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CRB check - Irene Ellis (21st Jun 2011 - 22:22:16) I went to Bohunt COMMUNITY School this morning to play table tennis with a U3A group. You have to be over 50 to join the U3A but most of us are well over 50. So you can imagine how surprised we were when told we need a CRB check to use a school building during school hours although we have no contact with the school children. What ever is the country coming to? If this is the case I think that all the children should have a similar check to make sure we are not molested by one of the stroppy teenagers.

Re: CRB check - jen (22nd Jun 2011 - 09:23:19) Understand your frustrations but they ultimately have a duty of care for the children and if your child / grandchild came across an unsavoury character in their school i'm sure you'd be concerned to say the least. Not all the children at Bohunt are teenagers, 11 year olds are still very young. It's a tough call and very annoying at times but it's the only way they have to ensure children are safe and not exposed to unchecked adults whilst in the schools care.

Re: CRB check - nick (22nd Jun 2011 - 09:40:48) Does that mean all the visitors to events at schools will have to be checked as well ? Today we have the Canadian vets holding their yearly service at the Church school children will be there as well. Will they be refused to participate because of this rule that I understand is under review ? This is stupid, isn't it ? They will have to insist that every delivery driver / postman that enters the property shows their CRB certificate to reception before they are allowed onto the premises - I bet they hadn't thought of that either ! Bureaucracy gone mad

Re: CRB check - helen (22nd Jun 2011 - 10:12:01) I am not sure if the school actually are correct in this instance, there is a government dept that can clarify this - ROA@justice.gov.uk Take this to the logical conclusion and therefore any parent who enters the school at ay time also has to have a CRB check, postmen or parcel couriers, anyone who uses a public sports facility - crb checks apply to employment or voluntary work with children/young adults, I do not believe it applys to other areas. Have you checked the law on CRB? Sometimes people go and watch a school play are all crb checks applicable? Are they all checked as they go in? Are all parents of guides brownies scouts etc checked as they mix in with children? It is not unlikely that a offender may have his/her own children. I do not believe patrons of Mill Chase swimming pool are asked for crb checks? See www.direct.gov.uk

Re: CRB check - Jane G (22nd Jun 2011 - 11:13:45) Whilst this may seem frustrating and annoying I am sure the headmaster, Mr Strowger, has his reasons for doing this. It's all about duty of care I guess, and if unchecked adults are roaming the school corridors for any length of time then he has to ensure the children's safety. I am not suggesting for one moment that anyone in the U3A is a threat to these children however! But what if there was an incident?...if something happened to a child and the school had not carried out the relevant checks I am sure there would be many posts on here from parents complaining about the school's lack of care. It may seem over the top but in the current blame culture we live in what else can the school do? Perhaps comments such as this should be directed to Mr Strowger at Bohunt School rather than putting them on a public forum. If you don't understand something it is always best to go straight to the horse's mouth to get a correct explanation rather than speculating on here. Go to the Bohunt website and you can send an email directly to the headmaster.

Re: CRB check - Karen F (22nd Jun 2011 - 11:43:39) Hi Irene I think you may need the CRB because you will be within the school without a teacher or member of staff who does have CRB clearance. That is why postmen, delivery men etc don't need to have one, as they never make it past the reception area and are therefore never alone with children. All the suppliers, workmen etc that do enter schools to carry out work are County approved, so therefore have the necessary paperwork to roam within the school. It does seem very extreme I know, but as another post mentioned, the school have a duty of care to ensure nobody, who maybe a threat, can gain access to the school or any children. Karen

Re: CRB check - helen (22nd Jun 2011 - 11:51:01) The issue is the legality of the situation, individuals cannot apply for their own crb check, the employer or organisation has to apply for this, it is the school themselves who have to pay for crb checks. Perhaps if the UA3 have been singled out for crb checks they should take this up with a solicitor, as they are using a publicly funded sports facility, and as such have a right to use this facility, that is why the school has to open up the school for commuity use. Have all the gym members been CRB checked?

Re: CRB check - helen (22nd Jun 2011 - 16:59:43) I have just checked OFSTEDS WEBSITE crb checks are not required for visitors. They are merely required to sign in, and it is up to the staff to ensure children are not unsupervised around visitors. Perhaps the Head should be shown!

Re: CRB check - Paul Robinson (22nd Jun 2011 - 17:11:36) As someone who regularly gives talks on books, authors, stories etc to schoolchildren I was interested to read early last year that well known authors such as Michael Morpurgo, Anne Fine and Philip Pullman ( two of whom were Children's Laureates) were all asked to have CRB checks. They, like me, pointed out that they only spoke to large groups when several members of staff were in attendance. They were never left alone with small groups. Thankfully common sense prevailed and CRB checks were never insisted upon. I believe that CRB certification costs somewhere in the region of £90.00 and can take several months to complete. Whilst I understand that the school has a duty of care toward its charges, I think if the school were required to pay for CRB certification to be carried out they might be more selective about who they include in their checks. Paul Robinson

Re: CRB check - Jane G (22nd Jun 2011 - 17:24:27) Helen, my understanding is that the U3A were planning to use rooms within the school itself and not the gym. Secondly, the members of the U3A would clearly not be 'supervised' by a member of staff whilst in the school and I assume that as the activity is taking place in school hours in school rooms that is why they are insisting on the CRB checks. I am not saying the school is right or wrong in this situation, just that we do not know all the facts are therefore cannot assume anything.

