Department of Health

Boarding

Schools

National Minimum Standards

Consultation Document.ii

Web Access

This document is available on the DoH internet web site

 
© Crown copyright 2001
First published 2001.iii

Page

General Introduction v

National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools 1

1 Welfare Policies and Procedures (Standards 1–7) 3

2 Organisation and Management (Standards 8–14) 9

3 Welfare Support to Boarders (Standards 15–30) 13

Contents

iii iii.Monitoring of records 18

4 Staffing (Standards 31–40) 25

5 Premises (Standards 41–53) 33

Appendices

1 List of Policies and Documents 45

2 List of Records 47

3 List of Issues to be monitored by the School 49

4 Glossary 51

Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment 59

INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT

iv.v

General Introduction

This consultation document contains the proposed national minimum standards for mainstream boarding schools to be used by the National Care Standards Commission when it takes on responsibility for the welfare inspection of boarding schools in April 2002. It also contains a partial regulatory impact assessment, which discusses the benefits and costs of implementing the new standards.

The draft standards are issued for consultation only, and there may be changes in the final version.

This document does not cover issues around inspection frequencies and fees, which will be addressed in a separate consultation document, or around the regulations governing the welfare inspection of schools, which will need to be updated in line with the Care Standards Act 2000.

How the standards will work

The national minimum standards for boarding schools will be issued by the Secretary of State under section 87C(1) of the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000. They are intended to safeguard and promote the welfare of children for whom accommodation is provided by a boarding school. The Secretary of State will keep the standards under review, and may publish amended standards as appropriate.

These standards will apply in England to all mainstream boarding schools, for all age groups of pupil up to 18. A separate set of national minimum standards for residential special schools will apply to those boarding schools designated by the Department for Education and Skills as special schools. Boarding schools of any type which intend to accommodate any child for more than 295 days a year will be required to register as children’s homes with the National Care Standards

Commission. Such schools will then be subject to the Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 and the national minimum standards for children’s homes rather than the standards in this document.

The National Care Standards Commission, or any other inspecting body appointed by the Secretary of State to carry out inspections of boarding schools under Section 87 of the Children Act 1989, will assess whether the school is satisfactorily safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children for whom accommodation is provided or arranged by reference to these standards. The Department for.Education and Skills will refer where relevant to these standards in any enforcement action it may take against a school on boarding welfare grounds. Local education authorities will also refer to these standards in any decisions made in relation to the boarding provision and practice of any boarding school they maintain.

The standards are “minimum” standards, in the sense that they constitute the requirements that all boarding schools must meet. Many schools will already meet these standards or will exceed them.

Each of the standards sets out overall pupil welfare outcomes, with a statement of the nationally required minimum standard supported by accompanying specific standards for use in assessing schools during inspection.  

In inspecting to these standards, the National Care Standards Commission, and any other approved inspectorate, will follow a consistent inspection methodology and reporting format across the country.

Assessment against the standards will look at how far the school is meeting its legal requirements to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarding pupils. This, rather than checking compliance with the details of every standard, is what is essential.

Consultation

Consultation is a vital part of the development of the proposed new regulatory system.

The current draft standards are the result of extensive consultation, and the purpose of this document is to move to a new phase of wider consultation.

The standards have been produced with significant input from the boarding school sector. They are based on the “National Boarding Standards” which were developed by the National Boarding Standards Committee, which is a group of all the different school associations that contain boarding schools. The standards were developed over a period of two years, following a literature review and consultation with all key interests. They were also extensively trialled.

The standards also take account of two sets of further consultation: parent surveys and consultation with pupils in a number of schools.

It is our intention that everyone with an interest in these standards should be involved in this phase of the consultation process. This document has been published on the internet, at the DH site; we are sending copies to a wide range of organisations and individuals; and we will be informing all boarding schools about arrangements to access the document.

You are welcome to contribute any ideas or thoughts you may have regarding the national minimum standards. In addition to commenting on the draft, we would be grateful if you could consider if we have achieved the right coverage of issues. Are there, in your opinion, any key areas that have not been discussed or that have not been covered in sufficient detail?

INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT

vi.We would also be grateful if you could look at the partial Regulatory Impact Assessment and to comment on the issues raised there.

How to feedback your ideas

You may contact the Department of Health by letter or email. In order to ensure that we are able to keep track of all the information sent to us, would you please make sure your letter or email includes the following information:

your name

your job title and background relevant to boarding schools

if you work in a boarding school, please give details of the type of work you carry out

your comments.

Please note that we may not be able to reply to you personally, but we will take all comments received during the three month consultation period into account when producing the final version of the standards.

You are welcome to pass this document on to interested colleagues, or to direct them to the website.

The written address is:  
Department of Health, SC4C  
Room 141 Wellington House
133-155 Waterloo Road
LONDON  
SE1 8UG

The email address is:  
MB-DH-Bsstandards@doh.gsi.gov.uk

Please send in your responses by Friday 5 October 2001 at the latest. Responses after that date are unlikely to be considered. (The closing date is slightly later than the one in the covering LASSL in recognition of the difficulties for some in commenting during the Summer period.)

INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT

vii.viii.1

National Minimum

Standards

for Boarding Schools.2.3

Statement of boarding principles and practice

STANDARD 1

1.1 A suitable statement of the school’s boarding principles and practice should be available to parents, boarders and staff.

1.2 The statement (which may be included in the Prospectus or similar document) covers the aims and organisation of boarding at the school, admission criteria, outline of facilities and welfare support services for boarders, any special religious or cultural aspects of the school, and relates as appropriate to relevant school policies and practice.

1.3 The statement is up to date and is made available to parents, prospective parents, staff and boarders.

1.4 The statement reasonably reflects the actual current boarding practice at the school.

Countering Bullying

STANDARD 2

2.1 The school should have an effective policy on countering bullying, which is known to parents, boarders and staff and which is implemented successfully in practice.

2.2 The policy covers measures both to prevent bullying and to respond to observed or reported bullying, and also includes a definition of bullying.

OUTCOME

Boarders are are protected from bullying.

OUTCOME

A suitable statement of the school’s boarding principles and practice should be available to parents, boarders and staff.

1 Welfare Policies and Procedure.

2.3 The policy is provided to parents of boarders, and is available and known to both staff and boarders, including junior and recently appointed staff.  

2.4 There are no “initiation ceremonies” intended to cause pain, anxiety or humiliation.

2.5 The school does not have high rates of bullying.

Child protection, response to allegations

STANDARD 3

3.1 The school should have, and follow, an appropriate policy on child protection and response to allegations or suspicions of abuse, which is consistent with local Area Child Protection Committee procedures, and is known to staff and as appropriate to older boarders in positions of responsibility.

3.2 There is a written child protection policy that is consistent with the requirements of the local Area Child Protection Committee procedures. This includes the requirement for a referral to be made within 24 hours (in writing or with written confirmation of a telephoned referral) of allegations or suspicions of abuse to the local social services department to carry out child protection investigations, rather than internal investigation by the school. This is available to staff and adults working at the school.

3.3 The child protection policy includes procedures for all staff (including ancillary staff ) employed by the school, who receive allegations of abuse or suspect that abuse may be occurring at school or elsewhere, to consider measures that may be necessary to protect individual boarders; to avoid asking leading questions or giving inappropriate guarantees of confidentiality; to make and keep written records; and to report the matter to the school’s designated person for further action 1 .

3.4 The school’s policy and practice explicitly require staff to report to a designated senior member of staff of the school, or to the National Care Standards Commission or other appointed inspectorate with which the school has an inspection agreement (under s87 of the Children Act 1989), any concern or allegation about school practices or the behaviour of colleagues which are likely to put pupils at risk of abuse or other serious harm; and provide immunity from retribution or disciplinary action against such staff for “whistleblowing” in good faith.

3.5 All staff, at all levels, (including newly appointed and ancillary staff ) have been given briefing or training on responding to suspicions or allegations of abuse and know what action they should take in response to such suspicions or allegations.

OUTCOME

Boarders are protected from abuse.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

4

1. The policy should be clear on action should the school’s usual designated recipient of such reports themselves be subject to allegation or suspicion..3.6 A senior member of staff is designated to take responsibility for the child protection policy, to liase with the social services authority, and to co-ordinate action with social services and (where applicable) the police following any child protection allegation or suspicion affecting a boarder. This staff member has received training in child protection, and holds copies of relevant government child protection guidance and local Area Child Protection Procedures.

3.7 The local social services authority confirms that it has no current concern on child protection grounds regarding the way in which the school is safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its boarders, and that the school has responded appropriately to any recent child protection issue and co-operated with any statutory child protection enquiry that has taken place involving the school since the previous inspection, contributing appropriately to the formulation and implementation of any child protection plan made.  

3.8 Where appropriate, senior pupils given positions of responsibility over other pupils are briefed on appropriate action to take should they receive any allegations of abuse.

Discipline, punishments, rewards and restraint

STANDARD 4

4.1 The school should have, and follow, a fair and appropriate policy on discipline and use of punishments, known to boarders, staff and parents.

4.2 There is a written and appropriate policy on discipline, punishments and any rewards for good behaviour, which includes a statement of policy on use of restraint, which is available to all staff and parents and known to boarders. The school’s disciplinary practice is consistent with this, and any variations in practice between houses are formally sanctioned by the school.

4.3 Observed standards of pupil behaviour are generally satisfactory, and boarders identify the school’s use of punishments as generally fair.

4.4 No unacceptable, excessive or idiosyncratic punishments are used by boarders or staff, including any punishment intended to cause pain, anxiety or humiliation, corporal punishment, deprivation of access to food or drink, enforced eating or drinking, prevention of contact by telephone or letter with parents or any appropriate independent listener or helpline, requirement to wear distinctive clothing as a punishment (or night-clothes by day as a punishment), use or with-holding of medical or dental treatment, deprivation of sleep, fines exceeding two thirds of the boarder’s available pocket money provision, or locking in a room or area of a building.

4.5 Any disciplinary powers of prefects or equivalent are clearly defined.

OUTCOME

Use of discipline with boarders is fair and appropriate.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

5.4.6 Administration of major punishments 2 is recorded in writing in a suitable book or log, with the name of the boarder concerned, the reason for the punishment, and the person administering the punishment.

