Safeguarding

Safeguarding at Abbeyfield School: 

 

The Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance 2023 defines safeguarding as: 

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• Protecting children from maltreatment  

• Preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development • ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and  

• Acting to enable all children to have the best outcomes.  

‘Children’ includes everyone under the age of 18. 

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Due to the nature of the school setting and the environment, all school staff are particularly important in safeguarding children, as they are in a position to identify concerns early, provide help for children, promote children’s welfare and prevent concerns from escalating. 

All Abbeyfield School staff and visitors to the school, have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn. Abbeyfield School adheres to a child centred and coordinated approach to safeguarding. All staff are aware of the systems that are in place within our school, which support safeguarding. Safeguarding is embedded in to everything we do. Regular training ensures that all staff are up-to-date with their roles and responsibilities. 

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Information for Parents and Visitors 

Please take a few moments to read this information. At Abbeyfield School, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all in our school and this requires everyone, including our parents and visitors, to share this commitment.  

Upon visiting our school, please note: 

• You MUST sign in on arrival and out on departure at main reception. 

• You MUST wear your lanyard at all times. 

• You MUST remain with your host unless you have prior DBS clearance and it has been agreed that you can move around the site unaccompanied. 

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Visitors must also: 

• Be responsible for their own actions, complying with our safeguarding policies at all times. 

• Be aware that they should discuss and / or take advice promptly from the member of staff they are visiting or a senior member of staff about any incident which could give rise to concern. 

• Report comments by a pupil, marks/bruises on a pupil, and/or worrying behaviour by a member of staff to ensure that such situations can be handled promptly and sensitively. 

• Apply the same standards regardless of gender, sexual orientation or any other characteristic. Do not discriminate favourably or unfavourably towards any child. As such treat all pupils equally. 

• Be aware that breaches of the law and other guidelines could result in criminal or disciplinary action being taken against them. 

• Behave in a mature, respectful, safe, fair and considered manner and as such are not sarcastic, do not make remarks or ‘jokes’ to pupils of a personal, sexual, racist, discriminatory, intimidating or otherwise offensive nature and do not embarrass or humiliate children. 

• Ensure the relationship with pupils remains professional:  

You must: 

• Not behave in a way that could lead a reasonable observer to question your conduct, intentions or suitability to work with children. 

• Keep blinds / doors open when alone with a pupil and ensure you can be seen. 

• Do not touch or photograph a pupil and do not decide to contact, communicate or meet with pupils outside of the school, unless this is agreed and part of your professional role. 

• Give out any personal details including email, text, other messaging systems or social media. 

If you have any concerns whilst visiting our school, please speak to a member of our safeguarding team: 

 

Preventing Radicalisation / Tackling Extremism 

Keeping children safe in education is our priority. Abbeyfield School works in partnership with the wider school community to ensure children and their families are safeguarded against radicalisation and extremism.  

In line with the PREVENT duty we will ensure that all staff and governors are trained, informed, recognise vulnerability and mitigate any risks. We mitigate any identified risks and ensure our curriculum embeds British Values, teaching our staff, children and visitors to be tolerant and have respect for all faiths within our multicultural society. This is underpinned by a range of other school policies including ‘e’ safety, curriculum, staffing and safer recruitment. 

 

What is abuse? 

Any form of neglect, physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment or lack of care that leads to harm or injury. It can happen to any young person regardless of their age, gender, race or ability. What is discrimination? When people receive less favourable treatment, which cannot be justified. This covers race, ethnic or national origin, language, religion or belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, disability, social class, responsibility for other dependent or where the person lives. 

People working in schools are uniquely placed to notice signs and symptoms of abuse and to support young people who are subject to abuse or living in abusive situations 

Which children need protection? 

You may become aware whilst working with a child that there are some problems at home or elsewhere that give you cause for concern. 

You may become aware of unexplained marks or bruising, or changes in the child’s behaviour or demeanour. Sometimes children display aggressive behaviour, become withdrawn and uncommunicative or unable to concentrate. 

If you have any concerns about a child at Abbeyfield School, please report it to a member of the safeguarding team. 

What should I do if a child discloses that s/he is being harmed? 

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• Although the likelihood of this is small, it is important to know what to do in such an eventuality. 

• Listen to the child, without making judgements. 

• Take what they tell you seriously, children rarely lie about such matters. 

• Explain that you can’t keep the information secret and must pass it on to someone who will know what to do. 

• Don’t interrogate the child or ask leading questions, such as “What did they do next?” 

• Reassure the child that they have done the right thing by telling someone. 

• Don’t make promises that you can’t keep but tell the child what you are going to do. 

• REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO A MEMBER OF THE SAFEGUARDING TEAM. Pass on the information to him/her. You are likely be asked to make a written record of what you have seen or heard. This is an important part of your safeguarding responsibilities. You will be asked to summarise your concerns in writing including the students name if known, or give a brief description of the student. If the student has told you they are being harmed, write down as accurately as possible what was said. 

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What should I do if the alleged abuser is a member of the school staff? 

You should report such allegations to the Headteacher, Mr Norgrove. If the allegation is about the Headteacher, we have a whistleblowing governor, Mrs Carolyn Cook, who can be contacted on: governorCDC@abbeyfieldwiltssch.onmicrosoft.com  

PLEASE HELP US TO SAFEGUARD THE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOL BY FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES: 

If you have a child protection or safeguarding concern, please feel free to contact Mr D Tregilgas (Designated Safeguarding Lead) on dht@abbeyfield.wilts.sch.uk or telephone 01249 464500 if you have any concerns in relation to students being at risk at school.  

If you think a child or young person is at risk of significant harm, or is injured, outside of school, you can contact the Integrated Front Door (IFD) at Wiltshire Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0300 4560108, 8.45am-5pm, Monday-Thursday and 8.45am-4pm Friday; Out of Hours 0300 456 0100. 

Or if there is immediate danger, phone the police or emergency services on 999. 

For less urgent enquiries, email mash@wiltshire.gov.uk 

 

What Parents Need to Know (National Online Safety Posters) 

Please add the NOS Posters saved in the folder on the One Drive. 

 

Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy - attach