We place a strong emphasis on safety in school and encourage children, as well as staff, to report any areas of concern that arise. In our most recent parent survey, 100% of parents agreed that our school is a safe environment. We have a comprehensive Health and Safety Policy which is reviewed annually. We expect all visitors who have access to children to provide photographic evidence of their identity upon arrival to school, as well as their DBS clearance documentation.
All adults within school are responsible for ensuring the safety of members of the school community.
There is a comprehensive Enquire Learning Trust Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy which may be found below. This ensures that all concerns regarding children’s welfare are addressed and dealt with quickly and effectively. The Child Protection Officer (the Principal) works closely with parents and, occasionally, refers cases to external agencies for support, sharing information.
We have comprehensive Policies regarding E-Safety and teach our children how to be safe whilst using the internet. We hold information evenings for parents so that they, too, may help to protect their children from the potential dangers of being online.
Safeguarding Overview
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
This overview should be read in conjunction with our safeguarding policies, including our Child Protection policy and Prevent policy.
The safety and welfare of pupils and staff is of paramount importance to staff and Governors of Roseberry Academy.
Staff and Governors of Roseberry Academy strive to ensure that members of the school community are kept safe from harm.
Our safeguarding policies are written with reference to:
Keeping Children Safe in Education, DFE (2015)
Working Together to Safeguard Children, DFE (2015)
Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 guidance, DFE (2015)
Early Years Inspection Handbook, Ofsted (2015)
Inspecting Safeguarding in maintained schools and academies, Ofsted (2015)
Safeguarding children, young people and adults policy, Ofsted (2015)
CHANNEL Duty guidance, HM Government (2015)
Prevent Duty guidance for England and Wales, HM Government (2015)
Counter Terrorism and Security Act (2015)
Mandatory Reporting of Female Genital Mutilation- procedural information, HM Government, (2015)
Serious Crime Act (2015)
Mandatory Reporting of Female Genital Mutilation- procedural information, Home Office (2015)
A Safe environment:
Access to the main buildings is via the main reception areas, which have secure entrances, fitted with security key pads. Staff are made aware of the importance of not divulging codes to a third party and care is taken to ensure that pupils do not have access to codes.
Children are separated onto two playgrounds. This ensures that there are fewer children to supervise on each playground during break times.
There is a comprehensive Health and Safety Policy and Fire Risk Assessment on site that are reviewed regularly by the Principal and Health and Safety Governor. The Fire Log Book, Legionella Water Monitoring File and Asbestos Management Plan are located in the Principal’s office.
A Risk Assessment file is also kept in the Principal’s office.
Building works
The Principal meets with contractors before work begins and obtains a copy of their company risk assessment. Areas are securely fenced and vehicles are only allowed to enter the premises when children are indoors. Contractors do not have access to children. If contractors need to work in a shared area during the day, staff ensure that they are never left alone with children and that an adult is in the location for the duration of the visit.
Safe Recruitment and Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosures / Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
The Principal has completed online Safer Recruitment Training.
Safeguarding practice is followed when recruiting new staff, including ensuring that at least one interview panel member has received safer recruitment training. Written references specific to the post and person are obtained (open references are never accepted), application forms are scrutinised to ensure that a full employment history is recorded, the identity of the successful applicant is checked against identity papers, the address of successful applicants is verified, award/exam/degree certificates are requested and a full Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure / Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is obtained before the applicant takes up their post. These are renewed every five years.
The Administrator keeps an up to date Single Central Register of all staff, governors and volunteers with CRB / DBS disclosures, which contains information regarding their DBS clearance, identity and right to work within the UK.
Volunteers
All volunteers with access to children are subject to a Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure / Disclosure and Barring Service every five years.
Governors
Governors are subject to a Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure / Disclosure and Barring Service every five years.
Visitors to the school
Any visitors who will work with, or have access to, children will be asked to provide the school with their Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure / Disclosure and Barring Service. This includes external agencies such as School Nurses, Educational Psychologist, Young Carers, Ofsted.
School visits
Risk Assessments are carried out for each School Visit. A copy of all risk assessments are kept in the Principal’s office. Proposed school visits are entered onto Evolve and the Principal assesses all Approval for School Visit forms. Residential visits are agreed by the Full Governing Body.
Safety education
The PSHCE curriculum educates children in staying safe. External agencies (Police, Fire Service, NSPCC) visit the school to speak to the children about stranger danger, Internet safety, road safety, fire safety and abuse.
Protecting children from extremism and radicalisation
The academy’s Prevent Policy highlights how staff work to protect children from radicalisation and extremism and the course of action to take, should concerns arise.
e-Safety
The school has an Internet Code of Conduct for staff and pupils, which is displayed in the ICT suite. The local police visit to talk to the children about being safe online. The school has an ESafety Policy. Digital Leaders run a drop in session for children to talk about ESafety / their concerns.
Whistleblowing Policy
The school has a formally adopted Whistleblowing Policy, which staff are made aware of.
Transport
The school uses recognised companies for the transportation of pupils. All coaches and buses used are fitted with seatbelts. Risk assessments for travel in adverse weather are provided by the coach companies used and the coach company and Principal liaise in times of adverse weather to make decisions regarding safe travel. Volunteers who transport small numbers of children (ie to football matches) are CRB / DBS checked and sign to state that their car insurance covers them to carry children as passengers to an event. Staff who transport children to events in their own cars adhere to the Driving on Work Related Business Policy and ensure that they never transport one child on their own and show evidence of business use car insurance cover.
e-Safety Policy
Recommended Websites
eSafety:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
https://www.internetmatters.org/
Protecting children against extremism and radicalisation:
It is vitally important that you to return the confidential emergency contact form to the school office, completed with all relevant information, so that staff are able to care for your child with the full knowledge of any medical/social problem which may affect him/ her at school. This will also enable staff to contact you easily should a minor accident or illness occur.
We do attempt to make the children aware of any potentially hazardous situations that we cannot prevent, but it is inevitable that accidents will occur. In the case of minor bumps and bruises, staff trained in First Aid will deal with them as a matter of course.
If the injury is more serious and we consider further action to be necessary, parents will be informed immediately. Should we be unable to contact a parent of a child needing hospital treatment, a member of staff will accompany the child to hospital. In serious cases an ambulance will be called.