Dogs on Site Policy

Policy details

Date created - November 2022

Date reviewed - November 2022

Date approved - 1 December 2023

Next review date - Autumn Term 2025

Policy owner - Principal (Allan Glover)

Aims

Legislation

Advice to those bringing dogs to the academy at drop off and pick up times

Dogs being brought into the academy as an educational activity

Stray dogs on academy grounds

Dogs brought into the academy for security/search reasons

Aims

Our aim is to deal with issues relating to dogs on our academy grounds. There are four key issues to be explored:

1. Dogs being brought onto academy grounds by parents/carers when dropping off or picking up students;
2. Dogs being brought into the academy as an interactive educational activity for students;
3. Members of the public using the academy grounds to walk their dogs; and
4. Stray dogs on academy grounds.

The Education Authority has recommended strongly that dogs are only allowed on academy premises for educational purposes or with students, staff or members of the public as a registered service dog. The Governors have considered this advice seriously and have agreed to accept this recommendation.

Legislation

The academy is required to comply with all legislation including, but not limited to, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. These pieces of legislation establish the standards that must be met to ensure the health and safety of all employees and others (students, parents/carers and visitors) who may be affected by any academy activity and are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive.

Advice to those bringing dogs to the academy at drop off and pick up times

It is recognised that dogs are an important part of family life for many in the academy community, and as such are often included in day-to-day activities such as walking children to and from academy. However, others may find the presence of dogs in the playground and academy grounds stressful, even frightening particularly with younger children, and even well-behaved dogs can behave unpredictably when placed in a busy, noisy and crowded environment.

• Please be aware that if approached by a member of staff about having a dog on the grounds to be respectful. The staff member is working under instruction from the Governors to apply the agreed policy;
• For the safety of the dog, as well as for the benefit of others, do not tie your pet to the academy gate and leave it unattended.

Dogs being brought into the academy as an educational activity

The academy may wish from time to time to bring a dog into the academy as part of an educational activity. This could include activities such as therapy dogs, Guide Dogs for the Blind and Dogs Trust Workshops, such as staying safe around dogs.

The following guidance should be adhered to:

• A risk assessment is completed prior to the visit.
• The dog is from a recognised organisation that can show evidence of the dogs nature and temperament;
• The organisation has public liability insurance;
• Parents/carers have been informed of the proposed visit/how the visit will be carried out;
• The extent of interaction with the students and permission slips received;
• Alternative arrangements for students that may not wish to participate in the activity;
• All necessary arrangements have been put in place prior to the visit, as agreed with the organisation bringing in the dog. This should take into consideration size, breed of dog, age group and numbers of children;
• Consideration taken of any allergic reactions to dogs that students or staff may have;
• Students have been informed of the appropriate behaviour around dogs, prior to the visit. This should be done in the conjunction with the organisation bringing in the dog and guidance taken from them;
• Good hygiene and hand washing procedures in place for students.
• Members of the public walking/exercising dogs on Academy grounds

Academy grounds are private property and should not be used for the purpose of exercising dogs. In the first instance, if safe to do so, the dog owner should be approached and asked to leave the grounds explaining that it is private property. If this continues or staff feel they are unable to approach the dog owner the academy should contact the local Council dog warden or the police.

Stray dogs on academy grounds

If there is a stray dog in the academy grounds contact your local Council dog warden for advice and they will come and remove the dog from the academy grounds. Children should be kept indoors until the dog has been safely removed.

Dogs brought into the academy for security/search reasons

Any dog brought into the academy from an outside provider i.e. security team will  be subject to its own risk assessment.