Create a safe school environment

Create a safe school environment

The creation of a safe school environment involves a fair amount of planning and management.  These are the most important aspects to consider:

• Access to school premises

• There needs to be clear signage on the school property indicating that anyone entering the premises does so at their own risk, may be subjected to a search and asked to provide proof of identification, and that no drugs, alcohol and weapons are allowed.
• During the school day the gates to the premises need to be locked and access must be controlled at all times.
• Unless it is an emergency, parents should only visit the school if they have an appointment.

2. 2.  School environment

• There should be a supervisor on the playground during break times.
• The school environment needs to be clean, safe and hygienic.
• All minor maintenance, such as broken windows, need to be attended to as they occur.
• Any broken furniture must be stored or disposed of.
• Cutting of grass and trimming of trees should not be done during school hours when learners are in the same vicinity.
• When maintenance is being performed, barricades and warning signs need to be in place.
• Litter must be properly disposed of on a regular basis.
• The school swimming pool must be properly secured by a fence and locked gate.

• Learner access

• Learners may not leave the school premises during school hours unless he/she has written permission from the principal.
• Anyone collecting a learner from school may be requested to provide the school with positive identification.  When it is not the parent, a written record needs to be kept.
• Parents may only pick up or drop off learners in designated areas.
• Parents need to provide written consent for their children to attend activities outside of the school premises.