Keeping Children Safe at Hurst Green

A guide for helpers and visitors

Hurst Green Infant School and Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment

Our first and foremost priority is to keep children safe and healthy. We believe that keeping children safe at Hurst Green means:

• The health and safety of all children
• Making sure that the adults who work here have undergone safety and security checks
• Protecting children from deliberate harm
• Being a 'listening school'
• Ensuring children know who to go to in school if they have a problem
• Ensuring our curriculum teaches children how to keep themselves safe and Healthy
• Being an anti-bullying school
• Being proactive against racist behaviour
• Protecting our children from all forms of harassment and discrimination
• A positive approach to behaviour management including the use of physical intervention safely, when necessary
• Meeting the needs of children with medical conditions
• Providing first aid
• Protecting children from drug and substance abuse
• Children enjoying safe educational visits
• Caring for children’s personal needs
• Keeping children safe when using the internet and making sure they are aware of cyberbullying
• Making sure our school is secure and safe

Child Protection

All staff receive appropriate training in Safeguarding and Child Protection to ensure that they are aware of the school’s procedures for child protection and their responsibilities. We have a written policy and procedures for Child Protection complying with Local Authority guidance. The Designated Safeguarding Leads and Key Adults are Mrs S George (Head Teacher), Miss H Merritt (Year 1 Teacher) and Mrs C Smith (Nursery Teacher). The designated governor for Child Protection is Mrs K Saunders. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is available on our website and in the staffroom.

What is a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)?

Designated Safeguarding Leads are named members of school staff that have the primary responsibility for Safeguarding in school. They will act upon any reported concerns as well as ensuring all staff are familiar with, and adhering, to the Safeguarding Policy. They are the first point of contact for issues of child protection and Safeguarding, both internally, and for members of the public and other external contacts.

Visiting the school

Any visitors to the school must sign in and out and wear their badge at all times. We encourage everyone to challenge those found on the premises who are not wearing formal identification. Please do not be offended by this, our priority is the children’s safety.

Helping in School

Parents and carers are welcome in school. Classes really benefit from parent helpers and we thank those that give their time in this way. We do ensure that parents/carers are not left alone with a child/group of children. This may necessitate working with readers, spellers and mathematicians in our corridor.

Risk Assessments and School Trips

All school trips involve the undertaking of a risk assessment and necessary paperwork is given to all adults accompanying trips. Our adults wear high visibility tabards. Adults that accompany children on trips will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

If I have concerns, who do I go to?

If it is regarding a child:

If you have any concern that a child has been harmed, is at risk of harm, or you receive a disclosure, please contact the main reception as quickly as possible and ask to speak to the Head Teacher who has responsibility for child protection.

If you are worried about possible bullying, friendship issues, general social difficulty, you should raise your concerns in the first instance with a class teacher.

If it is regarding an adult in school:

You must notify the Head Teacher as soon as possible. If you have concerns about the Head Teacher, you are to contact the Hurst Green Infant School Chair of Governors, Mrs K Saunders through the school office.

Confidentiality

All adults that help in school or on trips must ensure that they speak to a member of staff regarding any concerns. Such concerns will be dealt with by the school and should not be shared with a third party.

Operation Encompass

Hurst Green has taken the opportunity to join the Operation Encompass scheme which will run jointly between local schools, Surrey Police and Surrey County Council.

Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting on any domestic incidents that occur outside of school and might have an impact on a child in school.

Operation Encompass will ensure that a member of the school teaching staff, named a ‘Key Adult’ or “Deputy Key Adult”, is informed the next morning that there has been a domestic incident or if a child has been reported as missing.  These school colleagues will be those who already have safeguarding responsibilities and are fully aware of the sensitive and confidential issues regarding such information.

Through sharing this information with the Key Adult or Deputy Key Adult, the school can ensure that the child is supported in the most appropriate way during the school day.

We are keen to offer the best support possible for our pupils and we believe this is going to be extremely beneficial for all those involved.

For more information see www.operationencompass.org

 

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, every day.