Safeguarding, E-Safety and CSE

Our Safeguarding team:

Sarah Wells – Designated Safeguarding Lead
Billy Hawes – Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Sarah Louise – Safeguarding Person
Mark Case – Safeguarding Person (6th Form)
Sarah Mepham – Safeguarding Person (The Link)
Nicole Cresser – Safeguarding Person (The Link)
Mary Abeyasekera – Safeguarding Person
Nadine Gooding-Herbert – The Academy Councillor for Safeguarding

Our Safeguarding culture:

“No Stone Left Unturned”

These are fundamental beliefs of the school and the practice which we prioritise to ensure vigilance and depth of understanding for learners:

• We observe what learner behaviours tell us; we
  notice, and are interested in, the slightest change;
• Learners having the right to say “No” and “I
  don’t like that”; and to be listened to;
• We prioritise seeing things through the
  learner’s eyes;
• We work on gaining the learner’s cooperation,
  not compliance, so that they can learn about how best to do things;
• We ensure the learners can develop safe
  relationships of trust with adults as all will have some level of support
  throughout their lives;
• For those people with the most complex and
  physical/sensory needs we do everything we can to make things right for them to
  learn by paying the greatest attention to their basic needs and rights to be
  comfortable, protected and cared for. We know nobody will learn if their
  position is poor or if they are in pain;
• We plan holistically; based on a very detailed
  knowledge of the learner’s strengths and needs at any point in their journey;
• We listen, we look and we notice what the
  children tell us in their unique ways;
• We constantly talk to people and reflect;
• We monitor the wellbeing of the family very
  closely and notice positive changes over time in addition to picking up
  concerns very quickly. Parents/Carers are completely comfortable with
  phone-calls home about every type of concern; they respond very well even if a
  member of staff feels that something is ‘not quite right’ for the learner that
  day and wants to discuss possible reasons; no stone is left unturned;
• Staff are observant, reflective and completely
  tuned-in to the different approaches that need to be in place for the
  individual young people. Staff are intuitive and sensitive and notice changes
  in the young people in terms of attitude and how they look and behave; there is
  a clear link with the quality of learning and with learners being well
  protected and safe.

Working effectively with Other Professionals

• We work to ensure highly effective and
  productive professional relationships with external partners; in this way
  information and observations flow freely (but appropriately) in the best
  interest of each learner. This important ‘join-up’ helps us to be sure we are
  looking at the complete picture for a young person and that nothing is missed.
• Leaders also work strategically with services
  such a Social Care and the Police in order to have influence over the systems
  which support our learners.

Working in Partnership with our Families

• Strong relationships with families and detailed
  knowledge about the challenges they face at any one time helps us see the wider
  safeguarding picture
• In most cases parents and carers should be
  informed when concerns have been raised about their child. It is important that
  parents and carers are given an opportunity to address concerns raised and to
  know (when this does not put the child at risk) when a referral has been made.
• Attendance is promoted through first day follow
  up for absences and staff work hard to achieve good attendance though detailed
  work with families and other agencies on an individual basis. Action is
  proactive, prompt and in line with what individuals and families need.

Foresight and Attention to Detail

• Safeguarding is pursued with foresight and
  attention to detail which means that there is a proactive approach throughout,
  woven through the curriculum and ethos of the school; for learners who cannot
  communicate concerns or ask for help easily this approach is vital.
• Through early intervention around safeguarding
  concerns we are very often able to prevent low level concerns escalating to
  greater risks. We do not shy away from difficult conversations because we have
  the best interest of the learners at the heart of our work.

Recording our Concerns

• The aim of reporting and recording is to create
  an accurate account of the concerns about a young person, with a clear
  chronology and follow-through notes made over time. In this way monitoring
  ensures that nothing is missed, connections are made and that the right
  decisions are made around finding solutions and referring on.

How we Test Ourselves

• We seek parent/carer views on whether their
  child is, and feels, safe; we respond promptly to concerns. Conversations are
  frequent, responding to the slightest anxiety or difference in behaviour,
  mobility or physical appearance. “Follow through” and monitoring past the
  initial concern is a clear expectation.
• Our strong partnerships with a wide range of
  professionals from Health and Social Care leads us to seek feedback from
  colleagues that know us well, including comments about safeguarding. Governors
  and leaders analyse and evaluate these returns to seek areas for development.
• The Senior Leadership Team meet fortnightly to
  review and analyse both individual cases and note any trends which emerge and
  need to be addressed through improvements in process, practice or performance.
• We are open to scrutiny from the Local Authority
  and share practice and ideas with other schools.
• Our Link Governor for safeguarding has a strong
  professional background that ensures rigour around questioning practice and
  impact.