4.7 Any use of physical restraint is by reasonable and non-injurious means, only for the minimum time necessary to prevent injury to self or others or very serious damage to property, and always recorded in writing.

Responding to complaints

STANDARD 5

5.1 The school should have, and follow, an appropriate policy on responding to complaints from boarders and parents, known to boarders, parents and staff.

5.2 There is a written and appropriate complaints procedure for complaints by boarders or parents, available and known to all staff and boarders.

5.3 Documentation to parents identifies the means for parents to raise complaints or concerns about the care of their children at school.

5.4 Boarders and their parents are informed by the school of how they can contact the National Care Standards Commission (or other appointed inspectorate where applicable), regarding any complaint concerning their welfare.

5.5 A written record is kept of serious complaints and their outcome, for regular review 3 by the Head or a senior member of staff

5.6 Complaints are resolved either to the complainant’s satisfaction, or with an otherwise appropriate outcome which balances the rights and duties of pupils, without unreasonable delay.

OUTCOME

Boarders’ complaints are adequately responded to.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

6

2. Examples of “major punishments” to be recorded are those only used by the school for particularly serious offences, any serious punishment used which is not included in the school’s written disciplinary policy, punishments for offences likely to be sufficiently serious to be quoted in future reports or references for the boarder concerned, and punishments for offences which would constitute criminal behaviour in the case of an adult.  

3. Under government guidance “Working Together to Safeguard Children”, such review should check for patterns of complaints that might indicate welfare concerns, as well as checking action on major complaints..

Health education

STANDARD 6

6.1 The school should have, and follow, an appropriate policy on countering major risks to health, including substance abuse, which is known to staff and is effective in practice.

6.2 Personal, social and health education provides age appropriate advice and guidance on alcohol and illegal substance abuse, smoking, sex education, HIV infection, hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases, and protecting oneself from abuse.

6.3 Staff know the school’s policy on the appropriate response to alcohol, smoking and illegal substance abuse by boarders, and follow that policy in practice.

Boarders’ health records

STANDARD 7

7.1 Adequate records should be kept in relation to individual boarders’ health and welfare needs and issues.4

7.2 There are individual records for boarders, containing relevant health and welfare information provided by parents and recording significant health and welfare needs and issues. These include any significant known drug reactions, major allergies and notable medical conditions, and this information is available to staff likely to administer medication or treatment to those boarders.

7.3 Boarders’ records include identification of the persons with parental responsibility for the boarder, contact details for parents and any other emergency contact arrangements, and any court orders affecting parental responsibility or the care of the boarder.

OUTCOME

The safeguarding and promotion of boarders’ health and welfare are supported by appropriate records.

OUTCOME

Boarders’ health is promoted.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

7

4. This standard does not relate to any NHS records which may be held at the school or kept by a school nurse or school doctor, but includes any non-NHS school records kept by a school nurse, matron or other staff..7.4 Information about welfare needs and any special provision to be made for individual boarders are effectively made available to those staff with a need to know that information.

7.5 Confidentiality of personal information about boarders is protected.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

8.9

Management and development of boarding

STANDARD 8

8.1 There should be clear management and leadership of the practice and development of boarding in the school.

8.2 Where applicable, the school’s governing body monitors welfare provision in the school.

8.3 Senior boarding staff have an adequate level of experience or training in the management and practice of boarding to ensure that boarders’ welfare is safeguarded and promoted.

8.4 There is a staff disciplinary procedure, which includes provision for precautionary suspension of staff where necessary pending investigation or final decision following allegations or concerns having a potential significant effect on boarding welfare. This procedure includes provision for guidance and support to staff during suspension or investigation while allegations against them are being investigated.

Crisis management

STANDARD 9

9.1 The school should be capable of satisfactorily managing crises affecting boarders’ welfare.

9.2 There are planned responses to a range of foreseeable major incidents or crises, such as outbreaks of illness, fires, serious allegations or complaints or significant accidents.

OUTCOME

Crises affecting boarders’ welfare are effectively managed.

OUTCOME

There is clear leadership of boarding in the school.

2 Organisation and Management

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS.9.3 In making decisions in any crisis or emergency affecting boarders’ welfare, staff do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case to safeguard and promote the welfare of the boarder(s) concerned.

Organisation of boarding houses

STANDARD 10

10.1 The organisation of boarding houses or units should operate satisfactorily and provide appropriate protection and separation of boarders by age and gender.

10.2 No individual house or houses have significantly poorer physical provision, facilities or standards of welfare than other houses.

10.3 There is no major discrepancy of quality of boarding provision for different genders.

10.4 There are no major or inappropriate discrepancies in principles or practice of boarding between different boarding houses.

10.5 Sleeping areas, recreational areas, toilet and bathroom provision are reasonably separated for boarders of significantly different ages.

Activities and free time

STANDARD 11

11.1 There should be an appropriate range and choice of activities for boarders outside teaching time, with adequate free time.

11.2 Boarders have sufficient and suitably timed free time each day.

11.3 The school provides a satisfactory range and choice of activities for boarders out of class time, throughout the year and both indoors and outdoors as appropriate, without a significant lack of activities for boarders at the weekend.

11.4 Boarders have appropriate access to school sports, recreational and hobby facilities outside class time.

OUTCOME

Boarders have access to a range and choice of activities.

OUTCOME

The school’s organisation of boarding contributes to boarders’ welfare.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

10.11.5 There are sufficient appropriate supervised activities for any boarders remaining at school when most boarders have returned home (e.g. at “exeat” weekends, half terms or holidays).

11.6 Where boarders have access to the internet, suitable supervision or safeguards exist to counter risks of access to inappropriate material.

Securing boarders’ views

STANDARD 12

12.1 Boarders have opportunity to contribute views to the operation of boarding provision.

12.2 There are formal opportunities (e.g. school councils, meetings, surveys) for boarders to express views on relevant aspects of boarding provision, either directly or through representatives. These views are taken into account in the development and practice of boarding.

Prefects

STANDARD 13

13.1 Any prefect system (or equivalent) should give prefects (or equivalent) appropriate specific duties and responsibilities, with adequate staff supervision and measures to counter possible abuses of the role.

13.2 Prefects are selected on the basis of their suitability for the duties and responsibilities of the role.

13.3 The duties, responsibilities and any powers of prefects or their equivalent are clearly stated in writing to those appointed, and do not give undefined general duties or powers, or require prefects to substitute inappropriately for staff.

13.4 Prefects or their equivalent are given an induction into their role on appointment, which includes how to contribute to the school’s anti-bullying practice and how to respond to allegations of serious bullying or abuse. Prefects fulfil the role appropriately and do not abuse their powers.

OUTCOME

The operation of any prefect system safeguards and promotes boarders’ welfare.

OUTCOME

Boarders are enabled to contribute to the operation of boarding in the school.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

11.13.5 Prefects are regularly supervised and directed in their duties by responsible staff.

13.6 There also opportunities for boarders to learn and take on roles of leadership and responsibility through other means than the prefect or equivalent system.

Staff and outside support to boarders

STANDARD 14

14.1 Each boarder should have one or more members of staff to whom he or she can turn for personal guidance or with a personal problem.

14.2 There is a clear policy that boarders may take a personal or welfare concern to any member of staff in the school, not solely their designated house or tutor staff, and including staff of both genders, and boarders are able to follow this in practice.

14.3 Any personal tutor system functions effectively and boarders use tutor contact as appropriate for discussion of personal and welfare issues as well as academic or administrative matters.

14.4 Boarders have at least one person outside the staff of the school (who may be a school counsellor) whom they may contact directly about personal problems or concerns at school.

14.5 All persons identified to boarders for such contact have been subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks in the same way as school staff, with a satisfactory outcome.  

14.6 Boarders are aware of the person(s) the school has designated for them to contact outside the school staff, and know how they may be contacted.

OUTCOME

Boarders receive personal support from staff.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

12.13

Medical treatment and first aid

STANDARD 15

15.1 Appropriate first aid and minor illness treatment are available to boarders at school, with access to medical and dental services as required.

15.2 There are effective arrangements to secure medical and dental attention for boarders as necessary (e.g. through registration with a local GP, or through a visiting school medical officer).

15.3 Any designated school nursing staff hold a current nursing registration, and the school has confirmed on appointment that they are registered with the United Kingdom Central Council. The title of “nurse” is not used for staff not so registered.

15.4 If the school has a designated school nurse, that nurse should have access to a named doctor for professional guidance and consultation.

15.5 Boarders can freely choose whether or not they are accompanied by staff when being seen by the doctor or dentist.

15.6 Boarders specifically wishing to see either a male, or a female, doctor are able to do so where this is feasible.

15.7 Boarders competent to do so are able to make appropriate choices concerning medical or dental treatment, and these are respected in practice.

15.8 First aid and minor illness treatment are given at school by competent designated staff (e.g. by or under the supervision of a qualified nurse or first aider).

15.9 Prescribed medication is only given to the boarder for whom it was prescribed, in accordance with the prescription or instructions from the pharmacy, and is not kept for general use for other boarders or added to “stock” for such use.

15.10 The school has secured, and follows, qualified medical or nursing advice in a written protocol on the provision of non-prescription “household” medicines to boarders.

OUTCOME

Boarders receive first aid and health care as necessary.

3 Welfare Support to Boarders

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS.15.11 Prescribed and “household” medication, other than that kept by individual boarders able to administer and control their own medication, is kept securely.

15.12 Boarders keeping and administering their own medication are assessed by staff as sufficiently responsible to do so, and are able to store their medication safely and appropriately

15.13 A written school 5 record is kept of all medication, treatment and first aid administered to boarders, giving name, date, medication/treatment, reason for administration (if not prescribed), which is signed by the responsible member of staff and is regularly monitored by an appropriate designated senior member of staff.

15.14 A written school record is kept of all significant illnesses, accidents or injuries to boarders (either as part of the above school medication and treatment records or separately).

15.15 Written parental permission has been obtained in advance for the administration of first aid and appropriate non-prescription medication to boarders, and to seek medical or dental treatment when required.

Care of ill boarders

STANDARD 16

16.1 Boarders who are ill should be regularly checked and adequately looked after by a member of staff, and be able to summon staff assistance readily and rapidly when necessary.

16.2 Boarders who are separated from others, in bed or otherwise, through illness are regularly checked and receive the care and attention that they need by a member of staff.

