Task 5B...

Ethical Framework at School

I have spoken to the class Teacher and Head Teacher about my research and they have directed me to all the following documents that I must adhere to:

1. Staff Code of Conduct
2. Use of photos
3. Data Protection
4. Keeping Children safe in Education
5. Early Years Curriculum
6. Whistle Blowing Policy
7. Equal Opportunities
8. Health and Safety Policy
9. Child Protection and Safeguarding 
10. Confidentiality Policy

The list seems to be endless, but as the Class Teacher , Michelle pointed out, it is for the child's well being and safety as well as my own.

As a part-time Dance Teacher the CDET ( website link ) and RAD website have been extremely useful in pointing out the Codes of Conduct in this profession. The Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers on the CDET website is similar to the teaching standards on the DFE.

After reading through these sites and discussions with the class teacher there are a lot more issues than I had previously considered on 5a. These are;

•  Equal Opportunities - I actually believe  that I do treat everyone with equal respect regardless of gender, race, faith, age, disability. However it also means that I have to make provision for the children so that they can always have access to the whole curriculum. e.g. signing and gesticulating with children who have a hearing impairment, having writing and artefacts displayed from other cultures and in other languages to represent the children in the class e.g.Polish signs, Polish dancing.
• Observing professional boundaries both inside and outside of work. Many of the parents of the Nursery children are my age and I want them to see me act professionally when I am out of work as well as at work.
• How rigorous, complex and vast Safeguarding and Child Protection is in schools. I have had to attend a 3 hour training session in Keeping Children Safe in Education. I was very naive before this!
• The importance of Health and Safety in the workplace. Again in this day and age this is huge so we have to make sure that the work place is a safe yet stimulating environment for young children to learn in an active and enjoyable way.

...and I didn't even know what a Whistle Blowing Policy was until I read it!!