Safeguarding in school
At Langley Hall Primary Academy we take our Safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. This means that we ensure that everyone working in our school has appropriate clearances and up-to-date training. Please click on the Key Information & Policies tab for all relevant policies linked to safeguarding.
We have staff members who are specifically trained to deal with safeguarding issues. Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Mrs Stella Kalamaj. If you have any issues regarding the safety of your or other children, please do not hesitate to get in touch by telephone or arrange a meeting via the office. Your child's class teacher will also be happy to chat with you about any concerns or queries you have.
Mrs Kalamaj is supported by 12 Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs) in the school across all sites.
Our safeguarding governor is also a nominated school governor who ensures that the needs of children in the school are taken into account at a school management level and to support the DSL as needed.
All members of staff receive annual Level 1 Safeguarding training to support effective procedures in school.
By working closely together as a staff and with our partner agencies, we firmly believe that we will continue to offer a safe learning environment for all our children.
Safeguarding and Child Protection Statement
Under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (as amended), it is a requirement for school to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.
The school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow all local authority and national statutory guidance and procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.
Parents/carers should know that the law requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Parents/carers should know that records of safeguarding concerns may be kept about their child. They should be informed that school staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with them including referrals to other agencies.
Where there is a need to share special category personal data, the Data Protection Act 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows professionals to share information.
In accordance with legislation and local Information Sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively. Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service. In all circumstances, the safety of the child will be the paramount concern.
Schools will contact Children’s Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the school with responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.
Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, any person who has care of a child “may….do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding promoting the child’s welfare”. This means that on rare occasions, a school may need to “hold” a child in school whilst Social Care and the Police investigate any concerns further.
Information for parents
Below are some suggested websites that you may wish to access for additional support should school be closed.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
Prevent Strategy
As part of school's commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government's Prevent Strategy. The Prevent strategy is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming radicalised, supporting terrorism, fundamentalism or extremist behaviours. We recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation is no different from safeguarding against any other vulnerability. All schools are required to have a Prevent Action Plan.
Mrs Kalamaj is our Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Prevent and will be happy to talk with you, as will any other members of the Safeguarding Team. Please do not hesitate to get in touch by telephone or arrange a meeting via the office. Your child's class teacher will also be happy to chat with you about any concerns or queries you have.
E-Safety
E-Safety is an important part of keeping children safe at our school. We have security measures in place in school, which are monitored to help safeguard pupils from potential dangers or unsuitable material. Any E-Safety incidents are managed in accordance with the school’s Safeguarding Policy.
E-Safety is taught to all pupils explaining and demonstrating how to stay safe and behave appropriately online.
We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with parents to ensure the E-Safety message is consistent. It is important that parents speak to their children about how they can keep safe and behave appropriately online.
It is essential to be realistic - banning the internet or technology will not work and it often makes a child less likely to report a problem. Education around safe use is essential.
CEOP (The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) delivers a multi-agency service dedicated to tackling the abuse and exploitation of children in the real and ‘e’ world. By clicking on the CEOP link, young people and parents can get advice on a range of issues such as viruses, hacking and dealing with bullying online.
CEOP Internet Safety - Advice, Help, Report
- CEOP Internet Safety link
Safe Internet use
Please use the following links to guide you should you have any concerns regarding the content your child is accessing online.
Additional resources available to keep children safe online:
- Thinkuknow provides advice from the National Crime Agency (NCA) on staying safe online
- Childnet offers a toolkit to support parents and carers of children of any age to start discussions about their online life, to set boundaries around online behaviour and technology use, and to find out where to get more help and support
- Internet matters provides age-specific online safety checklists, guides on how to set parental controls on a range of devices, and a host of practical tips to help children get the most out of their digital world
- London Grid for Learning has support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online, including tips to keep primary aged children safe online
- Parents’ Booklet has advice and guidance for parents and carers in Prevent and Countering Extremism in young people
- https://talk.iwf.org.uk/ breaks down support for parents and you can download a parent / carer guide
Make sure your home doesn’t have an open door to child sexual abusers. Follow the TALK checklist to help keep your child safe online.