Safeguarding

Child Protection and Safeguarding Statement

Our first priority in this academy is to ensure that all children are safe. Safeguarding can be defined as ‘The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring that they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully’.

Designated Safeguarding LeadKate Steward (Principal)
Designated Deputy Safeguarding LeadJackie Allington (Welfare and Pastoral Lead)  
Governor for Safeguarding and Child ProtectionAyesha Hall (Chair of Governors)  
Designated Lead for Looked After ChildrenCraig Marchant
E-Safety OfficerJon Preston (Year 4 Teacher)

Our core safeguarding principles are:

  • The academy’s responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is of paramount importance
  • To ensure that staff feel confident and clear about their role in Child Protection.
  • To provide an environment where children feel safe and secure.
  • To provide a place where they are valued and develop self-confidence and self-esteem.
  • Safer children make more successful learners

We help to keep pupils safe by:

  • having an up to date child protection policy
  • having other safeguarding policies, such as anti-bullying and internet safety
  • checking the suitability of all our staff to work with children
  • encouraging pupils to tell us if something is wrong
  • adhering to health and safety regulations
  • training all our staff to recognise and respond to child welfare concerns
  • appointing a designated person who has additional training in child protection
  • working in partnership with parents and carers
  • sharing information with appropriate agencies if we have concerns
  • managing and supporting our staff team

We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.

The procedures contained in the academy’s Safeguarding policy, which can be found on the ‘Policies’ section of this website, apply to all staff and governors and are consistent with those of the local safeguarding children board (LSCB).

We will follow the procedures set out by the Area Child Protection Committee or Local Safeguarding Children Board and take account of guidance issued by the DfE by:

  • Ensuring that we have a designated senior member of staff with responsibility for Safeguarding who has received appropriate training and support for this role.
  • Ensuring that we have a nominated governor responsible for Safeguarding.
  • Ensuring that every member of staff (including temporary and supply staff and volunteers) and governing body knows the name of the designated senior person responsible for Safeguarding and their role.
  • Ensuring all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead/Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
  • Ensuring parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for Safeguarding.
  • Notifying Children and Family Services if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a pupil who is on the Child Protection Plan.
  • Developing effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding Child Protection matters including attendance at case conferences.
  • Keeping written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.
  • Ensuring all records are kept secure and separate from the main pupil file.
  • Following procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer.
  • Ensuring safe recruitment practices are always followed and that adults working with children have an up to date DBS check.

Our curriculum

  • There is a well-planned safeguarding curriculum throughout the academy. It is covered through PSHE lessons, Enrichment lessons as well as assemblies. Specific issues that arise (such as E-Safety) are addressed with bespoke lessons. The safeguarding curriculum undergoes the same quality assurance as all the other curriculum areas, including the checking of planning and support for delivery.
  • There is an extensive safeguarding curriculum delivered in a variety of ways.  This includes “Votes for schools” which covers a broad range of topics and allows staff to identify any misconceptions.  Assemblies are used to follow up and consolidate learning.  Outside agencies such as “Big Talk” cover sex and relationship topics. PIXL resources such as ‘Mind to the Kind’ and SEAL resources are also utilised with the pupils.The DSL and the DDSL use assembly time to inform and remind children about safeguarding procedures and to identify a trusted adult within the academy.
  • The well-planned curriculum ensures pupils understand risk.  During pupil interviews the children will talk about the ‘5 R’s’ which are embedded throughout the school.  The pupils will refer to ‘Mind to be Kind’ classroom based activities supporting the need to be kind to one another and PANTS in relation to keeping themselves safe. Assemblies and classroom work on e-safety have also been covered extensively.

If your child is being bullied

We define bullying as behaviour that is deliberate, repeated more than once and is designed to be hurtful. Bullies tend to pick on children who they think are unable to defend themselves. Bullying is not only about hitting or fighting. It also includes name calling, threats, taking belongings, intimidating and making unkind or abusive remarks. Children may try to hide the fact they are being bullied because they are afraid or ashamed but you might notice some signs, for example your child might:

  • change their behaviour
  • come home with torn clothing
  • ‘lose’ their dinner money, or ask for extra money
  • try to avoid going to school
  • complain regularly of headaches or stomach aches
  • have unexplained cuts and bruises
  • play truant.

We have anti-bullying procedures that help us to identify and deal with any case of bullying in school, but bullying does not only take place in school, it can also happen in the home or in the community.

Bullying can be serious and cause a lot of distress. If your child tells you that they are being bullied in school, ask for their permission for you to tell us. They may not have told us themselves because they are afraid that the bully will find out and the bullying will get worse. Try to help them to understand that the bullying will not stop while it is kept secret. As soon as we know it is happening we will follow our anti-bullying procedures to try to stop it.

It is also distressing to suspect that your child might be bullying other children. Our anti-bullying procedures include trying to support children who bully to change their behaviour, so please talk to us if you think your child needs some help.

What we will do if we have a concern about your child

If we are concerned that your child may be at risk of abuse or neglect we must follow the procedures in our child protection policy. You can look at the policy on the school website or come into school and see a copy.