16.3 Boarders are able to summon staff assistance readily and rapidly when being looked after separately from others because of illness, by both day and night.

OUTCOME

Boarders are adequately supervised and looked after when ill.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

14

5. i.e. separately from the boarder’s NHS records..

Management of health and personal problems

STANDARD 17

17.1 Significant health and personal problems of individual boarders should be identified and managed appropriately.

17.2 An appropriate staff member prepares and works to a written and agreed individual “welfare plan”, agreed with a parent, for any boarder with special welfare needs, significant emotional or behavioural difficulties, or who does not see his or her parent or legal guardian at least three times a year.

17.3 Appropriate provision is made to meet the assessed welfare needs of boarders with Statements of Special Educational Needs and there are written records to demonstrate this.

17.4 Boarders with bed-wetting problems are appropriately supported in managing the problem and avoiding undue embarrassment.

17.5 Boarders with medical difficulties (such as asthma), with disabilities, or requiring special treatment or management because of health, emotional or welfare needs, are given suitable support, and activities are adapted as appropriate.

17.6 Boarders who are homesick are suitably supported at school.

17.7 Pupils who are being bullied are suitably supported, and pupils who may bully others are also given suitable help and guidance.

17.8 Boarders undergoing times of personal stress (e.g. because of problems at home, or bereavements) are suitably supported.

17.9 Links exist with outside professional services (e.g. social worker, psychologist), and these are used where needed by individual boarders.

OUTCOME

Boarders are supported in relation to any health or personal problems.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

15.Discrimination and equal opportunities

STANDARD 18

18.1 Within the school, there is no inappropriate discrimination on grounds of gender, disability, race, religion, cultural background, linguistic background, sexual orientation or academic or sporting ability. These factors are taken into account in the care of boarders, so that care is sensitive to different needs. Minority groups amongst boarders are supported appropriately and helped to integrate.

18.2 School documents demonstrate an appropriate approach to equal opportunities and avoidance of inappropriate discrimination of all forms.

18.3 No identifiable minority groups within the school population are excluded or suffer from discrimination.

18.4 The school supports those boarders who for any reason do not “fit in” to the school, house or pupil body.

18.5 Appropriate provision or exemption is made, where feasible and desired, for boarders with special dietary, dress or religious observance requirements or needs because of religious or cultural background.  

18.6 Appropriate support is provided for boarders for whom English is not their first language, in boarding as well as through the curriculum.

Parental contact and telephones

STANDARD 19

19.1 Boarders are enabled to contact their parents and families in private.

19.2 Boarders’ contact with parents and visits by parents to their children at school, at reasonable times, are facilitated within the school.

19.3 Boarders have access to a telephone to contact parents in private at reasonable times without having to seek permission from, or inform, staff. There is a sufficient number of such telephones to meet the needs of the boarders.

OUTCOME

Boarders can maintain private contact with their parents and families.

OUTCOME

Boarders do not experience inappropriate discrimination.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

16.19.4 Boarders are able to write letters home and to receive letters from home (and to send and receive E-mail or voice mail messages to and from home if the school provides these facilities to boarders), without letters or messages being censored or read by staff or others, and without having to seek permission from, or inform, staff.

19.5 Staff contact parents about any significant welfare concerns relating to their child at school.

19.6 Boarders are provided, either in writing or on notices by pupil telephones, with one or more appropriate helpline or outside contact numbers to ring in case of problems or distress.

Pocket money and care of possessions

STANDARD 20

20.1 Reasonable protection is provided for boarders’ personal possessions and for any boarders’ money or valuables looked after by the school.

20.2 If there is a system in the school for providing or distributing pocket money, or looking after personal possessions for boarders, this is done fairly and a proper written record is kept.

20.3 Each boarder has a suitably secure, accessible place to keep personal possessions and valuables (e.g. a lockable drawer, cupboard, locker, box or trunk).

Induction of new boarders

STANDARD 21

21.1 There is an appropriate process of induction and guidance for new boarders.

21.2 New boarders should be given suitable information about boarding routines and rules, including key information in writing.

21.3 There are arrangements for new boarders to have guidance from more experienced boarders.

OUTCOME

New boarders are introduced to the school’s procedures and operation, and are enabled to settled in.

OUTCOME

Boarders’ possessions and money are protected.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

17.Educational guardians

STANDARD 22

22.1 Any guardians appointed by the school should be subject to the same recruitment checks as staff, and their care of pupils should be monitored.6

22.2 The school makes it clear in writing to parents whether any guardians used by pupils of the school are arranged by or on behalf of the school, or by parents, clarifying that in the latter case, parents rather than the school are responsible for the welfare of their children while staying with the guardians concerned.

22.3 Any guardians appointed by the school to look after pupils are subject to the staff recruitment procedures set out in Standard 38 and Criminal Record Bureau checks, with a satisfactory outcome before they are able to work for the school.

22.4 The school regularly monitors the suitability of any guardian arrangements it makes.

Monitoring of records

STANDARD 23

23.1 The Head, or a senior member of the school’s staff, regularly monitors the school’s records of risk assessments, punishments, complaints and accidents, to identify any issues requiring action.

23.2 Records of risk assessments, major punishments, complaints and accidents are regularly (at least once a term) monitored by the Head or a designated senior member of staff 7 .

OUTCOME

Risk assessment and school record keeping contribute to boarders’ welfare.

OUTCOME

Boarders’ welfare is protected in any appointment of educational guardians by the

school.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

18

6. Educational guardians appointed by schools do not have parental responsibility. This standard applies where an educational guardian is appointed for a child under 18 by the school, by a member of staff as part of their work for the school, or by an agency or organisation on behalf of the school. Where a school provides lists of possible guardians, written documents should be clear whether the school or parent is responsible for the arrangements made and thus the welfare of the child. Guidance for schools on educational guardians is available in the “Boarding Briefing” series published by the Boarding Schools’ Association.

7. see Standards 29 and 48 relating to risk assessments.23.3 Reasonable action is taken to reduce risks identified by risk assessments.

23.4 Action is taken in relation to any concentration or trend in recorded punishments, offences, complaints or accidents (e.g. relating to particular places, groups or times).

Catering

STANDARD 24

24.1 Meals should be provided to boarders, which are adequate in quantity, quality, choice and provision is made for special dietary, medical or religious needs, with clean and suitable cutlery, crockery and dining facilities.

24.2 Meals provided for boarders are nutritious, reasonably balanced, and adequate in frequency, quantity, quality, hygiene and temperature.

24.3 Boarders have a choice of main dish at main meals, including a vegetarian choice.

24.4 Boarders with special dietary, medical or religious needs requiring special catering provision are adequately catered for.

24.5 Crockery, cutlery and dining facilities are sufficient and clean.

24.6 Dining rooms and furnishings are suitable and of sufficient size for the numbers and ages of boarders dining.

24.7 There is sufficient time at mealtimes, taking into account any necessary queuing time, for boarders to finish their meals properly.

24.8 Staff and pupils involved in preparing food for others have received appropriate training in food handling and hygiene.

24.9 There are no significant outstanding recommendations of the Environmental Health Service.

OUTCOME

Boarders receive good quality catering provision.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

19.Drinking water and snacks

STANDARD 25

25.1 Boarders have access to drinking water in both boarding and teaching areas, and to food or the means of preparing food at reasonable times in addition to main meals.

25.2 Drinking water is available in all boarding houses at all reasonable times.

25.3 Drinking water is available to boarders during the school day at reasonable times in addition to mealtimes (if this provision is by washbasin taps, the school has confirmed that the water supply is of drinking quality).

25.4 Snacks are available to boarders at reasonable times other than main mealtimes – either provided by the school, purchasable by boarders, or prepared by boarders themselves.

25.5 Older boarders in senior age schools have facilities to store appropriate food and prepare their own hot and cold snacks and drinks hygienically.

Fire precautions and drills

STANDARD 26

26.1 Boarders and boarding staff should be aware of emergency evacuation procedures from boarding accommodation. The school should comply with recommendations of the Fire Service, and should regularly carry out and record risk assessments in relation to fire, together with fire drills and any routine tests recommended by the Fire Service.

26.2 Boarders know emergency evacuation procedures from sleeping and living areas in each boarding house.

26.3 Fire drills are regularly (at least once per term) carried out in “boarding time”.

26.4 Emergency lighting, fire alarms and fire fighting equipment are regularly tested, and this is detailed in the appropriate records.

OUTCOME

Boarders are protected from the risk of fire.

OUTCOME

Boarders have access to food and drinking water in addition to main meals.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

20.26.5 Fire doors in boarding accommodation are not wedged open without the express approval of the local Fire Service.

26.6 The school’s records demonstrate that risk assessments in relation to fire risks and fire precautions have been carried out (as required under the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1999).

26.7 There are no significant recommendations of the Fire Service outstanding beyond any timescale set by that Service for their implementation

Onerous demands on boarders

STANDARD 27

27.1 Schools where there are unusual or especially onerous demands on boarders ensure that these are appropriate to the boarders concerned and do not unacceptably affect boarders’ welfare.

27.2 Any special welfare concerns or issues arising from unusual or especially onerous demands on boarders (e.g. demanding performance or sports practice programmes in addition to the usual school day) have been identified and are satisfactorily managed.

27.3 Boarders still have reasonable free time each day alongside any other major demands on their time.

Accommodation of children other than pupils

STANDARD 28

28.1 The welfare of any children accommodated at the school, other than pupils, is protected.8

OUTCOME  

The welfare of any children other than the school’s pupils is safeguarded and promoted while accommodated by the school.

OUTCOME

Boarders’ welfare is not compromised by unusual or onerous demands.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

21

8. The school accommodates children other than its own boarders if the school, or any member of its staff as part of their work for the school, is responsible for looking after them during their stay at the school. Visiting pupils staying in school accommodation, even accompanied by their own staff, should be regarded as “temporary boarders”. This standard does not apply where the school has let its accommodation to another organisation, which is itself responsible for looking after the children..28.2 Any residential activities in which the school accommodates and looks after children other than its own boarders (e.g. residential holiday activities) provide satisfactorily for the supervision, welfare and protection of those children while accommodated by the school. This does not apply where another organisation is responsible for the children.

High risk activities and risk assessment

STANDARD 29

29.1 Identifiably high risk activities provided for boarders should be competently supervised and accompanied by adequate and appropriate safety measures.

