Kingswood has an outstanding record for the Health & Safety and security of pupils and teachers who have stayed at its centres. Now in our third decade of working with schools, we welcome some 130,000 students each year and it is essential that our centres operate under strict Health & Safety policies and procedures.
Our Health & Safety policy has been written to secure compliance with the requirements of both Health & Safety legislation in respect of our employees and our general duty of care towards members of the public who use our activity centres. In particular, regard has been made to the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 and the regulations issued under it, taking into account industry guidance and codes of practice. Our Health & Safety policy statement is displayed in reception at each centre and a copy is available for inspection by all visiting teachers on arrival at any of our centres.
The following is our statement of general policy for Health & Safety:
‘It is our policy to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the Health & Safety at work of our employees and the Health & Safety of any other persons who may be affected by our undertaking.
We will comply, as a minimum, with the requirements of relevant Health & Safety legislation and approved codes of practice and, as appropriate, guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive and/or other recognised industry bodies, such as the ‘British Activity Holiday Association’.
We will seek to continually improve our Health & Safety performance in order to raise standards.
This commitment seeks to minimise unnecessary hazards and risks and ensure that Health & Safety actively contributes to the success of the business, and will be supported by:
At Kingswood, we believe Risk Assessments are a key building block for ensuring the effective delivery of our Health & Safety policy and implementing our Health & Safety management system. Our activities and centres are all covered by Risk Assessments that have been carried out by our own Health & Safety Team and, as necessary, by involving external consultants and specialists. Kingswood operates strict codes of practice for the delivery of all activities. As part of these codes, our centres have site-specific risk assessments that are reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
Our risk assessments fulfil the key requirements of the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) for our Isle of Wight and Peak Venture centres, the British Activity Holiday Association (BAHA) for all our centres and, in addition, are subject to regular inspection and checks by relevant National Governing Bodies, such as Grand National Archery Society (GNAS).
Kingswood is a registered member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and our staff are trained in food hygiene and Health & Safety by our accredited trainers.
Our comprehensive generic Risk Assessments for each of our activities can be viewed online or downloaded from our website www.kingswood.co.uk.
In addition to receiving independent inspections from AALA, BAHA and National Governing Bodies, as applicable, Kingswood conducts its own rigorous Health & Safety audits through its own staff and by an externally appointed ‘competent person’. In addition, our Board directors and other senior managers routinely undertake Health & Safety visits across all our centres and activities.
While at Kingswood, students are placed into groups of no more than 15 at any time and are accompanied by Instructors and Group Leaders at all times. Our Instructors begin every activity session with a Health & Safety talk and all activity equipment is checked in accordance with strict requirements including, as appropriate, engineering inspections, weekly checks by senior instructors and daily and/or pre-session checks by instructors.
"The health, safety and welfare of all those involved in educational visits is paramount, and as an LEA we have been delighted by the way the kingswood centres are working with us to ensure this." — Martin Radmore, Norfolk LEA EVC
We have put in place rigorous child protection procedures and our centres fully comply with the provisions of the 1989 Children Act that imposes strict regulations for staff to child ratios, staff qualifications and types of equipment. Every member of staff at a Kingswood centre, including management, office, maintenance, catering and house-keeping personnel has been police checked and cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau. Kingswood campuses have secure and clearly defined borders which enable us to maintain the highest safety standards at all times. Depending on our site assessment, additional security measures have been installed at some of our centres, including security lighting, barriers, night patrols and CCTV. All Kingswood staff wear easily recognisable uniforms and an identification badge. Visiting teachers & party leaders are also required to wear a Kingswood identification badge at all times.
Accommodation is in clean, warm, comfortable dormitories, which sleep between 2 and 10 students, within easy walking distance of the main activity areas. Dormitories are simply furnished, with hanging space and under bed storage facilities. Sheets, duvets and pillows are provided. There are shower and bathroom facilities close to each dormitory. A Duty Manager and First-Aider are on call 24 hours a day. Boys and girls sleep on separate floors with separate shower and toilet facilities.
In recent years, school trips have been the subject of intense scrutiny and, as a result, the DfES and the Health & Safety Commission have issued strict guidelines for the planning of educational visits. In accordance with this, Kingswood is a member of the British Activity Holiday Association (BAHA) and registered, where relevant, with the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) for the Isle of Wight.
Off-site fieldwork excursions are supervised to the same standards as on-site activities and they are closely monitored & subjected to regular Risk Assessments which can be downloaded from our website at www.kingswood.co.uk. The work completed on these field trips is of a scientific and educational nature and is strictly controlled in locations that are well known and regularly used by Kingswood staff. Instructors conducting off-site sessions always carry with them a full safety pack containing first-aid kit, location maps, bivvy bags, extra clothes, throw lines and drinking water. A mobile phone is also included to enable the instructor to contact the Centre or emergency services in the unlikely event of an incident occurring. Each site visited has had a comprehensive Risk Assessment completed which is available for you to view.
