Health & Safety

Scoil Íosagáin prides itself on being an open, welcoming place for all members of the school community. However, in order to provide a safe and supportive environment for all who work and learn in the school the following procedures are in place:

 All visitors (including parents/guardians) to the school must report to the Reception area in St. Columba’s complex to gain admission to the school (when Covid-19 restrictions are fully relaxed.)

 All visitors to the school must sign the Visitors’ Book located at Reception.

 A pupil will be “signed out” by a parent/guardian on the occasion of being collected before the end of the school day. The Signing Out Book is located at Reception.

 As the Board of Management is responsible for the Health and Safety of all members of the school community, parents/guardians are not allowed to challenge/reprimand another person’s child on the school premises.

 The willingness of parents to be involved in a voluntary capacity is valued and very much appreciated by the school. However, in order to protect the privacy and integrity of all members of the school community, such volunteers are required to respect the confidential and/or sensitive nature of information which may come to their attention during the course of their work in the school.

 Boards of Management are responsible for ensuring the health, safety, wellbeing and educational progress of students. They also have a duty under Section 8 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of employees.

The Department of Education has acknowledged that on very rare occasions there may be incidents of assaults on school employees. The Board of Management of Scoil Íosagáin is cognizant of its duty to provide a safe place of work for its employees. The Board is concerned to protect school employees from the risk of violence of any kind, be that in the form of verbal abuse, threats, assaults or other forms of intimidation. The Board of Management is particularly mindful of its duty to the following:

“managing and conducting work activities in such a way to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of his or her employees; “ and “managing and conducting work activities in such a way as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any improper conduct or behavior likely to put the safety, health or welfare at work of his or her employees at risk;”

In so doing, the Board of Management will ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent or minimize the risk of assault on employees, support all staff who have been assaulted or threatened with assault and ensure that appropriate action is taken to safeguard against a recurrence

In operating a Home/School partnership that promotes frequent communication between staff and parents the Board of Management seeks to prevent or minimise the risk of assault on the employees of the Board and the operation of a safe, happy working environment where teaching and learning will flourish.

Please note: if a parent or guardian has an issue regarding their child’s education or welfare an appointment should be arranged with their teacher to discuss this.