Introduction
The Designated Safeguarding Lead for Stisted Primary Academy is the Head teacher. In the absence of the Head teacher, the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is the Deputy Headteacher. Both these members of staff have been trained specifically for this role.
Keeping children safe in school is very important to us and we take this aspect of our work very seriously. We have a number of policies and protocols to help us keep your children as safe as possible.
These include :
• Health and Safety procedures
• Site safety and site management
• Administering First Aid and looking after children with Medical Needs
• Safe use of the internet
• Intimate care where children have specific toileting needs
• Catering and food safety and hygiene
• Recruitment procedures to ensure appropriate staff are appointed
• Protocols for the use of volunteers
• Dealing with allegations of bullying
• Managing children’s behaviour
• Fire and evacuation procedures
• Identifying potential hazards, and minimising risks
• Data Protection
• Curricular opportunities enabling children to learn how to be safe
We also have a legal duty as part of the children’s workforce to take action where there is a perceived risk that a child is going home to an environment where there is a risk of significant harm including child abuse.
There are a number of child protection procedures to help us with this aspect of our work.
Child protection refers to protecting children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm from child abuse. This is an important part of our overall safeguarding responsibilities.
It is the responsibility of all members of staff and other adults working in the school to protect and safeguard the welfare of children in our care.
Where there is suspicion that a child is being abused, this becomes a Child Protection matter.
Abuse can be in the form of sexual, physical, emotional and neglect.
It is very important that staff report any signs or suspicions of abuse. Signs that indicate that a child might be experiencing or have experienced abuse is included in the school’s Child Protection training or Induction Programme/briefing for members of staff.
Health and Safety and Site Safety
The health and safety of children and adults on the premises of the school is not the responsibility of just one person. Every member of staff has a duty to identify any risks and minimise the risk of harm or refer any hazards to the most appropriate person.
Staff working with children must always assess any hazards and potential risks and take action to minimise any health and safety risks.
We also ask that all visitors act in a responsible and safe way. The school is not directly open to the general public and all visitors must come via the front entrance before entering the school and declare their purpose of visit.
Staff are asked to enforce whole school rules to keep children safe and these rules are shared with the pupils.
We have a caretaker who looks after our site and maintains the premises. Equipment is routinely inspected and maintained. We also involve a member of the Governing Board to monitor our work regarding Health and Safety and compliance with statutory regulations.
A designated member of staff is responsible for the overall management of Health and Safety and this is monitored on a termly basis by the Academy Trust.
Visitors
No member of the public is allowed to wander into the school.
Visitors, including parents, who wish to enter the main part of the building beyond the internal security door are asked by school staff to confirm their identity, the nature of their visit and are asked to sign the visitors’ register.
Any member of staff who lets a visitor into the main part of the building will:
• Establish the identity of the visitor and the purpose of their visit.
• Ensure they sign the Visitors’ Book.
• Issue the visitor with a ‘visitors’ badge/label.
Visitors such as educational psychologists, supply teachers, nurses, sports coaches and inspectors working with children will have undertaken appropriate checks by their 'providing' organisation. The school will ask for verification. These visitors are also asked to wear a Visitors’ Badge.
It is the school’s policy to ensure that regular parent volunteers or helpers are referred to the Disclose and Barring Service to ensure they are able to work with children.
Volunteers or helpers who are awaiting checks or who are only visiting on a ‘one off’ basis should be supervised at all times and are unable to work on their own with children.
Pre-appointment checks
All staff and regular helpers undergo a number of checks to ensure they are suitable to work with children. This includes criminal record checks (DBS checks) from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Teachers are also checked to see if they are prohibited from teaching.
All staff receive child protection training at least once a year and are aware that they have a personal responsibility to ensure they report and record any events that indicate a child might be at risk of abuse.
All new staff receive an Induction Pack and an Induction Programme/briefing meeting that covers key policies regarding keeping children safe. Staff or volunteers are not allowed to exchange personal information with pupils or discuss events witnessed in school regarding children with parents or members of the public without the permission of the Headteacher.
