Safeguarding
Highfield Primary School and it’s Governing body fully recognise that they have a duty to ensure arrangements are in place for safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children (Section 175 of the Education Act 2002). We adhere to the LA’s Safeguarding Children Board Procedures.
We recognise that all members of the school community including volunteers and governors will at all times play a full and active part in protecting our children from harm.
The following policies can be found in the policy’s section of the website.
Safeguarding and Child Protection, Health and Safety, Attendance Sex and Relationships, Safer Recruitment Anti Bullying , E Safety and Whistle Blowing
The policies and guidelines are not intended to alienate parents/carers or visitors but ensure that the children in our school are safe at all times.
Entry and Exit from the school
- All visitors must report to the main reception upon
entering the school premises
- Visitors must press the call button to gain entry. They must inform the Reception of who they are and state the reason for their visit.
Governors
Governors at Highfield are aware of their role in safeguarding children and review the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy annually.
Sophia Loizia is the designated governor who liaises with the school to review school policies and procedures and reports
Site Safety
- Risk assessments carried out regularly & communicated to pupils and staff.
- Bevin Betton is the designated Health and Safety Govenor
- There is an accident book, behaviour book with evidence of action taken and impact of action.
- All members of staff are required to wear ID badges at all times.
- All members of staff are aware of their responsibilities to report health and safety concerns to the site manager immediately.
Visitors to School
If a visitor does not have the relevant ID/checks they must wait until a suitable member of staff is available to supervise access.
Lockers are available to put personal belongings in, including personal mobile phones. Please see our separate leaflet on the use of mobile phones.
All visitors must sign into the visitors’ book.
If you have any concerns around the safeguarding of the children at Highfield Primary School, or would like further information, please ask in the school office/reception.
STAFF
If a member of staff has any concerns or queries about any of the guidance below they should seek advice from a senior leader immediately.
Staff Conduct
Staff are required to work in a professional way with
children. Our Code of Conduct makes all staff aware of the procedures and protocols that must be adhered to in regard to:
- Physical intervention
- Cultural and gender stereotyping
- Dealing with sensitive information
- Contacting children through private telephones (including texting and), emailing, using MSN, or social net-working sites is not permitted. Privacy filters should be used. Personal mobile phones are locked away during school time and are not allowed to be kept In classes
- Disclosing personal details must not happen
- Meeting pupils outside school hours or school duties is not permitted
Confidentiality
Members of staff and governors may have access to confidential information about pupils in order to undertake their responsibilities. In some circumstances the information may be highly sensitive. Confidential or personal information about a pupil and/or their family must never be dis-closed to anyone other than on a need to know basis. Pupil and staff records are all kept securely.
Safe Recruitment
When recruiting new staff at least one member of the inter-view panel will have successfully completed the Safer Recruitment training and will be involved throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.
Designated Members of Staff
The designated members of staff keep child protection in-formation and records securely, offer advice and support to colleagues, pass on concerns to the relevant authorities and liaise with social workers. The designated members of staff are Mrs Morton (Lead) and Mr Wilson, Mrs Calder, Ms Halil, Mrs Marsh and Mrs Christodoulou are the Deputies.
Allegations against a member of staff
Any concerns about a member of staff’s conduct should be passed on to the Headteacher. If the concern is about the Headteacher, it should be reported to the Chair of Governors. The member of staff may be asked to leave the premises and be “suspended” while investigations are held.
Single Central Record
The Single Central Record holds information on all staff and visitors, including volunteers and contractors working in the school. Miss Moens is responsible for the upkeep of the SCR and the Head of School monitors it regularly inline with OF-STED requirements. The Chair of Governors also checks it yearly.
PUPILS
Physical Contact and Reasonable Force
Members of staff may have physical interventions with children and this may need to be included on the child’s individual RAMP (Risk Assessment). Members of staff should only do this where it is necessary to protect the child, or another person from and harm or danger and when the member of staff has received appropriate training (Approach Training). Mrs Togher, Mrs Brennan, Mrs Cameron, Miss Titre and Miss Leal.
Photographing Children
By Parents and Carers
Photographs and videos may only be taken by parents/carers at the location that the event is taking place, for example on the field for a football match, the hall for an assembly or show.
Photographs and videos may not be taken elsewhere in the school or en route to the event unless prior permission has been granted by the head teacher.
The distribution and publication of photos and videos taken at school events are for the parents/Carers own personal use, they may be shared by private communication such as email to friends and family but must not be published on any internet sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+ or any other social medial site.
There is one exception to the expectation regarding publishing pictures on the internet. If photos include only your own children it is permitted to share the picture on social media sites but there must be no other children visible in the shot no matter how little they appear to be in the shot.
By the School
There are restrictions on the use of images of children (e.g. data protection) and may be health and safety considerations. We adhere to the following guidelines:
- We seek written parental consent for the use of photographs and images for use by the school (including the school website and brochures) when a child joins the school.
- If visitors come to the school to make videos or take photographs for use outside the school we will seek specific parental consent.
- Staff should be sensitive to the feelings of pupils who may be uncomfortable about being photographed.
- Staff should be aware of the use of flash photography and the impact it may have on some of our pupils. Children are not named in our publications.
Children with SEN
We recognise that statistically, children with behavioural difficulties and disabilities are most vulnerable to abuse. All members of staff who support these pupils will be made aware of the need for vigilance for the signs of abuse.
E-Safety
The school’s E-Safety policy can be found in the policy section.
Transporting Pupils
In certain situations e.g. out of school activities, staff, volunteers or governors may agree to transport pupils. Wherever possible any transport arrangements should be made in advance by a designated member of staff. Any transport should be provided other than in private vehicles, with at least one adult additional to the driver acting as an escort.
Before and After School Activities and Educational Visits
Staff and volunteers should take particular care when supervising pupils in the less formal atmosphere of an educational visit, particularly in a residential setting, or after-school activity. Staff and volunteers remain in a position of trust and the same standards of conduct apply. The school has a policy on educational visits which forms part of this policy.
