Volunteers | sauncey-wood-primary

VOLUNTEERING

At Sauncey Wood we always welcome volunteers to help out with a variety of activities but especially reading with the children. We welcome not only parent helpers, but other members of the community as well. If you would like to volunteer please contact the school office on 01582 621514 for more information. Without the support of volunteers, we could not possibly provide the range of services we do or make such a positive difference to so many children’s lives.

We see volunteering as a two way process and would like to make sure that you are getting something from your time with us. Please do talk to us if there is a particular area of school life you would like to gain further experience in or you feel you could help with.

Volunteers do need to have certain checks undertaken i.e. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and reference checks, but these will all be applied for by the office staff.

Volunteer Handbook

This is our guide to volunteering with us. It includes important and useful information to help make your volunteering a safe and rewarding experience.

Our commitment to you

We are grateful for the time, enthusiasm, skills, knowledge and diversity you bring as a volunteer. In return we will:

1 Give you a warm welcome and provide you with relevant information for your role

2 Provide support and supervision as necessary

3 Work with you to make your volunteering experience rewarding and enjoyable

Your commitment to Sauncey Wood Primary School

Your volunteering can make a real difference to children’s lives and learning at school. These guidelines and boundaries are designed to help you enjoy your volunteering and do it safely, for yourself and the children.

Parent volunteers are expected to:

Be an outstanding role model, always acting in a kind and friendly way.

Please respect others and their views, whatever their background or beliefs. We promote inclusivity and are committed to working equally with people whatever their sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Work under the professional direction of staff, following school policies.

The teacher or activity leader you are working with is responsible for briefing you on your role. Please ask questions if you are unsure of anything, being mindful not to disrupt the lesson / activity. If you have any concerns, including discipline issues, you should report them to the teacher immediately rather than intervene yourself.

Be reliable

Please contact the class teacher or activity leader if you are unable to attend, as soon as possible.

Maintain confidentiality both within and outside the school.

Please feel free to tell people that you are a volunteer. However, do remember that when volunteering you are in a position of trust. You may learn personal information about the pupils and also information concerning the school, staff and/or other volunteers. This information is confidential and should not be shared with others, including family, friends, staff, other volunteers, outside agencies or the press, now or at any time in the future.

Safeguarding and Child Protection

If you think a child or member of staff is at risk, or about to harm someone else, then please talk to the class teacher or head immediately.

Children may occasionally tell you something which may cause you to suspect abuse. If this happens, you must immediately report it to the headteacher (or deputy in their absence). Remember:

DO reassure the child

DO accept information freely

DO try to remember the words that the child used

DO give the child space and time

DO act quickly in reporting it

DO NOT question, just listen

DO NOT looked shocked

DO NOT use your own words to describe the events

DO NOT make judgements

DO NOT discuss with anyone other than the headteacher, either now or in the future

The safety of the child is paramount - if in doubt please report it anyway. If the concern involves the headteacher then you should speak directly to the Chair of Governors.

Keep yourself and others safe

We work towards a healthy and safe environment for all our staff, volunteers and people who use our services. We do ask you to take care at all times and if you see anything that could be dangerous, or a potential risk, such as a wet floor, trailing wires etc. please notify a member of staff so that this can be addressed.

Should you find yourself in a violent, or potentially violent, situation, please walk away and immediately tell a member of staff. Your personal safety is our priority. You can get a full copy of our Health and Safety Policy from the office.

Follow our routines

You will need to sign in and out of the school on each visit and wear a visitor badge (or other relevant Sauncey Wood badge) at all times whilst volunteering.

For your own welfare, you should avoid being alone with a child/children. Please make sure you are always visible to a member of staff or stay in a public area of the school when working with the children.

You should keep your personal belongings with you at all times, bearing in mind that mobile phones must be switched off while in school – that means no calls, no social media and no photos. All volunteers are covered by our Public and Personal Liability Insurance if they are engaged in agreed volunteer activity. Your personal property is not insured within this arrangement.

Please do not use the children’s toilets. You can use the toilets that the staff use, but you are not allowed in the Staff Room.

You will usually be placed in a different class or group from your child when volunteering

Problems?

If you find yourself facing difficulties or experiencing problems you should initially talk to the teacher or activity leader who will record this and work with you to solve the problem. Where this does not resolve the issue, please do speak to the headteacher or follow the school Complaints policy.