29.2 Risk assessments are carried out, and recorded in writing, in relation to identifiably high risk activities for boarders (including cadet and other uniformed organisation activities, and activities or instruction the school arranges to be provided by outside bodies), and reasonable measures are taken to minimise unnecessary risks. 29.3 Identifiably high risk activities are instructed or supervised by adults holding the relevant qualification from the appropriate national governing body or association for the sport or activity concerned, where such a body can be identified; and, where no such body can be identified, the school can demonstrate that reasonable steps have been taken to confirm that those supervising or instructing such activities are competent to do so.

29.4 Safety measures are taken, and safety equipment provided, for boarders participating in identifiably high risk activities, in accordance with the recommendations of the appropriate national governing body or association for the sport or activity concerned, where such a body can be identified.9

29.5 Written parental permission is obtained in advance for boarders to participate in identifiable high risk activities run by the school or arranged by the school with other groups or organisations.

29.6 Where the school takes boarders to a centre providing activities requiring licensing under the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations, the school can demonstrate that it has checked that the centre is so licensed.10

OUTCOME

Boarders’ safety and welfare are protected during high risk activities.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

22

9. A list of major National Governing Bodies is included in Annex B to the DfES publication Health

and Safety of Boarders on Educational Visits.

10. Licensing is likely to be required where a commercial company or local authority provides caving, climbing, abseiling, trekking, horse trekking, mountain biking, off-piste skiing, or watersports such as canoeing, rafting and sailing. Licensing concerns safety provision, and does not include checks on suitability of staff to work with children..

Access to information and local facilities

STANDARD 30

30.1 Boarders have access to information about events in the world outside the school, and access to local facilities which is appropriate to their age.

30.2 Supervision arrangements for boarders’ use of any local facilities outside school are appropriate to the age of the boarders involved, and the facilities used are of a suitable type without unreasonable risks to boarders.  

30.3 Boarders and staff confirm that boarders leaving the school site without staff are in age appropriate groupings, only older boarders in senior age schools being permitted to leave the school site alone.

30.4 Any community service activities by boarders outside the school are suitable and suitably supervised with acceptable levels of safety.

30.5 Boarders have access to newspapers, television or other suitable information media at school, subject to the wishes of parents.

OUTCOME

Boarders have appropriate access to information and facilities outside the school.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

23.24.25

Supervision of boarders

STANDARD 31

31.1 The staff supervising boarders outside teaching time should be sufficient in number and deployment for the age, number and needs of boarders, and the locations and activities involved.

31.2 There is a duty rota followed in practice which demonstrates satisfactory levels of staff supervision of boarders during the early mornings, during breaks in the school day, during any evening prep time, during evenings outside prep time, and at weekends both during the day and in the evenings. The levels of staff supervision are satisfactory in number and staff competence for the number, age and nature of the boarder population, the layout of the school and grounds, and the range and nature of the activities involved.

31.3 There is at least one adult in charge of each identifiable group of boarders, with the means to call for immediate back up from at least one other member of staff if necessary.

31.4 The number of staff accompanying and in charge of boarders on organised trips away from the school site, overnight stays and trips abroad should at least satisfy DfES guidance on minimum ratios 11 , with an increased ratio of staff to pupils where the nature of the trip necessitates this. Staff numbers and deployment should be sufficient to supervise the pupils and activities involved, ensure that people not on the school staff or subject to the school’s recruitment checks for access to boarders (including activity instructors) do not have substantial unsupervised access to boarders, and to deal with foreseeable emergencies. Where only one member of staff is in charge of pupils on any trip, that staff member has the means to call for back up from at least one other member of staff if necessary.

OUTCOME

Boarders are adequately supervised by staff.

4 Staffing

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

11. The DfES publication Health and Safety of Boarders on Educational Visits advises staff: pupil ratios for organised trips away from the school site of one member of staff per 10-15 boarders aged 8 to 10, one member of staff per 15-20 boarders aged 11 and over, increased to one per 10 boarders for trips abroad or overnight stays..31.5 There are satisfactory arrangements for the supervision of any boarders remaining in school accommodation during “exeat” weekends, half terms and holiday periods.

31.6 There are satisfactory cover arrangements for boarding staff sickness and absence.

31.7 Boarders and staff do not report an insufficient level of staff supervision of boarders in the evenings or at weekends, and staff supervision levels remain adequate at those times which are identified by staff or boarders as having the “thinnest” staffing levels.

31.8 The school has, and follows, a satisfactory policy for the safety and supervision of boarders during journeys, covering school transport, use of private vehicles and school use of public transport.

31.9 The boarding staff group in day to day contact with boarders includes staff of both genders where this is practicable within the school’s staffing structure.

Night supervision of boarding houses

STANDARD 32

32.1 Boarders should at all times be under the overall supervision of an identified member of staff, and should be able to contact a member of staff in emergency.

32.2 Boarders are able to identify the member of staff in charge of them, and how they can urgently contact that person, during out of school, evening and weekend times.

32.3 Staff know the whereabouts of boarders (or know how to find their whereabouts) in their charge at all times – this includes a signing out and back in system for boarders permitted to leave the school.

32.4 Gap students are not left alone in charge of boarders without a supervising member of staff contactable on site or accompanying them when away from the school.

32.5 There is a policy, known to staff and used in practice, for searching for, and if necessary reporting, any boarder missing from school.

OUTCOME

Staff supervision of boarders is effectively maintained and boarders can contact the staff supervising them as necessary.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

26.Night supervision of boarding houses

STANDARD 33

33.1 Staff should be present, and accessible to boarders as necessary, in each boarding house at night.

33.2 There is at least one adult member of staff sleeping in each boarding house at night, responsible for the boarders in the house 12 .

33.3 There are additional members of staff sleeping in each boarding house where necessary because of the age and number of younger children, or the particular needs of boarders.

33.4 Boarders have a satisfactory means of contacting a member of staff in each house at night.

33.5 There are means for staff to know which boarders are sleeping in the house each night (e.g. in case of fire or of an expected boarder being missing).

Staff job descriptions, induction, supervision, training

STANDARD 34

34.1 All staff with boarding duties 13 have job descriptions reflecting those duties, receive induction training in boarding when newly appointed, and receive regular review of their boarding practice, with opportunities for continuing training in boarding.

34.2 Any role of spouses and partners of staff within boarding houses is made clear.

34.3 There are clear arrangements for the supervision of ancillary and contract staff and any temporary or agency staff or volunteers working at the school.

OUTCOME

Boarders are looked after by staff with specific boarding duties, with adequate induction and continued training.

OUTCOME

Boarders are adequately supervised at night.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

27

12. Where a house comprises more than one building, sleeping in cover from one of its constituent buildings can only cover more than one building if the buildings are immediately adjacent, the responsible staff member is easily contactable by boarders at night, staff supervision is fully satisfactory in practice, and the boarders are at the upper age level in a senior school (normally sixth formers).

13. Throughout these Standards, references to staff with boarding duties include Matrons and any assistant or gap year staff working with boarders..34.4 There is an appropriate induction training programme, implemented in practice, in boarding responsibilities and duties for newly appointed boarding staff (including any assistant or “gap year” staff ), and this includes guidance on child protection.

34.5 There is an appropriate process for the regular review of the performance of each member of staff with boarding duties by a more senior or experienced member of staff (e.g. through individual supervision meetings or a staff appraisal system).

34.6 Job descriptions clearly state, and staff are themselves clear about, the person to whom each member of staff with boarding duties is accountable.

34.7 Opportunities are provided for training and updating in boarding practice (including guidance on child protection issues) for all staff, including new and experienced staff, commensurate with the roles, experience, and rate of turnover of staff, and any changes or planned changes or developments in boarding at the school.

Staff guidance on boarding practice

STANDARD 35

35.1 All staff with boarding duties are provided with up to date written guidance on the school’s boarding policies and practice.

35.2 There is an up-to-date staff handbook or similar written guidance, which is given to all staff with boarding duties.

35.3 Such guidance adequately covers the school’s approach to boarding and the safeguarding and promotion of boarders’ welfare; child protection, anti-bullying and sanctions policies; the school’s tutor or equivalent and prefect or equivalent systems; responding to boarders’ personal problems; the handling of complaints by boarders and parents; any special features of boarding; and the organisation of the boarding day.

OUTCOME

Boarders are looked after by staff following clear boarding policies and practice.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

28.Staff/boarder relationships

STANDARD 36

36.1 There are sound staff/boarder relationships, and the overall boarder view is that their staff look after them well, without either favouritism or antipathy towards individual boarders or groups of boarders.

36.2 The general view of boarders is that staff look after them well and fairly, and that communication between staff and boarders is generally positive.

36.3 Disagreements between boarders and staff are dealt with reasonably.

36.4 There is no inappropriate favouritism or antipathy of staff towards individuals or groups.

Privacy

STANDARD 37

37.1 Staff supervision of boarders should avoid intruding unnecessarily on boarders’ privacy.

37.2 Staff supervision of boarders is by appropriate patrolling and availability in boarding accommodation rather than by intruding inappropriately, or in a way that embarrasses boarders at sensitive times such as dressing/undressing, changing, bathing or showering.

OUTCOME

Boarders’ personal privacy is respected.

OUTCOME

There are sound relationships between staff and boarders.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

29.Staff recruitment and checks on other adults

STANDARD 38

38.1 Recruitment of all staff (including ancillary staff and those on a contractual/sessional basis) and volunteers who work with boarders 14 includes checks through the Criminal Records Bureau checking system (enhanced as appropriate), with a satisfactory outcome. There is a satisfactory recruitment process recorded in writing.15

38.2 The school’s system for recruiting staff (including ancillary staff, contract/sessional staff and volunteers) who will work with boarders includes all the following before appointment, which can be verified from recruitment records: check of identity against an official document Criminal Records Bureau check at the highest available level for the role concerned at least two written references, including the most recent employer, with a reference request letter that specifically asks all referees to state any known reason why the person should not be employed to work with children and that there should be no material mis-statement or omission relevant to the suitability of the applicant direct contact by the school with each referee to verify the reference interview, with a written record of the outcome check on proof of relevant qualifications requirement that applicants supply a full employment history, stating that any previous employer may be approached by the school contact by the school with each previous employer involving work with children or vulnerable adults to check the reasons the employment ended explanation of any gaps in CV, with a written record by the school that explanations for any gaps have been sought and are satisfactory.

