Useful Links
All our safeguarding policies and documents are on the Wessex Learning Trust website.
Draycott & Rodney Stoke First School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this responsibility. We ensure that consistent and effective safeguarding procedures are in place to protect children and staff at school and support families out of school.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children's health or development
- ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.
What is Child Protection?
Child Protection is part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
If you are worried about a child and would like to talk to a member of staff in private, please speak to either Mr Ewens, the Headteacher, who is also our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). In his absence, please speak to Mr Perrett, Mrs Macleod or Mrs Cullen who are our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.
Safeguarding and the Curriculum
It is vital that all children are taught the skills and knowledge to keep themselves safe in and out of school. Our PSHE curriculum, based on the JIGSAW scheme of work, promotes an ethos in school that strongly supports keeping children safe in many diverse situations. From Reception onwards, children are taught about what to say and do if they don’t like something – from encountering strangers to bullying, and from unwanted physical contact to racism and being safe with technology.
Teaching about safety and relationships as part of PSHE contributes to how schools approach the safeguarding of pupils. It helps them to recognise when they and others are at risk and equips them with the skills, strategies and language they need to take appropriate action. We use a number of excellent resources from reputable organisations (e.g. NSPCC and the Safer Internet Centre) to deliver specific lessons around safeguarding in school. Where these may be sensitive in nature, we would always inform parents in advance should they wish to know more.
We deliver the highly-recommended PANTS resource, designed by the NSPCC, which helps keep children safe from abuse. Like the Green Cross Code, it takes a potentially tricky subject and gives children (and their parents) tools to talk about it in an engaging and age-appropriate way. More on the PANTS rules and other excellent NSPCC resources you can use to talk to your child can be find at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule
Prevent Strategy
From 1st July 2015 all schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have "due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism". This duty is known as the Prevent Duty. It applies to a wide range of public-facing bodies, including all primary and secondary schools.
Schools can build pupils' resilience to radicalisation by providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues and helping children to understand how they can influence and participate in decision making. Schools are already expected to promote the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils and, within this, fundamental British values.
Please click on this link for more information - http://educateagainsthate.com/
Mandatory Reporting of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
From 21st October 2015 it is mandatory for teachers, health and social workers to report to the police if they find, or are told, that someone under 18 has undergone FGM. To obtain more information on FGM please click the link below:
http://www.bava.org.uk/types-of-abuse/female-genital-mutilation/
Online Safety
Here at Draycott and Rodney Stoke First School, we recognise the benefits and opportunities that new technologies offer to teaching and learning. We encourage the use of technology in order to enhance skills and promote achievement. However, the accessible and global nature of the internet and variety of technologies available mean that we are also aware of potential risks and challenges associated with such use. There is a separate section on this website under the 'Children' tab at the top entitled 'Online Safety'. Here you will find advice and resources to help you find out more about current online risks and how you can try and keep your child safe online at home.
Other useful contacts include:
NSPCC 0808 800 5000 – help for adults concerned about a child.
POLICE 101 (or in an emergency 999) – for concerns about children in the community.
SOMERSET DIRECT CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S TEAM 0845 345 9122; email childrens@somerset.gov.uk – for concerns about individual children and to contact the local authority for advice.