Water Street Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils
INTRODUCTION
The school's Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy applies to all adults, including volunteers, working in or on behalf of the school and is an over arching document which demonstrates how everyone working in or for our school service, shares an objective to help keep children safe from harm and abuse.
We aim:
- to ensure that children within our school feel safe at all times
- to ensure that all stakeholders are safe and feel that they are able to put the welfare of the children first without concern that there will be any negative consequences attached to their actions
- to ensure that all adults who have contact with children in school have been properly vetted and cleared as suitable to work and support children in our care/charge
- to ensure that all adults who have contact with children in school have been trained
- to undertake their safeguarding responsibilities effectively.
Water Street Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. We recognise that some children may be especially vulnerable to abuse and that children who are abused or neglected may find it difficult to develop a sense of worth and to view the world in a positive way. Whilst at school their behaviour may be challenging and we recognise that some children who have experienced abuse may harm others. We will always take a considered and sensitive approach in order that we can support all our pupils and recognise that each pupil’s welfare is of paramount importance.
PROVIDING A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
Safer Recruitment and Selection
The school pays full regard to current DfE guidance “Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education” and Keeping Children Safe In Education 2023.
We ensure that all appropriate measures are applied in relation to everyone who works in the school who is likely to be perceived by the children as a safe and trustworthy adult, including volunteers and staff employed by contractors.
Safer recruitment practice includes scrutinising applicants, verifying identity and academic or vocational qualifications, obtaining professional references, checking previous employment history and ensuring that a candidate has the health and physical capability for the job. It also includes undertaking interviews and where appropriate, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and providing honest and accurate references when individuals move on.
In line with statutory changes, underpinned by regulations, the following will apply:
• a DBS Enhanced Disclosure will be obtained for all new appointments to our school workplace (including volunteers) and renewed inline with North Yorkshire Policy.
• this school is committed to keep an up to date single central record detailing a range of checks carried out on our staff, volunteers and governors.
• all new appointments to our school workforce from overseas or who have lived outside the UK will be subject to additional checks as appropriate.
• our school ensures that supply staff have undergone the necessary checks and will be made aware of this policy.
• identify checks will be carried out on all appointments to our school workforce before the appointment is made, in partnership with the North Yorkshire Local Authority. The following staff have undertaken Safer Recruitment training and one of these staff members will be in attendance at interview for all staff and volunteer appointments:
Headteacher: Mr Neil Gunstone
School Business Manager: Mrs Susan Overson
School Governors: Mrs Amanda Rushton-Hall & Mrs Kate Browne
Safer Working Practice
Our school will comply with the Government Offices “Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults Who Work With Children and Young People” and the North Yorkshire Child Protection procedures (www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk) at all times. Safe working practice ensures that pupils are safe and that all staff, volunteers and governors:
- are responsible for their own actions and behaviour and should avoid any conduct which would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions.
- work in an open and transparent way.
- work with other colleagues where possible in situations open to question.
- discuss and/or take advice from school management over any incident which may give rise to concern.
- record any incident or decisions made.
- apply the same professional standards regardless of gender, race, disability of sexuality.
- be aware of confidentiality policy.
- are aware that breaches of the law and other professional guidelines could result in criminal or disciplinary action being taken against them.
Safeguarding Information for Pupils
All pupils in our school are aware of a number of staff who they can talk to. The school is committed to ensuring that pupils are aware of behaviour towards them that is not acceptable and how they can keep themselves safe. All pupils know that we have a senior member of staff with responsibility for child protection and know who this is. We inform pupils of whom they might talk to, both in and out of school, their right to be listened to and heard and what steps can be taken to protect them from harm.
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Mr Neil Gunstone
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs) are Mrs Jenny Macnab & Mrs Amanda Rushton-Hall
The nominated governor for safeguarding is Mrs Kate Browne
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Partnership with Parents
The school shares a purpose with parents to educate, keep children safe from harm and have their welfare promoted.
We are committed to working with parents positively, openly and honestly. We ensure that all parents are treated with respect, dignity and courtesy. We respect parents’ rights to privacy and confidentiality and will not share sensitive information until we have permission or it is necessary to do so to protect a child.
Water Street Primary School will share with parents any concerns we may have about their child unless to do so may place a child at risk of harm.
We encourage parents to discuss any concerns they may have with school staff. We
make parents aware of our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies and parents understand that they can view these policies on request.
School Training and Staff Induction
The school’s Senior Designated Person with responsibility for child protection and any named deputies undertake specific child protection training which includes how to undertake their role. They also undertake inter-agency child protection training provided by the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board. Refresher training is undertaken at two yearly intervals.