38.3 Checks on the first four bullet points in 38.2 are also carried out on any adult members of the family or household of the staff, if they have regular contact with boarders.  

38.4 Appointment of “gap” student staff includes every element of the above recruitment checking system that is possible (even if the student concerned is already known to the school or to a trusted school abroad or is recruited through an agency).

OUTCOME

There is vigorous selection and vetting of all staff and volunteers working with boarders.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

30

14. Definition of working with children is as used by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.

15. The government has issued guidance on staff recruitment in “Working Together to Safeguard Children”, 1999. Guidance for schools is also available in the “Boarding Briefing” series published by the Boarding Schools’ Association..38.5 Where “gap” student staff are recruited from abroad, the school obtains a “certificate of good conduct” or equivalent from the relevant authorities of the student’s home country where such facilities are available.16

38.6 Offers of appointment to staff and others subject to the above recruitment checks are made subject to satisfactory completion of Criminal Records checks and satisfactory references if not all yet received.

38.7 Staff members (and others) subject to the requirements set out in 38.2 do not begin work (or residence) at the school until satisfactory completion of all checks and receipt of references. Exceptionally, a member of staff may begin work if some references/checks are outstanding, but all Criminal Records Bureau checks must have been completed. In such cases, there must be evidence that every effort has been made to chase the checks and references, and the person must be supervised so that they do not have substantial unsupervised access to boarders.

38.8 All appointments to work with boarders (including internal transfers and promotions) are subject to a probationary period.

38.9 Criminal Records Bureau checks and references are included in the recruitment process for any Guardians arranged by the school, and all adults living in lodgings arranged by the school, with a satisfactory outcome received and recorded in writing by the school before any boarder is placed.

38.10 The school either has a satisfactory system for carrying out Criminal Records Bureau checks on agency staff who have regular contact with boarders or the staff do not have unsupervised access to boarders or has evidence that the agency has carried out the necessary checks within the last 12 months. The school has taken reasonably practicable steps to carry out Criminal Records Bureau checks on taxi drivers booked by the school to drive boarders unaccompanied by staff.

Adult access to boarders and accommodation

STANDARD 39

39.1 The school does not allow any member of staff (including ancillary staff, sessional/contract staff and volunteers) to work with boarders unless that member of staff has been satisfactorily checked with the Criminal Records Bureau.

OUTCOME

Boarders are protected from unsupervised contact at school with adults who have not been subject to the school’s complete recruitment checking procedures and there is supervision of all unchecked visitors to the boarding premises.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

31

16. Guidance on Certificates of Good Conduct and equivalents is given in DfEE Circular 9/93 Protection of Children: Disclosure of Criminal Background of those with Access to Children..39.2 All adults visiting boarding accommodation (e.g. visitors, outside delivery and maintenance personnel) are kept under sufficient staff supervision to prevent their substantial unsupervised access to boarders or their accommodation.

39.3 All practicable steps are taken so that boarders are not entrusted to “unchecked” adults for journeys (e.g. by taxi) which involve giving such adults substantial unsupervised access to boarders.

39.4 There is a written agreement between the school and any adult not employed by the school but living in the same building as boarding accommodation (for example adult members of staff households). This specifies the terms of their accommodation, guidance on contract with boarders, their responsibilities to supervise their visitors, that their accommodation may be terminated if there is evidence that they are unsuitable to have regular contact with children, and the requirement that they notify an unrelated designated senior member of staff, if they are charged with, or convicted of, any offence.

Reporting of unsuitable staff

STANDARD 40

40.1 The school meets its duty to report a person who is dismissed for misconduct or who resigns in circumstances in which the school would have considered dismissing the person for misconduct.

OUTCOME

Children are protected from contact with adults found unsuitable to work with children.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

32 32.33

Boarding accommodation

STANDARD 41

41.1 Boarding houses (including dormitories and living areas) and other accommodation provided for boarders should be appropriately lit, heated and ventilated, suitably furnished, accessible to any boarders with disabilities, and adequately maintained.

41.2 Boarding houses and other areas for boarders are adequately lit by natural and artificial light, adequately heated and adequately ventilated.

41.3 Boarding houses and other areas for boarders are clean.

41.4 The standard of decoration of boarding houses and other areas for boarders is adequate.

41.5 Furnishing of boarding houses and other areas for boarders is suitable to the number, ages and needs of boarders accommodated, comfortable and in satisfactory condition.  

41.6 Boarders’ accommodation and its furniture, fittings and equipment are generally free from breakages and from numerous or significant items requiring maintenance.

41.7 Boarding accommodation is not unnecessarily noisy.

41.8 Where there are boarders with disabilities, their accommodation is suitable or suitably adapted for their access to all areas and facilities they need to use.

OUTCOME

Boarders are provided with satisfactory living accommodation.

5 Premises.

Access to and security of accommodation

STANDARD 42

42.1 Boarding accommodation is reserved for the use of those boarders designated to use it, and protected from access by the public.

42.2 Boarders’ sleeping areas are for the exclusive use of boarders and other pupils sharing study/bedroom provision with boarders, other than by the reasonable invitation of the pupils designated to use those areas.

42.3 Boarders’ living areas are for the exclusive use of boarders and other pupils designated to share that provision, other than by reasonable invitation of pupils designated to use those areas.

42.4 There is a clear school policy restricting access to school premises and boarders by people from outside the school, which is implemented in practice.

42.5 Suitable and adequate security measures are in place to prevent unauthorised access by the public to boarding houses and other school buildings used by boarders (e.g. where applicable, security locks, restrictors on vulnerable windows, use of intruder alarms).

42.6 Where feasible given the nature of the school site, reasonable measures are taken to prevent or deter unauthorised public access to the school grounds.

42.7 Any use of surveillance equipment (e.g. CCTV cameras) or security patrolling of school buildings or grounds does not intrude on boarders’ reasonable privacy.

42.8 Any public use of school facilities does not establish substantial and unsupervised access to boarders, or boarding accommodation while occupied by boarders, by members of the public (including members of organised groups using school facilities).

Sleeping accommodation

STANDARD 43

43.1 Sleeping accommodation is suitably furnished and of sufficient size for the number, needs and ages of boarders accommodated, with appropriate separation between genders, age groups and from accommodation for adults.

OUTCOME

Boarders have satisfactory sleeping accommodation.

OUTCOME

Boarders have their own living accommodation, secure from public intrusion.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

34.43.2 Beds are of sufficient size for the age of boarders, stable and of sound construction and in good condition, with mattresses of reasonable depth, clean and in sound condition.

43.3 Bedding is clean and suitable for the age of boarders, and is sufficiently warm in winter.

43.4 There is not an excessive variation in the standard of beds or bedding within any one dormitory.

43.5 Bunk beds 17 are only exceptionally used for boarders beyond Year 8, and use of bunk beds at any age does not lead to overcrowding of bedroom or studying space.

43.6 Beds have adequate space around them for boarders to change comfortably, and sufficient headroom above them (particularly above bunk beds).

43.7 Dormitories are of adequate size and not overcrowded.18

43.8 All dormitories, single bedrooms and individual sleeping cubicles have a window.

43.9 Sleeping areas are either carpeted or have other suitable floor covering.

43.10 There is adequate storage space either in or adjacent to sleeping areas for boarders’ clothing and property.

43.11 Boarders can if they wish personalise an area of their dormitory with suitable posters and personal items.

43.12 Boarders’ sleeping accommodation is fully separated by gender and appropriately separated by age group.

43.13 Staff, staff family and visitors’ sleeping accommodation is separate from boarders’ sleeping accommodation.

43.14 Requests from boarders to change bed or dormitory for good reasons are properly considered.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

35

17. i.e. beds fully one above the other, as distinct from “cabin” style beds with desk areas or storage beneath.

18. Where there is disagreement over whether a room is too small or overcrowded, and in planning dormitory accommodation, the space requirements of the School Premises Regulations 1999 should be relied upon. These set out the following minimum requirements for usable floor area: rooms/dormitories for 2 or more boarders, 1.6 m2 plus 4.2 m2 per boarder; individual sleeping cubicles within a larger room, 5 m2; single bedrooms, 6 m2. They also require beds to be at least 900 mm apart in bedrooms / dormitories. “Usable floor area” includes bedroom floor area taken up by room furniture or behind doors when open, but not unfurnished areas below low or sloping ceilings where boarders cannot stand upright. Note that local education authority maintained schools (but not other categories of school) are legally obliged to meet these School Premises Regulations in full..

Studying provision

STANDARD 44

44.1 Suitable facilities for both organised and private study are available to boarders.

44.2 There is suitable, suitably lit and reasonably quiet provision for both organised prep and boarders’ private study, either in or near to dormitories, elsewhere in boarding houses, or by use of nearby main school accommodation.

Toilet and washing provision

STANDARD 45

45.1 Adequate toilet and washing facilities are readily accessible to boarders, with appropriate privacy.

45.2 Each boarding house has at least one WC for every 5 boarders (in boys’ houses, urinals may be provided instead of no more than two thirds of the required number of WCs).

45.3 WCs are: distributed within boarding accommodation to provide reasonable access from both sleeping and living areas

in individual rooms or separate cubicles, with partitions and doors which do not have sufficiently large gaps above or below to be susceptible to invasion of privacy in working order, with paper (and for girls requiring them, suitable sanitary disposal facilities) fitted with room/cubicle doors with locks in working order clean and adequately ventilated.

45.4 There are washbasins, with soap, hot water and hand drying adjacent to all WCs and urinals.

45.5 Each boarding house has at least one washbasin for every 3 boarders.

OUTCOME

Boarders have adequate private toilet and washing facilities.

OUTCOME

Boarders have satisfactory provision to study.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

36.45.6 Each boarding house has at least one shower or bath for every 10 boarders, most of this provision comprising showers, and: showers or baths are distributed within boarding accommodation to provide reasonable access from both sleeping and living areas all showers and baths used for personal washing in boarding houses are separated into individual rooms or cubicles, or where in the same area are capable of being individually separated by curtaining if boarders wish shower and bath facilities are clean and adequately ventilated there is adequate hot and cold water supply to showers and baths.

