Safeguarding at Ingrow
At Long Lee Primary School and in the Ingrow and Long Lee Federation we regard the safeguarding of children to be of great importance. The following leaflet provides a guide for parents and carers to summarise key information about safeguarding.
What is Safeguarding?
At Ingrow Primary School we consider the safeguarding of children to be our most important priority. Children need to feel safe, cared for and valued in order to learn and thrive. In our school we follow the guidance set out in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ 2015 which states that schools must ensure they:
- Protect children from maltreatment
- Prevent the impairment of children’s health or development
- Ensure children grow up in safe and effective care
- Take action to ensure children achieve the best outcomes
To ensure the above guidelines are followed we take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes through our safeguarding measures regardless of their age, culture, physical needs, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and sexual identity. In order to do this we have clear procedures in place to ensure that disclosures or allegations are taken seriously, recorded correctly and investigated.
We follow guidance, as a school from the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board, they have a useful area for parents and children to access. http://bradfordscb.org.uk/?page_id=12
Who is Responsible for Safeguarding?
Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding children. Staff are made aware that any safeguarding issues need to be reported through the correct routes to the designated safeguarding leads. When staff are recruited we follow the procedures set out in our ‘School Safer Recruitment Policy’. Also on-going safeguarding measures are in place for staff currently employed i.e. through training and DBS re-checks.
The following staff have received required Child Protection Training for Safeguarding Leads in School:
- Mrs Annette Campbell – Head of School SAFEGUARDING LEAD
- Mrs Lauren Murphy – Federation Assistant Head for Inclusion DEPUTY SAFEGUARDING LEAD
- Mrs Beth Farrar – Behaviour Assistant Head and Silver Birch Hub Lead
- Mrs Rebecca Holland – Federation Teaching and Learning Assistant Head
- Mrs Megan Davey – Year 6 and Literacy Leader/Assistant Head
- Mrs Susan Grunwell – Year 5 and Maths Leader/Assistant Head
- Mrs Helen Mawer – Federation Family Inclusion Lead
- Mrs E Midgeley – Nurture Leader
- Mrs Angela Vinnicombe – Federation Strategic Leader
- Mrs Lynne Balmer – Federation Leader of Business
In addition, all staff receive refresher Level 1 Safeguarding Training annually. All staff who are new to Long Lee Primary receive safeguarding training as part of their induction package in order to ensure they can recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and report using our agreed procedures.
Where national issues come to the fore, whole school staff training is put in place, for example around the PREVENT agenda or around online safety.
Teaching students are also inducted to the Federation in the same way.
Staff attend pertinent training throughout the year, for example – domestic violence, child bereavement, drug and alcohol abuse.
Parents are invited to attend workshops wherever possible, for example around online safety.
There is a Bradford Council site around family information services, where support and information that will help parents to safeguard their children is available.https://www.bradford.gov.uk/children-young-people-and-families/get-advice-and-support/families-information-service/
Governors are subjected to the same checks as staff and are expected to complete training with staff, through governors sessions or by accessing our online training provider.
All visitors to the Federation are provided with our safeguarding leaflet.
What are the Areas of Safeguarding?
- Child protection – ensuring that staff respond appropriately to any significant change in a child’s behaviour, report to the Designated Lead any unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse, any unexplained behaviour changes, any deterioration in a child’s well being, are trained to know signs of neglect and respond appropriately to comments children make that cause concern
- Training – ensuring that staff have access to quality training in aspects of safeguarding so they can recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and record/respond using the correct procedures
- Buildings and grounds – ensuring we offer a safe learning environment for children to thrive, completing risk assessments and regular checks of the building and grounds. Acting promptly on any concerns.
- Outside learning – completing risk assessments prior to trips and visits for the establishment along with safe transport
- Visitors – checking DBS forms and qualifications and logging them on our Single Central Register where they become more permanent visitors
- Behaviour– promoting positive behaviours towards each other to create a safe, caring environment. Risk assessing those children with significant needs
- Parents/carers/families – offering a welcoming school and develop home/school links. Having procedures in place for parents entering the building for events and meetings
- Curriculum – ensuring that our curriculum offers a wide range of opportunities for children to learn about safety and they have chances to talk and ask questions
How does our Curriculum Support Safeguarding of Pupils?
To support pupils with confidence and knowledge of safeguarding issues we ensure our personal, social, health education (PSHE) programme allows lots of opportunities to develop their understanding.
- We cover whole school national and global themes across the whole year such as Anti-Bullying week, Safer Internet Day
- We learn about our values and keeping safe in lessons and assemblies to help children develop their sense of worth and confidence
Our PSE curriculum focuses on 6 themes which run through each year group across each half term. These include: Being Me in the World, Celebrating Difference, Dreams and Goals, Healthy Me, Relationships and Changing Me. Through these themes classes experiences sessions on sex and Relationship Education, drug, alcohol and tobacco education, keeping safe and managing risk both online and in person, mental health and emotional wellbeing, physical health and wellbeing, identity, society and equality as well as careers, financial capability and economic wellbeing and female genital mutilation. Sensitive areas are covered at an appropriate age.
Links with External Agencies
In order to provide the best possible safeguarding for all pupils in our school we work with outside agencies to ensure we get expert advice and support. We follow procedures set out by the Local Education Authority and Bradford Safeguarding Children Board as well as ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ in accordance with child protection procedures.
Below are some of the links we have with external agencies:
- School Nurse Service
- Early Help Panel
- Education Social Work Team
- Educational Psychology Team
- CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Service)
- Behaviour Support Service
- Social Services
- Family support workers
- Parent Support Advisor
- Health practitioners
- Special Educational Needs and Disability Team
Should you need more information about services available in Bradford around Early help for families then either speak to the school office who will put you in touch with the Federation Family Liaison officer or visit the Bradford council website. https://www.bradford.gov.uk/children-young-people-and-families/reports-policies-projects-and-strategies/bradford-childrens-trust/
Sharing of Information
We are required to have information from parents/carers prior to a child joining our school.
- Information about who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility
- Any special health requirements for the child
- Information relating to food i.e. dietary requirements and food allergies
- Emergency contact numbers (updated as required throughout the child’s time at school)
- ‘Child Collected By’ form which specifies agreed adults who can collect a child and an agreed password
In our school we follow the Data Protection principles. Information regarding children is stored safely and securely and it is only shared with professionals permitted to have it.
Reporting Concerns and Complaints
At Ingrow Primary we endeavour to provide the very best service for our pupils and families. To help us provide this we require feedback. This can be achieved through mechanisms we offer e.g. questionnaires we send to parents, through emails to the office and telephone conversations.
However we feel that most importantly face to face discussions are effective at resolving concerns/complaints. In line with our policy, discussion of a concern would be with the class teacher in the first instance followed by the Head of School (or a designated senior leader if she is not available) if that does not provide a resolution. After that the matter can be referred to the Strategic Leader and then the Chair of Governors where hopefully the matter can be resolved, if not the Local Education Authority.
Our Complaints Policy sets out the procedures and this can be requested via the school office or downloaded from our website. Our aim is to always listen and try to resolve issues before they reach this stage.
If you would like more information on safeguarding, please contact the school for all our policies or view our policies section on our website.