Phoenix St. Peter
Academy

Safeguarding &
Child Protection Policy

2024-2025
 

Audience:	Parents REAch2 staff Local Governing Bodies Cluster Boards Trustees Local Authorities
Ratified:	REAch2 Trust Board July 2024
Other related policies:	Attendance & Punctuality Policy Code of Conduct Digital & Online Safety Policy Disciplinary Policy First Aid & Medical Needs Policy Health and Safety Policy Home Visits Policy Information and Records Retention Policy Intimate Care Policy Missing Pupils Policy PSHE & RSHE Policy Positive Behaviour & Relationships Policy Safeguarding and Child Protection (Shared Service Staff) Safer Recruitment Policy Speak Up & Whistleblowing Policy Suspension & Exclusion Policy
Policy owner:	Helen Beattie, Head of Safeguarding
Review:	Annually

 

 

At REAch2, our actions and our intentions as school leaders are guided by our Touchstones.
 

                                                                                                                                                                

Policy Overview............................................................................................................................................... 4

Overarching Principles................................................................................................................................ 4

Intended Impact............................................................................................................................................ 4

Roles and Responsibilities......................................................................................................................... 4

How this relates to nation guidance and statutory requirements.......................................................... 4

Definitions..................................................................................................................................................... 5

Policy In Detail................................................................................................................................................. 5

The role and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead.................................................... 5

Induction and training................................................................................................................................. 6

Types of abuse and specific safeguarding issues.................................................................................. 6

Contextual safeguarding............................................................................................................................. 6

Processes, procedures, and inter-agency liaison................................................................................... 7

Early Help...................................................................................................................................................... 8

Mental health................................................................................................................................................ 8

Safer recruitment and the Single Central Record.................................................................................... 8

Teaching pupils to stay safe....................................................................................................................... 9

Use of premises for non-academy activities............................................................................................ 9

Implementation................................................................................................................................................ 9

Policy Review................................................................................................................................................. 10

ANNEX 1 – Types of abuse....................................................................................................................... 11

ANNEX 2 – Contact information............................................................................................................... 17

ANNEX 3a – Recording safeguarding concerns (online)...................................................................... 20

Annex 3b – Recording safeguarding concerns (paper)........................................................................ 21

ANNEX 4 – Local agency procedures...................................................................................................... 22

ANNEX 5a – Safeguarding concerns and allegations........................................................................... 23

ANNEX 5b – Adult Concern Form............................................................................................................ 27

ANNEX 5c – Low Level Concern Forms.................................................................................................. 28

ANNEX 5d – Safeguarding Concern Chronology................................................................................... 31

Policy Overview

Overarching Principles:

We recognise that academies and academy personnel are in a unique position in their care of children. The responsibility for all staff to safeguard pupils and promote their welfare, as stated in Section 175 of the Education Act (2002), is one that is central to our ethos, our policies, and our actions. All children are deserving of the highest levels of care and safeguarding, regardless of their individual characteristics or circumstances, and we are committed to applying this policy to ensure effective levels of safeguarding and care are afforded to all of our pupils. It is essential that all actions are taken first and foremost in the best interest of our pupils. This policy sets out guidance and procedures that our academy will follow to ensure appropriate action is taken in a timely manner to safeguard and promote the welfare of our pupils. Its contents are intended to be in accordance with all relevant Government guidelines and legislation, as well as the inter-agency procedures provided by Suffolk County Council Safeguarding partners.

Intended Impact:

• To enable all pupils to feel safe and cared for whilst at our academy, and to ensure that they have a safe place and safe people to whom they can turn.
• To enable all adults involved with our academy to be fully equipped to fulfil their responsibilities in effectively promoting the safeguarding and welfare of all of our pupils.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Pupils will: adhere to academy rules regarding conduct and safe behaviour; report anything that worries them to a trusted adult.
• Parents/carers will: work collaboratively with academy staff to promote the safety of their children and of other pupils; support our academy to teach pupils about keeping safe by reinforcing key safety messages; report any safeguarding concerns regarding their own children or another pupil to the academy.
• The academy will: ensure that all pupils have a safe learning environment and are taught about how to keep safe; train and support all adults involved with our academy to appropriately identify and respond to any pupil at risk of harm; work collaboratively with parents and professional agencies to safeguard our pupils.
• Governors will: ensure this policy is applied robustly throughout the academy; review it regularly (annually at a minimum) to ensure the effectiveness and rigour of safeguarding practice at our academy.
• REAch2 central staff will: know, understand and follow the safeguarding procedures for each academy within which they work; undertake relevant regular training and updates to ensure their skills and knowledge support them to meet their safeguarding responsibility.
• REAch2 safeguarding team members will: advise and challenge academies and their staff to support them in deploying best practice to meet their statutory safeguarding responsibilities.

