Violence and Agression Policy

Reviewed by:	Suzanne Deadman, 16 05 2025
Ratified by:	Resources Committee, 05 06 2025
Next Review:	Summer Term 2027

Definition

Definition of ‘Violence and Aggression’:

‘Any incident, in which an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted by another person in circumstances arising out of the course of his or her employment.’

This applies whether the member of staff is on or off duty and is irrespective of the status of the perpetrator. This definition is based on advice from the Health and Safety Executive. Violence and Agression at Work – (HSE).

Examples of behaviour classed as violent or aggressive are:

Kicking, biting, spitting, punching scratching, use of weapons, missiles, verbal or written abuse, sexual or racist harassment intimidation, shouting, insults and rude gestures.

Policy

Violence and aggression are unacceptable, and no member of staff should be required to endure it as a normal part of their work. However, given the nature of the services we provide it is acknowledged that some staff may, on occasion, encounter violence or aggression.

In these circumstances, reasonable measures are to be applied to eliminate or minimise the risks. The federation recognises the wider benefits of effective procedures for the prevention of, and response to, incidents of violence and aggression. A system of risk assessment will be used to determine the best measures to safeguard staff.

All incidents of violence and aggression at work must be reported using the procedures referred to in the accident/incident reporting system. When an incident takes place, support will be offered initially by the school and then, if deemed necessary, by an external service.

The range of measures to be applied is set out later in this document and should be offered as appropriate to the incident. Individuals are encouraged to identify any additional support they may need. Staff are expected to take account of their own safety when considering their actions in intervening in violent incidents between children or adults. This policy has been produced for the benefit of all staff in the school, including governors.

The Executive Head Teacher, and Governing Body have the responsibility to ensure that this policy is implemented and monitored to ensue its effectiveness.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Executive Headteacher together with the Governing Body must ensure that risk assessments are carried out across all work activities / area that they control and that appropriate control measures are identified and implemented.

Guidance on risk assessment is given below.

Ensure that all staff identified through the risk assessment process that may be at risk undertakes training to minimise the risks to their safety
Ensure that all staff are provided with clear instructions in respect of reporting incidents of violence and aggression and that all such reports are thoroughly investigated
Offer and provide appropriate post-incident support to staff
Ensure that all staff know about their responsibilities and of the measures used within the workplace to deal with violence and aggression
Ensure individual members of staff are aware of their responsibly to follow working procedures and adhere to measures identified in risk assessments
Ensure staff members report likely or actual incidents of violence or aggression where the risk of actual or potential violence or aggression is high. An exception to this would be where any formal plan (e.g. a care plan) relating to a pupil, required an alternative, prescribed course of action to be followed.

Risk Assessment

Risk is defined as “the likelihood of harm”. The significance of a risk depends upon the severity of the possible outcome and the number of people who may be affected. Ideally all risks are should be managed before harm is realised adopting a proactive approach rather than a reactive one.

The Executive Headteacher will identify staff to carry out risk assessments and ensure that they are adequately trained. Training will be organised by the Local Authority. Assessors will identify the potential for significant harm to either staff or others arising from work activities. This includes the potential for violence or aggression. Assessment of the risks of violence may need to be done in conjunction with specialists from other fields or external agencies.

These risk assessments should not be confused with those made for an individual pupil, through a formal plan such as a care plan or an individual education plan. They are different and should be separate, because the risk of violence or aggression from a pupil may extend beyond the staff that might normally be expected to have access to the agreed plan in including staff on Transport, at leisure facilities, external venues (farms, libraries etc) and extended services. In the case of care plans, these individual assessments should be taken into account when preparing the risk assessment.

Risk assessments will seek to establish the risk to staff after taking into account:

information about children or adults using the school
frequency and severity of any previous incidents
frequency and nature of the contact
experience and training of the member of staff
location (remote area, in a child’s home, external venues)
adequacy of existing precautionary measures

In some cases, this information can only be established through consultation with others who come into contact with or hold relevant information about those using attending / visiting the school.

The risk assessor should identify any necessary measures and ensure that named individuals accept the responsibility to act upon them within an agreed timescale.

All significant risks should be recorded on a risk assessment form.

The Executive Headteacher and Head of School are responsible for ensuring that the contents of the risk assessment are communicated to all relevant staff and that they are aware of its location.

All risk assessments will be reviewed at least annually but more frequently if there have been any accidents / incidents or any changes e.g. new pupils/staff, new building layout.

General Security

The school purely by the nature of its business must be open to the public at some points during the day. Uncontrolled access to all areas may expose some staff to unnecessary risk. All buildings, therefore, must be assessed to identify which parts need to have restricted access achievable through security locks / fob system and holding areas.

