Safeguarding
Our School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff, volunteers and people contracted to work on site to share this commitment.
This means that we have a Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and procedures in place.
Everyone on site must ensure that they are aware of these procedures, all visitors will be given our safeguarding and safety information to read when they sign in at the office. Please do not enter classrooms unless escorted by a member of staff or by prior arrangement.
If you have a concern about a child’s welfare, please record your concern and any observations or conversations heard and report it to one of our DSL’s as soon as possible. Do not conduct your own investigation. If you are unable to contact a DSL at this time, please contact Ms Elspeth Clarke, our Child protection and safeguarding governor via the school office.
If you have a concern about the behaviour of an adult on site (which suggests he or she is a danger to the children) then you should report this to as DSL in confidence and she will consider what action to take. Do not conduct your own investigation. Or if your concern relates to the Head teacher, please contact the chair of governors via the school office.
School Designated Safeguarding Leads
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Mrs Spick Headteacher |
Miss Davies Deputy Headteacher |
Mrs Ellis Assistant Head (Inclusion) |
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Miss Kavanagh Assistant Head |
Mrs Fleming Early Years Inclusion |
Mrs Foxen Family Liaison Officer |
What is Safeguarding and Child Protection?
Safeguarding relates to the broader aspects of education, for example, mental well-being of pupils and staff, health and safety, medical conditions, trips, first aid, online safety, risk assessments, children's and staff security.
Child Protection is part of safeguarding it protects children from a range of issues, including Neglect & Physical abuse, sexual and emotional abuse
Training
Staff have annual training in safeguarding and child protection during September or if they start during the year it is part of their induction.
All staff members have undertaken safeguarding training including FGM and CSE, e-safety training and Radicalisation Training.
The DSL and DDSL's have all undertaken further safeguarding training and attend termly DSL meetings.
The school submit a Safeguarding Audit to the LA Annually. This was last completed and submitted in October 2021. This document is filled in by the DSL team and was shared with the schools Governing Board in December 2021.
If you would like to access some further training for yourself and/or your child please click on the link below. The link will take you to the Think you Know website.
“Thinkuknow is the education programmer from the National Crime Agency's CEOP (Child Exploitation Online Protection) command. Thinkuknow aims to empower children and young people aged 5-17 to identify the risks they may face online and know where they can go for support.”
Keeping Children Safe in Education
All staff have read, signed, understand and follow Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 1.
Our Governing Body are responsible for making sure that our school's policies, procedures and training are effective and comply with legislation.
All Governors have read, signed, understand KCSIE, they know and follow Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 2.
As a maintained school we make sure that at least one member of an interviewing panel has completed safer recruitment training. Five members of SLT have had the training and a number of the Governors.
Part 3 of KCSIE has more information about requirements for safer recruitment.
Part 4 of KCSIE has information about allegations against staff
Part 5 of KCSIE had information regarding child-on-child sexual violence and sexual harassment.
To read Keeping Children Safe in Education please click on the link below;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
Further information
The two documents, Working Together to Safeguard children and What to do if you are worried a child is being abused, can be found on the DfE website.
/docs/New_Parents/Code_of_Conduct_for_parents_carers_visitors_and_the_wider_community.pdf
CEOP
The National Crime Agency's CEOP Command (formerly the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) works with child protection partners across the UK and overseas to identify the main threats to children and coordinates activity against these threats to bring offenders to account. We protect children from harm online and offline, directly through NCA led operations and in partnership with local and international agencies.
If you would like to visit the site or report a crime please click on the link below
https://www.ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre/
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
Safer Recruitment
Five members of the Senior Leadership Team and some of the Governing Body have undertaken Safer Recruitment training. We follow the procedures when recruiting any new member of staff including volunteers.
DBS Checks
All members of staff including volunteers and the Governors have DBS checks before they begin at the school.
NSPCC Pants Campaign
We have made all parents and guardians aware of the NSPCC PANTS campaign - which is aimed at preventing abuse in children. Please click on the link below to take you to the NSPCC site.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule/
Further help and advice
If you, or someone you know, wants to talk about anything at all, call The Helpline Hotline on their free helpline 0800 141 2055. Lines are currently open Monday to Friday 9AM – 5PM. Take as long as you want – it’s totally free! We won’t judge you. We won’t criticise you. We won’t record the call. So pick up the phone, let off steam! Get it off your chest! It’s why we are here!
Call 0800 141 2055 or Support@iNeedHelp.org.uk
NSPCC – 0808 800 5000 365 days a year
Police – 101
If a child is in immediate danger ring 999
National Domestic Violence Helpline - 0808 2000 247
https://www.met.police.uk/a/your-area/met/merton/merton-park/
https://londonfriend.org.uk/helpline/ This helpline has lots of helplines that they can share with you including some listed below.
Samaritans. To talk about anything that is upsetting you, you can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email jo@samaritans.org or visit some branches in person.
SANEline. If you're experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10.30pm every day).
Social media including any class WhatsApp or Facebook platforms
Poplar school does not have a WhatsApp messaging facility that we use to communicate with our parents/carers. We understand that most classes have a WhatsApp group to communicate between themselves. The following is the Code of Use for any class WhatsApp or groups associated with the school.
Class Reps are generally the group administrator or the Chair of the PTA for the PTA group. They should remind parents/carers to go through the correct channels if there are concerns e.g. speaking to the class teacher in the first instance.
We remind all parents and carers to adhere to the 'Code of Conduct for Parents / Carers, visitors and the wider community' at all times. A link to this can be found below:
Code of Conduct for Parents / Carers, visitors and the wider community