Safeguarding and E-Safety
At Washingborough Academy , keeping our children safe is our main priority and is the key shared responsibility of EVERYONE who comes into contact with our children.
All visitors to Washingborough Academy sign in using the InVentry signing in system whereby as part of the visitor registration, they are agreeing to abide by our school policies including those on Health and Safety, Code of Conduct, Acceptable Use of Information Technology & Mobile Phones and Child protection & Safeguarding
Safeguarding our children IS and MUST ALWAYS be a shared responsibility.
Visitors to our school who can work with children unaccompanied by Washingborough Academy staff wear a Green Visitor Lanyard. Visitors who need to be accompanied by Washingborough Academy staff wear a Red Visitor Lanyard
At Washingborough Academy we will do all we can to ensure that:
- The welfare of the child remains paramount.
- All children whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/ or sexual identity have the right to be protected from harm.
- All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
- All staff and volunteers working at our school have a responsibility to report concerns to the designated Safeguarding Leads
Our Safeguarding Policies cover all areas of school life and include:
- Staff & Visitors- ensuring they are vetted, informed & trained.
- Children’s Behaviour- promoting safer & happier behaviours & lifestyles.
- Parents & Carers- promoting links & supporting families.
- Premises -keeping them safe, pleasant & fit for purpose.
- Curriculum -providing positive, life affirming learning experiences.
- Outside School- ensuring safer activities and environments outside school
Further information is detailed in our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
Designated Persons
| ROLE | NAME |
| Designated safeguarding lead (DSL) | Alison McGowan |
| Deputy DSL | Jason O’Rourke |
| Deputy DSL – Administration | Paula Hanson |
| Deputy DSL – After School Club | Magda Makowska |
| E-Safety Lead | Emily Spooner |
| Children in Care Lead | Elspeth O’Rourke – Tuesday and Wednesday only |
| SENDCO | Elspeth O’Rourke – Tuesday and Wednesday only |
| Chair of Governors | Steve Baker – sbaker@washac.org |
Recruitment and Training
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. Further information is detailed in our Safer Recruitment Policy
Staff Training
- Staff are trained in Child Protection issues and they are aware of the procedures to follow. Whole School staff and governor training is led by Miss McGowan – DSL
- Safeguarding Team attend Designated Safeguarding Training and also complete E Learning in Safeguarding.
- Miss McGowan, DSL attends Safeguarding Briefings and Training Events throughout the school year.
- Staff are encouraged to be vigilant in order to maintain the safety of all our children.
- All Staff & Volunteers are inducted and are given all relevant information in line with safeguarding and this is logged on our My Concern portal. ‘
- All Staff and Volunteers are directed to the document ‘KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IN EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022′.
- Staff are regularly updated with Safeguarding Messages.
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 our Nursery and school, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS & CARERS TO TELL US OF ANY CHANGES TO THESE DETAILS.
We take confidentiality very seriously. Any information which we hold is treated as confidential and shared on a ‘need-to-know’ basis.
Further information is detailed in our Data Protection Policy.
Links with External Agencies
Our first concern is the well-being of your child and there may be occasions when we have to consult other agencies before we contact you. The procedures we have to follow have been laid down in accordance with the Local Authority Child Protection procedures.
We are fortunate to be supported by a range of external agencies which can be called upon to support the work we do in school. These include Health Practitioners, Educational Psychology, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, NSPCC, Social Services and Specialists in supporting Special Educational Needs. Our school SENDCo Mrs O’Rourke is very experienced in sign-posting families for support from outside agencies.
Reporting Concerns and Complaints
We have in place a School Complaints Policy. This enables children, staff and carers to report anything they feel is of concern.
Concerns should be raised in the following order.
- To the Class Teacher. Then, if there is no resolution;
- To the Headteacher. Then, if there is no resolution;
- To the Chair of Governors. Then, if there is no resolution;
- To the Local Authority.
Contact details are available from the school office.
Further information is detailed in our Complaints Policy
When should I report an E-Safety Concern?
If you’re worried that your child is being groomed online or sexually exploited you should report your concerns to CEOP.
It is not always easy to spot the signs of online grooming and sexual exploitation so if you have any concern at all about someone your child is in contact with, you should get in touch.
You should always report if your child is or has been in contact with someone who is:
- Chatting online to your child about sex
- Asking them to do sexual things on webcam
- Asking to meet up if they’ve only met them online
- Requesting sexual pictures
- Forcing them into sexual activity
- Making them feel unsafe
CEOP is a command of the National Crime Agency and can investigate what is happening – with the assurance that the safety and wellbeing of your child is paramount at all times.
If you are concerned that your child is in immediate danger, call 999.
Please click the button below to report your concerns via CEOP.
Review of Policy and Practice
In order to ensure that best practice is maintained, our policies are reviewed at least annually to incorporate the latest statutory guidance.
Washingborough Academy School is committed to promoting the welfare of all children by working in partnership with parents and carers, the Local Authority (LA) and multi-agency partners in Early Help and Child Protection, in accordance with locally agreed Local Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements and Procedures.
