Scheduled Review: Term 1, 2016: Alcohol/Drugs and Other Harmful Substances; and School Swimming Pool

Alcohol/Drugs and Other Harmful Substances

Updated the definition of psychoactive substances and clarified that medicine required at school by students is managed under the Medicines procedure. Added a final paragraph about the school's smokefree status.

Breaches of the Alcohol/Drugs Policy

Reviewed, no change.

Alcohol on School Property

Added clarification around the requirement for a special licence if alcohol is sold or supplied, and an optional sentence about not having alcohol available at family events.

Host Responsibility

Elaborated on the fact that practices encouraging intoxication are not acceptable, and the steps to be taken if someone does become intoxicated.

Visitors

Added a note and links about visitors' compliance with the school's Smokefree and Alcohol policies.

School Swimming Pool

Changed out-of-date reference to the Ministry's Health and Safety Code of Practice.

Guidelines for Pool Use

Added extra points emphasising that students in, and out of, the water must be actively supervised, that the pool supervisor ensures that the gate is always secured, and the pool equipment is not left lying around the pool. Also added the direction to ring 111 if necessary for an accident at the pool.

Community Use of the School Pool

Slight change of wording to accommodate schools that have codes or some other access device instead of a key.

Guidelines for Community Use of the School Pool

Made numerous small changes including:

• Added a definition of keyholder to include other access devices such as codes, etc.
• Clarified requirements re supervising children at the pool.
• Added the requirement to leave lock the gate and never tie it open for any reason.
• Added directions to keep the pool surrounds clear, report any serious accidents or near misses to the school, to ring 111 if necessary, and to ring the displayed emergency contact number in the event of a faecal discharge.

Swimming Pool Management and Maintenance

Made numerous small changes including:

• Added that pool chemicals are handled and stored correctly.
• Added that the pool is closed if no-one is available to test the water.
• Added that where possible, maintenance of the pool surrounds takes place when the pool is not in use.
• Updated the Resources links.

SchoolDocs Internal Review

Classroom Release Time

Clarified classroom release time for part-time teachers. Added a link to Employment Contracts.

Reporting Unacceptable Levels of Absence

Updated the wording "District Truancy Officer" to "Attendance Service" and created a link to the Ministry of Education page about the service.

Health Education

Added a link to TKI Consultation with Parents, Caregivers, and the Community.

Appointment Procedure

In step 8 of the table, added text about contacting the top applicants' referees and using the New Employee Checklist as a guide to ensure all proper checks are completed.

Review Instructions

Added SchoolDocs newly developed guide Policy and Procedure Review Process under the heading "How the review process works". A link to the document also appears on the Help topic.

Food and Nutrition

Added a link to the Heart Foundation Learn by Heart resource for ECE and schools in the Resources section.