Being on duty means taking a turn at doing a supervisory job, such as looking after children in the playground or in the bus queue. Always take your duty seriously - bullying thrives on slack supervision, and adventurous children can get up to dangerous stuff. And, of course, there are legal implications to think about.
* Find out exactly what you have to do. Do not rely on word of mouth as bad practices may have crept in over the years.
* Don’t miss your duty. You must read the rota.
* Be prompt. It is not acceptable to be held up by children’s questions or, worse, by calling into the staffroom tosee someone or pick up a cup of coffee.
* Be vigilant to head off trouble. Watch the children, move about, look into hidden spaces.
* In primary school, children will want to come up to talk or play games. This is fine, but you must not be distracted from your broader responsibility.
* Report anything that seems important, such as bullying, a rejected or lonely child or unwanted visitors. Record any loopholes in the system, such as places that are difficult to supervise.
* If you feel unable to do the job safely, talk to management.
Next week: taking assembly at the last minute
