How to show OFSTED health and safety compliance

Evidence health and safety compliance ready for OFSTED

“PHONE…! Ofsted!!!” A member of the office staff hurries in. Looking like they’ve seen a ghost, they announce that Ofsted’s on the phone, their voice several octaves higher than usual. You and your colleagues become unwittingly rooted to the spot as an unnatural chill fills the air. An inevitable, deafening silence fills the room as you all look in each other’s eyes with the horrifying knowledge that this… is the beginning of the end…

Okay, that was a little dramatic, but Ofsted – or any inspection – doesn’t have to be a dreaded experience. Especially if you have a high-quality solution to evidence your school’s compliance and policies.

How to get ready for an OFSTED or ISI visit

One of the things inspectors need to know is that you are doing everything to keep children and staff safe. You will need to show OFSTED health and safety compliance actioned at your school. While there is no exact criteria on measuring health and safety during an OFSTED or ISI inspection, they will note if your school is failing to comply with statutory requirements.

What are your key health and safety responsibilities?

It’s vital for you to:

• Appoint a dedicated health and safety lead
• Have a compliant and up to date health and safety policy
• Ensure you train your staff on the latest health and safety regulations. They should know and understand their responsibilities. Keep a log of all health and safety training for evidence
• Keep clear and concise records of all injuries and accidents. Following an incident, review your process and procedures. If you need to make any changes, make sure you do so 
• Conduct and update your school’s risk assessments. Ensure all staff know the results and subsequent actions.

Show that you do all to minimise health and safety risks

How well do you know your school premises? Do you know what the risks or hazards are?

Inspectors will ask questions about any health and safety hazards they see on the school site and how you are preventing any dangers ocurring.

Inspectors may ask to see a copy of your compliance checks or risk assessments. This shows OFSTED or ISI that you identify and prioritise areas of your school that need improvement.

How Parago can help you show OFSTED health and safety compliance

Parago can help you streamline and centralise your health and safety management. This ready to easily export and evidence to inspectors at your school.

With Parago, you’re always ready to report and evidence on safeguarding, finance and legislative documents.

Using Parago’s School Management Solution show your inspectors the following:

• Prove how you deal with all individual incidents and accidents
• Report on all past and scheduled Health and Safety Checks
• All risk analysis and decisions, including historic and currently assigned actions
• A list of sent, signed and agreed statutory policies and school safeguarding procedures to all staff.

Easily confirm your records are up to date, report on all data and use alerts to ensure it’s regularly checked. We help your health and safety lead to track and manage regular compliance checks from the comfort of their desk.

See Parago for yourself

We’re always excited to show you how we’ve helped thousands of schools and trusts stay safe. Feel free to get in touch to see how we can help you.