It is the school’s statutory duty to report any member of staff who is deemed unsuitable to work with children regarding a child protection matter to the relevant authority.
Security
Entrance to the school is via the front door which has an electronic door release. There is an additional internal electronic security door which can only be opened by a member of staff.
Children are not allowed to open the internal security door or let visitors into the main part of the building.
The ‘side gate’ is used by the children to enter and exit the school and is controlled by an electronic security system and can only be opened by a member of staff. This gate is locked at all times to minimise the risk of unauthorised access and to prevent children leaving the premises.
The car park gate is closed at 8.35 am and opened after 3.15pm. Members of staff who need to exit the car park between these hours are asked to close the gate immediately afterwards.
All teachers lead their class to the front of the school at the end of each day and ensure that no child is handed over to an unfamiliar adult.
Children whose parents are late are not allowed to go home with other parents unless the school has been contacted by the child’s parent or carer.
Children whose parents arrive late at the end of the day are sent back inside the school and wait in the school reception area for their parents to arrive.
Administering First Aid or Medication
Some children may feel unwell or have an accident or injury at school that requires First Aid treatment. We have a whole school approach regarding the administration of First Aid and dealing with children who are unwell. These can be seen within our Policy Document : Children with Medical Needs and Administering First Aid.
The Headteacher ensures that the number of staff deemed appropriate have received recent or updated First Aid training.
Emergency Arrangements (potentially more serious injuries)
Upon being summoned in the event of an accident, the first aider/appointed person takes charge of the first aid administration/emergency treatment commensurate with their training.
Following their assessment of the injured person, they administer appropriate First Aid and make a balanced judgement as to whether there is a requirement to call an ambulance or to contact the child’s parents or emergency contacts and advise them to take their child to Accident and Emergency at the local hospital. In this case, the closest hospital would be Broomfield, Chelmsford.
Hygiene Infection Control
All staff take precautions to avoid infection and must follow basic hygiene procedures. Staff have access to single use disposable gloves and hand washing facilities, and should take care when dealing with blood or other body fluids and disposing of dressings or equipment.
Children Requiring Daily Long Term Medication
This group includes pupils with a long term condition requiring regular medication. The two biggest categories within this group would be pupils with Asthma and those with ADHD.
This category also includes pupils who, because of an existing medical condition, might have an emergency episode which could put their life at risk and so would demand immediate attention. The main groups here would be those with severe epilepsy, diabetes and anaphylaxis due to allergies.
Depending on the severity of their condition these children might require a Care Plan, which itself may reveal the need for some school staff to have further information about a medical condition or specific training in administering a particular type of medication or in dealing with emergencies. In these instances, school staff will never give medication without appropriate training from health professionals.
For children with significant medication needs an individual programme of training will be devised. All training is regularly reviewed.
Reporting welfare and safety concerns
If an adult in the school has a concern about a child protection matter or a health and safety issue, they should see the Headteacher because the Headteacher has overall responsibility for Child Protection and the health and safety of everyone on the school site.
In the absence of the Headteacher, concerns should be raised with the Headteacher’s Deputy.
If both are absent, a member of the Office staff will offer details on how to contact the Headteacher or Headteacher’s Deputy or alternatively, the Chair of the Governing Board who can refer you to the nominated Director for Child Protection.
Adults working in the school are asked not to give any personal information to any pupil, for example their own address, telephone number, mobile number or e-mail address. This includes social networking sites e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat, Instagram etc.
Adults working in the school are asked not to accept or respond to a pupil attempting to give them personal information, for example their address, telephone number, mobile number or e-mail address. This includes social networking sites.
Adults working in the school are asked not to pass on confidential information including phone numbers, addresses, or details regarding a child’s educational attainment to any other parents or visitors.
Adults working in the school are aware that any physical contact with children should be the result of carrying out professional responsibilities e.g. administering first aid, assisting them with learning a new skill, comforting a distressed child etc.
When a child needs to be washed or changed, where possible a second adult is informed and where possible they are asked to be present.
