VISITING SPEAKERS POLICY

Date of Policy:	For Academic Year 2022-23
Date for Review:	August 2023
Lead for Review:	Assistant Head (PPPD)

Contents

Contents	2

Aim	3

Definitions	3

Procedure	3

Appendices	5

Appendix 1: VISITING SPEAKER/ORGANISATION CHECKLIST	5

Appendix 2: TEMPLATE EMAIL TO VISITING SPEAKER/ORGANISATION	6

Appendix 3: Evaluation Form	7

Aim

Guildhouse School London recognises the value that external speakers bring to the school and its students and seeks to encourage the provision of enrichment to learners and staff through exposure to high quality visiting speakers and organisations, as well as meeting our statutory obligations of the Prevent Duty Guidance published in July 2015.

The school confirms its commitment to freedom of speech in the school, but this policy seeks to reduce the likelihood that visiting speakers or organisations might seek to promote extremist views or attempt to radicalise students and staff.

The school is committed to ensuring a balance of differing views is achieved across time from our visiting speaker schedule. A record of the speakers and their message is kept by the AHT (PPPD)

Definitions

Prevent is the government’s strategy to stop people becoming involved in violent extremism or supporting terrorism, in all its forms.

Extremism is defined by the UK government as 'vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values and calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas’.

Procedure

This policy applies to all guest speakers visiting the school whether the visit has been arranged by a member of staff or students.

If a member of staff wishes to organise for a visiting speaker to attend the school, they should liaise with their line manager in the first instance to ensure the procedure is followed correctly.

The process is essentially the completion of the checklist in appendix 1.

The member of staff organising the event must ensure that there is adequate time to organise the event and ensure that all element of the checklist are complete, which will include sending the email template (which may be adapted) in appendix 2. A response must have been received addressing points 1-3 in the email template prior to the visit.

Visiting Speakers must have due diligence checks conducted to ensure that the material they are speaking on fits the remit of the school and does not lead to students being at risk of being drawn into terrorism or terrorist ideology.

The checklist should be completed and submitted for authorisation at least 2 working days before the proposed event.

Copies of the checklist should be held by the organiser’s line manager.

The school reception should be notified of the visit, as well as the Operations team and IT if their assistance is required.

Where any visiting speakers or organisations address students, the organiser must ensure that the school has at least one member of staff, who has received Safeguarding and Prevent training, present at the event, to ensure that any extremist views presented at the event can be challenged.

The speaker must be accompanied at all times and not be left alone with students and to have completed the sign in and out procedures.

After the presentation, the lead teacher should complete the evaluation in Appendix 3.

It is advised that the lead teacher saves a copy of this entire document and completes Appendix 1 and Appendix 3 within it to keep all the record together. The documents can be saved as ‘Visiting speaker/institution – date – topic’.

Appendices

Appendix 1: VISITING SPEAKER/ORGANISATION CHECKLIST

Staff name:	Staff job title:
Number of students attending:
Age of Attendees: (select all that apply)	CSA ☐	16-18 ☐	19+ ☐
Name of Guest Speaker(s) and organization they are representing:
Address of Organisation:
Telephone Number:	Email:
Background checks – are there any matters that require further investigation/ action?
Checks to conduct	Done?
Organisation website checked
Literature/presentation/resources checked
Google Search completed for organisation
Google Search completed for speakers (look at LinkedIn)
Other checks (if any), please state:
Topic of the event:
How will learners’ benefit:
Date of event:	Room of event:
Start time:	End time:

Approval

Line Manager (sign):	Date:
AHT (PPPD) (sign):	Date:

Complete all boxes and ensure that you have signed the form

Forward to your Curriculum / Pastoral Director for consent (and/or your Line Manager)

When complete, this form must be forwarded to the AHT (PPPD) for record keeping

Appendix 2: TEMPLATE EMAIL TO VISITING SPEAKER/ORGANISATION

Email subject: Visit to Guildhouse School London on xx/xx/xx

Email content:

Dear X,

Guildhouse School London formally invites you to attend the school on xx/xx/xx from xx:xx-xx:xx.

Please action the following requirements prior to your visit:

We will need to review all of the resources you plan to use at least three working days prior to the presentation/talk/workshop.

Please provide a brief biography of each speaker.

Please confirm that each visiting speaker has had a DBS check.

The school is committed to safeguarding young people and promoting equality and British Values (Democracy, Rule of Law, Respect and Tolerance, Individual Liberty).

In your response to this email, please also confirm that you are in agreement with promoting these.

*Please note: a presentation will be brought to an early end if the content proves unsuitable.

On the day:

There will be a member of staff present with speakers for the duration of the visit and visitors will not be unaccompanied at any point. The presentation will be monitored to ensure that it aligns with the values and ethos of the school and British values.

Please do not attempt to raise funds of any kind without prior written permission.

You will need to report to reception upon arrival and sign-in, which will include agreeing to our safeguarding policy. You will then be given a visitors’ badge. Please arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled time of the presentation.

The entrance of the school is 44 Bloomsbury Square, Holborn, London, WC1A 2RA. The nearest tune station is Holborn (central line).

If you have any questions or queries, please do ask in your response email addressing points 1-4 above.

Thank you in advance,

Appendix 3: Evaluation Form

To be completed by the lead teacher.

Was the presentation what you expected?

Yes / No

Was it pitched at the right level?

Yes / No

Did the student(s) benefit from it?

Yes / No

Was the presentation engaging?

Yes / No

Would you invite the speakers back again to do the same presentation?

Yes / No

Any comments?

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