Longton Safeguarding and Prevent Strategies
Our school fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect children and support pupils in school’. This policy applies to all adults, including volunteers, working in or on behalf of the school.
There are three main elements to our Child Protection Policy.
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) Support:
To pupils and school staff and to children who may have been abused.
STRATEGIES
1. All staff will follow the procedures agreed with the LA as set out in the Child Protection Committee ‘Guidelines for Child Protection’.
2. There is an appropriate ‘nominated member of staff’ who must be informed immediately of any concern and they will lead the school’s response to any concern.
3. If there is any allegation made concerning the nominated member of staff, then a member of the school senior leadership team must be informed and they will assume the role of ‘nominated member of staff’ until the allegation has been investigated and fully resolved..
4. Detailed records will be kept at every stage.
5. Outside agencies will be fully involved at appropriate stages as set out in the ‘Guidelines for Child Protection’.
OUTCOMES
Children will be happy and enjoy their time in school. The protection of children is the responsibility of everyone in school and so all will be vigilant in their duty of care of children. This school will be a place of safety where the welfare, care and protection of children is paramount so that it supports and encourages their growth and development both in and out of school. This policy should be read in conjunction with other school policies.
Safeguarding Designated Senior Leader
Understanding the Role of the Designated Senior Leader in Keeping Children Safe
We would like to take a moment to explain the important role of our Designated Senior Leader (DSL) in ensuring the safety and well-being of all our children.
Julie Brown Headteacher is the schools Designated Senior Leader (DSL)
Iain Pearson and Rebecca Catterall are also trained as DSLs and act upon when the headteacher is not in school.
The DSL is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children within the school. This includes being the first point of contact for any concerns regarding a child's welfare, working closely with external agencies, and ensuring that our policies and procedures for safeguarding are followed.
The DSL plays a crucial role in maintaining a safe environment for our pupils, providing guidance to staff on safeguarding issues, and leading training sessions to enhance awareness.
By fostering an open culture, the DSL encourages children to share any concerns they may have, ensuring their voices are heard and acted upon. Safeguarding is part of our curriculum and is drip fed throughout each week in lessons and whole community assemblies.
For more detailed information on safeguarding responsibilities and protocols, we recommend reviewing the Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024 document, which you can access here - (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2).
Thank you for your continued support in keeping our children safe.
Training Schedule
Autumn | Daily safeguarding discussions. Refresher safeguarding training Lancashire led safeguarding training 7 minute briefing shared each month DSL update meeting | Update Prevent policy Update Safeguarding and children protection policy Update Whistle blowing Policy Update Low level concerns Policy Undertake Fire drill |
Spring | Daily safeguarding discussions 7 Minute Briefings shared each month County lines training DSL update meeting | Selected courses from National College Undertake Lockdown test Update staff code of conduct |
Summer | Prevent Training DSL update meeting | Undertake Fire Drill Update Early Help Handbook |
Other | All First Aid Training every three years One person Work place first aider All EYFS team paediatric first aiders | Relevant Training when required e.g Safer recruitment, DSL training, Evolve school trip training |
PREVENT
The aim of ‘Prevent’ is to stop people becoming or supporting terrorists and to do this by challenging ideologies, protecting vulnerable individuals and supporting institutions, such as schools. It is part of the National Counter Terrorism Strategy known as CONTEST.
At Longton Primary School we believe that children should be given the opportunity to explore the issue of diversity and understand Britain as a multi-cultural society. Providing a safe learning environment in which children can raise controversial questions and concerns without fear of reprimand or ridicule and explore boundaries of what’s acceptable will engender an open attitude to multi cultural and race issues.
We do this through our PSHE and RE curriculum and through linking with families, cultures and schools who may be of a different culture or faith background to most children in our school.
We also do this through debate and healthy discussion within a safe learning environment where opinions are valued and challenged in a respectful and informed way.
See the link below for further information and resources for PREVENT:-
https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2019/11/05/factsheet-prevent-and-channel/
Operation Encompass
Longton primary School is participating in the Operation Encompass partnership scheme, between local school, academies, colleges, community health agencies, and Lancashire Police.
For further information please read this letter.