Staff Handbook
Welcome to Saxon Hill Academy. This book is designed to provide information which will be useful to you. Please ask if you are unsure of anything.
Useful Contact Information
Saxon Hill Academy
Kings Hill Road
Lichfield
Staffordshire WS14 9DE
Tel: 01543 414892
Fax: 01543 417550
Email: office@saxon.set.org
Website: Saxonhillacademy.org.uk
Headteacher: Maggie Candlish
Our sponsor; The Shaw Education Trust: www.shaw-education.org.uk
All policies referred to in this document can be located through your Teams account, Saxon Hill Staff Team, General, Files, Policies. Please ensure you do read these policies to maintain a good understanding of the policies and procedures of Saxon Hill Academy and the Shaw Education Trust.
Please scan the QR code to go directly to the Policies folder.
Car Parking
Entry to the school follows a one way system coming in via the first gate at the top of the drive and exit via the far gate.
The staff car park is located to the far end of the school building adjacent to and behind the Sleepover Club garden.
The spaces opposite the Reception area are reserved for visitors to the school.
Please do not park in the bus loading bays as it is essential to keep these areas clear for emergency vehicles and for the safety of pupils at the beginning and end of the day.
Housekeeping, Fire Regulations and Lockdown Procedure
Please ensure you sign in and out at the main reception using the electronic InVentry system. You will need to sign in when you arrive to start your working day and sign out when you have finished your working day. If you leave the site for any reason during the day such as leaving for an appointment, or to take your lunch break you will need to sign out and choose the correct reason for leaving the site. This ensures if there were to be an emergency we would know whether or not you are in the building. You need to familiarise yourself with the Fire Evacuation procedures around school and if the fire alarm sounds please support the pupils to leave the building by the nearest exit and follow the instructions given by the school fire marshals. The alarm is a constant electronic bell. No-one should re-enter the building unless advised by a fire marshal who will be identified by wearing a high visibility jacket.
Dependent on your position in the building at the time, the fire assembly points will be either in the playground at the rear of the building or in the car park at the front of school. A fire marshal will be positioned to prevent vehicular access into the car park during that time. Class registers will be taken by a fire marshal.
We have a comprehensive Lockdown Procedure. In the event of a safety threat to school a member of staff will make an announcement using the internal telephone system and calmly say ‘safe zone, safe zone’. Upon hearing this you will need to support the pupils you are with to the nearest designated safe zone. These are displayed in all classrooms and common use areas.
We also have a second Lockdown Procedure in the event of a student fatality. Policies: Lockdown 1 and Lockdown 2 Lockdown Invacuation Process
Visitors to School
The School receives many visitors throughout the day including other professionals, parents, contractors, students on placements and many others. All visitors are required to sign in at the main reception and to provide photographic identification. Visitors will be issued with a printed visitor badge with their photograph and who they are visiting. Different coloured lanyards identify whether they are volunteers, contractors etc. If you have any concerns about anyone in school not wearing an ID badge who is unaccompanied, please ask them to return to reception and escort them to have their presence verified.
Regular visitors will have a DBS provided by the school and may not require supervision.
Where possible, contractors will work when pupils are not on site but if that is not possible, they should be supervised at all times by an employee of the school.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHALLENGE UNKNOWN PERSONS NOT WEARING AN ID BADGE.
Probationary Period
All staff who are newly appointed are subject to a satisfactory 6 month probationary period before they are confirmed in post as a Shaw Education Trust employee. A
copy of the full policy is available in the school reception and new employees will be required to complete an induction process and relevant training, meet their targets and meet with their line manager on a regular basis during this period.
Where it is felt that employees have not met the required standards, the Probationary Period may be extended if deemed appropriate by the Senior Leadership Team.
Probation Policy can be found in the New Starters section of Teams.
Continuing Professional Development
In addition to the mandatory training there will be opportunities for other training on the set training days throughout the year. You are also able to take up other professional development opportunities outside of school hours and allocate this time to your personal training tariff hours. Please see the Professional Development policy for full details. There is also a small annual Professional Development Bursary fund available and applications are considered by Governors during the Autumn term.