45.7 There are no significant queues for toilet and washing facilities at peak times.

45.8 Toilet and individual bathroom doors in schools accommodating disabled boarders, where practicable, open outwards, and have locks openable from the outside in emergency.

45.9 Toilet facilities in boarding houses are not inappropriately shared by boarders of widely differing ages (e.g. the most senior and most junior boarders), showering and bathing facilities are not shared at the same time by boarders of widely differing ages, and toilet and washing facilities are not shared by boarders of both genders.19

45.10 Staff and other adults (including visitors) have separate toilet and showering or bathing facilities, and do not share boarders’ facilities.

Changing facilities

STANDARD 46

46.1 Suitable changing provision is provided for use by day.

46.2 Boarders not using their bedrooms for changing have access to changing facilities by day (e.g. to change for sports), of sufficient size and privacy, with separate facilities for each gender, which are not shared at the same time by pupils of widely different ages and are not shared by staff, adults or visitors other than visiting pupils of similar age to the boarders themselves.19

46.3 Changing facilities used by boarders have adjacent and suitably private toilet and washing provision.

OUTCOME

Boarders have satisfactory provision for changing by day.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

37

19. This standard does not prevent the full age range involved in the same team games from sharing

the same changing and showering provision for sports activities..Recreation areas

STANDARD 47

47.1 Boarders have access to a range and choice of safe recreational areas, both indoors and outdoors.

47.2 There is a range and choice of common room or other recreational areas available to boarders outside school time, in the evenings and at weekends, enabling separation of genders, age groups and activities as boarders wish, and including provision for quiet relaxation and quiet activities.

47.3 There is a range and choice of outdoor areas within the school grounds available to boarders for outdoor activities at suitable times.

47.4 There are safe areas at school where boarders can be alone if they wish.

47.5 Boarders have reasonable access to boarding houses outside school time.

47.6 Any boarder access to staff accommodation is properly supervised and does not involve inappropriate favouritism or inappropriate one-to-one contacts between staff and boarders.

Safety hazards and risk assessment

STANDARD 48

48.1 Indoor and outdoor areas used by, or accessible to, boarders should be free from reasonably avoidable safety hazards.

48.2 Sleeping, living and recreational areas, indoors and in the school grounds, are free of significant hazards to boarder safety (e.g. trailing flexes, overloaded sockets, unguarded heaters).

48.3 Windows accessible to boarders above the ground floor and presenting a risk to safety are fitted with suitable opening restrictors or alternative safety measures.

48.4 Windows where there is significant risk of impact are either made of safety glass (of a type satisfying the relevant British Standard), or are otherwise suitably protected.

OUTCOME

Boarders are protected from safety hazards.

OUTCOME

Boarders have access to a range of safe recreational areas.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

38.48.5 There are no significant hazards to boarder safety in indoor or outdoor recreational areas used by boarders, or on the routes regularly used by boarders between buildings or parts of the school site (e.g. between boarding houses and teaching areas). 48.6 The school has a policy, implemented in practice, for controlling or supervising boarders’ use of, and access to, high risk areas within the school buildings and grounds (e.g. for educational or recreational use outside class time, including areas such as gymnasia, laboratories, workshops, swimming pools, and hazardous outdoor areas such as wooded areas, maintenance and equipment storage areas, and heavily used car parking and manoeuvring areas).

48.7 Boarders know which areas and activities are out of bounds.

48.8 The school has a satisfactory health and safety policy, available to all staff.

48.9 The school has an effective system of risk assessment, with written records (including consultation with boarders) to identify and reduce risk to boarders from inherent hazards in the school buildings, activities or grounds, including hazards that boarders may access without permission (e.g. roads, river frontage, flat roofs, hobby equipment, firearms, cleaning materials, plant and equipment rooms).

Accommodation for sick pupils

STANDARD 49

49.1 Suitable accommodation should be available for the separate care of boarders who are ill.

49.2 Boarders who are ill at school can be cared for satisfactorily and separately from other boarders where necessary, within boarding, sick bay or sanatorium accommodation.

49.3 Schools with over 41 boarders have a designated room or rooms for isolation of sick boarders when necessary, with its own toilet and washing facilities nearby and sufficient for the number of beds provided according to the ratios in Standard 45.

49.4 Any sick bay or room for isolation of sick boarders of adequate size for its purpose, with adequate space between beds.20

OUTCOME

Boarders are suitably accommodated when ill.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

39

20. Where there is disagreement over whether sanatorium or sick bay accommodation meets this criterion, the space requirements set out in the School Premises Regulations 1999 should be relied upon. These require a minimum usable floor area of 7.4 m2 per bed in sanatoria and sick bays, with beds at least 1.8 m apart. Note that local education authority maintained schools must legally meet these space standards in full..

Laundry

STANDARD 50

50.1 Adequate laundry provision is made for boarders’ clothing and bedding.

50.2 Boarders’ bedding and clothing (other than any clothing washed by boarders themselves) are regularly and frequently laundered by the school.

50.3 Boarders’ clothing is satisfactorily stored and issued to the right boarder following laundering.

Stationery and personal items

STANDARD 51

51.1 Boarders are able to obtain minor necessary personal and stationery items while accommodated at school.

51.2 Minor personal toiletries and stationery are purchasable from a school shop, where appropriate from a nearby shop, or are otherwise obtainable at school.

Lodgings

STANDARD 52

52.1 Any lodgings arranged by the school to accommodate pupils provide satisfactory accommodation and supervision, are checked by the school before use, and are monitored by the school during use.21

OUTCOME

The welfare of boarders placed in lodgings is safeguarded and promoted.

OUTCOME

Boarders can obtain personal requisites while accommodated at school.

OUTCOME

Boarders’ clothing and bedding are adequately laundered.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

40

21. School arranged lodgings are those provided or arranged for a pupil under 18 by the school, any member of its staff as part of their work for the school, or by an agent or organisation acting for the school, rather than by the pupil’s parent or by an agent or organisation other than the school acting on the parent’s behalf. They include term time use of lodgings instead of on-site boarding accommodation, holiday lodgings arranged for pupils by the school, pupils lodging with staff members during holidays, and accommodation during either term or holiday time with school arranged educational guardians..

52.2 It is clearly stated to parents whether any lodgings accommodating pupils are arranged by the school or by parents themselves.

52.3 Any lodgings provided or arranged by the school provide: each pupil with either a single bedroom or a bedroom shared with one other pupil of similar age and the same gender bedroom accommodation not shared with any member of the “host” family suitable bed, bedding and storage space adequate lighting and heating access to usual and adequate toilet, washbasin and bath or shower facilities, in private adequate, suitable and regular meals, provided under hygienic conditions, for meals not taken in school a telephone enabling pupils to make and receive calls at reasonable times, with only “at cost” payment for calls made access for pupils to enter and leave the lodgings at all reasonable times, without being “locked out” at any time they would be expected by the school to be at their lodgings adequate provision for laundering of pupils’ bedding and clothing, either by the “host family” or by the pupil, if not done at school adequate private sitting and studying space for each pupil, either in a “bed-sitting” room or in a room for pupils’ use separate from the host family’s own rooms accommodation free of obvious significant health and safety hazards (e.g. dangerous electrical fittings or equipment, fire risks) a satisfactory level of general hygiene, decoration and cleanliness a responsible adult present in the lodgings at night when the pupil(s) are sleeping there.

52.4 For lodgings provided or arranged by the school, the school can demonstrate that adult members of the host family are checked through Criminal Records Bureau checks, with a satisfactory outcome known before any pupil is placed.  

52.5 The school has a satisfactory written agreement with each adult providing lodgings for pupils on its behalf.

52.6 The school provides satisfactory written guidance to host families accommodating pupils on behalf of the school, covering the school’s policy and practice for lodging pupils.

52.7 The school visits all potential lodgings, and interviews the adult who will be responsible for the accommodation of the pupil(s) in each lodging, and has recorded a satisfactory assessment, before any pupil is placed there.

52.8 At least once per school term a member of staff discusses their lodgings separately with each pupil accommodated by or on behalf of the school in lodgings, recording the pupil’s assessment in writing and taking action on any concerns or complaints.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

41.52.9 At least once a school year a member of staff visits all lodgings in which it accommodates pupils to check the continued suitability of the accommodation and to review provision with the adult responsible for the pupil(s) in each lodging, recording assessments in writing and taking action on any concerns identified.

52.10 Adults providing lodgings for pupils are clear about their responsibility to safeguard and promote pupils’ welfare and on the school’s requirements of them, use of any punishments or sanctions, and response to allegations or suspicions of abuse and to complaints.

52.11 Satisfactory arrangements exist for host families to seek and receive advice over problems, including a satisfactory arrangement for contact in evenings and weekends.

Off-site accommodation and exchanges

STANDARD 53

53.1 Any off-site short-stay accommodation arranged by the school for any of its boarders provides satisfactory accommodation and supervision, is checked by the school before use, and is monitored by the school during use.

53.2 Boarders’ accommodation is satisfactory at any field study centres, accommodation abroad, school owned accommodation for boarders away from the school site, and when boarders are staying away from school on exchange schemes.  

53.3 When boarders are staying in accommodation away from the school (other than private households in exchange schemes), they are accompanied by school staff at all reasonable times.  

53.4 The arrangements for staff supervision and accompanying of boarders accommodated away from school satisfactorily minimise unsupervised access to boarders by “unchecked” adults.

53.5 When boarders are staying away from school on exchange schemes, there are satisfactory arrangements for boarders to contact school staff in the locality at all times in case of difficulty or concern, the accompanying school staff have daily contact with the boarders, and the staff regularly ask boarders during their stay whether they have any concerns regarding their accommodation or care.22

OUTCOME

The welfare of boarders is safeguarded and promoted while accommodated away from the school site.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

42

22. This criterion can be met by the school specifically appointing a suitable member of staff of the school with which it is exchanging to carry out these functions for its pupils during the exchange..

53.6 The school has assessed the suitability of any accommodation to be used for boarders away from the school site prior to boarders being accommodated there (other than exchange accommodation in private houses, or accommodation already known to the school to be satisfactory), including a visit to the accommodation where this is practicable, recording its assessment in writing.

