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Posted By JW
Hi
Received letter in daughters schoolbag informing parents that crossing patrol will not be present for the coming week. The letter states that "due to health and safety regulations the school is forbidden to provide or assist in providing this service". Does anyone know which regulation states this?
Thanks in advance
Jason W
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Posted By sagalout
JW,
The school crossing patrol service is usually managed and provided by your local County or Municipal Council. Thus, it is something entirely without the school management or local education authority responsibility. I venture this is the real reason for their statement about not being involved.
An effective management system is essential, as outlined in ‘School Crossing Patrol Service Guidelines’. It should ensure that Patrols are properly recruited, trained and supervised, that adequate records are kept, patrol sites are checked to ensure that they are ‘safe’ for Patrols to operate, and assessed to ensure that they are justified. A Home Office circular provides guidance on suitable clothing for crossing patrols. RoSPA have produced guidance on crossing patrols that represents current best practice, including training issues. Where an incident occurs due to failure to train crossing patrol staff in safe stopping of traffic there may be a role for HSE enforcement.
Even where an SCP is provided, PARENTS REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THEIR CHILDRENS SAFETY, just as they do when a zebra crossing or pelican crossing is provided.
So this looks like another case of shorthand use of H&S for a perfectly sensible approach to a problem. A letter saying “It would not be safe for us to take over this task since we are neither trained nor competent to do so and it is anyway outside our area of responsibility”. might have been a little more accurate?
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By RP
Is this another H&S excuse for reducing a service, You should request from the authority the specific regulations they refer to, under the freedom of information act...
The crossing is legal and the use of the STOP sign in line with the Traffic Signs Regualtions and General Directions. What next, no temporary traffic lights at road works or no stop/go boards, because of the health and safety???
Go on give them a hard time and insist on which Regs they refer to, by the way, which council is it?
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Posted By RP
The School Crossing Patrol Sign (England and Wales)Regulations 2002. Perfectly legal, eh...
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By RP
Extract from Council minutes Jan 2006:
SCHOOL CROSSING PATROL REVIEW (17.1) Mr xxx provided members with an overview of the position regarding the changing circumstances that had led to the review. He explained the assessment procedures that had been undertaken and the likely savings of £300,000 that would result from the review. Mr xxx confirmed that the provision of crossing patrols was not a statutory requirement and had, therefore, been identified by the Board as an area for savings. He informed members that a letter had been issued to Principals emphasising the potential for review where there were exceptional circumstances.
There must be a case then?
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Posted By Ken Taylor
It would not be without precedent for a school to provide an employee to be trained by the local authority to undertake this task. Another approach for road crossing in the course of school activities (but not for arriving or departing) would be for members of school staff to assist pupils to cross the road by accompanying them (ideally wearing a high-viz vest).
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