Yale Key Policies & Procedures

Familiarisation and agreement with these policies and procedures constitutes Clause 24 of the Terms and Conditions of Booking, which can be viewed in its entirety at this link: Oxford Royale Terms & Conditions

Medical and Dietary Information Form

We will request all Students (or, where the student is aged under 18, their parent or legal guardian) to complete our Authorization for Administration of Medication form, and our Youth Camp Health Exam form prior to the Student’s arrival in the United States. It is essential to the safety and well-being of each Student that their form is completed accurately and fully. In addition we will request all Students (or, where the student is aged under 18, their parent or legal guardian) to complete our Medical and Dietary Information Form. It is essential to the safety and well-being of each Student that their form is completed accurately and fully. The form will be available to all summer students from the beginning of March before their summer attendance. The form will be available in the Portal.

As part of our onsite staff, we will be providing an onsite Welfare Officer who will be authorised to provide daily basic health care needs, including emergency first aid and medical administration of both basic and beyond-basic prescription medications to your child. The Welfare Officer is a certified Registered Nurse according to US medical licensing requirements and will also be authorised to refer your child for further care in a local facility if it is deemed necessary. The Welfare Officer will be your main point of contact through the duration of the program for any medical needs and instructions regarding the safe care of your child. In addition, a number of our staff will be trained in compliance with first aid requirements in order to assist the Welfare Officer in providing 24-hour coverage in case of emergency.

Medication Guidelines (Prescription, storage, and dispensing)

Please note that, if you or your child is unwell, our onsite Welfare Officer will be authorised to administer any required medications as is deemed necessary per the circumstances, and if necessary, to refer your child for further care in a local facility.

Please note that our basic policies require that all personal medications,  both over the counter and Prescription Medications, must be notated in the Authorization for Administration of Medication form and given to the Welfare Officer for safekeeping in the Welfare Office upon arrival, and to allow the Welfare Officer to administer the aforementioned medications to your child for the duration of the program. Any medications requiring self-administration (ie. inhalers, epi-pens) must be clearly marked on the form with permission from the prescribing physician.

Medications must be in the original container and labelled with the child’s name, name of medication, directions for medication’s administration, and date of the prescription.

Parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring that the student has sufficient amounts of medication to last throughout the entire course of their stay with Oxford Royale, regardless of the nature of this medication. Parents are responsible for administering at least one dose of the medication with the exception of emergency medications to the participant and ensuring that there were no adverse effects, in advance of the program.

For more information, please contact us.

Immunizations

All students are required to complete the Youth Camp Health Exam form by a licensed physician in their home country prior to their arrival in the United States. In order to comply with Youth Camp Licensing regulations in the State of Connecticut, the only allowable exemptions to immunisation requirements are for medical or religious reasons, and must be notated on the form by your child’s licensed physician. This form can be found in the ORA Portal.

Injections

Prescribed injections must be notated on the Authorization for Administration of Medication form, and must be surrendered to the Welfare Officer for safekeeping and proper administration upon arrival for the duration of the courses. Parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring that the student has sufficient amounts of medication to last throughout the entire course of their stay with Oxford Royale, regardless of the nature of this medication.  For medications such as insulin or epi-pens, parents or guardians should ensure that they have filled out the self-administration authorization form if they would like the student to self administer these medications. Otherwise, all administration will be done by the Welfare Officer or trained staff. Parents or guardians are also required to ensure they supply the student with enough alcohol prep pads/wipes for self administered medications.

Any injections beyond what has been prescribed to your child will be determined and administered at the discretion of the onsite Welfare Officer.

Definition and Overview

Blood glucose testing is testing that is performed at or near the site of participant care. This is accomplished by obtaining a blood specimen from the participant, often by pricking their finger with a fingerstick device and then using a portable, handheld blood glucose meter to obtain a reading. The testing provides an immediate result to inform the clinical management of a participant with diabetes.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide staff with guidance on following safe blood glucose testing practices. It is Oxford Royale’s duty to protect participants and staff by ensuring safe practices are followed when performing blood glucose testing.

Responsibility (who is responsible for following this policy/procedure)

For the purpose of this policy, “staff” refers to those in Oxford Royale who hold credentials to perform blood glucose testing.