53.7 Short stay accommodation (including accommodation for field trips, activities and exercises and camping accommodation) provided or arranged for boarders away from school provides: sufficient and suitable bed and bedding for each boarder (or the camping equivalent) separate sleeping provision for each gender wherever practicable sufficient access to toilet and washing facilities (separate for each gender if possible) appropriate to the nature of the activity regular provision of sufficient and appropriate food and drink, stored and prepared under sufficiently hygienic conditions to minimise risk of disease ability to contact medical services, and provision for return to school or home, in case of accident or illness satisfactory and contactable adult supervision of boarders, competent to supervise activities involved and with back up staffing to deal with emergencies for high risk activities, instructors/supervisors with an appropriate qualification from the relevant national governing body or association appropriate equipment, safety equipment and facilities, and briefing/instruction for any high risk activities to be undertaken sufficient clothing, suitable for the activities to be undertaken, and sufficient to ensure adequate warmth adjustment of activities for any special needs of individual boarders (e.g. disability, asthma, enuresis, dietary needs, allergies) safe storage and provision for administration of any boarder’s medication, by staff or the boarder as appropriate.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

43.44.45

The following policies and documents should be kept by the school:

[this document may include many of the following specific policy documents]

Where applicable:

Appendix 1

List of Policies and Documents

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS.46.47

The following school records are required:

Where applicable:

Appendix 2

Records

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS.48.49

The following issues and records in relation to boarders are identified in the National Boarding Standards as to be regularly monitored by the Head or a senior member of staff, to identify possible need for review or change in relevant welfare practice:

Appendix 3

List of Issues to be Monitored by the School

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS.50.51

Accommodate (a child)

To provide a child (usually but not always a pupil of the school) with overnight accommodation on school premises, or to arrange the accommodation of a child elsewhere than on school premises (eg in lodgings, a hostel or at the home of a member of staff of the school).

Agency Staff

Staff not employed directly by the school, but provided by an agency which employs them and contracts to provide staff for a specified period to the school.

Ancillary Staff

Staff working at the school in non-teaching and non-boarding capacities, such as domestic, cleaning, catering, maintenance and grounds staff, and drivers.

Area Child Protection Committee

A group set up to determine the policies and procedures to be followed concerning child protection in a given area.

Boarder

A pupil accommodated overnight at school or elsewhere arranged by the school, but excluding a pupil only being accommodated away from the school premises during a brief school trip.

Boarding Duties

Responsibilities for the supervision and welfare of boarders, separate from teaching duties.

Boarding House

A building, or part of a building, accommodating a defined group of boarders at a school, looked after by one or more designated staff. Also used to apply to the group of boarders and staff living in the House.

Appendix 4

Glossary

This glossary is intended to be of general assistance to the reader in interpreting the standards. The definitions provided do not affect any meaning that a term may have under any relevant legislation

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS.Boarding School

A school which regularly provides overnight accommodation for pupils, either in school premises, or through accommodation elsewhere which is arranged by the school.

Bullying

Note that the Standards require schools to formulate their own definition of bullying, which may reflect issues related to the individual school or its pupils. Generally, bullying in this context would comprise the intentional or perceived causing of pain, distress, anxiety, humiliation or social exclusion to one pupil by one or more other pupils, by physical or verbal means, or through damage or loss of property.

Certificate of Good Conduct

Document available from some countries (sometimes with a different name) confirming that its holder has no outstanding criminal conviction in their country of origin; required where available as part of the recruitment checking process for staff such as gap students recruited from abroad.

Child Protection

Taking reasonable measures to reduce the risk of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect or significant harm of a child, enabling children and staff to report concerns about actual or potential abuse or significant harm, and responding appropriately to allegations, occurrences and suspicions of abuse or significant harm of a child – at school, at home, or outside the school or home.

Child Protection Enquiry

An enquiry into possible significant harm to a child (eg through physical, emotional or sexual abuse, or through neglect), carried out by a local social services authority under the Children Act 1989. May include police investigations or investigation by the NSPCC.

Child Protection Plan

A plan identifying a strategy and actions to be taken by (possibly) a number of agencies and individuals to protect a child at risk of significant harm. Likely to follow a child protection enquiry.

Common Room

A room available to boarders for relaxation, socialising and general recreational use, either in the boarding house or elsewhere in the school.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

52.Contract Staff

Staff not employed directly by the school, but by a contractor who carries out work in the school under a contract with the school; eg cleaning, catering, building, driving or maintenance staff of an outside contractor working in or for the school.

Criminal Records Bureau

A national organisation conducting police checks to enable an assessment to be made (eg by a school) on the suitability of a person to work with children. Different levels of check are available for different levels of regular contact and supervisory responsibility for children.

Dormitory

Any room used as a bedroom by boarders.

Exchange

School visiting arrangement between two schools where pupils stay with the families of pupils from the other school during visits to that school.

Exeat

Period of time (eg a weekend) during school term time for which a boarder has permission to leave school and stay at home or elsewhere.

Fire Drill

A trial triggering of a fire alarm and practice of the plan to evacuate children from the building concerned to a safe assembly point, identifying any issues requiring attention to improve the speed and efficiency of such evacuation.

Free Time

Time outside teaching, prep and organised activity time, which pupils can decide for themselves how to spend (within reason), either choosing between available optional activities, or choosing to socialise or spend time alone.

Gap Student

A person working as a junior member of staff of a school in the period immediately after leaving their own secondary education (often for a year before entering higher education), often from overseas.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

53.Guardian

An adult other than a parent or member of the school staff who takes particular responsibilities for looking after or supporting a boarder. There are three separate types of Guardian: (1) a legal Guardian, appointed under a parent’s Will or by a court and having parental responsibility for a child under the Children Act 1989; (2) an Educational Guardian appointed by the school (either directly or through an agency), who does not have parental responsibility for the child and who is acting as an agent of the school; and (3) an Educational Guardian appointed by a parent (either directly or through an agency), who does not have parental responsibility for the child but is acting as an agent of the parent to whom the parent has delegated aspects of the care and support of the child (eg in the school holidays).

Head

The person in charge of a school, who may be titled its Head Teacher, Headmaster, Headmistress, or an equivalent title.

High Risk Activities

Activities for pupils which present significant or unusual hazards to pupil safety or welfare, requiring risk assessment and positive safety measures, but which are a reasonable concomitant of a worthwhile activity.

Host Family

A family accommodating a boarder in their own home on behalf of the school.

Household Medicines

Medicines suitable for children (such as appropriate analgesics) which can be bought “over the counter” without prescription.

Independent Listener

A person appointed by the school, but not otherwise on the staff of the school, as someone boarders may contact for external support and advice over personal problems or concerns at school.

Induction

Initial training or guidance given at the start of involvement in boarding at a school – guidance (eg from an experienced boarder) for a new boarder on arrival at the school;

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

54.training on duties and expectations for a newly appointed prefect; and initial training on the school’s boarding policies and practice for a new member of boarding staff.

Initiation Ceremony

A tradition or ceremony imposed upon new pupils on arrival at a school, usually by established pupils, which is likely to cause pain, anxiety or humiliation.

Job Description

A written, agreed and up to date statement of the main tasks and responsibilities of a staff member’s job within the school, including overall definition of their role and the person to whom they are accountable.

Lodgings

Accommodation arranged by the school for a boarder outside school premises (eg in a family home, in a student flat or with a landlord).

Mainstream Boarding School

An independent boarding school or maintained boarding school, which is not designated by the Department for Education and Skills as a special school, and which does not require registration as a children’s home because it accommodates one or more children for over 295 days a year.

Matron

Member of school non-teaching staff (who may or may not also be a nurse) with boarding duties usually involving welfare, domestic, supervisory and healthcare duties within a boarding house.

National Governing Body (for an activity)

The national organisation or association, or where more than one, the recognised leading organisation or association, which establishes qualifications for instruction and supervision of a sport or activity, together with guidance on its safe practice.

Nurse

A person with a current registration and qualification to practice as a nurse in the UK.

Prefect

An older pupil given specified duties or responsibilities in the school, which may include duties or responsibilities, and sometimes powers to impose sanctions, towards other pupils.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

55.Prep.

Organised homework done at school; also the regular time in the day (usually part of the evening) when prep. is to be done.

Prospectus

A document provided to all parents of boarders (or of all pupils at the school) containing essential information about the school and its policies and practices.

Restraint

Use of reasonable physical intervention or force to prevent injury or serious damage to property.

Risk Assessment

The process of identifying hazards to safety or welfare of children, estimating their seriousness and likelihood, and identifying reasonable measures to minimize unnecessary hazards, recorded in writing as the basis for an action plan and decisionmaking to reduce unnecessary hazards to children.

Sanatorium

Building or part of a building for the accommodation, care and treatment of pupils who are ill at school, or who require nursing or medical attention.

Sick Bay

Room or rooms designated exclusively for the accommodation and care of boarders or other pupils who are ill at school.

Sleeping In

Staff responsible for boarders within a boarding house at night, but asleep within the house and “on call” to be woken if needed.

Stock (of medication)

Medication kept for general use for any child needing it, rather than prescribed medication kept only for the child for whom it was prescribed.

Substantial Unsupervised Access (to pupils)

Where an adult has regular or prolonged contact with pupils, or access to pupils’ accommodation which provides opportunity for such contact, without another adult responsible for the welfare and supervision of the pupils being present.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

56.Welfare

Meeting each individual child’s reasonable physical, security, personal, emotional, and spiritual needs, providing support and guidance as needed, and enabling the child’s normal development for the future and fulfilment in the present, taking into account the child’s age, characteristics and wishes. [Note that under the Children Act 1989, welfare is distinguished from education or academic needs and support, although in other contexts it may include educational issues].

Welfare Plan

An agreement with a parent on how the school will meet a boarder’s special welfare needs or manage his or her emotional or behavioural difficulties.

NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR MAINSTREAM BOARDING SCHOOLS

57.58.59

Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment.60.61

1 Title of proposed measure  

New care and inspection standards for mainstream boarding schools that accommodate children and young people under eighteen years of age.

