Safeguarding Information

Safeguarding Children

“We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and staff and expect the same commitment from all staff and volunteers”

Our safeguarding policy is updated regularly to meet the requirements of the latest relevant legislation including Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children.

Teachers and other education staff are accountable for the way in which they exercise authority; manage risk; use resources; and protect pupils from discrimination and avoidable harm.

All staff, whether paid or voluntary, have a duty to keep young people safe and to protect them from physical and emotional harm. This duty is in part exercised through the development of respectful, caring and professional relationships between staff and pupils and behaviour by staff that demonstrates integrity, maturity and good judgement.

Local authorities, schools and parents have legitimate expectations about the nature of professional involvement in the lives of pupils. When an individual accepts a role that involves working with children and young people, he or she needs to understand and acknowledge the responsibilities and trust inherent in that role.

This means that adults should:

understand the responsibilities that are part of their employment or role, and be aware that sanctions will be applied if these provisions are breached.
always act and be seen to act, in the child’s best interests.
avoid any conduct that would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions.
take responsibility for their own actions and behaviour.
be extra vigilant in relation to Special Educational Needs pupils and safeguarding.

Please click here for North East Lincolnshire Safeguarding website

Please click here for NSPCC Helpline or call 0808 800 5000

Designated Safeguarding Lead	Caroline Patterson
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead	Dawn Coates

If you are concerned speak to the above.

Anyone who is concerned about the safety of a child can ask for advice or report concerns to The Local Authority Integrated Front Door on 01472 326292 or Police on 101 (or 999 in an emergency)

Safeguarding

At Elliston Primary Academy ensuring the safety of children is paramount.

We do this by:

providing a safe environment for children to learn.
listening to what children tell us.
identifying children who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, and taking appropriate action with the aim of making sure that they are kept safe both at home and in the education setting.

To achieve this objective, we:

have a mantra that Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and that 'Ignorance is not an excuse'.
ensure ALL staff are trained in safeguarding.
are vigilant about concerns regarding a child's welfare and take appropriate action to keep them safe.
are clear that 'it could happen here'.
contribute to effective partnership working between all those involved in providing services for our children.
aim to prevent unsuitable people from working with children.
promote safe practice and challenge any poor or unsafe practice.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Safeguarding and Child Protection at Elliston Primary Academy is Mrs Caroline Patterson.

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Dawn Coates.

There is a Safeguarding ethos that permeates throughout school and the Trust that services to:

keep children safe by clarifying which behaviours constitute safe practice and which behaviours should be avoided;
assist adults working with children to work safely and responsibly and to monitor their own standards and practice;
support the school in giving a clear message that unlawful or unsafe behaviour is unacceptable and that, where appropriate, disciplinary or legal action will be taken;
minimise the risk of misplaced or malicious allegations made against adults who work with children and young people;
Safeguard against the incidence of positions of trust being abused or misused.

Operation Encompass

Elliston Primary Academy is part of a project run by Humberside Police called Operation Encompass.

The project aims to support children who are affected by Domestic Abuse.

As a result, following any domestic abuse incident, the police will make contact with the school and communicate relevant and necessary information to the DSL and DDSL. This will ensure that the school is make aware (usually before the start of the next school day) and can subsequently provide support in a way that means the child feels safe.

Please click this link to visit the Operation Encompass website for more information

Prevent

PREVENT is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes. The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme right wing., violent groups and other causes.

How does the Prevent strategy apply to schools?

Schools (as well as other organisations) have a legal duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism. This means we all have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from other dangers. Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to learn about and discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.

What does this mean in practice?

Many of the things we already do in school to help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy.

These include:

Ensuring ALL staff participate in Safeguarding training that is updated regularly and know what behaviours might indicate involvement in radicalisation and extremism.
Ensuring ALL staff know what to so should they have concerns regarding safeguarding and this includes, radicalisation and extremism.
Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity.
Challenging prejudices and racism.
Developing critical thinking skills and a strong, positive self-identity.
Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, as well as British values such as democracy.

We also protect children from the risk of radicalisation by using filters on the internet to make sure they can't access extremist and terrorist material, or by vetting visitors who come into school to work with pupils.

Frequently asked questions

How does Prevent relate to British values?

Schools have been required to promote British values since 2014, and this will continue to be a part of our response to the Prevent strategy.

British values include:

Democracy
The rule of law
Individual liberty and mutual respect
Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

Isn't my child to young to learn about extremism?

The Prevent strategy is not just about discussing extremism itself, which may not be appropriate for younger children. It is also about teaching children values such as tolerance and mutual respect.

The school will make sure any discussions are suitable for the age and maturity of the children involved.

Is extremism really a risk in our area?

Extremism can take many forms, including political, religious and misogynistic extremism. Some aspects may be a bigger threat in our area than others. We have a stance.

Our aim is to give our children the skills to protect themselves from any extremist reviews they may encounter, now or later in their lives. We also aim to develop their confidence in sharing their concerns and seeking help should they need to - in the same way we do around any safeguarding concerns.

Key Terms

Extremism - vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values such as democracy, the rule of law and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
Ideology - a set of beliefs.
Terrorism - a violent action against people or property, designed to create fear and advance a political, religious or ideological cause.
Radicalisation - the process by which a person comes to support extremism and terrorism.

