Safeguarding
At Greensward Academy, we want to make sure that everyone feels safe, has the skills to look after themselves and has the best opportunities possible. In school all of this comes under the heading ‘Safeguarding’.
If students have a problem or concern they can speak to:
Their form tutor
Their Head of Year
A senior teacher
LSAs
Our counselling team
Any member of staff
They will only tell who they need to and will always discuss this with the student first. Students are supported by their form tutor who sees them at morning registration. They also take their form group for PSHEE one hour each week.
Keeping Children Safe
Making sure that our students are safe is one of our key objectives as a school. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this information please don’t hesitate to contact us. The Department for Education's document Keeping Children Safe in Education can be viewed here.
The following information is based on advice issued by the government in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (September 2022) (link above). All our staff have read this document and have been trained according to this and our Safeguarding Policy.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children. No single professional can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action. School and college staff are particularly important as they are in a position to identify concerns early, provide help for children, and prevent concerns from escalating. All school and college staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn.
Our safeguarding and child protection policy can be viewed here.
Prevent Duty
Schools can help to protect children from extremist and violent views in the same ways that they help to safeguard children from drugs, gang violence or alcohol and schools' work on Prevent needs to be seen in this context.
The purpose must be to protect children from harm and to ensure that they are taught in a way that is consistent with the law and our values.
Prevent should be seen as part of the existing school safeguarding framework; a local approach to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. All staff are trained to recognise the signs of possible radicalisation in our students and follow the academy safeguarding procedures if they have concerns regarding a student in this regard.
All staff are trained to identify children who may benefit from early help. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges. Should we feel Early Help is needed we will complete a referral to the Local Authority and if they feel support is needed they will allocate the case to the most suitable organisation. Often this will be Family Operations, based in Essex. Their workers have a broad range of skills (social work, youth work, family intervention and group work) to address a variety of needs. All staff members are aware of systems within the academy which support safeguarding.
Sexual and criminal exploitation of children – will you spot the signs?
The exploitation of children is, sadly, a growing problem and has a devastating impact on those directly affected and their families. It happens, and it happens here, in Essex. This is not just involving older children, even primary age children are being drawn into exploitation. It is never too soon for our children to learn how to keep themselves safe.
Essex Police is working hard to tackle these awful crimes but we cannot do it alone. As a parent or carer with responsibility for a child I am asking for your help. Please be aware of the warning signs together with the help and advice available to you.
Exploitation - what is it?
Sexual exploitation involves a child being manipulated, forced or deceived into sexual activity often for financial gain or to build status or control.
Criminal exploitation involves a child being coerced to commit criminal activity. This is often associated with gangs and the selling of illegal drugs.
The warning signs
Is your child regularly going missing, coming home late or persistently absent from school?
Do they have new or older friends different to their normal social group?
Do they have money, expensive-looking clothes or a new phone you didn’t buy for them?
Are they being secretive when using their phone or the internet or perhaps making / receiving lots of calls and texts?
Has their mood changed or have they become withdrawn or aggressive?
Are they harming themselves or displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour?
These are indicators. They do not always mean a child is being exploited, but, please see them as a potential ‘warning sign’.
A new hotline number – 01245 452058
If you are worried, please call. A team of Essex Police officers and staff are on standby to listen, help and offer advice. The line is open Monday to Friday 08:00-16:00 with a voicemail facility outside of these hours.