Keep to our volunteer agreement

Our volunteer agreement sets out that you will work within Sauncey Wood Primary School’s policies and procedures. This means that you will:

abide by the expectations set out above
always check with the teacher before giving personal advice to children
ensure your phone is turned off on school premises
respect the school code of dress
make sure that all electronic communications with pupils and staff are compatible with your volunteer role
support the school approach to online safety and not deliberately upload or add any images, video, sounds or text that could upset any member of the school community
respect copyright and intellectual property rights
ensure that your online activity, both in school and outside school, will not bring the school, your volunteer role or that of others into disrepute
support and promote the school’s e-Safety and Data Security policies and help pupils to be safe and responsible in their use of ICT and related technologies

Additionally, you will not:

lend, borrow, accept or give money or gifts
give out your own personal details, such as mobile phone number, personal e-mail address, Twitter account, or any other social media link, to pupils
take, store or use images of pupils and/ or staff without specific written consent of the parent, carer or staff member
share images without the permission of the parent/ carer, member of staff or headteacher

VOLUNTEERING

​

We see volunteering as a two way process and would like to make sure that you are getting something from your time with us. Please do talk to us if there is a particular area of school life you would like to gain further experience in or you feel you could help with.

​

Volunteers do need to have certain checks undertaken i.e. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and reference checks, but these will all be applied for by the office staff.

​

Volunteer Handbook

This is our guide to volunteering with us. It includes important and useful information to help make your volunteering a safe and rewarding experience.

Our commitment to you

We are grateful for the time, enthusiasm, skills, knowledge and diversity you bring as a volunteer. In return we will:

1 Give you a warm welcome and provide you with relevant information for your role

2 Provide support and supervision as necessary

3 Work with you to make your volunteering experience rewarding and enjoyable

Your commitment to Sauncey Wood Primary School

Your volunteering can make a real difference to children’s lives and learning at school. These guidelines and boundaries are designed to help you enjoy your volunteering and do it safely, for yourself and the children.

Parent volunteers are expected to:

Be an outstanding role model, always acting in a kind and friendly way.

Please respect others and their views, whatever their background or beliefs. We promote inclusivity and are committed to working equally with people whatever their sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Work under the professional direction of staff, following school policies.

Be reliable

Please contact the class teacher or activity leader if you are unable to attend, as soon as possible.

Maintain confidentiality both within and outside the school.

​

Safeguarding and Child Protection

If you think a child or member of staff is at risk, or about to harm someone else, then please talk to the class teacher or head immediately.

Children may occasionally tell you something which may cause you to suspect abuse. If this happens, you must immediately report it to the headteacher (or deputy in their absence). Remember:

DO reassure the child

DO accept information freely

DO try to remember the words that the child used

DO give the child space and time

DO act quickly in reporting it

DO NOT question, just listen

DO NOT looked shocked

DO NOT use your own words to describe the events

DO NOT make judgements

DO NOT discuss with anyone other than the headteacher, either now or in the future

The safety of the child is paramount - if in doubt please report it anyway. If the concern involves the headteacher then you should speak directly to the Chair of Governors.

Keep yourself and others safe

Should you find yourself in a violent, or potentially violent, situation, please walk away and immediately tell a member of staff. Your personal safety is our priority. You can get a full copy of our Health and Safety Policy from the office.

Follow our routines

You will need to sign in and out of the school on each visit and wear a visitor badge (or other relevant Sauncey Wood badge) at all times whilst volunteering.

For your own welfare, you should avoid being alone with a child/children. Please make sure you are always visible to a member of staff or stay in a public area of the school when working with the children.

Please do not use the children’s toilets. You can use the toilets that the staff use, but you are not allowed in the Staff Room.

You will usually be placed in a different class or group from your child when volunteering

Problems?

Keep to our volunteer agreement

Our volunteer agreement sets out that you will work within Sauncey Wood Primary School’s policies and procedures. This means that you will:

abide by the expectations set out above

always check with the teacher before giving personal advice to children

ensure your phone is turned off on school premises

respect the school code of dress

make sure that all electronic communications with pupils and staff are compatible with your volunteer role

support the school approach to online safety and not deliberately upload or add any images, video, sounds or text that could upset any member of the school community

respect copyright and intellectual property rights

ensure that your online activity, both in school and outside school, will not bring the school, your volunteer role or that of others into disrepute

support and promote the school’s e-Safety and Data Security policies and help pupils to be safe and responsible in their use of ICT and related technologies

Additionally, you will not:

lend, borrow, accept or give money or gifts

give out your own personal details, such as mobile phone number, personal e-mail address, Twitter account, or any other social media link, to pupils

take, store or use images of pupils and/ or staff without specific written consent of the parent, carer or staff member

share images without the permission of the parent/ carer, member of staff or headteacher