Policy

It is the policy of Oxford Royale to adhere to evidence-based protocols and practices for glucose monitoring and insulin administration to reduce the risk of transmitting hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other infectious diseases during blood glucose monitoring and insulin administration.

Procedure

Blood Glucose Monitoring (BGM)

1. Participants who require assistance with blood glucose testing will provide to the Welfare Officer all necessary and needed supplies, including the monitoring and testing device’s instructions for use and cleaning.
2. Gather all necessary supplies, including the glucometer, auto disabling fingerstick device (lancet), gauze, alcohol wipes, test strips, nonsterile gloves, and the products recommended for cleaning and disinfecting the meter.
3. Follow the participant’s physician order.
4. Verify that the blood glucose device being used belongs to the participant.
5. Perform hand hygiene. Don nonsterile gloves.
6. Clean the participant’s finger using an alcohol wipe. Ensure alcohol is dry prior to obtaining blood sample.
7. Prick the participant’s finger using the single-use, auto-disabling device (lancet), and properly dispose of the used fingerstick device. Wipe off first drop of blood with gauze.
8. Transfer second drop of blood to the test strip and obtain the reading.
9. Apply pressure using gauze or an alcohol wipe to the fingerstick wound.
10. Discard all used supplies.
11. Remove and discard gloves and perform hand hygiene before and after each participant, and after cleaning and disinfecting meters.
12. Follow the participant’s physician orders for parameters including when notification of the physician is indicated.
13. Testing meters and devices should be clearly labeled with the participant’s name and stored appropriately and in a manner that prevents contamination.
14. Meters should be cleaned and disinfected after each use prior to storage according to manufacturer’s instructions.
15. The disinfectant used must have a claim to inactivate (kill) hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV. Staff must wear gloves when cleaning and disinfecting the meter and only use products recommended by the manufacturer to ensure compatibility with the device.
16. Some participants may utilize a continuous blood glucose monitoring device. For those, obtaining readings/test results is non-invasive and does not require adherence to the above protocols.

 

Fingerstick Devices (lancing devices)

1. Fingerstick devices should be restricted to use by individual participants.
2. Single-use lancets that permanently retract upon puncture should be used if possible.
3. Lancets should be disposed of at the point of use in an approved sharps container.
4. Lancets should NEVER be reused.
5. If reusable fingerstick devices are used, they should be treated in a manner like other personal care items (e.g., razors and toothbrushes) and must never be shared.
   1. Reusable fingerstick devices should be clearly labeled and stored in a manner to prevent use by the wrong participant and prevent contamination.

Insulin Pens and Insulin Administration

1. Participants provide their own insulin pens which are approved and labeled only for single-participant use. Under no circumstances should they be used for more than one participant.
2. Participant’s insulin pens are to be labeled with the date opened and discarded within the stability period per manufacturer’s instructions and Oxford Royale policy.
3. Participant’s insulin pens are stored in a secure location in the Welfare Office for the duration of the program, according to manufacturer instructions.

Follow Safe Injection Practices

1. Practice hand hygiene according to evidenced-based recommendations (e.g., CDC, WHO) before and after performing injection.
2. Do not use needles or syringes for more than one participant, including prefilled syringes and insulin pens. One needle, one syringe, one time.
3. Use aseptic (clean) technique when preparing and administering medications. Verify that medication is within the expiration date.
4. Prepare medications on a solid surface that can be disinfected or place a disposable cover on the surface to provide a barrier in the event of blood contamination.
5. Disinfect the rubber septum on a medication vial with alcohol before accessing.
6. Single dose vials should be accessed one time only and for one participant only. Remaining contents of the vial should be discarded.
7. Never recap used/dirty needles. Dispose of immediately after use in a designated and appropriate sharps disposal container.

We take pride in the multicultural and diverse environment of our summer schools, having welcomed students from more than 175 countries throughout our history, and each year we assemble a diverse team of staff to run each programme. This diversity in our workforce significantly contributes to our ongoing success. We are fully committed to fostering and safeguarding a culture of respect for everyone at all times.

