Unit 9 Eqwuipment and Furniture

Introduction
As head, you are not only responsible for the personnel in your school – staff and students but also for all of the buildings, fixtures and fittings and equipment, whether educational or otherwise. However, starting with the personnel – it is important that they are safe and the guidelines in this section show you how to complete records correctly in relation to the practices for the Evacuation Drill. This must be completed on a monthly basis to ensure that all understand their role in an emergency.

Before continuing with the rest of the guidelines in this section, you are advised to re-read Unit 7 Resource Maintenance of Module 4 which explains the best practices in maintaining accurate records of property in an asset register. The guidelines give specific instruction in the procurement, recording of and disposal of stock owned by the school.

You are provided with information on how to complete an Inventory Form and maintain a Stock Book. The guidelines continue with details of various financial ledgers which you are required to keep and a number of financial regulations which must be followed. You are advised here to re-read appropriate sections of Module 5 Financial Management.

You are also required to maintain certain ledgers which will assist you in controlling school property such as text books, salaries and donations. Please re-read here the appropriate sections of Module 4 which relate to the maintenance of text books. Information is provided on how you will hand-over the equipment in the school to the new head when you leave or are transferred. All of these systems help to protect you against any accusation of fraud or impropriety and it is essential that meticulous records are kept.

Now read thoroughly pages 95 - 114 of the guidelines “School Records and Documents”.

Now complete the following activities in your portfolio. You should try to do so with as little reference to the guidelines as possible, only referring to them at the end when you should check your answers and correct them where necessary.

Activities Unit Nine

9.1 What might be the consequences of not carrying out a regular Evacuation Drill with your staff and pupils?

9.2 Why is it important to keep an up-to-date check on furniture and equipment in an Inventory Record and Stock Book?

9.3 Look again at Module 5 Financial Management and identify the main ledgers that you are required to keep in school to maintain accurate financial records.

9.4 Why is it important to keep a record of donations to the school?

9.5 When handing over to another headteacher at the end of your tenure in the school you are required to make a Handing Over / Taking Over Statement. Why do you think that you are required to do this?