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.

Safeguarding Procedures in school

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 Receptionist of who they are and state the reason for their visit.

Office opening hours for general enquiries: 8.30 - 4.30pm,  you can also call on 01332 241140  or email admin@arboretum.derby.sch.uk

Physical Contact and Restraint

Members of staff may have to make physical interventions with children. Members of staff only do this where it is necessary to protect the child, or another person from danger and when the member of staff has received appropriate training. Please ask for a copy of our Physical Intervention Policy if you wish.

Photographing Children

Every effort will be taken to allow parents/carers to take photographs and videos of their own children after any events, activities or performances have ended. Videos are not permitted during any school activity, event or performance on or off site in order to ensure all safeguarding expectations are met. 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 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 will be sensitive to the feelings of pupils who may be uncomfortable about being photographed.
• Staff will 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.

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

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 networking sites is not permitted.
• Disclosing personal details must not happen
• Meeting pupils outside school hours or school duties is not permitted

Confidentiality

Members of staff 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 disclosed to anyone other than on a need to know basis. Pupil and staff records are all kept securely.

Safer Recruitment

When recruiting new staff at least one member of the interview panel will have successfully completed the Safer Recruitment training and will be involved throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.

Allegations against a member of staff

 Any concerns about a member of staff’s conduct should be passed on to the Head teacher, Mrs Phillips. If the concern is about the Head teacher, it should be reported to the Chair of Governors, Mrs Forster.

Single Central Record

The Single Central Record holds information on all staff and visitors, including volunteers and contractors working in the school. The school business manager is responsible for the upkeep of the SCR and the Head teacher monitors it regularly in line with OFSTED requirements. The Safeguarding Governor also checks it termly.

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

CEOP

CEOP helps any child or young person under the age of 18 who is being pressured, forced or tricked into taking part in sexual activity of any kind. This can be something that has taken place either online or in ‘the real world’, or both. The CEOP Safety Centre has clear information and advice on what can be reported to CEOP, the reporting process and what will happen if you do decide to make a report. You can visit the CEOP Safety Centre and make a report directly to CEOP by clicking the Click CEOP button on our Homepage, or using the link below.

If you are experiencing online bullying or something else online has worried you please speak to an adult you trust, or you can talk to Childline at any time on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk.