Safeguarding
As a happy, safe and caring school, the well being and safety of our children is everyone’s concern.
We work hard as a school team to make sure we carry out our duties to safeguard children and place their welfare first.
We ensure all children have equal rights to be protected from harm.
We are vigilant in our regard for children’s well-being and have robust reporting and response procedures when concerns or allegations of abuse or harm are raise.
All staff and trainees know and understand their duty to report concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Staff and Governors with specific Safeguarding responsibilities
All members of the school team have a duty to safeguard the children in our care.
Some school team members have specific roles and responsibilities.
Designated Safeguarding Leads
Some school team members have attended intensive safeguarding training to enable them to be leaders in safeguarding.
In our nursery school
Head Teacher Ailsa Higgins has specific responsibility as the Designated Safeguarding Lead
Governor- Laura Robson
Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
The whole school team and Governing Body participate in developing, reviewing and updating our policies and procedures.
In day to day practice we ensure these are followed by everyone working in our school.
This includes:-
- Recruiting staff safely and meticulously, we vet credentials, training and previous employment and any disclosures of criminal activity or barring to work with children.
- Meeting and vetting the identity and credentials visitors to school, before they work with our children ion on our premises.
- Following Health and Safety guidelines and audits to check our premises and resources are safe for everyone.
- Following the school strategies to promote and support positive behaviour, good co-operation and values.
- Enabling our children to develop their emotional awareness and share their views.
- Providing children with an enriched curriculum, resources and environment.
- Responding to and respecting children’s interests and motivations.
- Building children’s trust, confidence and self motivation.
- Working with families and external agencies with the child’s best interests at heart.
- Having a culture of vigilance and good communication.
- Keeping staff training and skills up to date in safeguarding and safer working practices.
Safeguarding Training
All staff have training in understanding the signs of neglect and abuse in young children.
When concerns arise they promptly record and report them.
They will particularly respond to:-
- Significant changes in a child’s demeanour or behaviour.
- Deterioration of a child’s well –being, social skills and participation in activities.
- Unexplained bruises, marks or injuries.
- Untreated or neglected injuries, health or hygiene concerns.
- Signs of neglect in a child’s appearance.
- Comments made by a child giving cause for concern.
Whenever a concern is raised this is treated confidentially and shared on a need to know basis only.
Maintaining Confidential Records
We must maintain certain information shared by parents and carers about their child.
- The child’s full name, date of birth and home address.
- The people who have full parental responsibility for the child and their contact details.
- The people who have legal contact rights with the child and the details of any formal contact arrangements.
- Emergency contact details.
- A list of designated adults who are authorised by the parent / carer to collect the child from school and their contact details.
- Details of a child’s health needs, including allergies and medication
- Details of a child’s dietary needs including allergies.
When details change parents and carers must inform us immediately.
External Agencies
Nursery school is supported by a range of external agencies including:-
- Health Visitors and Community Nursery Nurses
- Health professionals
- Speech and Language Therapist
- Language and Learning Partnership
- Autism Outreach Team
- Educational Psychologist
- Paediatric Health Services
- Children’s Mental Health Services (CAMHS
- Children’s Services (Social Services)
Other services offering specialist educational needs support can also be contacted.
Reporting child protection concerns
- If you have concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or young person you must contact Children's Safeguarding on 0191 520 5560 (available 8.30am to 5.15pm Monday - Thursday, 8.30am to 4.45pm Friday) Or the Out of Hours Team on 0191 520 5552 (also available 24 hours Saturday and Sunday)
- You can report this to the Headteacher who is designated to lead safeguarding in school.
- This concern will be logged and a referral to children’s services can be made.
- The Headteacher may have to tell the parents or carers in this case.
- You can report this directly to children’s services yourself.
- All calls are logged and you can do this anonymously.
What happens if things go wrong?
Making a complaint
If you are very concerned or unhappy about something which has happened in school it is important that you tell us about it.
We will listen and we will take action.
When things go wrong it is usually a small mistake someone has made, but it can make us feel very angry and upset.
This is understandable.
The best and first thing you need to do is talk to your child’s teacher or key person.
Be calm and prepare what you want to say, we understand you concern is your child’s wellbeing and ours is too.
If you feel you would rather talk to the Headteacher about your concern, this is fine.
If the Headteacher is not available you can arrange to meet at a better time.
We will work together to resolve the situation and it is likely that we may meet up later to see how things are improving.
If you have a serious concern regarding the school, you may formally raise this concern with the governing board.
You can speak to a governor or write to the chair of governors Malgorzata Sieranska using the school address.
Complaints and concerns are treated seriously and discussed by governors and they will respond to you.
You may make a complaint to the Director of Education Simon Marshall via Together for children Sunderland.
If you would like to make a complaint to Ofsted, but are not sure what to write, you can use a template letter to help you.
For general enquiries, you can email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk or call 0300 123 1231 between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.