Re: CRB check - helen (22nd Jun 2011 - 18:07:09) thanks for that it is good to have safety first but the Ofsted website puts the onus on the teachers to supervise pupils at all times, not to be nanny to the pensioners, as they could quite easily be in a publicly run swimming pool, which is again local authority funded and not need a crb check to get in. Children quite often go swimming with their friends when they get to a sensible age. What if they are on a bus with children?

Re: CRB check - Tom (22nd Jun 2011 - 19:39:01) The CRB check is in place to protect vulnerable people, its not there to wind people up or upset people that feel they are being put out by it. I think the Head Master is totally right in his decision as I am sure are all parents, grandparents guardians etc. What is all the talk about getting solicitors involved etc, how pathetic!!! yes I said that, its pathetic. We all send children to school to be protected, would you rather the school put a blanket ban in place where no one at all can enter the site regardless????? even if the Head chose to do that I would still support him, because, lets not forget, he has the safety & well being of the pupils are the foremost of everything they do as a school. and, if , anyone has any real problems with this then insead of scurrying home, switching on pc and writing a moan & groan on a public forum, WHY couldnt they just speak to the Head direct, face to face, not behind a computer screen. The school has SAFETY first, imagine the uproar if something terrible happened and these additional checks was not in place, the broadband connection in Liphook would go in meltdown. WELL DONE BOHUNT

Re: CRB check - claire (22nd Jun 2011 - 22:00:06) you don't need a crb check to use the public gym on site - whats the difference?

Re: CRB check - Karen F (22nd Jun 2011 - 22:09:08) Far as I can see, the Headteacher is complying to the Hampshire policy on Safeguarding children. He is just doing his job correctly.

Re: CRB check - Jane G (22nd Jun 2011 - 22:28:46) ...because the public gym is a public gym and is therefore not full of Bohunt students. The school have allocated times when the students have sole use of it with staff supervision. Therefore, students and public don't mix therefore no-one needs to be CRB checked.

Re: CRB check - helen (23rd Jun 2011 - 10:04:13) could the table tennis not take place in an area to keep everybody happy?

Re: CRB check - Irene Ellis (23rd Jun 2011 - 10:30:48) Well what a bag of worms I have spilt out. I put this thread on with tongue in cheek. I was not complaining and I do understand the problem the head master has and we are in dialogue with him and he is doing his best. It was just the picture I could see which made me laugh but obviously I am alone with my sense of humour. Having said that with the lay out of the school anyone could easily walk around the site with out a CRB check. I myself have done it on several occasions to look at the fantastic garden and pound they have at the back of the school. I have never been asked my reason for being there. I also have had a CRB check as I am a voluntary care driver taking mainly old people to hospital etc which also made me laugh. So calm down my dears I do not have a problem but it sounds as if some of you have.

Re: CRB check - claire (27th Jun 2011 - 20:14:40) 'because the public gym is a public gym and is therefore not full of Bohunt students. The school have allocated times when the students have sole use of it with staff supervision. Therefore, students and public don't mix therefore no-one needs to be CRB checked.' I disagree, you park in school grounds , walk through buildings to access it and there are usually students milling around and it shares access foyer with a sports hall. At least with a group who are 'signing up' for something you have a record of who has been on site whereas when you use the gym you just flash yr pass and get a door code. I just think common sense should prevail!

Re: CRB check - Diana (28th Jun 2011 - 09:01:32) Well if the Bohunt teachers go on strike one thing is certain, Mr Gove's plan to have parents in to help will not be happening there

Re: CRB check - Editor (28th Jun 2011 - 09:12:59) From the horses mouth - ofsted - www.ofsted.gov.uk Checks for visitors Q. Are Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks required for all visitors or volunteers to schools and colleges? Visitors Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks are not required for visitors. Visitors do not have unsupervised access to children. Volunteers Checks are required for those who have regular and unsupervised access to children and young people. However, schools and colleges have been advised by CRB and in Safeguarding children and safer recruitment in education that a robust risk assessment should take place first. Schools and colleges should be able to provide such risk assessments and be able to explain the rationale for those who have been checked and those who have not. The key test is ‘frequent’ or ‘intensive’ contact with learners. The definition of ‘frequent’ and ‘intensive’ was clarified in December 2009 by Sir Roger Singleton and the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. -------------------- I'm sure the Headmaster will be able to offer you a copy of his risk assessment and explain his decision as suggested by Ofsted.

Re: CRB check - Rhys G (30th Jun 2011 - 10:08:36) I played squash for the first time in a while at Bohunt yesterday and was told anyone in the grounds before 16:30 has to sign in and wear a visitors badge. It's no bother at all as you already head to reception to pay and takes about 30 seconds longer.

Re: CRB check - Janet A (2nd Jul 2011 - 10:18:04) For the record, the days of CRB checks taking several months to complete are long gone. On average they now take less than a week, sometimes less than 48 hours, from submission of the application to completion of the disclosure.

Re: CRB check - helen (2nd Jul 2011 - 13:45:03) maybe they are quicker but it should be the school paying for the checks and applying for them as it is a unnessesary request on their part. The school is not a private school we fund it and have certain rights to use facilities.

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