MellorPrimary School

MISSING CHILD POLICY / PROCEDURE

The safety and security of the children in our care at MellorPrimary School are paramount. Every care is taken to ensure that the children are accounted for at all times when in our care.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To locate any missing child quickly.
  2. To ensure that all children are kept safely on the school premises during school hours unless they have the headteacher’s permission to leave.
  3. To ensure that children who leave school during the school day only do so with the headteacher’s permission and that they are accompanied by an authorised adult.
  4. To ensure that the building, grounds and play areas are safe and secure during school hours.
  5. To ensure that teachers and staff keep children a under proper supervision at all times.
  6. To ensure that if a child ‘goes missing’ during the school day, it is located quickly and returned safely to the school.

1.In School Procedure

A member of staff is on duty from 8:45pm in the school playground. Following the bell at 8:55am children line up at the start of the school day and are led in to school by the class teacher. Each pupil who arrives at school is then registered. Children arriving after 9am must be registered at the school office and are given a ‘late’ mark.

Staff maintain the appropriate high level of supervision throughout each teaching session and are aware of the location of the children in their care at all times. The register is taken again in the afternoon at 1.15pm, after lunch. However, in the unlikely event that after a register call or at another time it is noticed that a child has gone missing, whether in school or out: The following procedures will be followed:

  1. Staff will maintain safety and well‐being of other children.
  2. A register call will be taken for that class (and if necessary other classes)
  1. The Headteacher or member of the Senior Leadership Team and another member of staff will lead a search of immediate school grounds and vicinity: going to places at which the child was last seen, tracing the routes that they may have taken and searching in places where they might hide.
  1. If the child is not found after the search, the Head or Deputy orsenior member of staff will endeavour to contact the parents of the missing child by telephone. Text via Homecontact may be used as an additional measure if helpful. If there is no response then the next emergency contact will be called with the aim to find an alternative way to contact parents.
  1. If after approximately 15 further minutes the parents have not been contacted, the Head or Deputy or Head of Infants will contact the police.
  1. Once police arrive all relevant information about the child will be given. The police will then take over the search.

2.Off-Site / School Visits Procedure

When on excursions off the school premises, staff will implement strategies to maximize the safety and security of the children in accordance with the school guidance on school visits. Full risk assessments are carried out. A list of all the children's names is carried by the trip leader and the children are split into small groups according to the appropriate staff/pupil ratios for the age of the children and the purpose of the trip or activity. Each group is managed by a separate member of staff or designated carer.

The number of children is checked regularly by frequent roll calls. However, in the unlikely event that after a roll call or at another time it is noticed that a child has gone missing, whether in school or out, the following procedures will be followed:

  1. Staff will maintain safety and well‐being of other children.
  2. A roll call will be taken. The teacher in charge, or a member of staff designated to lead a search, and at least one other member of staff will search the immediate vicinity. Going to places at which the child was last seen, tracing the routes that they may have taken. The teacher in charge will contact Mellor Primary to report the incident.
  1. If the child is not found after the search and/or approximately 20 minutes, the Head or Deputy or senior member of staff will endeavour to contact the parents of the missing child by telephone. If parents cannot be contacted then the emergency contact should be called with the intentionto contact parents through another route.
  1. If after approximately 15 further minutes the parents have not been contacted, the Head or Deputy or senior member of staff will instruct the teacher in charge to contact the police.
  1. The Group Leader will remain with the police, and comfort the child when found and maintain regular contact with the school. The remaining staff will return to the school with the rest of the children if off-site.
  1. When the situation has been resolved, the Head and SLT will review the reasons for this event happening and revise measures if necessary.

JEN Autumn 2011

Chair of Govenors______Date ______