The Hamlet School | Other Policies

Other Policies

A. TRANSPORT OF PUPILS

The Governing Body decided that all parents making use of school transport should be made aware of the possible dangers of bus transport. Pupils using our transport, do so at the consent of their parents, thus no claims can be made against the school unless negligence can be proven. Parents are welcome to insure their children privately against hi-jacking, as it is unfortunately unaffordable for the school to do so. The school will take all possible precautions to ensure the safety of the children. Our bus drivers are responsible people. A comprehensive report regarding the bus rules is pasted into your child's communication book at the beginning of the year.

B. EXEMPTION POLICY

All exemptions will be done by the Deputy Principal, in conjunction with the Principal and the Management Council.

1. In this clause, exemption means any partial or total exemption of the conditions or standards set out by the body in respect of:
1.1 School or other fees;
1.2 Dress code;
1.3 Any other matter.

2. Any parent having a child attend the school may refer an application for exemption in writing to the SGB.

2.1 The application must be fully motivated and be accompanied by relevant supporting information as required.
2.2 If the nature of the relief sought dictated, the application must be accompanied by a business plan detailing the objectives and strategies to be adopted in rectifying the situation giving rise to the necessity for the application and indicating a time frame for the plan.

3. In considering the application, the committee will take into account the following criteria:

3.1 Any special circumstances which exist;
3.2 Any president which might be set;
3.3 The interest of the applicant with regards to;
3.3.1 financial stability;
3.3.2 potential for payment by making use of their services for upkeep of the building grounds, etc.

4. If the application is granted, the Deputy Principal will confirm;

4.1 The period;
4.2 The terms and conditions of the exemption, and
4.3 The bookkeeper will issue a letter, which shall be signed by the principal or the deputy principal reflecting:
       4.3.1  the full name of the applicant;
       4.3.2  the full name of the learner, for which the applicant is applying for exemption;
       4.3.3  the date of issue;
       4.3.4  the period for which the exemption shall operate, and
       4.3.5  the conditions of the exemption granted.

The secretary will retain a copy of the letter and will forward the original thereof to the applicant.

Should the applicant wish to appeal against the decision of the exemption committee, such fully motivated written submission will be referred to the full governing body by the secretary of the body, who shall consider the appeal and advise the applicant on the outcome of the appeal.

Should no decision be made by the exemption committee within 90 days of proven receipt of the application, except for the reason of the applicant failing to provide additional requested information, the application will be deemed to be successful.

C. POLICY ON HIV/AIDS FOR LEARNERS AND ALL STAFF MEMBERS

In keeping with international standards and in accordance with educational law and the constitutional guarantees of the right of each learner to a basic education, the right not to be unfairly discriminated against, the right to life, a safe environment and in the best interest of the child, the following school policy must be upheld:

All body fluids must be handled by all staff members at all times with rubber latex gloves. All learners should be taught not to touch blood and wounds but to ask for help from a member of the staff if there is an injury or nosebleed.

1. Each learner is to be given access to age appropriate information on the transmission of HIV. For example, the day to day social contact at school cannot cause the virus to be transmitted, basic, first-aid principals, life skills necessary to prevent transmission of HIV/Aids, emphasis on the role of drugs, sexual abuse and violence in the transmission of HIV/Aids.

2. Compulsory disclosure of a learner's HIV/Aids status to the school authorities is not required. Voluntary disclosure will be welcomed and confidentiality of such information will be ensured. Unfair discrimination against any learner, who has voluntarily disclosed, will not be tolerated. A learner with HIV/Aids will be allowed to live a life as full as possible and will not be denied an education to the maximum of his/her ability. Educators will cultivate an enabling environment and a culture of nondiscrimination towards people with HIV/Aids.

3. Universal precautions with good hygiene must be taught and adhered to on school premises. All learners will be considered potentially infected and their blood and body fluids treated as such i.e. all blood, open wounds, sores, breaks in the skin, grazed and open skin lesions, as well as al body fluids and excretions which could be deemed contaminated with blood (e.g. tears, saliva, mucus, phlegm, urine, vomit, feces and pus) should be treated as potentially infected.

4. First Aid precautions will take place in the classroom, school grounds and on the sports field when a learner sustains an open, bleeding wound.
5. The school will continue with its policy of sending home, and being kept away from school, any learners with illnesses such as measles, German measles, chicken pox, mumps and whooping cough to protect those whose immune systems may be impaired by HIV/Aids.

6. No learner will be denied admission to, or continued attendance at our school on account of his/her HIV/Aids status, unless such learner is at an advanced stage requiring so much attention from the educator that it is detrimental to the development of the other learners.

7. All possible areas have been issued with protective latex gloves (a replacement is available from the Household Supervisor). Bleach is available for any small blood amounts, e.g. spills. Large spills must be covered in newspaper or a towel and cleaned up with gloves on and bleach to disinfect. The newspaper and towel are to be sealed in a plastic bag and then burnt to ashes. Contaminated surfaces on floors must be cleaned with bleach and water (1 part bleach, 9 parts water). Bandages and clothes that become bloody must be sealed in a plastic bag and be burnt to ashes. Any contaminated instruments of equipment must be washed, soaked in bleach and free from blood spills.

DISPOSING OF SANITARY TOWELS AND TAMPONS
Every school must ensure that there are arrangements for the disposal of sanitary towels and tampons. All female members and learners must know of these arrangements so that no other person has contact with these items.

8. The first-aid kit must contain a resuscitation mouthpiece with an apron and gloves for emergencies.

       CONTENTS OF FIRST AID KITS
       • Four pairs of latex gloves (two medium, two large);
       • Four pairs of rubber household gloves (two medium, to large);
       • Materials to cover wounds, cuts or grazes (e.g. lint or gauze), waterproof plasters, disinfectant, scissors, cotton wool. Tape of securing          dressings, tissues;
       • A mouthpiece with an apron, for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation;

• Plastic shopping bags.

9. Sport coaches at sporting events must also have gloves and first-aid kits available. If bleeding occurs during Gross Motor Activities, sport or while playing at break, the injured learner must be treated appropriately before resuming play. Soiled clothes must be changed, as well as those of other learners that came into contact with the injured player's blood.
10. Parents of learners will be informed about all HIV/Aids education offered at school. They must be made aware of their role as sex educators and the importance of values at home.

11. A learner or an educator must consult medical opinion to assess whether he/she, owing to his/her condition, poses a medically recognized, significant health risk to others in the classroom or on the sports field.
12. Counseling must be provide for a learner/educator who refuses to study or work with fellow educators or learners with, or perceived to have HIV/Aids.

The Hamlet School's HIV/Aids policy is based on the draft National Education Policy Act 1996 (No. 27 of 1996), published in the Government Gazette, Pretoria, 11 December 1998.