Teachers ensure that all voluntary ‘helpers’ have understood the safe practice procedures in this leaflet and help parents to adhere to them .
Adults working in the school are aware that professional dialogue may be overheard by pupils, be misinterpreted and be passed onto adults or other children outside school.
All school trips and visits off-site undergo thorough risk assessments. The organiser is responsible for these and completed risk assessment forms are approved by the Headteacher.
Teaching staff and group leaders are responsible for identifying risks and control measures and completing Risk Assessment Forms. These must be approved by the Headteacher.
Any events run by FOSA also undergo risk assessments which need to be approved by the headteacher.
Parents
All parents are asked to inform the Office before 9am if their child is to be absent. If a child is absent and the school has not been informed, the school follow up this absence with a phone call.
We need to check why a child is not in school because a child might be at risk of significant harm or abuse in their home environment or on the way to school.
If a parent is late picking up their child at the end of the day, the child should not go home with another adult/parent unless the school has been informed.
Children are not left unsupervised at the end of the day if their parent or carer is late. Children are asked to wait inside in the reception area if they are waiting for their parents.
Parents are asked to inform the Headteacher if they have any concerns of a child being physically, emotionally, sexually abused or neglected.
Photographs or videos of children are occasionally taken to support the curriculum or to celebrate children’s success. Parents are asked to sign a permission form when their child starts school. Members of staff should check office records if in doubt.
This is because some children might be at risk of significant harm and abuse and do not wish to expose their potential whereabouts to a former abuser.
Parents, volunteers and staff who offer transport for after school events and trips, are asked to provide the Office with a copy of their fully comprehensive car insurance. No child is permitted to be transported using a lap belt.
Booster seats must be used for children under 135cm.
Children weighing more than 22kg and taller than 125cm may use a backless booster seat.
All other children must use a high back booster seat.
General
All staff endeavour to promote an ethos and culture where children, parents, staff and visitors feel at ease to raise a concern regarding the safety and welfare of the children.
All staff or volunteers should be aware of their duty to raise concerns about the attitude or actions of colleagues towards children. If necessary, they should speak to the Headteacher, Head’s Deputy or Chair of Directors regarding their concerns.
All issues, concerns or referrals are recorded in line with the school’s Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Policy.
The school has a responsibility through the Designated Safeguarding Lead to communicate with partner agencies in relation to safeguarding children e.g. the Education Welfare Officer, school nurse, Police etc.
The school operates Safer Recruitment Procedures. This means the school checks that each candidate is suitable for working with children.
Suspected Child Abuse
Where the school perceives there is a risk of a child being abused, the school has a statutory duty of care to inform the relevant authority. This will involve a referral to Essex County Council. In many cases this will initiate involvement from Social Care.
If a parent suspects another child is being abused, the parent may wish to make a direct referral but may wish to seek advice from the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. This is the Headteacher.
It is important that parents understand that the school has a statutory duty regarding suspected child abuse even if it occurs outside the school and in a child’s home.
When dealing with Child Protection matters, confidentiality is paramount.
Information comes from many sources and needs to be handled sensitively and discreetly. Limiting the spread of information to the minimum number of people can help prevent this from happening.
In the interest of the child and to protect evidence, details of Child Protection matters are only shared with appropriate people i.e. Designated Safeguarding Lead, Headteacher. Other members of staff should only be given information on a “need-to-know” basis in order for the child to receive the correct level of monitoring, support and care.
It is the responsibility of all members of staff and other adults working in the school to protect and safeguard the welfare of children in our care. This means promoting a culture where children’s safety is paramount.
Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm (abuse). It includes : bullying, discrimination, meeting the needs of pupils with medical needs, intimate care, site security, physical intervention etc.
Where there is suspicion that a child is being abused, this becomes a Child Protection matter.
Abuse can be : sexual, physical, emotional and neglect.
Staff will report any signs or suspicions of abuse to the Headteacher. All staff are trained in identifying potential signs of child abuse.
Racism
Racism and other extremist views that are detrimental to the well-being of individuals is not tolerated.
