All adults within Primary Advantage have an important role to play in the safeguarding and protection of children.

The health, safety and wellbeing of every child is our top priority. We recognise our responsibility to safeguard the welfare of our children and we expect all staff, governors and volunteers to share this commitment to safeguarding our pupils.

Please ensure you are aware of each schools’ Safeguarding procedure which can be found in the schools’ handbook. 

All staff must read (and sign) that they are familiar at least with the Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 1 document as issued by the Government annually. They should also ensure that they are fully aware of the Primary Advantage Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy. These policies can be accessed via the Policies page.  

Ofsted has outlined responsibilities for schools regarding Safeguarding, highlighting that it is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm. It included issues for schools such as”

• Pupils’ health and safety

• Bullying

• Racist abuse

• Harassment and discrimination

• Use of physical intervention

• Meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions

• Providing first aid

• Drug and substance misuse

• Educational visits

• Intermate care

• Internet safety

• Issues that may be specific to a local area or population

• School security

• PREVENT strategy

All staff have a legal responsibility not to ignore any concerns they have, but to record them and to pass them on to the nominated child protection officer/s. 

If you have any concerns about the social, emotional or physical well-being of a child, this should be recorded, signed & dated. The schools designated safeguarding leads (DSL) should also be notified: concerns might include;

• Physical presentation of the child

• Marks on a child’s body

• Unusual/different behaviour

• Mood changes

• Statements or stories told by the child

• Information from others, including children

• School absence

• Parent behaviour

• Signs of neglect, e.g. not appropriately dressed for weather/hunger

• Disclosures or allegations made by the child.

The written record must include:

• The child’s full name and date of birth 

• The date and time the information was recorded

• A factual account of what happened (a record of what was seen and heard) – be as clear as you can and ensure you use the wording the pupil has provided 

• The signature of the person recording, the date recorded and the person’s name clearly printed

• Names of any other witnesses.

Child Protection

Primary Advantage has the Safeguarding and Child Protection policy which you will need to familiarise yourself with. When visiting our schools, please ensure you are aware of the teachers with responsibility for child protection. Child protection issues remain confidential once they have been shared with the appropriate members of staff and should always be dealt with sensitivity. 

PREVENT DUTY

All schools and colleges are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (the CTSA 2015), in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty. 

The Prevent duty should be seen as part of schools’ and colleges’ wider safeguarding obligations. Designated safeguarding leads (and deputies) and other senior leaders in schools should familiarise themselves with the revised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales, especially paragraphs 141-145, which are specifically concerned with schools (and also covers childcare). The school's designated safeguarding lead (and any deputies) should be aware of local procedures for making a Prevent referral.