Safeguarding

The purpose of this policy is to inform everyone including staff, parents, volunteers and governors of the school's responsibilities for safeguarding children and to enable everyone to have a clear understanding of how these responsibilities should be carried out. All employees, volunteers and Governors must read, understand and adhere to this policy.

Wherever the word “staff” is used, it covers ALL staff on site, including ancillary, agency and supply staff, students on placement, contractors, Governors and volunteers working with children.  Wherever “child/ children” is used, it includes everyone under the age of 18. When a pupil is aged over 18 but still on roll at the school they are included as part of the policy.

As part of TKAT, this school and its staff, endeavour at all times to provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the educational, social, physical and moral development of the individual child. We recognise that all adults, including temporary staff, volunteers and governors, have a full and active part to play in protecting children from harm, and that the child’s welfare is our paramount concern. It is essential that everyone working in our school understands their safeguarding responsibilities. All staff members working with children should maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen to a child we know’ and are confident to pass on concerns.  All adults in our school are expected to read Part One of Keeping children safe in education 2022 - GOV.UK .

We recognise that everyone, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation are entitled to equal rights of protection.

The Governing Body takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in its care; and to work together with other agencies to ensure there are adequate arrangements in our school to identify, assess, and support children who are, or who may be, suffering harm. 

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined in KCSiE (2022) as

• protecting children from maltreatment.

• preventing 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.

• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

A significant part of safeguarding our children is providing them with trusted adults they can talk to, supportive friends and an ethos of protection. The whole school community will therefore: 

• establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are always listened to. 

• ensure all children know there is an adult in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty and are confident to do so.

• include opportunities across the curriculum to equip children with the skills they need to stay safe from harm and to know how to keep themselves safe. 

• support the child’s development in ways that will foster security, confidence and independence.

• provide an environment in which children and young people feel safe, secure, valued and respected.

• provide a systematic way of monitoring children known or thought to be at risk of harm, and ensure we contribute to assessments and support packages for those children.

• have a structured procedure to be followed by everyone when there are safeguarding concerns, which is reviewed regularly.

• emphasise the need for good levels of communication between all members of staff and develop and promote effective working relationships with other agencies, especially the Police and Children’s Services.

• ensure that all adults in our school have been recruited and checked as to their suitability in accordance with Part Three: Safer Recruitment,  KCSiE (DfE 2022).

Safeguarding - It’s everyone’s responsibility!

We put the child at the heart of everything we do!

Safeguarding is not just a policy - it’s a culture!