How this relates to nation guidance and statutory requirements:

Statutory safeguarding and child protection practice for schools and academies is outlined in the following legislation and documents, with which this policy intends to be in accordance:

• Legal: Section 175, Education Act (2002); Section 26, Counter Terrorism and Security Act (2015); Human Rights Act (1998); Equality Act (2010)
• Government: Working Together to Safeguard Children (202); What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (2015); Keeping children safe in education (2024); Children missing education (2016); Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools (2021); The designated teacher for looked after and previously looked after children (2018); Information Sharing, Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services (2018); Teaching online safety in schools (2023); Relationships education, relationships and sex education, and health education (2019); Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (2024);  Use of reasonable force in schools (2013)
• Ofsted: Education inspection framework (2023)

Definitions:

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024) as: ‘providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge; protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online; preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.’

Responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead:

• We will appoint a senior member of staff from our academy’s leadership team to act as our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) This person will coordinate all safeguarding and child protection procedures at our academy, including those related to online safety, filtering and monitoring, and will take lead responsibility for this area, which will be specified in their job description.
• We will also appoint one or more Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads, who will be trained to the same level as the Lead, will have their Deputy DSL role included in their job description, and to whom activities may be delegated. For the purposes of this policy, reference to the Deputy DSL can mean anyone in our academy who is appointed to the Deputy DSL role.
• During school hours, the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy will be available to discuss any safeguarding concerns, either in person or, in exceptional circumstances, via phone or other modes of communication. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will make appropriate cover arrangements for any requirements or activities taking place out of school hours and during school holidays. In the event that the Designated Safeguarding Lead is absent, the Headteacher will arrange for suitable cover from the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead(s); if the Headteacher is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, the Deputy Director of Education will make these arrangements with the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead(s), supported by the relevant member of the REAch2 safeguarding team, as required.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy will undergo suitable training, including related to specific areas such as Digital & Online Safety and Prevent, to equip them with the skills and knowledge required to undertake their role, which will be updated at a minimum every two years; in addition, their skills and knowledge will be refreshed at regular intervals, annually at a minimum.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy will ensure that all staff know and understand the safeguarding and child protection procedures at our academy, as well as knowing, and working effectively with, the local inter-agency procedures for assessment of early help needs and for referrals of suspected cases of abuse.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy will encourage amongst staff a culture of listening to children and taking into account their wishes and feelings to help protect them. This includes understanding that children may not recognise that they are being abused, or feel ready to share this, and the importance of staff remaining professionally curious and seeking to build trusting relationships with children that facilitate communication.
• Pupil voice is valued in our academy, and we will take every opportunity to hear from children, at an age-appropriate level, about their views and experiences, in order to both inform our practice and also our assessment of their safety and wellbeing. This may take place reactively, i.e. in response to a concern, or proactively, i.e. as part of a regularly scheduled ‘check in’.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy are expected to oversee and manage all referrals of suspected abuse that are made to Social Care, Police, Channel, and other agencies, and will also support and liaise with any academy staff who have either been involved in making such referrals or who have concerns about a pupil which may subsequently require a referral. All referrals will be followed up within one working day of them being submitted, if the academy has not received feedback from the agency to whom the referral was made.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead will act as an Appropriate Adult where required, in line with Police Code, or designate an appropriate academy staff member to do so, under their explicit guidance and oversight. Any searching, screening or confiscation will take place in line with updated DfE guidance (2022).
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy will maintain detailed and secure records on our electronic system of any concerns and referrals, and all subsequent follow up actions and communications. Records will be actioned and updated within one working day of the event taking place.

Induction and training:

• We will train all academy staff and volunteers in line with local safeguarding partnership procedures to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to support them to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities, including those related to online safety, filtering and monitoring. Key information will be shared on their first day before working with children, and induction in full will be completed no later than 1 month after the employed/volunteer role commences.
• Training will be revisited and refreshed on a regular basis throughout the academic year.
• Both training and refresher sessions will reinforce understanding of the types of abuse, including specific safeguarding issues; the adult’s role in recognising and responding to abuse; and the academy’s processes for recording and following up on any concerns.
• Policies, policy updates, and statutory information will also be shared during induction and refresher sessions (see page 10, ‘Implementation’, for further information)
• Additionally, we will train all members of the Local Governing Body upon induction and as required thereafter to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to support them to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities, including those related to online safety.
• Governor training will reflect the unique strategic role of Governance and will reinforce understanding of our academy’s role in safeguarding at an operational level, as well as guide Governors on their strategic approach to checking and verifying the effective and robust implementation of this policy.

Types of abuse and specific safeguarding issues:

• We recognise that adults working in our academy are in a unique position to recognise and respond to signs of abuse, and that these can take place and manifest in a variety of ways, including abuse that takes place online, and abuse that takes place between children.
• Induction training and regular refresher sessions will equip staff and volunteers to understand the different types of abuse, including specific safeguarding issues such as Female Genital Mutilation and radicalisation, and support them to know how to respond to any concerns.
• Annex 1, details our approach to dealing with the risks posed by abuse, and how we identify and respond to any signs of abuse.

