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Critical Incidents, Business Continuity and Disaster

Recovery Policy

Approved by the Governing Body of Sky College

Chair of Governors /Headteacher ↘ Virginia Roberts (Sign)

Date of Approval: ↘ 7 October 2019

Other person(s) with listed responsibilities within this policy (If applicable)

Name: ↘ Emma Mottram Name: ↘ Rod Cockram

Date: ↘ 7 October 2019 Date: 7 October 2019

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Signed: ↘ Emma Mottram Signed: Rod Cockram

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Table of Contents

Loss of Premises .................................................................................................................................................. 8

Loss of Data ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Staff Shortage ...................................................................................................................................................... 9

What schools/pandemic manager should do: .................................................................................................... 9

Fuel .................................................................................................................................................................... 10

In the event of a widespread fuel shortage, options will include: .................................................................... 10

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1. Overview

Somerset County Council is required by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to develop plans to manage business continuity in the event of a range of disruptions to services. By extension, Local Authority schools have the same obligation. This plan should be read in conjunction with schools’ other evacuation plans and emergency procedures that deal with the immediate response to an emergency situation. This plan deals with no-notice disruptions most likely to occur: loss of premises (through fire, flood etc); loss of utilities (electricity, gas, water, fuel); failure of IT and telephony; failure of supply; staff shortage; issues such as pandemic ‘flu. The impact of any serious disruption may manifest itself in terms of: delivery of education, safety/welfare, financial consequences; reputation damage; environmental consequences. This plan should be reviewed annually. Further information and resources can be obtained from the Developing Community Resilience Through Schools website: http://www.schoolemergencies.info/

2. Aim of Plan

The aim of this plan is to provide guidance and support to enable schools to tackle the impact of severe disruptions due to a variety of one-off, but credible, causes.

The plan is designed to achieve the following strategic objectives: To safeguard the safety and welfare of pupils, staff and visitors; To resume provision of education services at the earliest opportunity and, where possible, secure a continuation of learning; To maintain the community and identity of the school; To return the school to normality.

3. Notification

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During working hours, a site disruption is likely to become apparent to all staff and pupils very quickly: alarm activation, word-of-mouth etc. Refer to Guidance for Schools Volume 2 Section: Emergency Procedures for School Closures:

http://www.six.somerset.gov.uk/sixv3/content_view.asp?did=12869

Outside working hours, a site disruption may be notified by the emergency services to the school Caretaker, Business Manager, Headteacher or the Somerset County Council Duty Officer, who will attempt to contact the school caretaker direct or relay the information to the ‘First Call Officer’ Children and Young People’s Directorate via the Emergency Telephone Directory (Pink Pages). Otherwise the disruption may not be known about until staff and pupils arrive at the start of the school day.

4. Plan Implementation

The responsibility for implementing this plan lies with the Headteacher or, if not available, other designated senior member of staff.

5. Initial Actions and Emergency File

Evacuation is dealt with in the school evacuation plan. Upon activation of this plan, the Headteacher, or his/her nominated deputy, will form a Business Continuity Management Team (BCMT) with responsibilities as listed in Item 7. The primary objective of the BCMT is to manage the developing situation and minimise harm and danger to:

Pupils Staff Visitors to the school Building, contents and other assets School’s ability to provide education.

An emergency file will be stored in the School Admin office. The file should contain the following items:

A copy of this plan A copy of the school evacuation and contingency plan A plan of the school building Specimen press and information (Somerset Direct) statements Risk assessment for alternative site Any other critical items

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An up-to-date list of contact details of parents/carers and staff (also available on internet enabled computer).

The file should be taken out of the school building by the nearest person, only if safe to do so! The emergency file will be checked termly for accuracy of information by a member of the school’s administration staff.

