Our Commitment to Safeguarding

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is a term which is broader than ‘child protection’ and relates to the action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. It includes action against bullying, including cyberbullying and online safety, treating all children equally regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs, preventing impairment of health and development, ensuring that all children are effectively cared for, and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child protection relates to system-wide procedures for keeping children safe. This includes staff training and awareness, liaison with other agencies (e.g. Multi-Agency Team, Social Care, the police), safer recruitment (including rigorous vetting and background checks on appointed staff), and protecting children from issues such as domestic violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, children missing from education, child sexual exploitation, racism, extremism etc

Safeguarding at Arboretum

The Staff and Governors at Arboretum Primary School recognise that they have a duty to ensure arrangements are in place for Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All members of the school community (including volunteers and governors) will at all times establish and maintain a safe and stimulating environment; an environment where children feel secure, where children are encouraged to talk to adults they can trust and where children are listened to.

Keeping children safe and protecting them from harm is the most important thing we do as a school. If children are not safe, they cannot flourish, form effective relationships with adults or their peers, or achieve their full potential in life. We therefore take our responsibilities in this area with the utmost seriousness.

Parents should be aware that the school is required to take any reasonable action to ensure the safety of its pupils. In cases where the school has reason to be concerned that a child may be subject to ill treatment, neglect or other forms of abuse, the Headteacher and DSL are obliged to follow the Child Protection Procedures established by the Derby & Derbyshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership and inform Children’s Social Care of the concern.

All staff and governors are trained in Child Protection and Safeguarding, and this is updated annually. Some senior staff are trained to a higher level; the key roles in the school are:

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Helen Phillips (Headteacher)

Deputy DSL: Charmian Hardy (Deputy Head)

Deputy DSL: Tilly Linnecor (SENDCO)

In their absence, the following staff are also trained to this level:

Sarah Ferguson (Senior Phase Lead)

Alison Roberts (KS1 Phase Lead)

Roxy Darling (UKS2 Phase Lead)

Amanda Carvell (Pupil Support Officer)

The Lead Governor for Safeguarding is Suzanne Forster

The Chair of Governors is Suzanne Forster

If there are any safeguarding concerns, Mrs Phillips can be contacted during and outside school hours on safeguarding@arboretum.derby.sch.uk.

What to do if you are concerned about a child

If you have any concerns about a child, you can call Derby Social Care (Initial Response Team) on 01332 641172. Alternatively, you may speak to your child’s teacher or one of the adults named above. All information will be treated confidentially, and we will not reveal your name to any other parent.

Staff are trained to pass information on to the DSLs mentioned above, and there are clear forms and procedures within school for doing this. The DSLs will then discuss the issue and decide on what course of action to take, which may include a referral to e.g. social care.

For Safeguarding concerns during school hours, please contact us on:

01332 291140

Þ You are able to make referrals to Children’s Social Care if necessary, but you must always inform the DSL(Designated Safeguarding Lead)  or DDSL (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) as soon as possible after doing so.

Children’s Social Care First Response: 01332 641172

For Safeguarding concerns out of school hours, or in the event of a school closure, please contact us at:

safeguarding@arboretum.derby.sch.uk 

A member of the safeguarding team will regularly check these e-mails during the weekend.

Out of Hours Careline: 01332 786968