Contextual safeguarding:

• Children are subject to possible risk at home, in the academy, in their local community and environment, and online, and we recognise that, in order to effectively safeguard our pupils and promote their welfare, we need to understand any specific issues arising in the local area that can affect the risk posed to them.
• We will work with local partners, including Social Care and Police, to ensure that we stay alert to any emerging contextual risks, and to ensure that assessment of risk for any of our pupils includes appropriate reference to their local community and environment.
• Further information to support staff in understanding contextual safeguarding can be found via the Contextual Safeguarding Network: https://www.contextualsafeguarding.org.uk

Processes, procedures, and inter-agency liaison:

• Our academy has a clear procedure for recording any possible signs of abuse, using a standardised safeguarding concerns form on our online system (see Annex 3a) This will be explained to all staff and volunteers at induction. A paper copy of our concern is also available in the event of being unable to access the online system (see Annex 3b) Training and refresher sessions will reinforce effective techniques for recording concerns and will highlight the importance of accurate written records.
  There is additional recording standards guidance for Designated Safeguarding Leads on the REAch2 intranet, to support with effective record keeping, alongside audit tools to be used for self-assessment and benchmarking.
• All new safeguarding concerns records, and any other documentation of a safeguarding nature, are held in our online system, separately from any other pupil information, and are stored securely with access limited only to those who have received DSL training; namely, the Designated Safeguarding Lead, their Deputy, and the Headteacher. N.B. historic files, and those received from previous settings, may still exist in paper form.
• Pupil safeguarding files on our online system will contain any relevant information and documentation related to the pupil’s safety and welfare. Their contents will be logically organised and will allow for easy access to key events and information regarding the pupil. Should the pupil leave the academy, a copy of their safeguarding file will be transferred to the new school within 5 working days of the academy receiving explicit confirmation of the pupil having started at the new school via phone call or email. Confirmation of receipt of the file will be requested.
• Upon receiving a concern which indicates a suspicion of abuse, the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy will follow local inter-agency procedures, local information sharing protocols and statutory/legal expectations in deciding if a referral to an external agency is warranted. It is important to note that whilst a referral would typically be made by the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy, any member of staff can make a referral, and appropriate information will be signposted to all staff to support them to do so.
• In the case of a referral being made due to risk of significant harm, the referrer will make a detailed written record of their actions, including: dates and times of any conversations; the name and role of any professionals that were spoken to; the outcome of the referral; any actions that the referrer and the agency receiving the referral have agreed to.
• Any disagreements between the referrer and a professional or agency will be appropriately voiced and discussed, with the referrer following appropriate escalation procedures if they remain dissatisfied and if the circumstances warrant, in line with Suffolk County Council Safeguarding Partnership’s escalation procedures:
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• Any disagreements or escalation will be recorded in writing by the referrer.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy will be a proactive contributor to any strategy meeting, Child Protection conference/review, and core group, and will attend professionals’ meetings where requested, providing appropriate written and/or verbal education and welfare reports related to the pupil and their family as requested by agencies and in line with statutory information sharing guidance.
• Records of all safeguarding work will be made on the pupil’s safeguarding record. Any actions arising from a concern will be followed up and documented, and records of any communication with academy staff, external agencies and parents related to safeguarding will be documented on the pupil’s record within 24 hours. This will include a clear rationale for any decisions made.
• Minutes and action plans of meetings will be retained on a pupil’s safeguarding record, with relevant actions being fed back to the appropriate members of the team, and any progress towards meeting required actions and outcomes also recorded.

Early Help:

• We recognise that early intervention when a child or family is starting to show signs of concern can be critical to ensure that the right help and support is sourced, preventing any further escalation of issues or a decline in the child’s safety and wellbeing.
• We recognise that partnerships with parents and carers is crucial in identifying the need for early help and for effective collaboration to improve the life chances for pupils. We work proactively with parents and carers to develop effective relationships between home and the academy, and to promote the benefits of early help and intervention to support their child, be that internally provided by our academy or externally provided by the Local Authority Early Help offer.
• Any child can benefit from early help, but we are particularly alert to the needs of: SEND pupils, including those with physical and/or mental health needs; young carers; pupils vulnerable to anti-social or criminal behaviour, gangs, abuse, modern slavery, exploitation and radicalisation; pupils currently in or recently returned from care or those being privately fostered; pupils misusing drugs or alcohol or living in households where drugs or alcohol are being misused; pupils living in households with domestic violence or parental mental health concerns; pupils who are persistently absent, or frequently missing from education, home or care; pupils experiencing multiple suspensions and/or at risk of permanent exclusion; pupils at risk of ‘honour based’ abuse.
• In a case where a concern about a pupil does not suggest a risk of significant harm but they remain in need of additional support, the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy will liaise with parents and, with their permission, follow local Early Help Assessment guidelines in order to source the most appropriate support.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy will be a proactive instigator and/or contributor to any Early Help Assessment and subsequent Team Around the Family meeting and, as above, will lead or attend professionals’ meetings where requested, providing appropriate written and/or verbal education and welfare reports related to the pupil and their family as requested by agencies.