Keys and door entry combinations should be restricted to authorised personnel only and combinations should be regularly changed. Staff should ensure that if they lose their key fobs that the school office is informed immediately, and the fob deactivated.

Systems to register all visitors, including the use of identification badges, can help minimise unauthorised access. Staff should feel confident to challenge any unauthorised persons.

Registered visitors should check out and return their badges after use. A means of summoning emergency assistance should be available in areas where there is a significant possibility of encountering violent or aggressive behaviour. The immediate environment around each premise should be as free as possible from debris or loose materials that could be used as missiles.

Suitable Working Environments

All public areas should be well signed, and all visitors directed to the main office.

Reception areas should, where practicable, be properly staffed and be kept in a clean, well-lit and comfortable state. There should have adequate space with sufficient seating. The reception desk is a physical barrier to prevent the public having physical contact with reception staff.

Rooms allocated for meeting with members of the public should be carefully arranged to put people at ease and ensure that the risk of aggression is minimised while maintaining the need for confidentiality. Staff should sit between the interviewee and door to ensure a clear exit if needed. The room should not be lockable from the inside and wherever possible there should be a vision panel to enable checks to be made by other staff, when necessary.

Keeping the room free from objects or ornaments that could be used as weapons. All external areas used during hours of darkness must be adequately lit.

Classroom layout will be governed by space and teaching needs but wherever possible staff should base themselves in a position which allows sight of all persons entering the classroom and a clear route to an exit.

Working Practices

The following guidance applies to all staff although some may be more relevant to particular circumstances. Staff should recognise that their own attitudes and modes of behaviour are likely to be reflected by those using or coming into contact with the school.

Before meeting a visitor, staff should refer to any information available about that person’s potential for violence and aggression including reviewing all relevant information about previous incidents. If it is anticipated that a visitor may display aggressive behaviour then staff should consider whether to meet with that person alone or with another staff member.

Staff should avoid working in isolation, particularly out of normal hours. After evening functions, staff should consider leaving in groups rather than individually. If telephone callers become abusive or threatening, staff may issue a caution along the lines of, ‘if you continue to be abusive, I shall put the telephone down’, and then do so if the caller persists. All incidents of verbal abuse should be logged and entered on the accident/incident reporting form CS2.

Whenever working away from the school including home visits, staff must always ensure that a colleague has details of their appointment and whether you are intending to return to the school.

Local procedures must be in place to respond to concern about the non-arrival or return of colleagues. (See Section on Lone Working).

When travelling by car or cycle, staff should ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy, that the route is planned, that the foot journey at their destination is as short as possible and that vehicles are left in well- lit and secure areas.

Staff should avoid wearing clothing or jewellery that could be grabbed and used to inflict injury on the wearer.

Staff involved in emergency responses should take account of the advice as far as is possible and should not, in any circumstances, place themselves or colleagues at undue risk. It is essential that any member of staff, receiving any information indicating that a pupil, parent, or visitor may pose a risk to staff, logs this information appropriately.

Physical Intervention (Control and Restraint)

All staff members of the Federation and those put in charge of pupils by the Executive Headteacher, have a legal power to use reasonable force. The term ‘reasonable force’ covers the broad range of actions used by most teachers at some point in their career that involve a degree of physical contact with pupils. Force is usually used either to control or restrain. This can range from guiding a pupil to safety by the arm, breaking up a fight or where a student needs to be restrained to prevent violence or injury. ‘Reasonable in the circumstances’ means using no more force than is needed.

Control means either passive physical contact, such as standing between pupils or blocking a pupil’s path, or active physical contact such as leading a pupil by the arm out of a classroom. Restraint means to hold back physically or to bring a pupil under control. It is typically used in more extreme circumstances, for example when two pupils are fighting and refuse to separate without physical intervention. Staff should always try to avoid acting in a way that might cause injury, but in extreme cases it may not always be possible to avoid injuring the pupil. The decision on whether or not to physically intervene is down to the professional judgement of the staff member concerned and should always depend on the individual circumstances.

Force cannot be used as a punishment – this is unlawful.

All instances of physical intervention must be recorded in accordance with Lewisham policies.

Self Defence

Leaving or getting away is often the best defence individuals staff have a legal right to defend themselves if attacked. The amount and degree of force used must be proportional to the level of risk being faced.

This will depend upon the circumstances. You do not have to be hit first if you are in genuine fear of being injured.

Protective Equipment Personal (PPE)

Personal protective equipment (PPE) may provide a degree of protection or reassurance to staff in some circumstances. Risk assessments should identify when PPE is required as a control measure. Equipment prior to being issued must be given with instructions for use and training if required.