You are required to attend 5 training days per year. Training may be full days or twilight sessions. These training sessions will be highlighted on the staff calendar, available through your Office 365 account.
Appraisals
All staff will take part in appraisals. Appraisals are termly – 3 per year. Appraisal meetings will be carried out by the Senior Leadership Team or delegated Team Leaders and the outcomes may affect your pay.
See the relevant policies for full details.
Policy: Appraisal and Talent Management Policy
Staffroom
The staffroom is located upstairs in The Flat. Lockers are provided for personal possessions for staff who are not based in classrooms. The school cannot be held responsible for any personal possessions not adequately secured. You will need to purchase a padlock to secure your locker.
Personal mobile telephones should be turned off and kept in lockers or in a locked cupboard in the classroom and not used around school as the signals they transmit can affect the medical implants that some of the children in school have when in close proximity. With most phones now having cameras, they could also be perceived as a Safeguarding risk and are against our safeguarding policy. You are entitled to a half hour lunch break at a time which will be allocated to you and which can be taken in the staffroom, Community Café or you may leave the building during this time if you prefer. If you would like a school lunch this can be ordered from the school kitchen and you will need to pay for this via Parent Pay. please request a username and login from the school office. You are welcome to use the microwave, toaster and other facilities located in the staffroom to make your own lunch or bring a packed lunch from home.
Staff Meetings
There is a staff briefing at 8:45am on Mondays in the hall and weekly meetings for Teacher are held at 3.30pm each Wednesday. There may be weeks when this time will be used for specific team meetings or other training requirements. Other, whole school meetings to be held after school, will be built into the training hours and staff will be expected to attend.
The Senior Leadership Team meet each week at a set time.
The School Day
Pupils are escorted into the building and the school hall by transport passenger assistants or parents via the ‘transport doors’ off the crush hall, this is by the large bathrooms. Staff on duty will check pupils in on arrival. Once the pupil has been handed over to staff, passenger assistants and parents will leave by the same door. Please encourage this to be a quick handover, on occasions parents will want to share important information. If you feel this is a private matter then you are able to use the Reception Meeting Room.
The doors will be locked at 9:30am and anyone arriving after that time must go through the main reception. Class staff will be contacted to come and collect the pupil.
Pupils are able to arrive from 9:00am and will go straight to classes, parents and transport staff hand over at the door.
On Wednesdays there is a Primary / Secondary assembly from 1:30pm. This time is used to discuss a variety of topics linking to PSHE, SMSC and British Values. A whole school celebration assembly is held each Friday at 11:00am alternate weeks for primary and secondary.
Dress Code
Clothing should be smart but practical (no low cut tops or low waist trousers, blue jeans or combat trousers).
You are advised to dress practically but professionally in accordance with your job role.
You should avoid wearing jewellery which may cause injury either to yourself or a pupil (e.g. necklaces or earrings which might be pulled or rings with stones that might cause scratches). Staff have the option of wearing a staff polo shirt and school will provide two t-shirts per staff member when they start working at Saxon Hill Academy, for those on fixed term or permanent contracts. You may purchase additional items yourself directly, please ask the reception staff about where to do this from.
Firm, flat, enclosed footwear is advised to protect you and to comply with our moving and handling policies. Sandals and flip flops are not permitted. Moving and Handling training will be provided through our online training service – Flicklearning.com.
Hygiene
It is your responsibility to observe our strict hygiene regulations. Please ensure you wash your hands on a regular basis, this is crucial to prevent cross contamination and maintain good hygiene. The use of hand sanitiser is encouraged, you will find
sanitiser dispensers sited around the school building. All staff who are feeding at snack and lunch time need to wear aprons and visors. All staff who are undertaking personal care need to wear a mask, visor, an apron and gloves. All staff are required to support all students wash their hands on a regular basis and encourage good hygiene.