Mental health:

• We recognise that mental health problems can be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse or neglect and, equally, that having experienced abuse or neglect can significantly impact on a child’s mental health.
• In their role of seeing pupils’ day to day, our staff are well placed to observe their behaviours and to identify any concerns relating to a pupil’s mental health.
• Where a staff member has a concern about a pupil’s mental health that also reflects a safeguarding concern, this will be reported and responded to in line with the guidelines above.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy will work collaboratively with all relevant academy staff, i.e. SENDCO, to contribute to any assessment of a pupil’s mental health, and will work in collaboration with other agencies, as required, to best meet the pupil’s needs and ensure their safety is considered as a primary focus.

Safer recruitment and the Single Central Record:

• We recognise that it is critical to ensure that our pupils are taught and supported by adults who are safe to do so, and that we are responsible for promoting a culture of safety within our academy environment by preventing unsafe adults from having access to it.
• In line with expected practice for safer recruitment, a minimum of one member of academy staff will undertake REAch2 training in ‘Safer Recruitment’ and will be present on any interview panel. All staff trained in safer recruitment will read and be familiar with Part 3 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024) and our academy’s Recruitment policy.
• Our academy will maintain a Single Central Record, detailing the required and relevant recruitment and vetting checks undertaken on all academy employees, volunteers, Governors, agency workers and third-party staff.
• The Headteacher will oversee the SCR and be accountable for its accuracy, checking it regularly and termly as a minimum, making a record of the check and any subsequent actions that arise.
• The designated governor will also check the adherence of our safer recruitment practice to our academy’s policy on a regular basis, in line with guidance provided by the REAch2 Governance team, also making a record of the check and any subsequent actions that arise. N.B. Governors are not expected to have access to personal information as part of this process.
• The Single Central Record will be supported by files containing appropriate supporting evidence for recruitment and vetting checks, held in line with Data Protection legislation.
• Please see our Recruitment policy for further detail regarding our adherence to safer recruitment principles for adults in our academy.

Teaching pupils to stay safe:

• We recognise the importance of teaching our pupils how to stay safe, and that opportunities to do so form an integral part of a broad and balanced curriculum.
• Learning opportunities will take the form of: PSHE lessons (in line with statutory requirements for the Relationships and Heath curriculum and accompanying DfE-recommended resources), Computing lessons, sex education, assemblies, circle time, class/form time, and visiting speakers, as well as smaller group and focussed intervention for pupils identified as particularly vulnerable, as needed.
• The ethos of our academy and its curriculum will support the promotion of British Values, which is designed to build resilience to exploitation and radicalisation.
• We will model and teach safe behaviour and appropriate language (including how to stay safe online, and our use of filtering and monitoring) and will promote a culture of safety within our academy where everyone’s opinion is valued, and everyone has someone safe to whom they can turn.
• It is important that pupils feel that we take seriously any concerns that they have. We will actively collect feedback from our pupils and will regularly engage with Pupil Voice to seek the views of pupils on their experiences of feeling safe at our academy and within their communities.
• Please see separate policy and curriculum documentation for further information.

Use of premises for non-academy activities:

• In the event that our premises are used by organisations or individuals outside of our academy or Trust, it is essential that appropriate arrangements are in place to safeguard any children in attendance.
• We will seek assurance as part of any lease or hiring agreement that appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place, in line with DfE guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Out Of School Settings (2022) This will be a condition of the lease, and failure to comply would lead to termination of the agreement.

Implementation:

This policy applies to all adults involved with our academy, including paid staff, volunteers, including Governors, and visitors. It will be publicly available on our academy website and will be available in paper form upon request from the office. We will also make available and/or signpost all relevant legislation, statutory and non-statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance, and relevant academy policies to staff and volunteers for their reference.

At the beginning of the academic year all academy staff and volunteers who work directly with pupils will be issued with a copy of the academy’s:

1. Attendance & Punctuality Policy
2. Code of Conduct
3. Digital & Online Safety Policy
4. Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024) – Part 1 & Annex B.
5. Positive Behaviour & Relationships Policy
6. Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy (this document)
7. Speak Up & Whistleblowing Policy

They will be required to sign a confirmation that they have received, read and understood these documents, and that they agree to abide by their contents. In addition, the Designated Safeguarding Lead will make accessible to all staff and volunteers who work directly with pupils all parts of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024), and may direct them to read specific additional sections, dependent on their role.

Any new staff and volunteers who join our academy subsequent to the annual policy issue, and who work directly with pupils, will receive a specific safeguarding induction, where the documentation listed in the previous paragraph will be shared with them. They will also be required to sign a confirmation that they have received, read and understood these documents, and that they agree to abide by their contents.

Any staff and volunteers working in our academy who do not work directly with pupils may be issued with a copy of Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024), as an alternative to the above-named documents, in order to provide a better basis for these individuals to understand how to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This decision will be made at the discretion of the Designated Safeguarding Lead. In addition, temporary and short-term visitors to our academy will be made aware of our safeguarding procedures in line with our Code of Conduct.

The implementation of this policy will be reviewed on a regular basis by the academy Senior Leadership Team and also by Governors, led by the named academy Safeguarding Governor, to assess the effectiveness and impact of the academy’s processes and procedures in safeguarding pupils and promoting their welfare.

