Reporting System

Should a member of staff be concerned relating to a specific child or incident, they will complete a record on an online portal: MyConcern. This is immediately highlighted to the safeguarding team who will then act in what they believe to be the best interests of the child. This is likely to involve speaking to the student but may also mean that parents receive a call to communicate any concerns or highlight something that has happened. We recognise that sometimes the news may come as a shock or surprise, but it is important that we deliver this information. Sometimes we will also seek advice from either the Education Safeguarding Advice Service or from the Local Support Team. If there is a need to contact parents, it may be that we need to pass on advice or request that you gain some support from an external agency or a medical professional. At no time do we ever judge. Please also be assured that the information is kept confidential.

In certain situations, we may also need to escalate the situation to First Response. The team we contact will directly advise us regarding next steps. Should we disagree with their advice, there is an escalation process that we can use, although that is rarely the case.

The other service that we have in school is an online monitoring service. This system works on all school devices and those that access our internet. For any students who use school laptops at home, it is important that the student and you also appreciate that any use at home will also be available when the laptop is brought back into school. To avoid conversations that students may find tricky, please ensure that the school laptop is used for school purposes only and please remember that the laptop is the responsibility of the allocated pupil. It is strongly advised to avoid allowing others to use the laptop at home. The data capture includes any internet site used, anything that is searched for, pictures, and anything that is typed – this is even if it is NOT saved, or it is deleted. Anything that is considered not appropriate or could be a potential safeguarding concern will be identified and a report will be sent to the safeguarding team on a weekly basis – or sooner (immediately) if there is thought to be a significant concern. The system will also monitor any ‘off-task’ activity e.g. time spent listening to music, time not working when on a laptop, use of games etc.

STAFF TRAINING

All staff attend a Level 1 course every 3 years, with regular updates to ensure that best practice is adhered to. The statutory guidance as set out in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, updated annually, has increased the expectations for staff. The safeguarding team provide updates for staff regarding knowledge of the key areas and topics. Staff knowledge is also audited, with any gaps or misconceptions addressed.

All the safeguarding team are trained to a minimum of Level 4, which is updated every 2 years.