Safeguarding

Safeguarding Statement

Heather Ridge Infant School recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.

We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice. Child protection forms part of the school’s safeguarding responsibilities.

Terminology

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• protecting children from maltreatment;

• preventing impairment of children's health or development;

• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and

• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child Protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

Staff refers to all those working for or on behalf of the school, full or part time, temporary or permanent, in either a paid or voluntary capacity.

Child includes everyone under the age of 18.

Parents refers to birth parents and other adults who are in a parenting role, for example step-parents, foster carers and adoptive parents.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Our policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children Acts 1989 and 2004; the Education Act 2002, and in line with government publications: ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 2015, Revised Safeguarding Statutory Guidance 2 ‘Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families’ 2000, ‘What to do if You are Worried a Child is Being Abused’ 2015. The guidance also reflects, both ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ 2016, and Surrey Safeguarding Children Board SSCB Child Protection Procedures.

To view our policy, please click on the link below or visit the policies tab.

Heather Ridge Child Protection Safeguarding Policy

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Schools have a legal duty to ensure children remain safe. The DFE set out the information and legal duties in the document ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE). Heather Ridge takes this document seriously and as such, require all staff and volunteers to read and sign a confirmation agreement stating so.

Details of this document can be found by clicking the button below to the DFE Website.

KCSIE Link

Safeguarding roles in school

The DFE's, Keeping Children Safe In Education document states that each school and college's should have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who will provide support to staff members to carry out their safeguarding duties and who will liaise closely with other services such as children’s social care.

At Heather Ridge we have a Safeguarding team. All who have received the necessary training to fulfill their roles. The following staff members hold these roles :

E-Safety

At the Heather Ridge we know that technology is really exciting. It can let us do lots of fun, interesting and useful things, but it's important to know how to use it safely! As part of the teaching and learning curriculum at Heather Ridge Infant School, your child has supervised access to the internet on a regular basis. We believe that the effective use of the World Wide Web and e-mail is a worthwhile and essential skill for our pupils to become 'life-long learners' as they grow up in the 21st century.

Parents

We appreciate that for some parents it may feel daunting in understanding what children do online and the risks they face, therefore below are a number of free parent leaflets and links to websites which can provide further information.

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/

http://www.internetmatters.org

Pupils

For the pupils, we provide e-safety training and awareness on a regular basis. We use the resources provided by ‘Think you know.co.uk’ and their character, Hector, to help the children understand the risks with using the internet.

As it’s web based, you are able to play the videos at home with your child/children, please click on the button below to link to their webpage.

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/5_7/hectorsworld/

Emergency Lockdown Procedures

As part of a surrey directive we have a plan for "lockdowns". Lockdown procedures are important and would be used in response to an internal or external incident which could be a threat to the safety of staff and children in the school.

Lockdown procedures may be activated in response to any number of situations, these may be:

1. A reported incident, disturbance in the local community

2. An intruder on the site

3. A warning being received regarding a local risk of air pollution (smoke plume, gas cloud etc.)

4. A major fire in the vicinity of the school

5. The close proximity of a dangerous dog roaming close

In the event of an actual lockdown, parents will be notified as soon as possible. 

Lockdown-Guidance.pdf