Absences
If you are unwell and not able to attend work you should telephone the school office 01543 414892 before 8:30. This enables us to arrange cover prior to the school day commencing. A wellbeing call will be made by a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Unless you are able to determine the length of your absence during your initial phone call, you should phone the school office the following day. Please continue to do this until you are able to confirm the day you will return. If you do not phone school, a member of the office staff or your line manager may phone you to ascertain the circumstances of your absence.
You can self-certify for 7 days after this you will need a note from your GP. You will be required to attend a Return to Work meeting with an appropriate member of the leadership team or your line manager upon your return and before you commence your duties. You should report to them on your arrival. 3 periods of absence or a period of more than 10 days in a 12 month period will trigger a stage 1 attendance meeting. The Shaw Education Trust monitor all absence, and employees not meeting the expected standards of attendance will be managed under the terms of the policy. A copy of the full Managing Attendance at Work policy can be accessed in the school office.
Appointments should be made out of school time where possible. If you need to take time out of school for an appointment or any other reason, a request will need to be made through the online iTrent portal. You will receive your login details when you commence work. Please note: holiday during term time only can only be taken by those staff who have whole year contracts. Policies: Attendance Management Policy, HR Handbook, Attendance Policy.
Employment and Salaries
Salaries are paid directly into your bank account on the 25th of each month. Pay slips and other important documents are available through the online payroll portal. Login details will be sent to your work email. If you work additional hours these need to be agreed by the Senior Leadership Team and claimed through the iTrent portal by the 1st of each month. Payment for additional hours or casual hours is paid one month in arrears in accordance with the academic year. Hours worked in July are paid in September. If you are required to travel for a training course or to visit another school you can claim your travel expenses through the iTrent portal. Relevant purchase receipts for fuel and other forms of travel should be scanned and added to the claim. Please notify the school office if there are any changes to your personal circumstances, change of address, vehicle or bank details. Should you have a query
with regard to your salary please speak to Paula Harley or to Wes Morris. There is also a phone number for Payroll on your pay slip.
Policy: Pay policy Teachers, pay policy support staff.
Special Absence Leave
If you require a leave of absence for unavoidable things such as medical appointments, operations etc please complete the ‘other’ leave request on the iTrent portal.
Policy: Special Leave of Absence
Education Mutual
Saxon Hill subscribes to ‘Education Mutual’, this service is available for all staff to access at any time. Please see the services they offer and how to access this. If you require more information please see Wes Morris.
• Physiotherapy / MSK Services
• Mental Health Services
• Surgical Assistance Program
• Major Incident Support
• Mental Health First Aider
• 24hr GP Helpline and Prescription Service
• Nurse support services
Nurses will provide help and support to people suffering from, living with, or recovering from:
• Bereavement from loss of a loved one.
• Cancer.
• Cardiac conditions.
• Lung conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema.
• Medical trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and heart attacks. mental health problems, such as addictions, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, stress and obsessive disorders.
• Motor neurone disease.
• Orthopaedic conditions, including injuries to the limbs, hips and spine.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Parkinson’s disease.
• Stroke.
• Other life-limiting or life-changing conditions.
If you are interested in exploring these options please visit https://educationmutual.co.uk/ and follow ‘Healthcare’ and ‘Request Help’.
Secondary Employment
We recognise that employees off duty hours are their own concern, but if seeking secondary employment, permission from the Headteacher needs to be sought in writing.
Your duty is to your primary employer and you should not put yourself in a position where there is a conflict of interest, nor should it come into conflict with your professional position and undermine public confidence. You must always be available to complete your contractual hours within your primary position. This includes attendance at staff meetings and training. You must make your primary contractual hours clear to your secondary employer and ensure that there is no overlap.
Pensions
You will be automatically admitted to the Local Government Pension Scheme upon commencement of your employment. If you do not wish to join the scheme you must contact Staffordshire County Council Pension Department. Information about the Local Government Pension Scheme can be obtained from the County Council's pension services section as follows:
Support Staff: https://www.staffspf.org.uk/Home.aspx
Teaching Staff: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/public/contact-us.aspx
Unions
It is advisable that all contracted employees join an appropriate Union.
