ABSTRACT
Schools are for educating pupils, they are not children’s homes or day care centres. The staff are there first and foremost to enable the pupils to learn. In doing this the staff themselves are always learning and so the whole school is a learning institution. However, as staff are also in loco parentis, they do have a duty of care while the pupils are present, and while learners need a challenge, unhappy or uncomfortable people do not learn as well as happy, healthy, motivated ones. Therefore staff need to ensure that the learning environment is healthy – both hygienic and safe, as well as having the right atmosphere or climate to foster good relationships between all who work there.