6. Assessment/Containment

As soon as practicable, the BCMT will meet to consider what resources are available to continue normal business as far as possible. Potential resources are:

Staff, vehicles, equipment still at the scene Staff, vehicles, equipment located elsewhere Nearby schools premises for immediate needs Current IT and telephony capability

If the disruption has resulted in the loss of the school site, the BCMT meeting should be held at an alternative location (Selworthy School, Selworthy Road, Taunton, TA2 8HD)

7. Roles and Responsibilities

Functional roles include, but are not limited to the following (dependant on resources available, individuals may be called upon to fulfil more than one role):

Incident Officer David Simons

Chair Team meetings

Co-ordination of the response

Liaise with CYPD: Schools and Achievement Service

Allocate resources.

Be prepared to answer questions from the media (after consultation with SCC Corporate Communications)

Responsible for deciding whether or not staff should be sent home.

Staff Officer Emma Mottram

Meet and greet emergency services as they arrive, with a floor plan of the building, if possible.

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Ensure all significant occurrences and decisions are recorded, together with reasons for decisions made.

Provide clerical and practical assistance to the Incident Officer. Welfare Louise Rhea

Ensure all pupils, staff and visitors are safe and accounted for.

Marshalling of pupils, staff and visitors at the evacuation rendezvous point.

Arranging for transfer of everyone to place of safety.

Arrange for warm, dry shelter for everyone in the short term.

Deal with immediate welfare matters: distress, injuries, domestic responsibilities, etc.

Co-ordinate the sending home of pupils and immediate care of those whose parents cannot be readily notified.

Premises David Simons/ Clayton Flinders

Building security.

Turn off gas, electricity etc, if this can be done safely.

Salvage of critical documents/equipment if this can be done safely. The nominated person should be in possession of a list of critical items.

Signs and notices for doors/boundaries.

Liaison with neighbours.

Identification/transfer to alternative premises. Communications David Simons / Clayton Flinders

(Immediate!) Instruct staff not to leave the rendezvous point until told to do so.

Liaison between Emergency Team and staff.

Imparting factual information to staff.

Liaison with SCC Corporate Communications, Somerset Direct.

Agree key information to be given to parents by class teachers. Continuity and Recovery Emma Mottram

Arrange for opening up of alternative premises.

Co-ordinate fitting out with furniture and equipment.

Liaise with SCC Children and Young People’s and Resources Directorates: ICT installation, repair and recovery of main school premises, SCC Insurance Services

NB: It is tempting during the initial phase of an incident, when children and staff are accounted for and

Staff are, for instance, milling around outside the premises and it is obvious that no work will

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be conducted for the rest of the day, to send them home. Before taking this decision, however, it should be borne in mind that they may be available to assist one of the BCMT members, and that, once released, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to make contact with them again until at least the following day.

8. Potential Disruptions

Loss of Premises

Sky College does not lie within a flood plain.

Alternative Place of Safety/Shelter:

Address: Selworthy Special School, Selworthy Road, Taunton, Somerset. TA2 8HD

Contact: Mark Ruffett (Headteacher)

(NB: Alternative sites should be far enough away from the school that it is unlikely to be affected by the same disruption, eg, flooding)

Loss of Utilities/ICT:

Utilities/ICT Name of Supplier Telephone Number

Electricity Southern Electric Western Power Distribution

08450 260 654 0800 365 900

Gas Corona National Gas Emergency

08442 646 464 0800 111 999

Water/Sewerage Wessex Water Wessex Water Emergency

08456 003 600 08456 004 600

Telephone Equations 0808 2020 411

IT Southwest One ICT IDN

01823 355 090 08449 808008

Virtual Teaching:

If there is a serious disruption to education work can still be submitted by students and accessed by teachers, using the Fronter Virtual Learning Environment, provided by the Local Authority. Secondary Schools can access Fronter but primary schools may not be able to. However, primary schools may choose to accelerate the introduction of an online learning

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space for their pupils. Link to the information is as follows: http://www.six.somerset.gov.uk/sixv3/content.asp?did=21509.

Loss of Data

List of data, critical to school operations in which format it is kept, location of backup copies and method of accessing these.