Our Safeguarding Policy applies to members of the school community in its widest sense. This includes children and young people, their parents/carers, school staff, governors, visitors, specialist staff and the local and wider community where they interface with the school. Within its framework, the policy outlines entitlements and responsibilities in securing the protection of children who attend our school.
Our policy is underpinned and shaped by legislation and guidance contained in a variety of documents including: –
- The Children Act 1989; Children Act 2004
- The Education Act 2002; Education and Inspections Act 2006
- Working Together to Safeguard Children July 2018
- What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused – DfE 2015
- Keeping Children Safe in Education. Statutory guidance for schools and colleges. September 2022
- Use of reasonable force. Advice for headteachers, staff and governing bodies. DfE. July 2013
- Procedures for locating missing pupils and the removal of pupils from roll. June 2017 See DfE document “Children Missing Education” Sept 16 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550416/Children_Missing_Education_-_statutory_guidance.pdf
- Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales: HM Government 2021
- The Prevent Duty Departmental advice for schools and childcare providers- Department for Education June 2015
To emphasise the caring ethos of Washingborough Academy staff and governors are committed to the following principles:-
- The welfare and well-being of each child is of paramount importance.
- Our policy works on the premise that abuse takes place in all communities and that school staff are particularly well-placed to identify and refer concerns and also to act to prevent children and young people from being abused.
- We respect and value each child as an individual.
- We are a listening school, and encourage an environment where children feel free to talk, knowing that they will be listened to.
- The protection of children from abuse is a whole-school issue, and the responsibility therefore of the entire school community.
- Our policy should be accessible in terms of understanding and availability. Regular training will ensure all adults in school are aware of indicators of concern or abuse and the names of our Designated Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Staff that such information should be promptly passed on to.
- Our policy will be developed and kept up to date with information from our relevant partners in Early Help and Child Protection as well as national documentation issued by HM Government and The Department of Education.
- We will use the school curriculum to teach children how they can protect themselves from abuse, both as victims and as potential perpetrators.
Through the implementation of our Safeguarding Policy we aim to create and maintain a caring ethos where all children and adults feel safe, secure and valued. We believe if children feel happy and enjoy school this will encourage good attendance and then create conditions in which they can do their best in every area of school life. Our school operates as a listening school where children are able to approach adults with concerns. These will be taken seriously and relevant Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures followed without delay if there is a risk/likelihood of or actual significant harm.
All children have access to an appropriate curriculum, differentiated to meet their needs. This enables them to learn to develop the necessary skills to build self-esteem, respect others, defend those in need, and resolve conflict without resorting to violence. Children learn skills to question and challenge to enable them to make informed choices now and later in life. A protective factor for children is personal resilience including strong social and emotional skills. All work with children which boosts confidence and self-esteem is valuable to protect them from peer pressure and outside influences detrimental to their physical and mental well-being.
All children are encouraged to express and discuss their ideas, thoughts and feelings through a variety of activities and have access to a range of cultural opportunities which promote respect and empathy for others. As part of our Prevent Duty we are aware of the importance of building pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British Values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. Working within a multi-professional framework we can build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues and helping children and young people understand how they can influence and participate in decision-making. To this end we continue to further develop cultural opportunities to promote and enhance respect and empathy for others through our Global Curriculum.
Through our PSHE curriculum, Religious Education, Art, Music, Drama and Literacy children are encouraged to discuss and debate important issues. These subjects are used to teach children to recognise and manage risk, make safer choices and recognise when pressure from others threatens their personal safety and wellbeing. We work with pupils to ensure they can develop effective ways of resisting pressure, including knowing when, where and how to get help.
Working with parents and carers
Our school believes in effective communication with parents and carers. We welcome parent/carer views and concerns about the welfare of their children and use this feedback to regularly review our practices. Parental views are obtained in the following ways: surveys, questionnaires, parents’ evenings, school events, at the school gate etc.
We keep parents informed about important and topical issues, including Child Protection elements of Safeguarding, in the following ways: weekly newsletters, letters home, school website, and training/information sessions e.g. E-safety, Anti-bullying etc.
We aim to have good working relationships with parents and carers and to work in partnership with them through transparency and honesty. However, we do not forget that their child’s needs and welfare are our paramount concern, thus obtaining consent to take matters further is not always appropriate. This obligation is set out in our school Safeguarding Policy.
Should you require further information about Safeguarding Policy and Practice at Washingborough Academy please do not hesitate in contacting Miss McGowan, DSL.
RE: Operation Encompass
The safety and wellbeing of the children attending our school is our greatest priority.
Witnessing domestic abuse is really distressing for a child or young person. They can often see the abuse, hear it from another room, see a parent’s injuries and distress afterwards, or be physically hurt themselves.
Operation Encompass, aims to support children affected in any way by domestic abuse. The project is a joint initiative involving Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Police and schools across the county.
You can also find out more information at www.operationencompass.org/