Safeguarding Charter
At Knowsley Village Primary School we take the Safeguarding of our children extremely seriously. Therefore if you have any reason to be concerned regarding the safety of a particular child, please contact the designated Safeguarding Officers:
Mrs Barlow (Headteacher): Designated Lead
Mrs Greensmith(Deputy Headteacher): Deputy Designated Lead
The Governing Body’s safeguarding Governor is Miss J Hegarty
The school ensures children learn in a safe, caring and enriching environment. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, to develop positive and healthy relationships, how to avoid situations where they might be at risk including by being exploited.
The school also has a statutory responsibility to share any concerns it might have about a child in need of protection with other agencies and in particular police, health and children’s services. Schools are not able to investigate child protection concerns but have a legal duty to refer them. In most instances the school will be able to inform the parents/carer of its need to make a referral. However, sometimes the school is advised by children’s services or police that the parent/carer cannot be informed whilst they investigate the matter or make enquires.
We understand the anxiety parents/carers understandably feel when they are not told about any concerns from the outset. The school follows legislation that aims to act in the interests of the child. The school will always seek to work in partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure the best possible outcomes for the child and family.
‘Mrs Barlow and Mrs Greensmith safeguard our hearts and minds’
At Knowsley Village Primary School, we recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We will act quickly and follow our procedures to ensure children receive effective support, protection and justice. To do this we follow the charter set out below –
- Work in partnership with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in keeping with the KSCB’s ‘Levels of Need Guidance’ to secure improved outcomes for young people
- Ensure that safer recruitment practices and safeguarding policies and procedures set out a culture of vigilance and challenge
- Provide induction and regular training that enable all adults to recognise signs of abuse and neglect; act in the interests of the child and maintain an attitude ‘it could happen here’.
- Work collaboratively with other agencies to promote early help for young people and families before their needs escalate to a point where intervention would be needed via a statutory assessment.
- Challenge ourselves and others to ensure actions are completed in a timely way.
- Quality assure all safeguarding practices including maintaining support and oversight of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Team, their actions and decisions and record keeping.
- Ensure all adults working with young people follow an agreed code of conduct that promotes safe working practices and makes responsibilities and expectations clear, including the understanding that anyone can make a referral.
- Complete any actions arising from the Local Authority’s 175 Safeguarding Audit in order to ensure policies and procedures follow KSCB, Local Authority and statutory guidance.
- Implement any learning arising case reviews promptly.
- Provide students with a curriculum which promotes their safeguarding and enables them to maintain healthy relationships.
The Knowsley Safeguarding Children Board is responsible for the safeguarding of our children. They provide advice and support to parents, carers and children as well as to school. If you have concerns about a child or wish to find out more information, please visit https://www.knowsleyscp.org.uk
Prevent Duty
What is Prevent?
Since 1st July 2015 all schools have had a duty to protect all children and young adults from the risk of Radicalisation and Extremism, under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015. This act requires schools to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty.
What do schools do?
In order for schools to fulfil the Prevent duty, it is essential that staff are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified. At Knowsley Village School every staff member has been trained on the Prevent Duty and we have regular annual training to ensure we are keeping our pupils safe. At Knowsley Village Primary School we also build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling our pupils to challenge extremist views.
What we will do…
Schools have clear procedures in place for protecting children at risk of radicalisation. At Knowsley Village Primary School our procedures are set out in our Child Protection and Safeguarding policy. General safeguarding principles apply to keeping children safe from the risk of radicalisation as set out in the relevant statutory guidance, Working together to safeguard children and Keeping children safe in education. If necessary school will make a referral to the Channel programme. Channel is a programme which focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. It provides a mechanism for schools to make referrals if they are concerned that an individual might be vulnerable to radicalisation.