Data Backup Location Access

SIMS.net County Hall Via Southwest One

SIMS FMS County Hall Via Southwest One

System Backup IDN Via IDN

Staff Shortage

The most likely scenarios involving a significant loss of staff are:

Outbreak of disease (e.g., influenza pandemic) Fuel Shortage Industrial action

In all of these events, there is likely to be a period of notice in which arrangements may be made to mitigate the effects:

Epidemic/Pandemic -

School Pandemic Manager: Rod Cockram Deputy: Emma Mottram

An influenza pandemic or similar occurrence may jeopardise staffing levels, directly though staff illness, or indirectly through fear of infection or through caring responsibilities for sick relatives.

What schools/pandemic manager should do:

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It is essential that information is disseminated about how to identify symptoms of flu and what to do in the event of a member of staff becoming ill with suspected flu.

Download the latest information for schools to prevent the spread of infection and in what circumstances they might need to close. Additional details are also given about some websites where you can get further up to date information. Appendix II http://www.six.somerset.gov.uk/sixv3/content_view.asp?did=21569

Fuel

In the event of a widespread fuel shortage, options will include:

Increased use of public transport Car sharing Walking or cycling

When information indicates that a fuel shortage is expected, a list of staff living remotely from their place of work and with particular difficulties in accessing any of the above options will be compiled.

Industrial Action

As far as possible, without attempting to influence staff members’ legal right to take industrial action, managers should try to estimate the proportion of staff that may be available to work in order to plan work in accordance with priorities.

9. Recovery

Long-term recovery may be affected by decisions made during the assessment/ containment phase, so recovery issues should be taken into account by the BCMT from the outset. Dependent on the nature of the incident recovery may take months or even years to achieve (for instance if a full rebuild is required after a fire, or if injuries or deaths occur) and will include ways of keeping the school community together during any period of dispersion, or commemorating the event on anniversaries.

Appendix 1 - Emergency Contact Details

During Working Hours

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H&S – 01823 355953 Manager – Senior EP: 01823 334475 (Will implement Critical Incident response process) Media Officer 01823355020 Somerset Direct (Schools) 03001232224 Out of hours Contact EP service – 01823 334475 Media Officer 07739300144 Property Services 01823 355528 Insurance Services 01823 355920 Civil Contingencies Unit (day) 01823 358067 (Out of hours) Via Fire Service 01823 364500 Ask for duty officer to be paged

Appendix 2 – Staff living remotely from School

Please see list of staff with potential problems in getting to work as below:

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Agenda for First BCMT Meeting

Staff Member Home/Location (not address)

Alternative Means Of Transport

David Simons Bristol Train/Car Share

Menize Donatien Bristol Train/Car Share

Simon Hunt Bristol Train / Car Share

John Gordon Cullompton (Devon) Train

Kate McCarthaigh Bristol Train/Car Share

Jackie Marsh Burnham-on-Sea Bus/Car Share with Bristol

Bryan Langley Bristol Train/Car Share

Amelia Bailey Bristol Train / Car share

Emma Mottram Yarcombe (Devon) None

Kim Larsson Ilminster Bus

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1. Background and Situation Report as known (Chair)

2. Updates and actions:

Premises

Current state Critical items recovered/still in situ Estimate of return Welfare (staff, pupils, visitors)

Confirm all persons accounted for Current arrangements for retaining staff Arrangements for accompanying casualties to hospital (if applicable) Outstanding welfare issues Communications

Message given out to staff New contact number for public Public message via Communication and Marketing Brief for Somerset Direct Collect contact numbers for team members. Continuity and Recovery

Critical services affected Options to work around disruption Resources shortfall Alternative premises identified (if applicable)

3. Time of next meeting 4. Distribution List: Senior Management Team Chair of Governors CYPD Schools and Achievement SCC Civil Contingencies Unit

CRITICAL INCIDENT CHECKLIST – EDUCATIONAL VISITS

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Appendix 4

Trip leader – initial response Tick/sign/time

Ascertain the whereabouts of all pupils and staff. Ensure the emergency services are aware of anyone who is unaccounted for.

Contact the Headteacher (or nominated emergency contact) to ask for support. Remember to clarify international dialling codes if abroad.

Establish a basic overview of the incident. Ensure that accurate, factual information is available for those arriving on-scene.