We do not tolerate behaviour that we determine, in our sole opinion, to be discriminative or racist in nature, nor do we tolerate hate speech of any kind. Any and all accusations of discrimination and harassment will be thoroughly investigated by a senior member of staff (a company Director, a member of the senior management team, or a Programme Director). Any student found, in the opinion of Oxford Royale, to have demeaned, bullied, harassed or caused distress or humiliation to any other student or any staff member on the basis of their race, their ethnicity or the colour of their skin will be instantly dismissed from the course pursuant to Clauses 6 and 7 of the Terms & Conditions.

We see bullying and harassment as obstacles to becoming internationally minded students. The following part of this policy describes our roles in responding to bullying and in supporting the culture of Oxford Royale.

 

What We Mean by Bullying 

Bullying occurs when a student, or group of students, attempts to take power from another student. Often bullying is repeated and intentionally harmful, where students fall into the roles of bully (the student that is bullying), bully-follower (a student that goes along with the bully), target (the child being bullied) and bystander (a student that sees the bullying but does nothing to stop it). The main ways in which bullying happens are:

Physical Bullying

When a student uses physical force to hurt another student by hitting, punching, pushing, shoving, kicking, spitting, biting, pinching, getting in their way, or holding them down. It is also bullying to interfere with another student’s belongings, to take or break their possessions and to demand or steal money.

Verbal Bullying

When a student directs words at another student with the intention of putting them down or humiliating them. This includes threatening, taunting, intimidating, shouting, insulting, sarcasm, name-calling, teasing, put-downs, and ridiculing. It is also verbal bullying when a student uses hostile gestures towards another student, such as making faces, staring, giving the evil eye and eye rolling.

Relational Bullying 

When a student influences another student’s friendships and relationships through deliberately leaving them out, spreading gossip and rumours about them, whispering, giving them the silent treatment, ostracising or scape-goating. This also includes writing words or creating cartoons, posters or drawings about another student designed to hurt or humiliate that student.

Cyberbullying

This refers to the use of cell-phones, text messages, emails, instant messaging, chat-rooms, blogs and social networking sites to bully another student. Examples of cyberbullying are sending threatening or insulting messages by phone and email; posting untrue information or embarrassing pictures about another student on message boards; blogs or social networking sites such as Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram; using another student’s email address or IM name to send messages that make the student look bad; creating a website devoted to putting down another student; forwarding a text-message or email that was meant for your eyes only.

Engaging in these behaviours or any online activities intended to harm (physically or emotionally) another person, will result in disciplinary action. Any and all accusations of bullying will be thoroughly investigated by a senior member of staff (a company Director, a member of the senior management team, or a Programme Director).

A list of persons whose profession qualifies them as “mandated reporters” of child abuse or neglect is found in California Penal Code Section 11165.7 and Connecticut Penal Code Section 17a-101. The list is extensive and continues to grow. It includes all school/district employees, administrators, and athletic coaches. All persons hired into positions included on the list of mandated reporters will be informed, upon employment, that they are a mandated reporter and they will receive targeted training on their obligations to report suspected cases of abuse and neglect pursuant to California Penal Code Section 11166.5 and Connecticut Penal Code Section 17a-412.

All persons who are mandated reporters are required, by law, to report all known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. It is not the job of the mandated reporter to determine whether the allegations are valid. If child abuse or neglect is reasonably suspected or if a pupil shares information with a mandated reporter leading him/her to believe abuse or neglect has taken place, the report must be made. No supervisor or administrator can impede or inhibit a report or subject the reporting person to any sanction.

To make a report, an employee must contact an appropriate local law enforcement or county child welfare agency, listed below. This legal obligation is not satisfied by making a report of the incident to a supervisor or to the school. An appropriate law enforcement agency may be one of the following:

• A Police or Sheriff’s Department (not including a school district police department or school security department).
• A County Probation Department, if designated by the county to receive child abuse reports.
• A County Welfare Department/County Child Protective Services.

The report should be made immediately over the telephone and should be followed up in writing. The law enforcement agency has special forms for this purpose that they will ask reporters to complete. If a report cannot be made immediately over the telephone, then an initial report may be made via email or fax. A report may also be filed at the same time with a school district or county office of education (COE). School districts and COEs, however, do not investigate child abuse allegations, nor do they attempt to contact the person suspected of child abuse or neglect. These policies do not take the place of reporting to an appropriate local law enforcement or county child welfare agency.