The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report defines a racist incident as :
“Any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person”.
According to the Home Office Code of Practice, this definition should be used by all agencies, including schools. It includes physical assault, intimidation, verbal abuse, inappropriate remarks, jokes, graffiti, written comments, ostracism and damage to personal property.
All racist incidents are reported to the Headteacher, investigated and appropriate action is taken if necessary.
Internet and Online Safety
Many children enjoy using technology and are learning to navigate websites, online games and consoles, and touch screen technology like iPads and smartphones from a younger and younger age.
However, there are risks because the internet is increasingly being used by adults who are not who they say they are and pose as children.
Understanding and talking about the dangers can help you keep your child safe online.
Grooming
Online grooming is the process by which an adult with an inappropriate sexual interest in children approaches a child online, with the intention of fostering a relationship with that child, so as to be able to meet them in person and intentionally cause harm.
Groomers are very skilled at what they do and can often befriend a child by appearing to have the same hobbies and interests as them.
Groomers use fake accounts and stock photos. They may also appear to be the same age as the child. Children can be flattered at first by the attention given to them by this new ‘online friend’ and if they engage, they are often asked to speak ‘more privately’ with the groomer, whether that be away from an online game, or using a different social network.
Often children may not be aware that they are being groomed.
Children are also being groomed online into sending sexually explicit photos or videos of themselves to these online groomers. In some cases, groomers threaten to make the material public unless children send more material of themselves.
Top tips for parents regarding communication with people online
1. Speak to your child about the differences between a friend online (someone they know) and a stranger online (someone they don’t know). It’s important to emphasise that however nice a new friend online can seem, it can be difficult to know how trustworthy they are, as it is easy to disguise your true identity online.
2. It can be difficult to know if your child is being groomed online, but watch out for a change in their behaviour such as them becoming more secretive, especially in what they do online, unexplained gifts such as a new mobile phone or meeting friends in unusual places.
3. Speak to your child and encourage them to think critically about their online friends. Ask them to question why their new online friend has all the same interests as them or why their new online friend asks them to chat in a more private place online. Remind them not to send photos of themselves to strangers online, and not to give out personal information.
4. Don’t ban your child from using the internet or technology. Research has shown that children are reluctant to tell their parents what they have seen online in fear of their parents taking away their phones/computers and restricting internet access. This perceived fear will increase the chances of your child being secretive about their online experiences.
5. Having an open attitude and frank discussion not only increases the chances of your child being safe online it helps them to learn the skills needed in life. Remember that your child cannot realistically be shielded indefinitely, they will need the knowledge and understanding to make good choices for themselves.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is when someone uses technology, such as the internet or a mobile phone to bully others.
Cyberbullying includes things such as sending nasty text messages, excluding others from messaging apps, ‘hacking’ into someone else’s social media account, pretending to be them, ‘tagging’ people into statuses or embarrassing photos about them. ‘Indirect’ cyberbullying is bullying where a name isn’t mentioned, however it is obvious to all involved who is being talked about eg. ‘You know whose dress is disgusting’.
Being a victim of cyberbullying can be very distressing for a young person as messages can be sent anonymously and it is difficult to know who the bully is. Moreover, the bullying doesn’t always end once the victim has left wherever the bully might be (eg. school) as it can continue 24/7. When messages and embarrassing photos are shared online and not directly to the person, there are often lots of bystanders and victims can be very upset to see how quickly an embarrassing image or rumour can circulate online.
Top tips to help with cyberbullying
1. Don’t deny access to technology because this may prevent your child from speaking to you about cyberbullying. Instead create a culture where your child feels comfortable to discuss things that are worrying them.
2. Discuss cyberbullying with your child: ask them what their understanding of cyberbullying is, and how it is different to physical and face to face bullying. Often young people can confuse bullying with ‘banter’ and are reluctant to talk to others for fear of being seen to ‘not be able to take a joke’. Ask your children how they would react if they were being cyberbullied, or if their friend was being cyberbullied.
