Risk Management Policy This policy is applicable to all Governors, staff, associates, volunteers and Student Teachers, |
Cheadle Hulme School is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all pupils, staff, parents/carers, and visitors. Effective risk management is integral to safeguarding individuals, achieving educational goals, and complying with statutory requirements under UK law. The school aims to identify, assess, and manage risks to reduce them to an acceptable level. To provide a safe place to work, teach and learn, the School will consider regulatory risk i.e. of injury or harm (to pupils, staff, families, volunteers, visitors, contractors, neighbours), financial risk, estate and the environment risk, activity risk, cyber risk, security risk, output/outcome risk and reputational risk. The School will manage these risks to provide a suitable, compliant environment to deliver a high quality experience and outcomes and to safeguard the sustainability of the organisation. Risk assessment Risks need to be identified, evaluated, mitigated and, where necessary, properly elevated for the correct levels of ownership (with appropriate responsibility and authority). The associated Risk Assessment Procedures will detail the practical steps for the standard creation and application of Risk Assessments and a specific register of top risks and cumulative risks will be created as an amalgamation of day-to-day activity, informed by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and other Board Committees, and presented as a strategic overview of the key concerns across the School’s range of activities. Risk Committee The Risk Committee will provide the Board with insight and assurance regarding compliance, intervention and/or recommendations for further action on, or termination of, risks. Risk management Risk management will take account of relevant statutory, legislative, insurance and inspection criteria and emerging better practice from across the sector (and wider, complementary, areas of work e.g. Sport National Governing Bodies. The School will manage risks in accordance with Charity Commission guidelines and will be consistent with the values and aims of the School. The Director of Operations, will be responsible for maintaining a horizon scan for both relevant policies and changes, as well as for the strategic risks with potential to impact the School. All staff have a responsibility to develop their own, and pupils’, awareness and understanding of risks that exist in both the real and virtual world, and the sensible precautions that should be taken with both. Advice, guidance and training will be available for all staff and governors. The value of having, and being able to articulate and share, a clear risk management system is a key tool for compliance and it can be expected to be checked by any independent inspection system.
For risk management to be effective, it needs to be consistent, coherent and dynamic, i.e. a living, evolving process that all staff are familiar with; any significant failings in controls or systems must be identified, reported and addressed. Near misses are a valuable source of feedback and lessons and, in common with accidents, will be recorded via the School’s incident reporting system.
Risk management is a key part to both the safe and efficient running of the organisation, but also as an aid to determining financial priorities and investment. Risk assessing of medical conditions is essential to ensure the safety, well-being, and inclusion of all pupils. These should involve collaboration between the school, the pupil’s family, healthcare professionals, and any relevant external agencies to ensure comprehensive planning and implementation. Risk should be assessed on a single academic yearly basis, to enable a degree of parity and comparison across the School’s activity i.e. looking at the current academic year and activities, and be reviewed no less than annually alongside use as a dynamic risk management tool. Two obvious exceptions are for trips, which should be risk assessed for the specific event (or a series of similar events) and finance, which will need to look at longer-term impacts to the forecast. Where others require bespoke treatment, or do not fit with an annual basis, they are to be clearly annotated as such. |
SLT member responsible: | Director of Operations |
Governor group responsible: | Risk Committee |
Date of approval: | May 2022 |
Proposed review date: | May 2028 |
Policy procedures: | |
Other related policies and procedures: Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy Health and Medical Care of Pupils Policy | |
To view previous versions of this policy please email us on enquiries@chschool.co.uk | |
