Garth Hill College. Business Continuity Plan In Conjunction with the BFC Emergency Plan

Transcription

1 Garth Hill College Business Continuity Plan In Conjunction with the BFC Emergency Plan Policy Owner: Principal Amended: January 2018 Ratified by Finance Committee: Next Review Date: January 2019 (This is an interim plan that is under development and will be reviewed before the next formal review date).

2 2 Amendment since last ratified: New document.

3 3 Contents Aims and Context... 4 Notification... 5 Plan Implementation and Emergency Management Team... 5 Initial Actions and Emergency File... 5 Communication... 6 On-Going Assessment, Management and Containment... 6 Roles and Responsibilities Appendix i Key Contacts Appendix ii Issue with College Infrastructure Appendix iii Documents... 13

4 4 Garth Hill College Business Continuity Plan 2017 AIMS AND CONTEXT The aim of this Business Continuity Plan is to form the basis of a managed response to an emergency and to, as far as possible, mitigate the impact on pupils, staff, the College s reputation and the general operation and smooth running of the College. The College s management response to an emergency will be structured so that each member of staff will be aware of their role and responsibilities in the event of an emergency situation. This Business Continuity Plan has regard for those emergencies most likely to occur. These include: 1. Loss of premises (i.e. fire, flood etc.) 2. Loss of utilities (water, electricity, gas, etc.) or failure of other supply 3. Failure of IT and telephony 4. Acute staff shortage 5. Incidents in the local community (i.e. major accidents, a transport related accident involving pupils and/or members of staff, industrial/chemical incident, Broadmoor alert) 6. Pandemic illness 7. Bomb or terrorist threat 8. A deliberate act or threat of serious violence 9. A pupil or teacher being taken hostage 10. The death of a pupil or member of staff 11. Death or injuries on school journeys or excursions 12. Civil disturbance or terrorism. The primary aim is to enable the College to provide a continuation of service with the minimum possible disruption and maintain the confidence of parents, pupils and staff. Such a response will have regard for the immediacy of the situation, aftermath and the longer term outlook. As such objectives include: 1. To safeguard pupils, students, staff and other users of the College and prevent/minimise the loss of life, injury and illness 2. Manage the emergency including alerting and liaising with relevant parties as necessary, e.g. Emergency Services, Bracknell Forest, College s governors and parent/carers 3. Minimise disruption to the normal operation of the College and to resume provision of education services at the earliest opportunity and, where possible, secure continuation of service 4. Ensure appropriate and timely communication with stakeholders, relevant authorities and the media 5. Provide and/or arrange support for pupils, staff, parents/carers as required. This plan should be read in conjunction with the College s Emergency Plan and procedures related to that plan, and other relevant Policies and guidance (i.e. Home College Communications and Concern Policy, Bereavement Pack etc.). It will be adapted as required for incidents as they may impact the separate Garth Hill College locations of main college building and grounds, sixth form centre, sports field in Bull Lane and Rise@GHC in Eastern Road. This plan should be reviewed annually.

5 5 NOTIFICATION During normal College hours, staff, pupils and other users of the College are likely to become aware of a site disruption or emergency situation very quickly (i.e. through alarm sounding, public address, word-of-mouth, social media, etc.). Outside normal College hours, the College s management may be notified of a disruption or emergency situation by the emergency services. Communication to other members of the College community will need to be managed accordingly and the College will use the following forms of communication: Cascade with staff Radio announcement (a copy of the radio announcement procedures will always be kept off site by Site Manager, Communications & Marketing Officer, Administration Manager and Principal). Via the College website and Twitter account Via SMS text alert service to parents. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM The responsibility for invoking this Business Continuity Plan lies with the Principal or Duty Principal or, if not available, other designated senior member of staff. In most cases an Emergency Management Team (EMT) will be formed to coordinate the response. Composition of this Management Team will depend on the type of emergency, but will likely comprise the Principal or Duty Principal, Site Manager, Vice Principals and Administration Manager and Communications & Marketing Officer. A Team Leader will be appointed (not necessarily the Principal depending on type and stage of incident). The Principal or Duty Principal may, if appropriate, create a subsidiary Operations Team and designate its Team Leader. Central co-ordination of the various tasks required to be carried out is important in order to ensure an effective joined up response and resource management. Communication is a key part of making the business continuity plan work and the Team Leader will ensure that all members of the team are aware of actions required, targets and goals. The Team Leader will also ensure that the necessary procedures are in place and are being executed effectively and that members of the Emergency Management Team are carrying out their roles and responsibilities as appropriate. INITIAL ACTIONS AND EMERGENCY FILE Evacuation is dealt with in the site specific Emergency Evacuation Plans. Upon invoking the Business Continuity Plan, the Principal or Duty Principal will form an Emergency Management Team (EMT) with responsibilities as listed in Appendix ii. The primary objective of the EMT is to manage the developing situation, safeguard young people, staff and visitors, protect buildings, contents and other assets as required, and work to achieve the other strategic objectives of the Business Continuity Plan. The EMT will have due regard for communication to stakeholders, including on a need to know basis, and the College s Communications and Marketing Officer will attend meetings of the EMT as required to advise accordingly. Hard copies of an Emergency File will be stored in the Main Office, the Site Manager s Office, the Business Team Office in the Sixth Form and the Administration Team Office at Rise@GHC.