2 Purpose and intended effect of proposal

Issue: Independent boarding schools have hitherto been inspected by local social services authorities against local welfare standards. Some local authority inspection units give very little priority to s87 welfare inspections and the standards are very varied, with no guarantee that children and young people living away from home in these settings are adequately safeguarded and/or that their welfare is promoted. Objective : To ensure that young people who board at any school (not just independent ones) receive a good basic level of care and that their welfare needs are met and to ensure provision of specified core welfare services to children and young people boarding in schools across England. The proposal is to achieve this through having all S87 welfare inspections carried out by the new National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) (or an approved substitute inspector) against national minimum standards. This would implement Government policy as set out in the ‘Modernising Social Services’ White Paper 1998 and Care Standards Act 2000. The standards proposed are intended to produce a minimum level of good practice; they are not intended to introduce aspirational or ‘best practice’ measures, and their ethos reflects basic care requirements.

3 Risk Assessment

At present, some local authority inspection units give very little priority to Section 87 (of the Children Act 1989). The standards are very varied, resulting in some shortfall in the promotion and safeguard of children and young people’s welfare. There have been some welfare scandals in boarding schools and enquiry reports 23 have recommended that more protection is needed for children and young people living away from home. In addition to the high-profile scandals reported in the press, there are lower level concerns about the adequacy of the promotion of welfare for children in some boarding settings.

Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment

PARTIAL REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

23. For example, ‘The Report of the Review of the Safeguards for Children Living Away from Home’ by

Sir William Utting 1997..4 Options

Two options have been identified.

Option 1 – Continue to rely on present controls  

Option 2 – Develop national minimum standards as a basis for welfare inspection by the new NCSC, that would then alert DfES and LEAs to establishments where children and young people were at risk.

Option 1

This option will not meet the Government’s objective of ensuring that young people who board at their school receive a good basic level of care and that their welfare needs are met. Continuing on relying on present controls will not ensure that the provision of specified core welfare services to children and young people boarding in schools across England.

The Government’s policy as set out in the ‘Modernising Social Services’ White Paper 1998 and Care Standards Act 2000 will not be met. Relying on inspection by their local social services authorities would be impracticable because the new NCSC will be responsible for regulatory functions, i.e., councils’ inspection units will no longer exist.

The Government has made a commitment and there is support within the sector for the new proposed system. Failure to implement the proposed NCSC system would have ramifications. A separate RIA was undertaken for the Care Standards Bill (prior to Royal Assent), and this received Ministerial approval in 1999. The ethos and impact of creating the NCSC and an umbrella set of regulations and standards for social care establishments, including the amendment of the Children Act 1989, was discussed in this previous RIA. A further separate RIA will discuss the fee structure for the NCSC.

Option 2

Develop national minimum standards as a basis for welfare inspection by the new NCSC which will bring to the attention of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and Local Education Authorities (LEAs) boarding establishments where children and young people are at risk.

The national minimum standards will ensure that a basic minimum level of care is provided throughout the sector. The standards will provide a framework for regulation and inspection with the view to intervention only occuring where DfES or the LEA finds there are problems that have come to light as a result of the inspection. There will also be a more consistent system of inclusion of the state sector. This option would implement the Government policy as set out in the ‘Modernising Social Services’ White Paper 1998 and Care Standards Act 2000 to ensure basic care requirements are adhered to.  

PARTIAL REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

62.5. Issues of equity and fairness

The boarding school sector has been very actively involved in the development of the boarding standards, and many schools are using them on a voluntary basis for internal audit work, and indeed we understand some inspection units have adopted them. Feedback has been extremely positive.

The new approach will mean that all boarding schools are required to meet the same minimum level of practice, in welfare terms.

The sector is, for the most part, meeting these standards already – where schools fall below the requirements, a transitional period in which to achieve the standards required could be used, unless there were serious risks to children’s safety. This would especially be useful where the capital investment was significant.

6 Quantifying and Valuing the Benefits

Option 1: No benefits on improving welfare provisions for children and young people or addressing safety concerns.

Option 2: Would have significant benefits for children and young people boarding in schools, their families, providers and practitioners in the field.

These are:

Children and young people accommodated in or by schools will be the key beneficiaries. All boarding schools will be expected to meet standards necessary to safeguard and promote welfare. For example, the system of recruiting staff will help ensure that unsuitable adults do not work with children; through increased support, the young people are likely to benefit in terms of academic achievement, and so are likely to achieve better educational outcomes. Although the standards are designed for boarders, there are likely to be spin-off benefits for any day students as well.

Families/Guardians are concerned for the welfare of their children when they leave home for the first time. A survey of pupils’ parents revealed that key concerns are that the school provides suitable one to one support, that the people working in the school are fit to do so, that the premises are secure and that young people’s emotional and social development are promoted as well as their academic achievement. The proposed national minimum standards comprehensively cover these issues amongst others, and should enable parents, families and significant others in the young person’s life to be well informed about the basic level of care that they can expect. This may be of special importance to those parents/guardians who live abroad, or who are unable, for whatever reason, to visit the young person at the school.

PARTIAL REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

63.Service Providers’ feedback on the draft standards has been very positive. Providers welcome the opportunity to establish minimum standards of welfare provision. The new system will facilitate better planning, development and management of services. The national minimum standards are designed to be used as a working tool as well as the criteria for inspection requirements, and so are likely to be of use to practitioners and boarding staff in schools. Unsuitable providers will be excluded from the sector. Boarding schools see the new national approach as central to restoring confidence in and enthusiasm for boarding.

7 Costs

Option 1 – would have no short term cost implications. However, given the risk assessment, it is possible there might be long-term costs.

Option 2 – would have two potential categories of cost. Firstly, the fees that the NCSC would charge to cover their inspection costs and secondly, the cost of complying with these particular standards. A separate consultation will be undertaken on the implications of financing the NCSC and the likely fees that will be borne by the sector.

Number of Establishments

There are approximately 775 mainstream boarding schools. This divides up as follows:

736 Independent boarding schools

39 State boarding schools

The Standards

The standards are based on the “National Boarding Standards”, which were developed by the National Boarding Standards Committee. This Committee contains representatives from all the schools associations that contain boarding schools. The standards were developed over a period of two years, following an extensive literature review and consultation with all those with a key interest. The Committee overwhemingly supported the final “National Boarding Standards”. The National Boarding Standards are currently being used by the independent boarding schools sector on a voluntary basis as an audit tool, and the feedback has been extremely positive. Since the national minimum boarding school standards are based on these, there should be little impact. In effect, the boarding schools will have seen similar standards and been working with them for approximately a year by the time they receive this initial draft, and then will have a further period to work with similar standards before any legal obligation is introduced. The standards will cover two main categories of mainstream boarding schools: independent schools which are currently inspected by councils and state schools which are not currently required to undergo any form of welfare inspection, although they must adhere to the School Premises Regulations 1999 which are fairly prescriptive. The inclusion of these schools is as a result of the extension of section 87 of the Children Act 1989 (achieved by the Care Standards Act 2000).  

PARTIAL REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

64.The new system would not require substantial renovation or reform in the sector. The main players in the sector are already broadly aware of the standards and are, to a great extent, voluntarily meeting them. The sector support the standards as ‘realistic, practicable and likely to contribute to consistent welfare provision for boarding pupils.24 Only a small proportion of the boarding sector would have any problem with these standards, and those are schools where there are currently risks concerning children’s welfare.

For independent mainstream schools, the NCSC would produce an inspection report that would be sent to DfES. Where DfES felt that a report showed that children’s welfare was not sufficiently safeguarded and promoted, they would take action, and require the school to make the necessary changes. For state mainstream boarding schools, failure to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarders would be addressed by the LEA responsible.

Physical requirements for boarding schools

There should be at least one WC per 5 pupils, and one bath or shower at least per 10 pupils. A school without this type of provision would have to meet the costs of new provisions.

Where schools had a problem in meeting any particular standard, there would be an option to phase in implementation of the problematic standard. The consultation session will seek feedback on likely costs arising from physical requirements.

Administrative requirements and the inherent cost of compliance

Boarding schools will be required to produce guidance and induction programmes for staff; to maintain records; and to develop procedures for the day to day running of the school, and implement them.

The exact number of additional working hours (if any) that may be involved has not proved problematic for schools already implementing the standards. The Department of Health will seek more information on implications during the consultation. It is anticipated that any costs will be such that they can be absorbed quite easily. Should a school have particularly high costs of adjustment, it would be an indication that their practice was significantly different to that required from the standards, which are fairly minimum, and this in itself might raise questions as to welfare.

The consultation session may reveal that there are particular standards that boarding schools feel would have a significant impact – we would then consider the option of phasing these in over a period of time to reduce the cost implications.

PARTIAL REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

65

24. Quote from one of the providers consulted about the draft standards..

8 Impact on Small Business

We will assess this during the consultation period.

9 Consultation

The consultation process has been planned to incorporate two key stages.

Stage 1

This has been completed and comprised the following:

Stage 2

There will be a three month consultation exercise. This involves the distribution of the standards with this RIA, publication of the standards on the internet with an email box specific for comments and a redrafting process to take into account different views raised.

10 Summary

The Care Standards Act 2000 amends the Children Act 1989 with the result that welfare inspections of boarding schools under s87 will be undertaken by the NCSC.

This will achieve a national consistent inspection regime. The Government is publicly committed to implementing the new system, which is intended to improve safeguards for children and young people. Failure to implement would fail to take advantage of the benefits to be achieved by the new NCSC regulatory regime. The extension of S87 inspections to state boarding schools means that a serious loophole will be closed. Implementation of the Care Standards Act 2000 to ensure basic care requirements are adhered to is the preferred option.

11 Enforcement, sanctions, monitoring and review

Implementation of these standards will be carried out by the NCSC working in conjunction with DfES and LEAs. The power to take action against a boarding school failing to make adequate provisions will fall to DfES as previously and, for state schools, to LEAs.

PARTIAL REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

66.The standards as represented in the consultation document will be monitored, and any necessary changes will be made. The final document of the standards is intended for publication in the Autumn of 2001 to allow providers some time to adjust to the standards before they come into force in April 2002.

The national minimum standards will be regularly reviewed and amended where necessary. Where significant amendments are proposed, the Government has pledged there will be another consultation process, to ensure that the views of the sector are fully represented.

12 Contact

Jane Allberry  
Social Care Group 4  
Department of Health  
Room 141 Wellington House  
134-155 Waterloo Road
London 
SE1 8UG

Tel : 020 7972 4608

Email: MB-DH-Bsstandards@doh.gsi.gov.uk

PARTIAL REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

67.68


Top


Main Menu