Health and Safety
All employees have a responsibility to ensure their own Health and Safety and that of their colleagues and pupils. Please make yourself aware of the School’s Health and Safety policy and follow health and safety guidelines in school. You will be expected to complete an online Health & Safety training course on commencement of your role.
The Health & Safety Co-ordinator for school is Wes Morris. Policy: Health and Safety, Fire Safety.
Accidents and Incidents
All accidents should be recorded in the Staff and Pupil Accident books which are located in the school office. A member of the Senior Leadership Team needs to sign the log when an accident is reported, you need to return it to the front office. If a pupil has an accident in school during the day and is staying in the Sleepover Club that evening, you should pass on the relevant information to the staff on duty. Log books should be completed at the earliest possible opportunity following an accident or incident and certainly within twenty four hours.
Parents should be informed of accidents via home/school diaries or by phone if more significant. Where a head injury is sustained, parents should be informed at the time of the injury and a head injury form which provides guidelines of what to be aware of, should be sent home with the child. These are available from the Reception. It is vital to report significant bumps to the head for pupils who have shunts, to the nurse and parents immediately.
An Incident log for recording non-accidental incidents e.g., in connection with behaviour management, is kept in the school reception/Sleepover Club office.
Safeguarding concerns are logged electronically onto ‘My Concern’ Log in details and a password will be provided at the commencement of your employment.
Policy: Accident and Incident Policy.
Medical
There is a team of nurses employed by the Health Authority on duty throughout the school day. They administer medications and deal with medical emergencies that may arise.
Some pupils have either Continuing Care or 1-1 Health Care support and their medical needs may be met by their carers.
Enteral Feeds are administered by a team of trained and competent HWSA’s.
General First Aid is provided by trained, designated school staff but more significant injuries and any head injuries will be attended to by the school nurses. A list of trained staff is posted in the staffroom.
Sleepover Club staff are trained in First Aid and to administer medication and emergency seizure medication. Designated staff are also trained to administer child specific feeds and medication via gastrostomies. There are no nurses on site during the evening or overnight.
Where there is a medical emergency, nurses or the senior staff member should be informed and other pupils should be moved away from the situation where possible. Parents will be contacted and if an ambulance is required, a staff member or nurse will accompany the pupil to hospital if the parent has not arrived. They will remain with the pupil until a handover with the parent is possible.
Moving and Handling
Moving and Handling training and SCIPr training is mandatory for staff and will be offered as soon as practical following your commencement in post. If you are unsure of anything with regard to moving and handling or the safe use of wheelchairs and please ask.
You will be supervised with Moving and Handling procedures until you are deemed competent and you feel confident in the practice. Completion of a theoretical on-line training course in Moving and Handling should be completed prior to the practical training as part of your induction.
When pushing a wheelchair, always ensure that the straps are fastened to secure the child. Every child will have a lap strap as a minimum and many more will have chest harnesses and foot straps to support good posture. Always apply the brakes when the wheelchair is stationary and never run with a wheelchair. If you need to take a chair down a step or kerb, lower the back wheels first unless stabilisers prevent this. Always look for an alternative route down a dropped kerb or ramp first. Some stabilisers can be turned upwards to allow easier movement down steps but should be returned to the original position immediately after the manoeuvre to prevent the wheelchair from tipping up.
Never carry a child unless it is a dire emergency. It is your responsibility to ensure that your moving and handling training is updated on a regular basis. Wendy Arnfield and Joy Haines are the designated, qualified trainers in school.
Policy: Safe use of Wheelchairs Policy.
Pupil Care Plans
Each pupil has an electronic, individual care plan. You should ensure that you have read the relevant care plan for the pupils you have direct care for.
Care Plans should be reviewed regularly but please check with the professional who is most qualified to review that particular area of care before making changes, to ensure that it is appropriate and safe for the individual.