Additionally, the REAch2 safeguarding team will support REAch2 academies in their implementation of this policy through the REAch2 safeguarding strategy. This will include, amongst other areas, scrutiny of safeguarding pupil files, of actions taken by the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy in response to safeguarding concerns, and of the quality and impact of staff safeguarding training. All members of the REAch2 safeguarding team have received Designated Safeguarding Lead training, and have been assessed to have the knowledge, skills and experience required to undertake this role.

Failure by any staff member or volunteer to implement this policy could be considered an act of misconduct and will be dealt with in line with relevant academy policies. Any concerns about compliance with this policy should be raised as a concern, in line with Annex Five of this policy.

Policy Review:

The Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy for Academies will be reviewed by the Head of Safeguarding and REAch2 Trustees annually as per statutory requirements, or sooner, in the case of a mid-year update to statutory guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Any changes made to this policy will be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.

ANNEX 1 – Types of abuse:

We are aware that all children are potentially vulnerable to abuse. It can take place at home, in the academy environment, in the wider community and online; be committed by adults and by other children; be inflicted by people known to the child and by strangers; be a consequence of an act of deliberate harm and from failing to take necessary steps to prevent the child from coming to harm.

The four main types of abuse referred to in Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024), and a summary of their definitions, are:
 

1. physical: may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child; physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
    
2. emotional: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development; may involve conveying that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person, not giving them opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate, age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed, interactions that are beyond their developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing them from participating in normal social interaction, seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another, serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing them frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or exploitation or corruption.
    
3. sexual: forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening; may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts, non-physical contact, grooming a child in preparation for abuse, and online sexual abuse.
    
4. neglect: the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development; may involve failure to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter, failure to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger, failure to ensure adequate supervision, failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment, and failure to meet a child’s basic emotional needs

High quality safeguarding training ensures all adults involved with our academy are familiar with the definitions of abuse, actions that constitute each of the four categories, and the signs of each type of abuse, including online, so that pupils who may be in need of help or protection are appropriately identified. Safeguarding training will be regularly revisited throughout the academic year, and will be integrated and aligned with our academy-wide plan for training and curriculum.

In addition to the above, we recognise that there are a number of specific safeguarding issues that require special consideration due to their complex nature. All staff and volunteers working directly with pupils will be issued with a copy of Part 1 and Annex B of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024), containing the full outline of specific safeguarding issues, and their accompanying guidance documents and resources, with which they are expected to be familiar.

Children potentially at greater risk of harm:

• We recognise that children who have a Social Worker may have needed this due to abuse, neglect, and complex family circumstances, and that this potentially leaves them vulnerable to further harm. We also recognise that research shows that children who have a Social Worker, or have had a Social Worker, are at risk of lower educational outcomes than their peers.
• When we are alerted to a pupil in our academy having a Social Worker, the Designated Safeguarding Lead will inform other staff in the academy on a case-by-case basis in order to ensure the best interests of the pupil are being considered with regards to their safety, welfare and educational outcomes. This may include classroom staff, pastoral and support staff, and/or admin staff.
• The welfare and educational needs of our pupils with Social Workers, and those who have historically had a Social Worker, will be regularly reviewed by the Designated Safeguarding Lead to support teaching staff to provide additional academic support, as required, to promote their academic achievement.  This is monitored through weekly Vulnerable Pupil meetings, and all information is recorded and shared digitally through the academy’s CPOMS system – Child Protection Online Monitoring System.  All information is shared with the Academy’s DSL and ADSLs, Executive Headteacher and Staff as appropriate.  CPOMS is monitored by the Executive Headteacher and the Trust’s Regional Safeguarding & Family Liaison Lead.   
  We will also work closely with the Virtual School Head and engage with any information and guidance arising from their strategic oversight of attendance, attainment and progress of all children with a Social Worker.

Child on child abuse:

• Some children may abuse their peers, which can manifest in many ways, including bullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory behaviour, physical abuse, sexual abuse/harassment/violence, ‘sexting’, upskirting, and initiation/hazing. Child on child abuse of all types can take place inside and outside of our academy, and can be face to face or online.

• Harmful or abusive behaviour, including that which is of a sexualised nature, between pupils in our academy is not tolerated: we do not believe that it is to be expected, or to be accepted. We recognise that child on child abuse, particularly that which is sexual, is more likely to see boys as perpetrators and girls as victims; staff will be alert to this, but will ensure that all incidents of child on child abuse are taken equally seriously, regardless of the nature, identity or gender of the perpetrator and victim/s.
• With regards to child on child sexual abuse, we are aware of the outcomes of Ofsted’s 2021 rapid review, and understand the importance of adopting an attitude of ‘it is happening here’ amongst our leaders and staff, regardless of whether there have been any specific reports from our pupils, in order to promote and embed a culture of constant awareness and vigilance. Part Five of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024), Child on Child Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment, will be made available for all staff, and they will receive training to recognise and respond to any incidents or reports of incidents.
• Any report of child on child abuse will be swiftly investigated, recorded and responded to in line with the academy’s behaviour and anti-bullying policies, and, in the case of sexual abuse, in line with Part Five of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024) The Brook Traffic Light Tool, in which a member of our DSL has received training, will be used to identify, understand and respond to the behaviour, and the language of the Tool, i.e. red/orange/green, will be reflected in the record keeping for each incident.
• Where appropriate, our response may include sanctions, separation or change of class, exclusion, referral to Early Help, Social Care and/or Police. Victim/s will be reassured, and both victim/s and perpetrator/s will receive appropriate support and guidance to safeguard and protect them and to ensure that their wellbeing is being promoted.
• We will use our curriculum to minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse taking place in our academy. This will help pupils understand, age-appropriately, what abuse is, and what the academy’s policy and expectations are of their behaviour and conduct to each other, reassuring them that any concerns they have will be taken seriously and encouraging them to tell a trusted adult if someone is behaving in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Gangs, youth violence, and serious violent crime:

