This School Safeguarding Statement applies to all adults, including voluneers, working in or on behalf of the school and is an over arching document which demonstrates how everyone working in or for our school, shares an objective to help keep children safe from harm and abuse. 

Hollyfast Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

School Commitment

Hollyfast is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. We recognise that some children may be especially vulnerable to abuse and that children who are abused or neglected may find it difficult to develop a sense of worth and to view the world in a positive way.  Whilst at school, their behaviour may be challenging and we recognise that some children who have experienced abuse may harm others.  We will always take a considered and sensitive approach in oder that we can support all our pupils and recognise that each pupil's welfare is of paramount importance.

 

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mr Gary Watson, Head Teacher 

Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are:-

Miss Sarah Smalldon - Deputy Head Teacher

Mrs Lynn Solloway - Assistant Head Teacher

Mrs Andrea Baylis - Family Support Worker

Mrs Paula Twigg - School Business Manager

Mr Neil Cleland - Assistant Head Teacher

 

We aim:-

• To ensure that children within our school feel safe at all times
• To ensure that all stakeholders are safe and feel that they are able to put the welfare of the children first without concern that there will be any negative consequences attached to their actions
• To ensure that all adults who have contact with children in school have been properly vetted and cleared as suitable to work and support children in are care
• To ensure that all adults who have contact with children have been trained to undertake their safeguarding responsibilities effectively

 

Safer Recruitment and Selection

The school pays full regard to current DfE guidance "Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education" (April 2011).  We ensure that all appropriate measures are applied in relation to everyone who works in the school who is likely to be perceived by the children as a safe and trustworthy adult, including volunteers and staff employed by contractors. 

Safer recruitment practice includes scrutinising applicants, verifying identity and academic or vocational qualifications, obtaining professional references, checking previous employment history and ensuring that a candidate has the health and physical capability for the job.  It also includes undertaking interviews and where appropriate, Criminal Records Bureau checks and providing honest and accurate references when individuals move on. 

In line with the statutory changes, underpinned by regulations, the following will apply:-

• A DBS Enhanced Disclosure will be obtained for all new appointments to our school
• This school is committed to keep an up to date Single Central Record (SCR) detailing a range of checks carried out on our staff, volunteers and governors
• All new appointments to our school from overseas or who have lived outside the UK will be subject to additional checks
• Our school ensures that supply staff have undergone the necessary checks
• Identity checks will be carried out on all appointments to our school workforce before the appointment is made, in partnership with Coventry Local Authority.  The following staff have undertaken Safer Recruitment training and one of these staff members will be in attendance at interview for all staff appointments:- Mr Gary Watson, Miss Sarah Smalldon and Mrs Paula Twigg. 

Safer Working Practice

Safer working practice ensures that pupils are safe and that all staff, volunteers and governors:-

• Are responsible for their own actions and behaviour and should avoid any conduct which would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions.
• Work in an open and transparent way.
• Work with other colleagues where possible in situations open to question.
• Discuss and/or take advice from school management over any incident which may give rise to concern.
• Record any incident or decisions made.
• Apply the same professional standards regardless of gender, race, disability of sexuality.
• Be aware of confidentiality policy.
• Are aware that breaches of the law and other professional guidelines could result in criminal or disciplinary action being taken against them.

Safeguarding Information for Pupils

All pupils in our school are aware of a number of staff who they can talk to.  The school is committed to ensuring that pupils are aware of behaviour towards them is not acceptable and how they can keep themselves safe.  All pupils know that we have a senior member of staff with responsibility for child protection and know who this is.  We inform pupils of whom they might talk to, both in and out of school, their right to be listened to and heard and what steps can be taken to protect them from harm.

Partnership with Parents

• The school shares a purpose with parents to educate, keep children safe from harm and have their welfare promoted. 
• We are committed to working with parents positively, openly and honestly.  We ensure that all parents are treated with respect, dignity and courtesy.

Hollyfast will share with parents, any concerns we may have about their child, unless to do so, may place a child at risk at harm.  We encourage parents to discuss any concerns they may have with school staff.  We make parents aware of our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies and parents understand that they can view these policies on request. 

School Training and Staff Induction

The school's Senior Designated Person, with responsibility for child protection and any named deputies undertake specific child protection training which includes how to undertake their role.  They also undertake inter-agency child protection training provided by the Coventry Local Authority.  Refresher training is undertaken at regular intervals.

All other school staff, including non-teaching staff, volunteers and Governors undertake appropriate in house training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities for child protection effectively.  This is kept up to date by refresher training every year.  

Site Security

Hollyfast aims to provide a secure school site but recognises that the site is only as secure as the people who use it.  Therefore, all people on site have to adhere to the rules, which govern it.  It is recognised that laxity can cause potential problems to safeguarding.  The school ensures:-

• Gates are locked, expect at the start and end of each day.
• The main entrance can only be entered with a security fob, which only staff have access to.
• The car park has an automatic gate which is released by the office team.  
• Visitors enter through main entrance and must sign in at the office.  Visitors are given a coloured lanyard, Yellow - No DBS; White - DBS checked; Black - Governors. 
• CCTV is positioned around the school.

Welcoming other Professionals

Visitors with a professional role, such as the school nurse and other external providers, will have been vetted to work with children.  The School Business Manager will ensure that written confirmation is received from the employing organisation that the said contractors have been vetted through the DBS system.  

Internet/E-Safety

Children are encouraged to use the internet as much as possible but at all times in a safe way.  Parents are asked give permission or their children to use the internet on entry to the school.  If staff know of misuse, either by a teacher, staff member, volunteer or child, the issue must be reported to the Head Teacher without delay.

The school will ensure that:-

• Software is in place to minimise access and to highlight and person accessing inappropriate sites or information.
• Pupils will be encouraged to discuss openly their use of technology and anything which makes them feel uncomfortable.  If this results in child protection concerns, the DSL for child protection should be informed immediately.
• Every effort is made to encourage pupils not to give out their personal details, phone numbers, school, home addresses, computer passwords etc
• Pupils adhere to the school policy on mobile phones.
• Training is provided to pupils, staff and volunteers on e-safety matters where necessary.

 

Photographing and Videoing of Children in school

At Hollyfast we have taken a sensible and balanced approach to photographing and videoing children on the school site.  Talking pictures and video images of children's achievements and activities is a wonderful way of capturing a memory and promoting successes, however the school must obtain parental permission while taking images and have safeguards in place to ensure anonymity (wherever possible) in their usage.

Whistleblowing

If members of staff, volunteers or Governors have any concerns about people working in a paid or unpaid capacity with children, they have a duty of care to inform management accordingly.  This can be done in writing or verbally and such issues will be managed with sensitivity and the necessary degree of confidence.  The school follows the Local Authority's policy on whistleblowing.

Useful links:

Working together to Safeguard Children

Childline

NSPCC

The PANTS rule - Guidance for parents on how to talk to your child about themselves safe from sexual abuse

CEOP's Thinkuknow

Internet Matters

Minecraft - Staying safe on Minecraft

UK Safer Internet Centre - Parent Controls - Parental controls offered by your home internet provider