Changes in Care Plans should be brought to the Monday morning briefings for discussion and inclusion in the minutes so that all staff are aware of changes made. Please ask your line manager to show you how to access the online care plan system. The care plans are available through your Teams login.
Safeguarding
All staff are required to familiarise themselves with the school’s Safe-guarding Policy and to follow safeguarding procedures at all times.
Level 2 Safeguarding training is mandatory and should be renewed annually. On the commencement of your role, you will be required to complete on-line training until such time that face to face training is available. You should report any concerns regarding safeguarding on the electronic ‘My Concern’ system’. Log in details and a password should be obtained from the Senior Leadership Team. On completion of a concern being recorded, an email is sent automatically to the Designated Safeguarding Leads Suzanne Walters, Helen Bowers, Family Support Worker and Maggie Candlish, Headteacher, who are both Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.
If you are unable to access a computer to log the concern, there is a designated iPad available for use in the main school office. If visitors or transport providers wish to log a concern, a paper form is available in the office which will be scanned onto My Concern on completion to maintain a complete chronology of events for individuals.
Always remember when recording disclosures that it should be written in the child’s words as much as possible. Never make assumptions – just describe what you hear or see.
Do not ask leading questions and never promise a child that you will keep it a secret. They need to understand that if you are concerned that they may be at risk of harm that you need to share the information to ensure that they are safe.
When more than one person sees or hears something of concern; each party should record the concern without conspiring with each other.
You should have knowledge and understanding of the current ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ document and be familiar with the DFE Guidance for Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Please also ensure that you are also aware of our online safety guidelines within our Safeguarding Policy and our Online Safety Policy and ensure before using any photographs or videos of pupils, that parental consent has been obtained and that you meet the GDPR guidelines.
Staff are expected to sign our annual Acceptable Use policy. Policy: Safeguarding, KCSiE, Online Safety Policy
Social Networking
It is not appropriate for staff to communicate with pupils or parents/carers on social media or via personal mobile phones, and we do not endorse this practice. Staffordshire County Council have produced ‘Guidance to Staff Employed by Families as Personal Assistants’ which states that: ‘Identifying children who attend the school you work at, or their families, on your personal social media sites is unacceptable. This includes the children and their families with whom you are directly employed e.g. as a Personal Assistant.’
It would therefore be preferred if you could ask your employer to provide you with a mobile phone or device specifically for you to communicate with each other. Staff using social media should regularly review their privacy settings and ensure they do not name Saxon Hill Academy or The Shaw Education Trust anywhere on their social media platforms.
It is inappropriate and not permitted to refer to or comment on any issues relating to the school. Concerns should be reported to the Executive Principal. Failure to comply with the school policy on this subject may lead to disciplinary action.
Photographs
Photos should only be taken using school cameras or iPads; never on personal cameras or mobile phones. Always check with the school reception whether there is parental consent to use photographs of pupils and follow GDPR guidelines.
Data
We collect progress and attainment data using Evidence for Learning which is analysed and added to the schools Data Dashboard. This information is regularly shared with the Shaw Education Trust. Observations are recorded mapped against our schools assessment system ‘Rainbow & Jewels Profiles’, ‘Engagement Areas’ and ‘Empowering Learning Skills’. We also track EHCP outcomes and targets on Evidence for Learning. All of these are regularly reviewed by the class team and with the Senior Leadership Team.
Sleepover Club audit against the National Minimum Standards and OFSTED criteria identify areas for action and improvement.
Curriculum
Our ‘LEADERS’ curriculum is designed to meet the individual needs our pupils across all departments and learning pathways. The department are Explorers, Investigators, Adventures and Towards Impendence. Within these departments we group our pupils into sensory, emerging and developing pathways of learning to ensure that the curriculum delivered is appropriate and challenging to all pupils.
Attendance
Teachers should complete the electronic pupil register on Arbor on your classroom computer at 9:00am and 1:30pm. The morning register must be completed by 9:30 at the latest and reception staff informed of any changes that may have occurred once the register has been sent.
