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Tamar Valley Consortium

Guidance - Work Related Learning Outside School/Community College Times

Aims:
The learner must be given every opportunity to gain the maximum benefit from their TVC Work Related Learning. Full attendance is important and every effort must be made to enable learners to attend every scheduled session. This must not expose the learner to any additional or uncontrolled risk to their health, safety or wellbeing.

Issue
The scheduling of most TVC programmes concur with school and community college days. The majority of courses take place on Mondays or Wednesdays and follow school/college hours but there are exceptions:

Some activities, necessary to the qualification being pursued may keep the learner beyond the ‘usual' school or community college day.
A linked work experience placement may require a full day (up to 5.00pm).
Some qualifications specify a number of ‘Guided Learning Hours' and this requirement can only be met by extending the ‘normal' school/college day.
There are times when the school or community college is closed for ‘occasional' or INSET days during calendared TVC ‘WRL day'.
On rare occasions it is necessary to experience the peak demands of a workplace on Saturdays, Sundays or Public Holidays to meet the requirements of specific qualifications.
Some programmes require a short ‘residential' experience.

On the occasions listed above there is a conflict between the requirements of the TVC Programme (full attendance) and the perceived responsibilities of the home school/community college (being available to safeguard the learner and deal with problems). These guidelines intend to reassure colleagues in this respect.

It should not be necessary to extend any TVC WRL activity beyond 5.00pm on any day unless it is part of a fully supervised residential experience.

Occasionally it may be appropriate for some learners to engage in WRL on a Saturday, Sunday or Public Holiday. This may only be permitted if parents/carers are in full agreement and will be available if needed at any time during the day. TVC or LA support will not be available on these days.

Advice
There should be no problem with learners working ‘after school' slots providing:

Learners and parents have been made aware of the issue, have been given an opportunity to raise concerns and have alternative arrangements discussed. (Form SC9).
Providers have a card with emergency contact numbers for when the school is not contactable. (Form TP2).
Learners are fully briefed and know what to do in emergencies.

Tamar Valley Consortium

Work Related Learning - Days and Times

Responsibilities

School/Community College

Agree with the learner and his/her carers that the proposed learning programme is appropriate to the learner and their needs and that all requirements can be met.
Ensure that the learner and carers are fully aware of the demands of the programme (times, days, travel, dress etc). (Form SC9)
Make a risk assessment of the proposed programme for each learner. (Form SC9)
Make certain that travel arrangements to and from the provider are clearly understood by all parties and have been risk assessed. (Form SC9)
Brief the learners and ensure they understand what action to take should they have a problem both during school/community college hours and outside school/community college hours. (Form SC9)
The learner's parents or carers have been fully informed and are in agreement that risks are eliminated or controlled to an acceptable level. (Form SC9)

Learning Programme Provider

Take full responsibility for the learner's health, safety, security and wellbeing whilst engaged in the learning programme and on the company premises. (Form TP1 section 12)
Ensure that appropriate and correctly fitting protective clothing is worn.
Review and report of the learner's progress including H&S updates.
Provide a full induction programme that includes all Health and Safety Issues.
Have a named ‘Child Protection Officer'.
Hold emergency contact details for all learners. (Form TP2)
Monitor attendance and punctuality closely and report to home School/Community College promptly. (Form TP4 /TP5)
Ensure learners leave promptly upon the agreed closure time of the learning programme and have begun their journey home before 5.00 pm).
Support the learner and liaise closely with the home School/Community College.

Learner

Ensure that parents/carers receive all information relevant to learning programme and arrangements to take part.
Fully attend all timetabled learning activities to the best of their ability.
Report any problems promptly to the learning provider and to the school/community college provider.
Not deviate from the agreed journey to and from the learning provider without informing parents/carers.

Parent/carer

Ensure that they are fully aware of the learner's programme of learning, the places of learning and the travel arrangements.
Take responsibility for the learner whilst travelling to their place of learning whether at the home School/Community College or elsewhere.
Accept that learning may take place outside of ‘normal' home School/Community College hours and when it may be closed for INSET or an ‘Occasional' Day.

TVC/LA

Provide quality assurance, advise and support partners.
Provide emergency support when school/college staff are unavailable.
Education and Business Partnership (EBP) to check and approve work experience placements.

Tamar Valley Consortium

Work Related Learning - when the home school/college is not open or operational.

Emergency Action

A. Accident causing injury or sudden illness

Provide First Aid as appropriate
Take any necessary action to remove or safeguard others from the cause of injury.
Call emergency services as appropriate.
Attend and support the injured learner until medical aid arrives.
Inform parents/carers that the learner has been injured or has been taken ill and what action is being taken.
Inform the home school/community college that the learner has been injured or has been taken ill and what action is being taken.
Ensure that the injured learner is collected by ambulance if medical treatment is required.
Ensure that they are collected or taken home if treatment is not required but they are unable to continue with their day.
Ensure that any person transporting a learner in these circumstances is a parent, a teacher or someone approved to do so by the home or school.
Inform the TVC immediately, by telephone (01752 307146) if a serious accident has occurred.
Complete a full report and provide copies to the home school/community college and TVC office - this will be forwarded to the Health and Safety Officer at Plymouth City Council.

B. Dangerous or seriously disruptive behaviour requiring removal from premises.

A learner behaving dangerously or causing continued disruption must be removed from the workshop/classroom. (see Disciplinary Policy)
The home school or community college base should collect the learner. If the school or community college base is closed, the learner must be collected by their parents/carers.
Alternative options for returning the learner to his/her school/community college base or home should be discussed with the home or school and the safest practical option selected. This may be: centre mini bus, public transport, taxi or the school/community college/parent/carer may collect.
The Learner's school/community college or their parent/carer must be informed of the situation before the learner leaves the premises (unless emergency treatment is required).
If the carer cannot be contacted the TVC office or LEA Professional Advice and Support Service will provide support (telephone numbers below).
Providers are requested to complete a full report and provide copies to home school/community college and TVC office.
In situations where an offence has been committed or there is reason to believe that an offence may be committed the police should be informed.

Contact numbers (When schools/colleges or carers are unavailable)

TVC Office (01752 307 146) Available 9.00 am to 3.30 pm on Mondays -Fridays during term times
LA PASS (01752 307006) Office manned until 5.00pm
LA EWO (01752 307405) Office manned until 4.00pm