Aim and Objectives

The aim of this policy is to embed a culture of inclusion for students with disabilities.

Oxford Royale works with the Equality Act’s (2010) definition of a disabled person: “A person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”

The objectives of this policy are:

• To commit to having an inclusive environment, which facilitates disclosure of disability and gives all students the opportunity to demonstrate and realise their full potential;
• To provide fair and equal treatment to all students;
• To comply with the legislative requirements under the Equality Act (2010), in particular the need to avoid discrimination and to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled students.

Policy Statement

Oxford Royale will ensure:

• That the requirements of those students who disclose a disability are assessed on an individual basis;
• That all discussions and information regarding a disability or specific learning difficulty are treated in a confidential manner and in accordance with ORA’s Student Privacy Policy;
• In the case of non-standard adjustments for disabled students, the Programme Directors will be involved in any discussions regarding adjustments to ensure that academic rigour is maintained and that the necessary resources are available;

All staff and students at Oxford Royale are expected to be responsible for implementing this policy.

Monitoring and Review

A member of the Admissions Department will collate feedback received from disabled students, in order to monitor the effectiveness of the policy and will report findings to the Directors.

The policy will be reviewed on an annual basis by Management, where any amendments or improvements will be discussed.

Oxford Royale uses the following definition of Special Educational Needs, as outlined in the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEN Code of Practice (2015):

A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions

For example:

• Behavioural/social (e.g. difficulty making friends)
• Reading and writing (e.g. dyslexia)
• Understanding things
• Concentrating (e.g. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
• Physical needs or impairments

At Oxford Royale, we welcome students with special educational needs. We recognise that we will need to consider the individual needs of students when planning our curriculum and we aim to provide a curriculum, which is accessible to the individual needs of all of our students. When a student registers for one of our courses, they will be asked to provide any relevant information about their medical and learning needs. In cases where significant additional needs are flagged, we will create an Individual Student Support Agreement, to detail how we will support the student’s needs during their time with us. This document is compiled with the input of the student and their parent/guardian if they are under 18. The document will be circulated to relevant members of staff (as agreed with the student) , to ensure that everyone who has a part to play in supporting the student is aware of their additional responsibilities. The document is reviewed and updated throughout the student’s stay to ensure it best meets their needs. Overall responsibility for ensuring the plan set out in the agreement is implemented lies with the SENCO and the Programme Director.

At Oxford Royale, our Special Educational Needs Inclusion Coordinators (SENCOs) are an appropriate member of staff. They are responsible for the day-to-day provision for SEN. The SENCOs maintain and oversee all records for students with SEN, and will liaise with other staff about the needs.

We will ensure:

• That the requirements of those students who disclose a disability are assessed on an individual basis;
• That all discussions and information regarding a specific learning difficulty are treated in a confidential manner and in accordance with Oxford Royale’s Student Privacy Policy;
• In the case of non-standard adjustments for students with SEN, the Programme Directors will be involved in any discussions regarding adjustments to ensure that academic rigour is maintained and that the necessary resources are available.

All staff and students at Oxford Royale are expected to be responsible for implementing this policy. A member of the Registrations Department will collate feedback received from students with SEN, in order to monitor the effectiveness of the policy and will report findings to the Directors. The policy will be reviewed on an annual basis by Management, where any amendments or improvements will be discussed.

Oxford Royale commits to reviewing any Medical, Religious or Disability requests or requirements on an individual basis.

Should a Student have any particular requirements as a consequence of any disability or for other medical or religious reasons the Student shall notify Oxford Programs Ltd. in writing at least 60 days prior to the course start date so that non-standard adjustments can be considered and, if deemed appropriate, made. Oxford Programs Ltd. reserves the right to request medical evidence in such form as it in its absolute discretion deems appropriate of a medical complaint or disability giving rise to the requirements.

Oxford Royale is dedicated to students’ welfare and safety.