All other school staff, including non-teaching staff, volunteers and governors undertake appropriate in house training (provided by NYCC) to equip them to carry out their responsibilities for child protection effectively. This is kept up to date by refresher training at three yearly intervals as a minimum requirement.
Health and Safety Policy
The school has a health and safety policy, which is monitored each year by the relevant committee of the School Governing Body and also the health & safety advisor from North Yorkshire County Council..
The Headteacher, with the staff member with responsibility for Health and Safety, the site supervisor and a governor with responsibility for Health and Safety oversee the policy and the maintenance log book. Any concerns from staff, volunteers, governors or pupils are reported to any of the above and the site supervisor carries out an initial examination, assessing what remedial action needs to take place.
Each term there is a fire drill that practices efficient evacuation from the buildings. The school conducts an annual fire risk assessment and risk assessments.
There is a critical incidents plan that details what staff and parents should do in the case of emergencies.
First Aid
All staff have been trained in Emergency First Aid at Work, four members of staff have completed the detailed three day First Aid Training. Relevant staff have also completed the specalised Paediatric First Aid Course.
First aid kits are situated around the school, in every classroom and are also taken out onto the playground at lunchtimes & breaktimes.
When a child is unwell or has suffered an accident in school or on the school grounds, the following steps are followed:
- Step 1: A trained first aider is immediately called to provide assistance and advice.
- Step 2: The incident/accident is logged in the incident/accident register.
- Step 3: The parent is notified of the incident/accident as soon as necessary.
- Step 4: The Local Authority Health and Safety Team and/or the Health and Safety Executive are notified of the incident/accident where there is a statutory duty to do so.
Site Security
Water Street Primary School aims to provide a secure school site but recognises that the site is only as secure as the people who use it. Therefore, all people on the site have to adhere to the rules, which govern it. It is recognised that laxity can cause potential problems to safeguarding. Therefore, the school ensures that:
- gates are locked except at the start and end of each day.
- doors are kept closed to prevent intrusion.
- wherever possible visitors and volunteers only enter through the main entrance and must sign in at the office.
- children are only allowed home with adults/carers with parental responsibility or confirmed permission has been received in advance.
- empty classrooms have closed windows.
- children are not allowed to leave school alone during school working hours and if collected by an adult, signed out.
- should a child leave the school premises without permission then staff have been informed never to chase after a child, but rather to report immediately to the office.
Parents and Police will then be immediately informed of the circumstances.
Welcoming other Professionals
Visitors with a professional role, such as the school nurse or members of the Police should have been vetted to work with children the School Business Manager will ensure that written confirmation is received from the employing organisation that the said individual has been vetted through the DBS, within the last three years and cleared to work with children.
When the said individuals make adhoc or unplanned visits to the school, they will be accompanied by a staff member at all times and not allowed to have any unsupervised access to the children until confirmation of their vetting status has been confirmed. No examination/medical treatment of any child will be allowed unless the professional has suitable clearance prior to their visit.
It is recognised that in emergency situations when the Police are called, perhaps to deal with an unruly pupil/adult, it may not be possible to confirm their identity before access to the school site is allowed. The Headteacher will use their professional judgement to effectively manage these situations.
Child Protection Policy
The Senior Designated Lead (DSL) for Child Protection is Mr Neil Gunstone. The deputy Senior Designated Leads for Child Protection are Mrs Jenny Macnab & Mrs Amanda Rushton-Hall and the Designated Governors for Child Protection is Mrs Kate Browne. There is a detailed Child Protection Policy operating within the school, which is available from the school office. It is the Governing Body’s duty to ensure the policy is reviewed annually and any deficiencies within the policy addressed immediately.
All allegations of abuse by or complaints about a teacher, other member of staff or volunteer, will be managed in accordance with the North Yorkshire Child Protection Procedures. A copy of these procedures can be found at www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk The Chair of Governors should be contacted directly where there are allegations/complaints against the Headteacher.
The Local Authority Designated Officer for Child Protection oversees all allegations made against those who work with children and can be contacted at anytime for advice. Similarly, advice and guidance can be obtained from the Social Care Advice line or the Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit.
The Design of the Curriculum
The curriculum deals with safeguarding in two ways. Firstly, in subjects such as Personal, Social and Health Education relevant discussions around related issues take place with the children. Topics include such themes as Drugs, Alcohol, Sex and Relationships, Stranger Danger, and e-safety issues. Children are encouraged to explore and discuss these issues.