If personal alarms are issued, they need to be carried so that they are easy to reach in an emergency. They may deter an attacker but may also aggravate a situation. Mobile telephones can be used to summon assistance.

Lone Working

The nature of our activities is such that many employees are sometimes required to work alone and / or away from their school / or out of normal school hours. The risk of violence and aggression towards staff increases in a lone working situation and therefore all lone working activities will be subject to a risk assessment. The Head of School and Governing Body must assess the situations, either generically or individually, and ensure that control measures are implemented.

Very high-risk activities must have strict robust precautions in place such as cancelling the visit / appointment / meeting and re-arranging the venue, re-scheduling the time of the visit / appointment / meeting to a time when more staff will be onsite, have additional staff present; training in conflict diffusion techniques

In addition to these higher-risk precautions, all lone workers must log, with an administrative officer/ colleague, their intended movements throughout any lone working period during school hours. The protocol should include information which will allow your movements to be traced should you fail to return safely either to the school or your home. There may be occasions when carrying a mobile phone could be used as a control measure, however consideration must be given to the fact that there may be no signal or it could be out of charge. If lone working after normal school hours, then it is sensible to inform someone at home of your itinerary and of the action to take should you fail to arrive home. This may include giving them a contact number of a member of the Senior Leadership Team and Premises Manager. If there is no suitable person at home, then staff may, for their own reassurance, want to arrange a system whereby a colleague is aware of them lone working and they let them know when you have left the site. A locally arranged escalating procedure must be in place to alert the Executive Headteacher or Head of School if any member of staff is unaccounted for at the end of any high-risk lone working period or in any other circumstances giving cause for concern.

Post Accident / Incident

The nature and level of action following an incident will depend on the circumstances of each case. Some ‘minor’ instances may not require any action but it is important that no incident is dismissed as being too trivial to deal with without first exploring the effect of it with the member of staff involved. Immediately after an incident, the Head Teacher will ensure:

First aid – emergency treatment
Time to talk about it
Flexible working routines

Incident investigation
- Review risk assessment
- Incident Report
- Access to counselling / Trade Union support
- Sharing information with staff

After more “serious incidents” the staff member may need to come to terms with the implications of the incident. Other staff that may have witnessed the incident or are likely to come into contact with the aggressor should be given information about the incident and its implications. It may be useful to arrange a staff meeting to discuss the details about the incident and assess its impact.

SLT may refer employees to the Occupational Health Service (OHS) or EAP where there are welfare or attendance issues that appear to be related to the violence or aggression incident. The OH Service should provide appropriate recommendations for supporting such employees. When the occupational health professionals consider that an employee could benefit from counselling, this should be made clear in the report supplied to the School.

Police Involvement

The police should be informed of all incidents where a member of staff has been assaulted. In some circumstances, the member of staff may not wish the police to be involved. However, the Head of School should look at each case on an individual basis and may judge that the wider protection of the community requires that a report be made to the police.

If, during the course of the incident, a child is assaulted or abused, this must be reported in the first instance to the Designated Safeguarding Lead at either school.

Legal Advice and Support

If an employee is a victim of an assault which gives rise to criminal proceedings, then the Crown Prosecution Service and Victim Support can give information relating to the criminal process. Any employee who believes that they have suffered harm as a result of a work-related incident should seek independent advice as to any civil claim they may have.

If an employee is alleged to have committed an offence

Where an employee is the subject of a criminal investigation as a result of allegations made by one of the Schools clients, the School will seek legal advice from Lewisham Legal Dept. It is strongly recommended that staff consider membership of an appropriate Trade Union. Alternatively, staff may want to consider the possibility of taking out private insurance cover for such eventualities.

Exclusion of Pupils

Statutory guidance on excluding pupils from school can be found on the DfE website: ‘School suspensions and permanent exclusions’

Warning Letters

The Head of School will, subject to satisfactory evidence, issue a warning letter to any adult who has committed a serious act of violent, abusive or aggressive behaviour. There is an escalation process in school. In the event of a permanent exclusion, reference should be made to the school’s policy and a chance given to the parent to make any representations before any decision is implemented.

Training Staff

Staff that are likely to be at particular risk from violence may require some level of training. The type and frequency of training will differ according to the nature of the risks faced. The school will identify and provide suitable training in skills that may include de-escalation techniques; breakaway techniques and the use of force to control or restrain.

Reporting Procedures

Guidance on reporting of incidents is given in the Accident / Incident Reporting Procedure. Only by reporting incidents can working practices and procedures be adjusted to provide as much protection for staff as is possible.

All reports will be monitored by SLT and reported to Governors at Committee Meetings. Some incidents may be reportable to the HSE. A report should be entered online within the legal timescales.

See RIDDOR Guidance

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed every two years by the resources committee, or sooner if required.