Secondary schools are being targeted to ensure they discharge a proper duty of care in relation to the health and safety of students on work placements.
Education specialist Make Learning Work is launching a campaign that involves targeting all 7500 secondary schools and local education authorities across the UK with an information pack on the issue.
The Education (Work Experience) Act 1996 requires that every student undertake at least one week of curriculum-based workplace activity before leaving school. In doing so, each secondary school working with year-10 and year-11 students have a legal ‘duty of care’ for their welfare when seconded to a work placement.
Director of Make Learning Work, Nicki Harris, explained: “We frequently encounter schools who believe that a talk in assembly on health and safety is due diligence. It’s not, and in the event of an accident the liability lies with the senior members of staff at the school, not the student.
“Schools are required to have in place legally enforceable control measures to ensure that all students have sufficient health and safety awareness prior to entering the workplace.”