• We recognise that children are vulnerable, at any age, to being drawn into a gang environment and/or being targeted as perpetrators or victims of violence to others. Risk factors for such activity, including frequent absence from school and suspension or exclusion, will be considered in our application of our academy’s attendance and behaviour policies.
• We understand the positive impact that education, and spotting and responding to early warning signs of gang behaviour and violence, can have on affecting a positive outcome for a child and for building resilience to gang culture.
• We will be vigilant to any signs of our pupils being drawn into, or affected by, gangs, youth violence, and serious violent crime, and will work with local agencies to safeguard any perpetrators and/or victims.

Exploitation, including child criminal exploitation (CCE) and child sexual exploitation (CSE):

• It is understood that any child of any age is vulnerable to the risks of exploitation, including child criminal and child sexual exploitation, and that this risk is not limited to older children or adolescents. Children can be exploited by adults, but children can also be used to exploit other children. Exploitation can take place online as well as face to face. We recognise that both girls and boys can be exploited, both criminally and sexually, and that the experience of girls and boys, as well as the indicators of the risk they are facing, may differ.
• We are alert to the signs and indicators of a pupil becoming at risk of, or subject to, all forms of exploitation, including but not limited to: gang and violence-related activity; criminal and anti-social behaviour; going missing from education; underage and/or illegal sexual activity; risky behaviour, including behaviour online.
• In addition, we are alert to the signs and indicators of a pupil becoming at risk of, or subject to, exploitation for the purposes of county lines, a term used to describe exportation of illegal drugs by criminal networks between different locations in the UK. This includes but is not limited to: going missing from education; awareness, knowledge and use of alcohol and illegal substances.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead is the academy’s named professional for issues related to exploitation, and will work with local agencies as required to safeguard pupils at risk of, or subject to, exploitation.

Children with family members in prison, and children in the court system:

• We recognise the significant impact that a parent being in prison can have on a child’s outcomes, academically, emotionally and financially.
• We also recognise that children can be required to give evidence in court, either as victims or as witnesses, and that this is an experience likely to have a significant impact on them.
• Both of the above issues require bespoke support to ensure that the impact on the child’s wellbeing is minimised. We will seek appropriate professional support for any of our pupils who are in these circumstances, and ensure that pastoral provision actively supports and monitors their progress.

 

Domestic abuse:

• Seeing, hearing or experiencing domestic abuse, defined as controlling, coercive, threatening, violent and abusive behaviour between partners, ex-partners and family members, is a form of abuse. It poses a serious risk to children, and we recognise the serious and long lasting impact it can have on their health, wellbeing, development and ability to learn. Children experiencing domestic abuse are now recognised in law as victims.
• We will train our staff to know and understand the types of domestic abuse, including physical, emotional, psychological, sexual and financial, its risks, regardless of whether the child has been physically injured or not, and to recognise any incident of domestic abuse witnessed or experienced by our pupils as a potential safeguarding issue. Where necessary, we will work with local agency professionals to respond to any reported incidents of domestic abuse.

Homelessness:

• We recognise that homelessness, and the risk of homelessness, places a child’s welfare at significant risk, being at risk of poverty, exploitation, and becoming missing from education, amongst others.
• Timely intervention when a risk of homelessness is first identified is critical in preventing a situation from escalating and homelessness becoming a reality. We will work closely with families identified to be at risk, and with professional from relevant local agencies, to put appropriate measures into place to minimise the risk of homelessness.

‘Honour based’ abuse, including Female Genital Mutilation, Breast Ironing and Forced Marriage:

• ‘Honour based’ abuse refers to actions committed under a belief of protecting or defending the honour of a family or community. Regardless of the motivation or circumstances, we recognise that these acts are illegal and abusive, and should be responded to as such.
• We are aware of, and will adhere to, the legal duty placed on teachers to notify the Police of any confirmed cases of Female Genital Mutilation carried out on a girl under the age of 18.
• We are alert to the signs and indicators of a pupil being at risk of ‘honour based’ abuse, and will work with local agencies as required to safeguard these pupils.

Radicalisation:

• Under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act (2015) academies are required to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism’, otherwise known as the ‘Prevent duty’.
• We are alert to the signs and indicators of a pupil showing signs of radicalisation and of being at risk of being drawn into terrorism, and will work with local agencies and the Channel programme as required to safeguard these pupils.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead is our named professional for radicalisation, who has an appropriate knowledge of the risks associated with the local area and is aware of the local referral processes for raising a Prevent concern.
• We recognise that a broad and balanced curriculum will support pupils in developing resilience to extremist ideology; therefore, learning opportunities will promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development, prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life, promote community cohesion and British values, and provide a safe space in which they can understand, discuss and learn to challenge sensitive topics.