6 6 COMMUNICATION In the event of an incident affecting the College it is important to keep parents/carers, other stakeholders and interested parties well informed. Information will help other stakeholders accept difficult situations and better engage and cooperate with the College in managing an emergency situation. A lack or slow release of information can result in criticism and/or rumours spreading in the College community. Key communication actions: The EMT (Emergency Management Team) is established The local authority is notified and support requested as appropriate Specific plans are formulated by referring to this plan, the Emergency Plan and communication and actions fed down through the College s organisational management structure. Message for parents/carers/pupils agreed with EMT as advised by College s Communications and Marketing Officer. Message for other relevant parties including Bracknell Forest Media Office, and Bracknell Forest Children, Young People and Learning Department. Message disseminated to other relevant parties by College s management and/or EMT using a variety of media (website, SMS text, Twitter, press, radio/tv where appropriate). The College s Administration Officer will be responsible for managing urgent inbound information (see College s Home College Communications and Concerns Policy) ON-GOING ASSESSMENT, MANAGEMENT AND CONTAINMENT As soon as possible, the EMT will consider impact and what resources are available to continue normal business as far as possible and/or what is required to minimise impact or to restore normal operation. Over time, the EMT will make every reasonable attempt to liaise with other key staff and the Chair of Governors in determining strategic and tactical decisions and management actions. The College s normal organisational management structure will largely determine the process and nature of the decision making responsibilities. If the disruption has resulted in the loss of the College s main site, then the EMT will operate from the Sixth Form Centre or from Rise@GHC in Eastern Road. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Indicative roles and responsibilities as follows Principal / Duty Principal: Chair EMT / Senior Team meetings Co-ordination of the response Initiating cascade to staff Liaise with Chair of Governors / DFE / LA as required Allocate resources Represents public face of the college; prepared to talk/communicate to media and other stakeholders

7 7 Site and Events Manager or Deputy: Initial assessment and communication with Principal or Duty Principal ASAP. Building security Turn off electricity, gas etc, safely as required Salvage of critical documents/equipment safely Contact emergency services as required Vice-Principals: (Immediate!) Instruct staff/pupils at muster points as required Supporting the initiating of cascade to staff lines and ensuring initial and other essential communication to stakeholders (via website, SMS text, Twitter etc.) Ensure all significant occurrences and decisions are being recorded, together with reasons for decisions made. Arrange clerical and practical assistance to the EMT. Liaison between EMT and staff Imparting factual information to staff Agree key information to be given to pupils through teachers Heads of School (Assistant Principals): Cascading to Lines Responsible for all staff who work and operate in their school irrespective of line management areas. This includes all nature and form of communication and briefing using agreed message provided by Communications & Marketing Officer Senior Teacher (Designated Safeguarding Officer): Contacting LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) Communications & Marketing Officer All communications, regardless of the nature of the incident, will be routed through the Marketing & Communications Officer who will be responsible for managing messages about the incident internally and externally under the direction of the EMT Chair or other assigned to manage communications. Develops messages, press releases, statements and other materials Provides regular updates to stakeholders so that accurate information is received, published and reported Provides graphics which may help illustrate points Ensures college spokesperson is well briefed, communicates effectively, knows the communication plan, and comes across as trustworthy and caring Controls the message by helping EMT and staff stick to the message and the facts Ensures spokespeople are briefed and stay "on the record" in all interviews Responds to the news media quickly and fairly Keeps track of media calls and requests Maintains a crisis communication inventory of what was communicated, by whom, at what time and how. A nominated person should deal with the following, the first of which must be top priority. Some of the remaining actions will need to be done simultaneously and may involve other staff members:

8 Ensure all students, staff and visitors are safe and accounted for Any emergency signs and notices for doors/boundaries Liaison with neighbours Identification/transfer to alternative premises. Marshalling of students, staff and visitors at the muster point/s Arranging for transfer to alternative muster point or another place of safety Arrange for warm, dry shelter for everyone in the short term Deal with immediate welfare matters: distress, injuries, domestic responsibilities, etc. Co-ordinate the sending home of students and immediate care of those whose parents cannot be readily notified 8

9 9 APPENDIX i Key Contacts List here contact details of people / organisations that may be required after an emergency, or when access to the building is denied. Add also details of alternative suppliers if relevant: Organisation Contact Contact No: Alternative supplier or contact details Emergency services 999 (Fire, Police and Ambulance) Bracknell Forest Council Customer Services out of hours the call will be picked Electricity Scottish and Southern emergency number electricity supplier Water South East Water (out of hours) or Affinity Water Gas Transco emergency number Health and Safety Executive Public Health England Thames Valley PHE Centre up by Forestcare major incident out of hours Internet Origin Broadband Power outage TSI IT BCP currently being updated Telephones Virgin Media Bracknell News Get Reading Naomi Agius/Josh Phillips (local reporters) Mary Naylor (Bracknell reporter) news@bracknellnews.co.uk naomi.agius@newsquest.co.uk joshphillips1908@gmail.co m josh.phillips.@newsquest.co.uk mary.naylor@trinitymirror.co m A list of non-emergency outside organisations and agencies are listed in the Emergency Plan (Emotional Support, Homicide etc.).

10 10 In addition to this list of contacts, we will ensure the College s administrative staff have access to next of kin records for pupils and staff, and timetables which track pupil s movements. This information will be in hard copy format as well as an electronic copy. A copy of this information is stored off site and senior staff in the College should be aware of its location.

11 11 APPENDIX ii In the event of an issue with the College s infrastructure (i.e. loss of power, water or other service/s) or other event that significantly affects the College s normal day-today operation the following checklist procedures are to be followed: Issue Responsibility Check Done Time/Date Call to Principal/Duty Principal and Site Manager Site Manager or nominated other and/or Principal attends scene Site Manager or Emergency services Site Manager / Principal Implement plan? Form EMT and coordinate College s management. Decision to evacuate/close College in part or full. In event of extreme weather or loss of heating in winter the EMT may comprise Site Manager, Principal and/or VPs Identify impact and disruption Decide on plan for current or next College working day Devolve information to all relevant parties and stakeholders Inform LA, College s governors and management group Decisions on alternative accommodation Arrangements for alternative / temporary premises Arrange transport to alternative premises where necessary Contact utilities / relevant organisations to establish time for repair Principal Principal EMT EMT EMT with Senior Team and senior middle leaders as required. EMT through College s Comms. & Marketing Officer and/or Information/Administration Office EMT / Principal EMT / Senior Team EMT / Senior Team / LA EMT / LA EMT / Site Manager

12 12 On-going communications, as required to key stakeholders Ascertain length of time required before College back to Business as Usual Inform relevant parties of problem eg. LCC, press office, Children s services, contractors, parents/carers, pupils Arrange de-brief Review BCP EMT through College s Comms. & Marketing Officer and/or Information/Administration Office EMT EMT / College s Comms. & Marketing Officer EMT / Senior Team Governors and Senior Team

13 13 APPENDIX iii Documents to be held off site by the Principal/Duty Principal Business Continuity Plan and Emergency File Emergency Evacuation Plans for sites Key contact details for staff including Governors and Local Authority Local radio protocol Documents to be held off site securely as arranged by College s Administration Officer Local radio protocol Parents/Carers via text (Parent Mail) Documents to be held off site by the Site and Events Manager Business Continuity Plan and Emergency File Emergency Evacuation Plans for sites. Key contact details for staff including Governors and Local Authority Local radio protocol Documents to be held off site by the Administration Manager and Marketing & Communications Officer Business Continuity Plan Emergency Evacuation Plans for sites Local radio protocol Communications templates