Establish arrangements to meet the immediate welfare needs of pupils and staff.

Inform the emergency services of SEN concerns and of any pupils or staff with known medical conditions or requirements.

Ensure that a member of staff accompanies any pupils to hospital but remember the safety of everyone else, even if unharmed. Do not leave anybody on their own and try to maintain an adequate adult/pupil ration.

Ensure other staff are briefed (and given tasks) on a regular basis. Ask staff to maintain a log of actions taken and decisions made.

Keep a log of important information, actions taken and decisions made.

Remember to retain any important items/ documents E.g

Contact details

Consent forms (including medical and next –of-kin details)

Maps

Tickets

Insurance policies

Proof of identity

Passports (if abroad)

Avoid making comments to the media. Refer media to SLT.

Do not discuss legal liability with others

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Trip leader – initial response Tick/sign/time

Continue to assess any risks to pupils and staff. Take action to prevent further harm if necessary.

Act as the main contact for co-ordination of the response and work closely with the Headteacher/nominated emergency contract. Continue to liaise with the emergency services and other organisations.

Continue to brief staff and allocate tasks on a regular basis.

Monitor and reassure pupils. Make arrangements for the longer-term welfare needs of pupils and staff.

Consult the Headteacher (or nominated emergency contact) about arrangements for notifying parents/carer and reuniting them with their children

Liaise with the tour operator/provider, if appropriate.

Try to obtain the names and contact details of any witnesses to the incident. If possible, obtain a written account from them.

If abroad, contact the foreign and Commonwealth Office for support.

If abroad, check your insurance policy and seek insurance/legal advice before incurring any substantial expense (e.g. medical treatment).

Retain any receipts/documentation for insurance purposes. E.g:

Records of expenditure

Medical certificates/hospital admission forms

Police incident number

Check that everyone who should have been notified of the incident has been informed. Remember that information given must be limited until the facts are clear and all parents/carers have been notified.

Ask the Headteacher (or nominated emergency contact) to assist with developing a media statement, with support from other organisations as appropriate. Devise an on going strategy for dealing with media requests.

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Ask pupils and staff to avoid speculation when talking to the media and refer all media to Headteacher. Try to prevent the spread of misinformation (especially through the use of mobile phones

Trip leader - recovery

Please refer to appendix 1 for providing welfare arrangements and post incident support after the initial emergency response.

Complete any necessary forms/paperwork.

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ACTIVATION – Appendix V

Notification of Incident

Headteacher or CIMT to complete

Information about an incident may come from a number of sources (e.g member of staff, pupil, parents/carer, member of the public, the emergency services, the local authority). Whoever receives the alert should ask for and record as much information as possible. + Maintain a written record of your actions. + Offer reassurance and support. Be aware that all those involved in the incident (both

directly and indirectly) may be suffering from shock or may panic. + Find out what has happened. Obtain as clear a picture as you can.

+ Discuss with the informant what action needs to be taken and by whom.

Name of informant: Date and time of call:

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………….

Contact details of informant: Date and time of incident:

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………….

Exact location of incident:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Details of incident:

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Where is the informant now and where are they going?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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People affected (including names, injuries, where they are, where they are being taken to):

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

What arrangements are I place for people not directly involved in the incident?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

What advice have the emergency services given?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Who has been informed?

□ Headteacher □ Police

□ School staff □ Fire & Rescue Service

□ Governors □ Ambulance Service

□ Pupils □ Local authority

□ Parents/Carer □ Health and Safety

Executive

□ Extended services □ Foreign &

Commonwealth Office

□ Trade union □ Media

□ Insurance company

Does anyone else need to be informed?

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Are any other actions required?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

+ if the incident happened on an educational visit please ask the questions below. You might already have these details but it could be useful to seek confirmation.

Name of educational visit leader: Number of pupils on educational visit:

…………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………….

Nature of educational visit: Number of staff on education visit:

…………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………..

Location of educational visit:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

If the incident happened abroad, do the Foreign & Commonwealth Office need to be notified?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………