The procedures have been written to protect all pupils. They comply with our statutory responsibilities and are designed to support pupils, families and staff. The procedures are based on the principle that the welfare of the child is the most important consideration.

In almost all circumstances, we will talk to you about our concerns and we will also tell you if we feel we must refer our concerns to children’s social care. We will ask your consent to make a referral, but in some circumstances we may need to make the referral against your wishes. We will only do this if we genuinely believe that this is the best way to protect your child, and the fact that you did not consent to the referral will be recorded.

If we think that talking to you first might in some way increase the risk to your child, we will report our concerns to children’s social care and take advice from them. We will normally tell you that a referral is being made and we will record the reasons why we decided to follow this course of action.

All child protection records are kept separate from your child’s general school file. Records are stored in a locked cabinet or drawer, and if stored on computer they are password-protected. The only staff who have access to the records are those who need to know about the concerns in order to protect and support your child.

Child protection is a very sensitive issue and it raises many questions and a range of strong emotions. We will do everything we can support our pupils and you can be assured that any action we take will be in the best interests of your child.

If a child has a concern or worry:

  • All pupils at OSPA feel comfortable to talk about their concerns.  The message of sharing their worries and identifying a trusted adult is regularly incorporated into assemblies. For example, wellbeing, anti-bullying and e-safety. Throughout the day, pupils are given opportunities to ‘drop in’ and speak about any concerns with the Welfare and Pastoral Lead or members of SLT.  Any alleged bullying incidents are dealt with by SLT.
  • They can note their worry and post it into the worry monster (Years 1,2 and 3) or worry box (Years 4, 5 and 6).
  • They can speak to their teacher or any trusted adult.
  • Pupils know the key members of staff that are responsible for safeguarding in the school. They can also identify trusted adults within the school. They can speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Steward or the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Allington.
  • OSPA has a safeguarding notice board with photos of the DSL and DDSL displayed.

NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000

Childline: 0800 1111

Child Law Advice Line: 08088 020 008

Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (AFRUCA) 0844 660 8607 www.afruca.org

NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000

Childline: 0800 1111

Kidscape: 08451 205 204 www.kidscape.org.uk

Young Minds: 0808 802 5544
www.youngminds.org.uk

Mental Health Foundation: 020 7803 1100
www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Mind: 0845 766 0163 www.mind.org.uk

ParentlinePlus: 0808 800 2222
www.parentlineplus.org.uk

Sexual harm and sexually harmful behaviour – national

Stop It Now! 0808 1000 900
www.stopitnow.org.uk

The AIM Project (for children with sexual behaviour problems): www.aimproject.org.uk

https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/partnerstoolkit2019/

Children and Young People Trafficked for the Purpose of Criminal Exploitation in Relation to County Lines: A Toolkit for Professionals & NPCC National Police Chief’s Council Capturing and reporting intelligence child sexual and/or criminal exploitation Guidance for families, professionals and the community
Both above accessible via the links below:-
https://www.csepoliceandprevention.org.uk/sites/default/files/Exploitation%20Toolkit.pdf

January 2016

The Government have launched a new website aimed at parents, teachers and school leaders to give practical advice on protecting young people from extremism and radicalisation. This was officially launched by the Education secretary Nicky Morgan.

The website can be found at: www.educateagainsthate.com There are some useful links and advice on here, aimed predominantly for those in education and to be forwarded on to schools/colleges where possible; there are also some helpful guides for parents & other resources too.

There is an updated version of Prevent information on the London Grid for Learning website, which includes the recent terminology change around ISIL (DAESH) as well as videos relating to Far Right ideology. These may be a useful resource for schools and parents to further understand the current threats and explain what schools and also parents/carers can do to reduce the risks and concerns, especially when explaining to parents/carers, governors etc the reason for these matters being discussed in school and why they’re a safeguarding issue.

The website can be found at:

http://counterextremism.lgfl.org.uk/

Police: 0845 60 60 222 (non-emergency telephone number) 999 for emergencies.

Children and Family Duty Assessment: 326293 – option 5

Out of Hours Duty Team: 326293 – option 5

Hospital 874111

Neglect of children
www.nelincs.gov.uk/neglectmatters

The North East Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Board Procedures Manual has been updated.

It can be accessed at: http://www.proceduresonline.com/nelincs/lscb/

Visit the website below to the dedicated North East Lincolnshire ‘Local Safeguarding Children Board website.’

http://nelsafeguardingchildrenboard.co.uk/

Safer NEL website
Safeguarding children, adults and the community. Click on the link below to access CSE and CCSE Strategies. LSCB Policies and Procedures, information, resources and training:

http://www.safernel.co.uk/local-safeguarding-childrens-board/

National Working Group
Resources for professionals, parents/carers and young people in tackling child sexual exploitation
https://www.nwgnetwork.org/

National Referral Mechanism Form: Potential victims of Modern Slavery/Human Trafficking
Referral forms for children and adults:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-trafficking-victims-referral-and-assessment-forms

ThinkUKnow Website
Thinkuknow is the education programme from CEOP, a UK organisation, which protects children both online and offline. Click on the link to below to access a range of resources.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/