Hello all, Thanks to one of our LA school customers who let us know this today. You may already have heard from them or might receive a knock on the door shortly! Here's the background: This was via the L.A (Jonathan Jacobs from Insurance) Two weeks notice Wanted information on items to come in the following email but did not give me any warning about looking at security of the site, boiler rooms or other paperwork that was required. ​They said:​ ​'​ During the survey I would like to see/discuss the following information and complete a full tour of your site;   1) Fire Risk Assessment s 2) Sprinkler Maintenance Records (if relevant)   3) Maintenance Records   for fire alarm, Security alarm boilers and kitchen equipment and ducting 4) Fixed Electrical Testing/Inspection Records   and PAT records 5) Details of school policies, for example, Lone working, Stress and the administration of medicines 6) Risk Assessments and method statements 7) H...

Hello all. There aren't weather warnings in place from the Met Office. However, we know that prolonged hot weather presents additional challenges to you, hence this email. Here's their summary: Regional Forecast for South West England Headline: Dry, sunny and even hotter than yesterday. Today: Unbroken sunshine will raise temperatures even higher than at the weekend. It will be slightly less warm near the coast, especially where sea breezes develop. Maximum temperature 28 °C. Tonight: After a sunny evening, most places will have another dry and clear night, though it will be less cool than last night. Minimum temperature 12 °C. Tuesday: Widespread sunshine will make tomorrow even hotter than today. There will hardly be a cloud in the sky. Maximum temperature 29 °C. Outlook for Wednesday to Friday: Hot, dry and sunny weather will continue for the rest of the week and for a few days after that. Updated: 03:01 on Mon 25 Jun 2018 BST ...

Hello all, The Met Office has just issued an AMBER weather warning for Rain. Between 16:00 Thu 31st and 06:00 Fri 1st for our business area moving East to West Issued: Thu 31 May 10:47 Early afternoon thunderstorms are expected to become slow-moving and merge together to produce some larger and more persistent areas of thunderstorms. This will lead to torrential rain with 30-40 mm of rain possible in an hour and a good chance of as much as 60-80 mm rain in 2-3 hours in some places. As well as this, frequent lightning and large hail are possible. Severe thunderstorms likely to produce torrential downpours, flooding in some places and frequent lightning. What to expect Flooding of homes and businesses is likely and could happen quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds. Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, delays and some cancellations to train, bus and air services are likely. Spray and sudden floodi...

Hello all, With a short holiday approaching then the longer one and travel taking place worldwide by staff and pupils, we need to keep a close eye again on the progress of this killer disease. There may be some coming and going from the affected area. Perhaps we should be asking if anyone is travelling to there and if the answer is a yes, be extra vigilant on their return. You'll see why from the report below. WHO holds crisis talk as cases spread ​A panel is deciding today whether to declare a 'public health emergency of international concern' which would trigger a larger response. At least 45 people are believed to have been infected in the current outbreak and 25 deaths are being investigated. Cases emerged in a rural area with one now confirmed in the city of Mbandaka. The city of about one million people is a transport hub on the River Congo, prompting fears that the virus could now spread further, threatening the capital Kinshasa and surrounding co...

Hello all, Here's the latest concerning development in challenges being visited on the sector. It doesn't seem to have happened in our customer area, however, as most are on pupil break, there may be an item awaiting attention. You will see that the nature of this one again covers the aspect of to 'lockdown' or not, the essential element of 'authoritative source' communications and the not necessarily well thought out actions of parent/carers, which need to be planned for. Bill Schools told not to take action following malicious emails  which threatened that pupils would be “run down and shot",   as police appeal for information in hunt for sender Investigations have now begun into who sent the emails, which led to   some schools being on "lockdown" as frantic parents began arriving to remove children . A spokeswoman for the Met Police in London said that schools across the capital had been targeted but that the “malic...

Hello all, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have issued a warning to keep head lice treatments away from naked flames. You may wish to share this with your school community and discuss it with staff where there may be a curriculum issue to address too? Here is the warning: Check product instructions as some head lice products can ignite your hair if near a naked flame. Parents, caregivers and people with head lice are being reminded to always read product instructions before applying head lice removal products. Some of these products have the potential to ignite when in the presence of an open flame – such as when lighting cigarettes. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a  Drug Safety Alert  advising pharmacists to tell people about the risk of fires when they discuss options to treat head lice. With some head lice removal products easily accessible at supermarkets and without a pharmacist’...

Hello all, You may have seen that schools across the country, including here in our customer area were targeted by malicious bomb warnings by email. Some, in liaison with the Police, evacuated and searched while, as the incident unfolded, others decided against it. This is another scenario where potentially you can't win and are damned by some whichever way your decision is made. Don't forget though, if you evacuate, a bag bomb means a 200m cordon, not standing in your assembly area for fire. A vehicle of concern, 400m. The Police will not usually respond on a blues and twos basis and when they do arrive will ask you to accompany them, because they don't know your place like you do. That will all take substantial time and shelter/facilities for those evacuated will need to be put in place quickly to recognise that. Ensuring all medicines and first aid equipment plus your usual evacuation crates and bags are essential too. There is no indication as to whethe...