3. Save the evidence: encourage your child to save the evidence of any messages they receive. They can do this by taking a screenshot of what is happening on the screen, or keeping the messages they’ve received. You can easily capture a screenshot on most smartphones and tablets by holding down several buttons on the device together (eg. the Home button and Power button). By doing this, they will have proof when they report the cyberbullying.
4. Tell your child not to reply: most of the time the bully is looking for a reaction when they’re teasing or calling someone nasty names. Tell your child not to reply, if they do they’re giving the bully exactly what they want. Instead, they should tell an adult they trust about what they have seen. Reassure your child that if things have gone too far, even if they are at fault too, they should always come to talk to you or a trusted adult, and you will try to figure out together how best to resolve the situation.
Social Networking Sites
Young people need to protect their online reputation.
Young people use social networking sites for many different purposes; to communicate with their friends, to share content and to find out new information. You need to remind your child that they need to be careful about what they’re posting online.
Children can sometimes believe that social networking sites are a private space for them and it can be difficult for them to realise that what they’re posting online may be publicly visible and can be spread very quickly to a large audience.
The blur between public and private expression can potentially put a child at risk.
Content which is uploaded online can be copied, altered and reposted by anyone and it is very difficult to ‘take back’ what may be later regretted. Children who create or post inappropriate, offensive or even illegal content on their own or others’ web pages could get them into trouble with their school, friends and even the police, depending on the nature of the material.
Children also need to be aware of how much personal information they upload onto these sites. If a user of a social networking site doesn’t protect their information by enabling the correct privacy settings they might be sharing their information with strangers, some of whom may have malicious intentions.
Posting or chatting about personal details might enable someone to identify and contact your child online or in person. Those who share their information publicly can be exposed to more strangers online and can sometimes receive online hate and cyberbullying from people they don’t know.
Sexting
The term ‘sexting’ describes the use of technology to share intimate images of yourself. It’s a word-mix of sex and texting. The content can vary, from text messages to images of partial nudity to sexual images or video.
This content is usually created to be sent to a partner, but can be between groups and can use a range of mobile devices, technologies and online spaces. Photos and videos are often created via webcam or Smartphone camera, and are shared on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr and Snapchat, Instagram, Tik Tok messaging services such as What’s App, and video sites such as YouTube.
If a young person under the age of 18 engages in sexting by creating an explicit photo or video of themselves, they could be held responsible for creating an image of child abuse. Sending this content on to another person is the distribution of an image of child abuse. By receiving content of this kind from another young person, they could be held responsible for possessing an image of child abuse.
The Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland have stated that young people engaging in sexting should be treated as victims in the first instance and not face prosecution as first time offenders, but the situation will be investigated to ensure the young people involved are not at risk. The police’s priority is those who profit from sexual images. Repeat offenders and more extreme cases are reviewed differently, still with a focus on avoiding prosecution unless absolutely necessary.
If someone is pressurising your child to send them a sexting image, inform the police. Not only is it illegal, but it may prevent them from doing it to someone else too.
Top tips for parents
1. 'Think before you post.' Talking to your child about online privacy, and sharing content, is absolutely vital. Once any image has been sent, it is then out of your control. Even if you think you can trust the person that you've sent it to, it could be shared with others or posted elsewhere online. If you wouldn't be happy with your content being shared publicly, then the internet is not the right place for it.
2. Ensure that your child knows the law. Sharing intimate images over electronic devices is never a good idea, the risks are high. Sexting images break the law, for those that send, receive and share them further.
3. Discuss peer pressure. The creation of sexting content is quite often due to pressure from a partner or group. Discussing peer pressure, and self-esteem, with your child is a positive way to encourage them to take responsibility for their own actions and resist pressure from others to engage in activities they are uncomfortable with, or know to be against the law.
4. Communication is key. If you and your child can have an ongoing open dialogue about their life online, whilst still allowing them the level of privacy with which you are comfortable, they will be more likely to seek advice from you if they find themselves in a difficult situation.