Secondly, the curriculum is designed so that safety issues within the subject are discussed and safe practices explained, such as using equipment properly in PE and Design and Technology. Appropriate staffing levels will be maintained at all times when the curriculum is being delivered outside of the school site. Appropriate and agreed pupil/adult ratios are always maintained. The lead adult always risk assesses visits and trips to ensure children are safeguarded and protected from harm before the event is finally authorised by the Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC) or Headteacher.
Visiting speakers, with correct clearance and/or constant supervision are always welcome into school so that they can give specialist knowledge to the children.
Internet / E-Safety
Children are encouraged to use the internet as much as is possible but at all times in a safe way. Parents are asked to give permission for their children to use the internet on entry to the school. Parents, pupils and staff must sign an appropriate usage form to ensure that they understand the risks and sanctions relating to misuse of the system in and beyond the school. If staff know of misuse, either by a teacher, staff member, volunteer or child, the issue must be reported to the Headteacher without delay.
The Headteacher has overall responsibility for internet safety and will have access to all email addresses and passwords provided. The school follows guidelines for Internet use/E-safety laid down by the Yorkshire & Humber Grid for Learning, the Local Authority and the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children's Partnership.
The school will ensure that:
- software is in place to minimise access and to highlight any person accessing inappropriate sites or information.
- pupils will be encouraged to discuss openly their use of technology and anything which makes them feel uncomfortable. (If this results in child protection concerns, the Senior Designated Person for child protection should be informed immediately).
- every effort is made to encourage pupils not to give out their personal details, phone numbers, school, home addresses, computer passwords etc.
- pupils adhere to the school policy on mobile phones.
- training is provided to pupils, staff and volunteers on e-safety matters where necessary.
Inclusion Opportunities
Within the School Prospectus there is a statement around “Inclusion Opportunities” which asserts:
“At Water Street Primary School we welcome all children. Where a child has a recognised disability we will make all reasonable adjustments to accommodate their needs in school. This will include the availability of resources and accessibility of the school building and site. We will make every effort to ensure that children with Special Educational Needs maintain their entitlement when they enter the school”.
Behaviour Policy
Good behaviour is essential in any community and at Water Street Primary School we have high expectation in this area. The school has a Behaviour Policy and a Code of Behaviour that must be adhered to by all children and a copy is available from the school office. This is shared with parents and is available on the school website and from the school office. Although the emphasis is always on the positive, there are also times when children have to be disciplined in order to maintain the safety and security of all children.
There are numerous rewards available to children including:
- stickers
- showing another teacher good work
- celebration assembly
- certificates
But the sanctions range from:
- having to discuss their behaviour
- being removed from the class
- loss of playtime
- reporting to a senior member of staff
- a letter home
- exclusion
Staff are discouraged from handling children but where they deem it the safest thing to do, guidance and training has been given on safe methods of restraining a child so that they do not harm either themselves or others.
Anti-Bullying Policy
The school’s response to this is unequivocal.
Adults must be informed immediately and action will take place.
Children are told that silence is the bully’s best friend. Although bullying in this school is extremely rare, the school always acts swiftly with a process of investigation, communication and action. Bullies will not be tolerated.
There is a more detailed Anti-bullying Policy available on the school website and from the school office.
Equalities and Racial Tolerance
The school has a single “Equality Policy” that has a section on racial tolerance. This includes information about what the school, through education, challenge and discussion, will do to ensure incidents do not happen.
Racism is tackled in both the RE and in the PSHE curricula. The children will take part in discussions designed to raise awareness and address prejudices. This work ensures that racial tolerance is at the forefront of everything we do.
Photographing and Videoing of Children in School
At Water Street Primary School we have taken a sensible and balanced approach to photographing and videoing children on the school site. We have a formal policy around “Taking photographs and video images of children” and a copy of the document is available from the school website and the school office.
Taking pictures and video images of children’s achievements and activities is a wonderful way of capturing a memory and promoting successes. The policy document explains in detail the school’s requirement to obtain parental permission while taking such images and the safeguards in place to ensure anonymity (wherever possible) in their usage.
Whistleblowing
If members of staff, volunteers or governors have any concerns about people working in a paid or unpaid capacity with children, they have a duty of care (and in some cases a professional duty) to inform management accordingly. This can be done in writing or verbally and such issues will be managed with sensitivity and the necessary degree of confidence.
The school follows the Local Authority’s policy on whistleblowing and a copy of the “School Whistleblowing Policy” is available on the school website or from the school office.
Policy review
This policy document will be reviewed by the School Governing Body on an annual basis to ensure it is up to date with current legislation and best practice.