your business or organisation.
• List of employees with contact details – include home and mobile numbers, and even
e-mail addresses. You may also wish to include next-of-kin contact details.
• Lists of supplier details.
• Contact details for emergency glaziers, salvage organisations and building contractors.
• Contact details for utility companies.
• Building site plan (this could help in a salvage effort), including location of gas, electricity
and water shut off points.
• Latest stock and equipment inventory.
• Insurance company details.
• Financial and banking information.
• Engineering plans and drawings.
• Local authority contact details.
• Headed stationery
Equipment:
• Computer back up tapes / disks / USB • memory sticks or flash drives.
• Spare keys / security codes.
• Torch and spare batteries.
• Hazard and cordon tape.
• Message pads and flip chart.
• Marker pens (for temporary signs).
• General stationery (pens, paper, etc).
• Mobile telephone with credit available, plus charger.
• Dust and toxic fume masks.
• Disposable camera (useful for recording • evidence in an insurance claim).
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Ensure you are able to repair or replace any equipment vital to your school at short notice. If
you are able to, consider storing spare parts off-site.
Notes: Make sure this pack is stored safely and securely off-site (in another location). Ensure
items in the pack are checked regularly, are kept up to date, and are working. Remember that
cash / credit cards may be needed for emergency expenditure. This list is not exhaustive, and
there may be other documents or equipment that should be included for your school.