Oxford Royale takes seriously its responsibility under section 11 of the Children Act and duties under “working together” to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; to work together with other agencies to ensure adequate arrangements exist within our setting to identify, and support those children who are suffering harm or are likely to suffer harm.

Oxford Royale recognises that all staff have a full and active part to play in protecting our pupils from harm, and that the child’s welfare is our paramount concern.

Oxford Royale aims to provide a safe, caring, positive and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual child free from discrimination or bullying where children can learn and develop happily.

This policy applies to all staff and volunteers working in our establishment.

The aims of this policy are:

• To support the child’s development in ways that will foster security, confidence and resilience;
• To provide an environment in which children and young people feel safe, secure, valued and respected, feel confident and know how to approach adults if they are in difficulties;
• To raise the awareness with all staff of the need to safeguard children and of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible cases of abuse;
• To provide a systematic means of monitoring children known or thought to be at risk of harm, and ensure we contribute to assessments of need and support plans for those children where appropriate;
• To acknowledge the need for effective and appropriate communication between all members of staff in relation to safeguarding children and young people;
• To develop a structured procedure within the summer school which will be followed by all members of the staff in cases of suspected abuse;
• To develop effective working relationships with the OSCB and other language and tutorial colleges in Oxford involved in safeguarding children;
• To ensure that all adults within our establishment who have access to children have been checked as to their suitability. This includes other community users of our facilities, following correct staff recruitment and selection procedures.

Prevention Policy

Oxford Royale understands its responsibilities under the Counter Terrorism & Security Act 2015 to prevent people of all ages being radicalised or drawn into terrorism and seeks to meet its obligations. Oxford Royale has always promoted a multicultural environment where respect for and tolerance of others beliefs is required.

Oxford Royale will:

• Make and maintain contact with the local authority Prevent coordinators to understand their role and the support available;
• Make contact with the local authority to ascertain other useful local agencies;
• Develop local area Prevent links with other similar organisations;
• Share information with all local organisations as appropriate.

Oxford Royale will endeavour to implement the following:

• Promote a safe and supportive international environment via clear expectations of accepted behaviours and those, including radicalisation and extremism, that will not be tolerated;
• Promote core British values through student inductions and notices around accommodation sites;
• Develop critical awareness and thought to counter accepting extremism without question, primarily through restricting internet access;
• Challenge radical or extremist views in any context (formal or informal) via stated procedures;
• Be ready to react when world or local events (e.g. Paris attacks) cause upset and the likelihood of conflicting feelings being expressed. The Prevent lead will take initiative in these situations;
• Have strong filters on IT equipment and clear rules on accessing extremist/ terrorist websites/ uses of social networks to exchange extremist/ terrorist views;
• Ensure that extremist speakers do not use premises to distribute material or expound views; have system for vetting any visiting speakers/ presenters;
• Staff will get to know students, their home circumstances and friendship groups, making it easier to spot changes in behaviour, and will be observant and vigilant in noticing any signs of radical or extremist behaviour, making it easier to identify vulnerable students.

Further information can be found in Oxford Royale’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedure.

In the State of Connecticut, all students will be supervised at a ratio of one staff eighteen years of age or above to eight students thirteen years or older. The ratio of staff to students, will be maintained at all times, including during free time and while travelling to and from classrooms. In the State of California, the day ratio will be one staff eighteen years of age or above to ten students thirteen to fourteen years and one staff eighteen years of age or above to twelve students fifteen years or above. The night ration in the State of California will be one staff eighteen years of age or above to eight students.

 

In order to exit the residential college during free time, the students may sign up in advance through the management office and once a group of eight students at maximum is created they will be assigned a counsellor to escort them to a destination of their choice, within the predetermined campus perimeter. No student is allowed to exit the residential college or leave the predetermined campus perimeter unsupervised at any time and breaching this rule can result in expulsion at the discretion of the Programme Director.

 

When exiting the college for classes or activities the students will be moving within the predetermined campus perimeter. The campus perimeter here is defined as all buildings and facilities within the Yale University and UCB campus Umbrella respectively. Students will be pre-authorised by the parents or guardians to leave the campus for a day excursion on the first Saturday of every session as well as for pre-planned enrichment activities related to their programme.