Please inform the school office if parents contact you to inform of any absences or appointments. You need to check each pupils home school diary daily as this is the most frequent way of parents informing us of a future absence. If a reason for absence is not given, reception staff will contact families to ascertain the reasons in accordance with our Attendance and Safeguarding Policies.
Harassment and Bullying
Harassment and bullying in the workplace both detract from everyone’s right to fair and considerate treatment at work. Whatever form they take, therefore, harassment and bullying are unacceptable. The school’s policy in respect of the Positive Behaviour Management Policy and Code of Conduct is available in the school reception or in the Shared Area on the computer.
Especially serious instances of harassment and bullying may be regarded as gross misconduct justifying summary dismissal.
Policy: Unacceptable behaviour towards staff, Code of Conduct Policy, Prevention of Sexual Harassment Policy.
Whistleblowing
The school Whistleblowing Policy is available in the reception or in your Teams account. Anyone who feels the need to whistleblow should report to the Headteacher and will be treated with confidentiality and respect. If your concern is regarding the Headteacher, then it should be passed to the Chair of Governors.
Policy: Whistleblowing.
School Visits and Transport
There is an online School Diary which the reception staff can add to. Teachers also have access to the whole school calendar located on Office 365. Visits and trips should be arranged in consultation with events already booked into the diary. The school has two minibuses which can be booked for trips and you will need to arrange for a qualified minibus driver to use the buses. Numerous members of staff in school are qualified to drive the buses but where possible, a qualified member of your staff team should drive to avoid disruption to other areas of the school. If this is
not possible, a member of your staff team may be expected to replace the driver in their area of work.
Should you wish to undertake training to drive the minibus yourself, please see Wes Morris, Business Team Manager.
A comprehensive risk assessment must be made and approved before any trips can be arrange.
Policy: Risk Assessment Policy.
Accessing Systems
You will have a personal login and user name for some of the following, according to the requirements of your job role:
School’s server which will include a school email address (office 365),
Arbor (class registers)
Evolve (visit risk assessments)
Care Plans (via office 365)
My Concern (Safeguarding concerns)
We receive IT support from Shaw Education Trust once a week. Tickets for help can be raised through your email at any time: mailto:itsupport@shaw-education.org itsupport@shaw-education.org.uk
Financial Management in School
The financial management of the school is governed by the Shaw Education Trust Financial Handbook and each year the school governors are required to complete a Schools Financial Value Statement. A copy of this Statement is available in the school office. All employees are required to abide by the School’s local Financial Regulations and Procedures. A copy of these procedures can also be found in the school reception. If you would like clarification on any aspect of the procedures please speak to Wes Morris, Business Team Manager. All employees are required to complete an annual Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest form.
Printing and Photocopying
There are two Printer/copiers in school, one located in the reception office area and the school printer located in the corridor next to the staff toilets. Please avoid unnecessary waste and be careful in the use of colour printing/copying as this can prove very expensive.
Pupils MUST be supervised when using the copier. If you need help with using the machines please ask a member of the admin team. Faults should be reported to the school office if they cannot be rectified following the guidelines on the machines. Please don’t assume that someone else has reported it. Copying paper may be found in the cupboard located in the Reception Meeting Room.
Sleepover Club also have a copier within their area. Please familiarise yourself with the conditions of the copying licence which is displayed by the reception copier.
Stationary / Stock
If you require items of stationary or stock, please enquire at reception. Art resources are ordered via Isobel Jellyman who is the budget holder for art resources. Each department Lead Teacher is a budget holder for their department. If you require a resource for your class please speak to them first. They might pinpoint another budget holder in school, depending on the resource requested.
Other Services Located at Saxon Hill Academy
NHS Nursing Team
NHS Physiotherapy Team
NHS Speech and Language Therapists (one day a week) NHS Sensory Impairment Team (one day a week) Saxon Hill Community Cafe
Saxon Hill Academy Council/Governors
School Staffing Structure 2024-25