5. If it has happened, support your child. It will have been a very difficult and embarrassing conversation for them to have had with you, and they need your help and compassion.
6. If the image has been shared on social networking sites, report it immediately using the site’s reporting tools because it breaks their terms and conditions.
7. If you are concerned that your child has been groomed or coerced into sending the content, you need to make a report to The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command CEOP.
https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/
Online Gaming
Internet safety advice is directly applicable to the gaming environment because of the risks that are present. It is essential that children are aware of these issues and are given the skills and knowledge to help manage and reduce these risks, with the help of those around them.
Just like offline games, these games and apps can have educational benefits, and be used, for example, to develop problem-solving and team working skills and understanding.
Many of these games are free to play/download.
Children have told researchers that their top concerns when playing online games are:
o bullying
o talking to strangers
o hacking
o downloading viruses
They may also come across inappropriate content including violent or sexual language and images.
To help keep children safe whilst playing online make sure:
o you know where and what they’re playing
o they’re using appropriate safety settings
o you talk to them about what to do if they see anything upsetting.
We strongly advise against banning online contact and gaming for the following reasons :
• children will have a tendency to play in secret or find other means via their friends
• it encourages secrecy so if a child is exposed to inappropriate contents, they are less likely to tell parents for fear of being told off or losing their devices
• It does not teach them strategies of dealing with inappropriate content such as reporting it, switching on safety settings, talking to a trusted adult
Inappropriate images
Young people encounter sexual images both online and offline. This can influence how they think about sex, relationships and their own body image – and it can make children feel confused, embarrassed, disgusted or worried.
It’s important that you recognise and talk to your child about the sexualised content they have come across to help them interpret and critique this information and to help them develop healthy and positive attitudes towards sex, relationships and their own body.
Parental control tools and filters can help to reduce the chances of stumbling across pornography online, but it’s important that you give young people the most important filter – inside their head – to help them understand the world they live in.
Parental Controls
Parental controls are designed to help protect children from inappropriate content they may come across online, such as pornography. These controls can be used to limit access to only age-appropriate content, to set usage times and to monitor activity.
There are four main places you can find parental controls, and it can help to set up a combination of these:
• Internet provider: you can set up filters to help block access to inappropriate content on any device that connects to your home WiFi.
• Mobile operator: filters are often automatically set up on mobile contracts, but you can double-check with your provider
• Devices: many devices have parental control settings, for example, to help restrict spending in apps or disable location functions
• Online services: sites like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime video, and YouTube have parental control settings to help restrict access to inappropriate content
It’s worth being aware that no parental controls or filtering options are 100% effective. As children grow up, they can become quite tech-savvy and they may learn how to disable the parental controls already put in place. Be aware also that once parental controls by your internet provider are set up on your WiFi, if your child access 3, 4 or 5G at home, the parental controls can be bypassed.
Similarly, if your child goes to their friend’s house where there are no parental controls in place, they will be able to access whatever they want. For these reasons, it’s important to educate your child about the potential risks online, and establish rules concerning the sites that are suitable, or inappropriate, to visit.
Social networking and e-mails
Staff who access, social networking sites or sites such as Facebook at home are not allowed to post comments about Stisted Primary Academy and are not allowed to accept friend requests from children who attend the school.
Prevent Duty
The Prevent duty is the duty in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 on specified authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
In order for schools and childcare providers to fulfil the Prevent duty, it is essential that staff are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified. Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation should be seen as part of schools’ and childcare providers’ wider safeguarding duties, and is similar in nature to protecting children from other harms (e.g. drugs, gangs, neglect, sexual exploitation), whether these come from within their family or are the product of outside influences.
Schools and childcare providers can also build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. It is important to emphasise that the Prevent duty is not intended to stop pupils debating controversial issues. On the contrary, schools should provide a safe space in which children, young people and staff can understand the risks associated with terrorism and develop the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge extremist arguments.
If a member of staff in a school has a concern about a particular pupil they should follow the school’s normal safeguarding procedures, including discussing with the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, and where deemed necessary, with children’s social care.