Safeguarding

It is every school’s statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, as outlined by the DfE in its publication “Keeping Children Safe in Education.” This means that a school must protect children from maltreatment, prevent impairment of children’s health or development, ensure that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

At Gisburn Road Primary School we ensure that everyone who comes into contact with children and their families are clear on the role that they play in safeguarding children. Gisburn Road Primary School is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all children, staff and visitors. All staff have a responsibility to identify children who may be in need of extra help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer significant harm. All staff then have a responsibility to take appropriate action, working with other services as needed.

Every member of staff receives annual training on Safeguarding and Child Protection policies and procedures and additional training on aspects such as online safety, PREVENT (the Government's approach to stopping radicalisation) and other current issues. Regular training throughout the year helps staff stay in touch with changes, concerns and new developments. In addition, we promote an ethos where children and adults feel confident about sharing their concerns about their own safety or the well-being of others.

Key People

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Laura Toor

Mrs Nicola Walker is a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Miss Sarah Smith is a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mrs Susannah Whittaker is a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

A Governor responsible for safeguarding is Mrs Rachel Waddington (the Chair of the Governing Board)

Another Governor responsible for safeguarding is Mrs Caron Longdon.

Operation Encompass

a new Safeguarding initiative that is now taking place in Lancashire

operationencompass.org

The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in or witness to a domestic abuse incident.

Domestic abuse impacts on children a numbers of ways. Children are at increased risk of physical injury during an incident, either by accident or because they attempt to intervene. Even when not directly injured, children are greatly distressed by witnessing the physical and emotional suffering of a parent.

Operation Encompass has been created to address this situation. It is promoting a key partnership between the police and schools. The aim of sharing information with local schools is to allow school staff the opportunity of engaging with the child and to provide access to support that allows them to remain in a safe but secure familiar environment.

Following the report of an incident of domestic abuse, by 9:10am on the next school day the school’s Headteacher will be informed that the child or young person has been involved in a domestic incident.

This knowledge, given to schools through Operation Encompass, allows the provision of immediate early intervention through silent or overt support dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.

The Encompass Leads are: Mrs Walker and Mrs Toor

Safeguarding Policy

There are three main elements to our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy:

Prevention

Creating a positive school atmosphere, teaching and pastoral support to pupils where children have opportunities to have a voice and that their wishes and feelings are listened to and taken into account.

Protection

By following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are trained to recognise possible signs and symptoms of abuse and are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to child protection concerns.

Support

To pupils and school staff and to children who may have been abused.

The policies cover all areas of school life and include:

Staff & Visitors
ensuring they are vetted, informed and trained.

Children’s Behaviour
promoting safer and happier behaviours and lifestyles.

Parents and Carers
promoting links and supporting families.

Premises
keeping them safe, pleasant and fit for purpose.

Curriculum
providing positive learning experiences.

Outside School
ensuring safer activities and environments outside school.

Information Sharing

We have an obligation to obtain necessary information from parents in advance of a child being admitted to school, including:

emergency contact numbers;
the child’s special dietary requirements, preferences or food allergies the child may have;
the child’s special health requirements;
information about who has legal contact with the child; and who has parental responsibility for the child.

Written parental permission is requested, at the time of the child’s admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future.

Staff

Safer recruitment

We follow strict procedures to ensure that everyone who works with our children is vetted, keeping our children as safe as possible. Ongoing checks and ‘whistle-blowing’ are in line with current policy.

Staff training

Staff are trained in child protection issues and they are aware of the procedures to follow.
Staff are encouraged to be vigilant in order to maintain the safety of our children.
All Staff & Volunteers have read the document ‘KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IN EDUCATION 2018’ Part 1

Policies

All staff have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding children issues and are able to implement the safeguarding children policy and procedure appropriately. Policies are in line with current guidance and procedures.

Staff are able to respond appropriately to any:

significant changes in children’s behaviour;
deterioration in their general well-being;
unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse;
signs of neglect;
comments children make which give cause for concern.

All staff are aware of the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality.

Online Safety

The Internet is a huge resource available to our children. It is a fascinating and effective tool for both teaching and learning, at home and within school. We believe that it is paramount that all users from children to adults are educated on how to use the Internet safely.

What is Online Safety?

Online safety is ELECTRONIC SAFETY for all (especially children) and it is often associated with websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, WhatsApp and any other social network. Online safety however covers all electronic safety such as identifying appropriate and inappropriate e-mails, text messages and much more.

Please make sure you know what your child/children are doing online. It is important to remember that if you allow your child internet access at home, parental supervision is recommended. Ideally, the computer screen, tablet or phone should be in an easily viewable position in the family living area.

Digital safety newsletters

Policies

Online safety

Social media policy

Help for
parents

Parental controls

online safety parental controls

download

At Gisburn Road we educate our children on online safety from an early age and this continues throughout school. We teach online safety with support from the websites below. These websites are suitable for parents and pupils, as well as school and have activities and games for children to complete:

Here are some more useful publications which can be downloaded in PDF format.

NSPCC

Let's Talk PANTS

Children's Safeguarding Assurance Partnership

A useful link to a local website about child online safety, with specific information for parents and carers:

lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk

Report it

CEOP: The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command

Has someone done something online that has made you or a child or young person you know, feel worried or unsafe?

Make a report to one of CEOP's experienced Child Protection Advisors:

CEOP Safety Centre

Safeguarding

Key People