Supervision of Sports/P.E.
Sports and games offer potential hazards for schools. The cases outlined in this section highlight the significance of proper instruction, safety and supervision to ensure the safety of pupils. To avoid being negligent, teachers must ensure that proper control is kept over pupils and that the rules of games are adhered to. If a teacher supervising a game permits continued use of dangerous play or uses an unsuitable venue they could be found negligent for not taking proper steps to prevent the danger.
Teachers may also breach their duty of care if they participate in a game, rather than demonstrate the skills or, if during a game they injure a pupil through intentional physical contact. In Affutu-Nartoy v Clarke, …show more content…
School employees taking charge of activities that require specialist knowledge or expertise must have the requisite skills in order to properly supervise that activity. Pupils should never be left unsupervised in a gymnasium or sports hall, particularly where there is equipment. School premises and equipment should be checked for safety prior to starting a Physical Education (PE) class. Povey v Governors of Rydal School highlights the importance of using appropriate safety equipment. The school was held liable for injuries as the landing mat used was inappropriate for the activity being performed, resulting in the injury of a student. Educators must encourage and recommend students to use relevant safety equipment which may reduce the likelihood or severity of an …show more content…
Breaches of the duty of care transpired due to inadequate supervision. In Geyer v Downs, an eight-year-old child was injured in an unsupervised schoolyard when she was struck on the head by a softball bat. In Commonwealth of Australia v Introvigne, while 900 pupils were being supervised by one teacher, a 15-year-old boy was injured when other boys were swinging from a flagpole halyard and part of the flagpole fell on the plaintiff. However, in Mays v Essex County Council, when a pupil was injured while playing on ice before official school time, the judge stated that parents had no right to impose responsibility on teachers outside school hours. An important element was that the school principal had written to parents advising them not to send their children to school too early due to lack of supervision. Parents must be made aware of the arrangements that exist for the supervision of children who arrive at the school, whether by school bus or otherwise, before the official opening time and similarly for children who remain after school hours awaiting collection. A detailed letter should be sent explaining this to all parents at the beginning of each
Sports and games offer potential hazards for schools. The cases outlined in this section highlight the significance of proper instruction, safety and supervision to ensure the safety of pupils. To avoid being negligent, teachers must ensure that proper control is kept over pupils and that the rules of games are adhered to. If a teacher supervising a game permits continued use of dangerous play or uses an unsuitable venue they could be found negligent for not taking proper steps to prevent the danger.
Teachers may also breach their duty of care if they participate in a game, rather than demonstrate the skills or, if during a game they injure a pupil through intentional physical contact. In Affutu-Nartoy v Clarke, …show more content…
School employees taking charge of activities that require specialist knowledge or expertise must have the requisite skills in order to properly supervise that activity. Pupils should never be left unsupervised in a gymnasium or sports hall, particularly where there is equipment. School premises and equipment should be checked for safety prior to starting a Physical Education (PE) class. Povey v Governors of Rydal School highlights the importance of using appropriate safety equipment. The school was held liable for injuries as the landing mat used was inappropriate for the activity being performed, resulting in the injury of a student. Educators must encourage and recommend students to use relevant safety equipment which may reduce the likelihood or severity of an …show more content…
Breaches of the duty of care transpired due to inadequate supervision. In Geyer v Downs, an eight-year-old child was injured in an unsupervised schoolyard when she was struck on the head by a softball bat. In Commonwealth of Australia v Introvigne, while 900 pupils were being supervised by one teacher, a 15-year-old boy was injured when other boys were swinging from a flagpole halyard and part of the flagpole fell on the plaintiff. However, in Mays v Essex County Council, when a pupil was injured while playing on ice before official school time, the judge stated that parents had no right to impose responsibility on teachers outside school hours. An important element was that the school principal had written to parents advising them not to send their children to school too early due to lack of supervision. Parents must be made aware of the arrangements that exist for the supervision of children who arrive at the school, whether by school bus or otherwise, before the official opening time and similarly for children who remain after school hours awaiting collection. A detailed letter should be sent explaining this to all parents at the beginning of each