Children who are absent from education:

• We recognise that regular attendance at schools is a protective factor for all pupils, and that absence from school can be a warning sign to a wide range of safeguarding issues. This is particularly the case for pupils where periods of absence are prolonged, repeated, unexplained and/or persistent.
• Robust procedures are in place for monitoring and responding to pupil attendance, as outlined in our academy’s Attendance policy, including, where possible, recording more than one emergency contact for each pupil.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead will work closely with staff responsible for monitoring attendance to undertake regular, joint scrutiny of academy attendance monitoring systems to support early identification of children where absence is a cause for concern.
• We will work with local agencies where additional support and intervention is required to support improvements to a child’s attendance, especially where periods of absence are prolonged and/or repeated.
• Please see our academy’s Attendance policy for further information.

Children Missing Education:

• We recognise that a child missing from education can be an indicator of abuse or neglect, including a risk of exploitation, ‘honour based’ abuse and radicalisation, as outlined above.
• In line with Children Missing Education (2016) and Suffolk County Council procedures, we will work with local agencies and make timely referrals as required to ensure that circumstances where children are missing from education are swiftly and appropriately responded to.

Elective Home Education:

• We are alert to the possible risks posed to children if they are removed from school roll by their parents to be educated at home, especially if they are vulnerable, have a Social Worker or have SEND.
• We will work with parents and colleagues in our Local Authority and other relevant local agencies to ensure that due consideration has been given by all to what is in the best interests of the child, including in those circumstances where a child being removed from school roll to be educated at home has an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP)

• We will follow Local Authority procedures to notify of any child who is removed off school roll where a parent has indicated their decision to home educate.

Digital & Online safety:

• Technology has become a significant risk factor in safeguarding children, and we recognise our responsibility to protect our pupils from the risks of inappropriate content and contact from inappropriate people, as well as educating them about how to conduct themselves safely online.
• We have robust systems for both filtering and monitoring online activity using our academy devices, which is aligned with the DfE’s filtering and monitoring standards (March 2023)

• Staff are alert to the risks posed to pupils via their use of technology, typically referred to as ‘the four Cs’ (content: harmful or illegal content; contact: harmful online interaction with other users; conduct: personal online behaviour that causes harm or increases the risk of harm; commerce: risks such as online gambling or phishing) Staff receive appropriate training, including related to the academy’s filtering and monitoring systems, to support them in ensuring that any online risks are swiftly identified and reported.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead takes lead responsibility for coordinating our response to any risks linked to online safety, and has a full awareness and oversight of reporting of concerns from our filtering and monitoring systems. Any risks identified for our pupils arising from reports from either system will be responded to in line with this policy, and, additionally, our behaviour policy, as required, and, where needed, escalated to local agencies for additional support in line with local thresholds.

• Our Computing curriculum, together with assemblies and other learning opportunities, will equip our pupils with the necessary knowledge and skills to take best advantage of the many opportunities that technology brings whilst acting safely and responsibly whilst using technology. It will take into account all of the guidance contained within Government documents to ensure that pupils are sufficiently protected and educated with regards to online safety.
• Please see the Academy’s Digital & Online Safety Policy for further information, including agreements for the acceptable use of technology.

Children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND):

• We recognise that pupils with SEND, including those with physical and mental health conditions, face additional challenges in keeping safe, and that they may be subject to increased risk by virtue of their special need or disability. Their physical and emotional needs, behaviour, mood, difficulties with communication, and proneness to isolation and to bullying all make them more vulnerable to abuse, and more vulnerable to abuse being overlooked or ascribed to a different cause.
• Staff working with pupils with SEND who are non-verbal or have limited communication will be particularly vigilant of potential signs of abuse, such as changes in mood and behaviour, suspicious marks, etc, and will promptly respond to these signs by following the safeguarding procedures detailed above.
• We ensure that pupils with SEND receive appropriate pastoral provision, which, if necessary, may be additional to that provided to non-SEND pupils, and that they are taught in a way that is appropriate to their developmental stage about keeping safe and about sharing any worries or concerns with a trusted adult.
• Use of ‘reasonable force’, referring to use of physical contact to control or restrain a pupil, is sanctioned in schools when it is being used to safeguard, in line with DfE’s guidance, Use of reasonable force in schools (2013). The additional vulnerabilities of pupils with SEND in the use of reasonable force is known and understood, and we are committed to reducing the risk posed to these pupils and limiting the need for use of reasonable force through our pastoral support and behaviour management systems.
• From time to time, pupils with SEND may need to receive additional support, or part-time/full-time education, from an Alternative Provision so that their needs can best be met. We remain responsible for the safeguarding of any child attending an Alternative Provision, and will take responsibility for assuring ourselves that the policies and procedures for keeping children safe at the Alternative Provision, including those relating to safeguarding and to safer recruitment, are sufficiently robust and are in line with statutory expectations.
• Please see the Academy’s SEND/Inclusion and behaviour policies for further information.

