Waterloo Primary SchoolChild Protection
Waterloo Primary & Nursery School fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection.
Our schools designated Safeguarding Leads are:
DSL: Mr D Harris
Deputy DSL : Helen Turner
Safeguarding and Pastoral Support: Mrs A Fawcett
Our policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school. The main elements to our policy are:
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Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children. (including Disqualification by Association)
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Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe.
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Ensuring that staff contribute to a ‘culture of vigilance’ (Ofsted 2015) and are aware of the procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse/maltreatment.
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Supporting pupils who have been maltreated in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan.
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Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.
We recognise that because of the day-to-day contact with children, school staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:
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Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.
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Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried.
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Include opportunities in the PSHCE curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.
We will follow the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children Board, and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Education and Skills to:
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Ensure we have a designated Child Protection Liaison Person who has received appropriate training and support for this role. This training should be updated every two years as a minimum.
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Ensure we have a nominated governor responsible for child protection and that the Governing Body receives training every three years as a minimum.
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Ensure every member of staff (including temporary and supply staff and volunteers) and governing body knows the name of the Child Protection Liaison Person and their role.
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Ensure all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the Child Protection Liaison Person including awareness of our PREVENT and FGM duty. Training should be updated every three years as a minimum.
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Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for child protection by setting out its obligations in the school prospectus.
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Notify Children’s Services if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a pupil who is on the child protection register.
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Where another agency provides services within the grounds of this school, assurance will be sought that the agency concerned has appropriate policies and procedures in place for safeguarding and child protection.
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Develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including attendance at case conferences and core groups.
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Keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.
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Ensure all records are kept securely, separate from the main pupil file, and in locked locations.
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Follow procedures contained in Essential Guidance for Staff working within the Education Authority where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer.
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Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed.
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Ensure child protection and safeguarding arrangements are in place for pupils not on the premises e.g. school trips and works experience placements.
We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. The school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children at risk. When at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn.
To see a full copy of our policy, please click here.
Click here to see view our sexting policy
Tameside Safeguarding Children Board
Tameside Safeguarding Children Board is the partnership responsible for making sure that children and young people are kept safe.
The purpose of this partnership working is to hold each other to account and to ensure that safeguarding children is always high on the agenda in Tameside. For more information, please visit their website Tameside Safeguarding Children Board.
Operation Encompass
On 21st January 2019 Waterloo Primary School has implemented a new project that will run jointly between schools and Greater Manchester Police. This project is called Operation Encompass. It aims to support children who are affected by domestic violence by ensuring that their school is informed. This allows the school to support the children. If you have any other questions about this project, please do not hesitate to contact the school.