Looked After Children, and previously Looked After Children:

• Children are most commonly taken into care following abuse or neglect; consequently, pupils who are Looked After or previously Looked After, including those who have been adopted from care or are subject to care orders, can be vulnerable as a result of their historical experiences, as well as with their current care arrangements.
• We will appoint a Designated Teacher, who will be a qualified teacher, responsible for monitoring the progress and wellbeing of all Looked After Children, and for liaising with both academy staff and professionals from external agencies, including the Virtual School Head, to ensure appropriate provision to meet their academic, developmental and welfare needs. The Designated Teacher will also be responsible for monitoring the progress and wellbeing of all previously Looked After Children, ensuring that they have appropriate provision to meet their needs.
• The Designated Teacher will be responsible for ensuring that a Looked After Child’s PEP is available, up to date and regularly reviewed to ensure it is having an impact on the pupil’s attainment and wellbeing.
• The Designated Teacher will also be responsible for establishing effective partnerships with the child’s carers.

Children who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or gender questioning:

• We recognise that identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or gender questioning is not in itself a risk factor for harm; however, lesbian, gay, bisexual and gender questioning children, or children perceived to be such, can be targets for bullying and abuse by their peers, the risks of which can be compounded if they do not have a trusted adult with whom to share these concerns.
• Staff will endeavour to provide a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual and gender questioning children to discuss concerns, and remove any additional barriers that may prevent this.
• In line with our Relationships, Health and Sex education policy, pupils will be taught at an age-appropriate point about LGBT relationships.

 

ANNEX 5c – Low Level Concern Forms

LOW LEVEL CONCERN CHRONOLOGY

Use this form to document the actions you have taken to respond to a low-level concern. An example entry has been completed to guide you. This document, and any accompanying evidence or documentation, must be stored securely on the staff member’s personnel file, either password protected or in a sealed envelope marked ‘low level concern’. You should also enter this concern onto your school ‘low level concern monitoring log’ to inform your half termly review.

 

Name of person to whom concern relates:		Mr Z	Role of person to whom concern relates:	1:1 TA
Date & time	Summary of what has happened, including the actions that have been taken			Records	Recorded by
6th September 2021 at 10.55am	Mrs A spoke to me at break time to say that Mr Z had taken a photo of a child on his own mobile phone. The child had done a good piece of work, and asked Mr Z to take a picture of her holding her work to share with her dad. I asked Mrs A to complete an adult concern form, and have emailed Mr Z and his line manager to meet with me at 3.30 to investigate this further.			Adult concern form completed by Mrs A Copy of email to Mr Z and line manager	IW, Headteacher

LOW LEVEL CONCERN MONITORING LOG – part 1

Use part 1 of this form to log a summary of all low-level concerns in your school, so that you can track any common themes or issues. An example entry has been completed to guide you. Use part 2 to log your half termly review and any arising actions that you are taking. These documents must be stored securely, either in a locked cabinet or password protected.

 

Adult’s initials	Adult’s role (i.e. teacher)	Date of concern	Brief summary of nature of concern	Outcome
Mr Z	1:1 TA	6/9/2021	Photo taken of child on personal mobile phone	Management advice 1:1 session with line manager to review and discuss code of conduct and safeguarding policies

 

LOW LEVEL CONCERN MONITORING LOG – part 2

Use this form to record your half termly review of low-level concerns in your school and any actions that you are taking in response. An example entry has been completed to guide you.

Date of review	Initials and role of reviewer	No. of low-level concerns since last review	Comments	Actions
End of Autumn 1	IW, Headteacher	3	All concerns related to use of personal mobile phones in front of chn by support staff.	HT and SENDCO to meet with support staff to review policy and expected practice. DSL is scheduling scenarios related to safeguarding risks associated with adult use of mobile phone in school for all staff next half term.
End of Autumn 2
End of Spring 1
End of Spring 2
End of Summer 1
End of Summer 2

ANNEX 5d – Safeguarding Concern Chronology

Use this form to document the actions you have taken to respond to a safeguarding concern. An example entry has been completed to guide you. This document, and any accompanying evidence or documentation, must be stored securely on the staff member’s personnel file, either password protected or in a sealed envelope marked ‘safeguarding concern’.

Name of person to whom concern relates:

Mrs Y

Role of person to whom concern relates:

Class teacher

 

Date & time	Summary of incident	LADO contact	Actions required	Records	Recorded by
06/09/21 12.55pm	Mr B spoke to me at lunch time to say that Mrs Y had grabbed a child’s arm (CB) to stop them from leaving the classroom. He said that he went to the child afterwards and that there were marks on their arm. I asked Mr B to complete an adult concern form.	Rang LADO at 1.15pm. LADO advised that further fact finding is needed, and requested that I interview CB, ask what happened, and check for marks/bruises on the arm.	KF to interview CB after lunch today KF to ring LADO this afternoon to update following CB interview	Mr B adult concern form	KF, Headteacher