Where to go for more information

If you have any questions or concerns about the Prevent strategy and what it means for your child, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Safeguarding Team via the school office.

External sources

The following sources may also be useful for further information (click the link to access the relevant website):

Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales, HM Government Home Office

What is Prevent? Let's Talk About It

The Department for Education and the Home Office have developed a website called educate against hate aimed at parents, teachers and school leaders to provide practical advice, support and resources on protecting young people from extremism and radicalisation.

Online Safety

At Elliston Primary Academy we are committed to the use of computer technologies and recognise the Internet as a valuable tool for learners of all ages. The Internet is increasingly providing the focal point of educational content within the UK. However, Elliston Primary Academy acknowledges that computers and the internet do have the potential for inappropriate use and access to undesirable material and that we have a duty of care to protect our pupils. All pupils use computer facilities, including the internet, as an essential part of the curriculum and to support learning opportunities within the school.

There are well-publicised concerns regarding access to material on the internet that would be unsuitable for pupils. Whilst it is impossible to ensure that pupils will not access such material, the Academy is taking all reasonable steps to minimise a pupils access to unsuitable material. These include.

Use of a filtered Internet Service to prevent access to internet sites with undesirable material
The requirement that all Internet access during school hours will be supervised by a member of staff or another responsible adult
As an essential part of the curriculum, all children are taught about e-safety, for six weeks every year.

To keep your child safe online here’s some useful advice about popular websites

Advice on YouTube

Did you know that YouTube is only intended for children OVER 13?

We recommend that parents stay close by if younger children are allowed to use YouTube – when this is possible. The YouTube Terms of Service state that the “the YouTube Website is not intended for children under 13”.
Discuss with your child what kind of videos it is all right to watch on YouTube.
You don’t always know what you get to see on YouTube until you click the play button. Talk with your child about the fact that they might come across content that is unsuitable for children.
Invite your child to talk to you if he or she watches a scary or uncomfortable video clip.
It might be useful to activate the filter that is found at the bottom of the YouTube website if younger children are allowed to use the website. The filter is activated by changing the “Safety Mode” from “off” to “on”. Unfortunately, the filter isn’t especially effective, and activating it should not create a false sense of security in parents. Remember that the most important filter is in the mind and the heart of the child, not on the website or your computer.

Does your child want to publish video clips on YouTube?

Talk to your child about copyrights related to images, video clips and music.
If you want to publish images or video clips showing a recognisable person, you always have to ask this person for permission.
Below are links to guidance on how to stay safe when interacting with technology

How to be a smart game player

Study the rating of an online game carefully, often they will let you know if it suitable for someone your age.

Read the terms and conditions of the sites that you use and check if there are special safety features for kids.
Set-up your user profile to include appropriate language and game content for someone your age.
Make sure your parents or carers know your Gamertag and how to access your online account so they can help you if something goes wrong.
Set time limits for yourself – you could use a mobile phone to set an alarm to keep to your limit.

Staying smart online

Do you know what to do if a griefer starts hassling you online? Who do you tell? Where can you turn? Check out the report abuse section of the game’s website you’re on or, if you’re on your console playing, make sure you know how to block a user and save the evidence of their abuse. Always let an adult know if you think you are being cyberbullied.
How to search safely on the Internet?

Be clear in your online searches try to use more than one word to describe what you are searching for. For example, if you are searching for information on the planet Mercury, entering ‘planet mercury’ into the search box will better results than just entering ‘Mercury’.)
Take care to spell correctly when typing in a search. Even a small typing error can bring up unwanted results.
Remember that not all the information in websites returned in searches is reliable. Look in books, ask people who might know, and look up at least three other websites to check your info.
Make sure you filter your searches online – especially if you are doing an image search.
Bookmark your favourite websites or check your history to make sure you are revisiting the same websites.
If you see something that upsets you, make sure you turn off the screen or make the window smaller on a laptop and tell an adult as soon as possible.

What are digital footprints?

Treat your password like your toothbrush, don’t share it with anyone and change it often.
Always remember to logoff when you have finished with an online service.
Use our great site’s section to find the best areas of the net.
Use your own digital footprints to remember your favourite websites like the history button and your bookmarks.
Remember that most of the websites you visit will make a note of your visit and may also track the websites you visit before and after their website!
Let an adult know if anything you read or see makes you feel worried or upset.

Using mobile phones safely

Think about who you give your number to – you don’t know where it might end up.
If you receive a nasty text save it for evidence but don’t reply to it, if you reply you are likely to get yourself into trouble too.
Remember to be a good digizen ( digital citizen) try to talk quietly on mobiles in public places and keep your music quiet.
A growing number of viruses are attacking mobile phones be careful what you download onto your mobile.
If you often receive spam (junk mail) texts from random numbers report it to your mobile phone operator or PhonepayPlus

Smart social networking

Always explore the privacy settings of your SNS to protect your privacy and to protect yourself from strangers.
Get your friends and family to have a look at your SNS to check that you aren’t giving out too much personal information or posting inappropriate photos/films because they might see something you’ve missed.
Keep your passwords to yourself.
Respect yourself and others online.
If you are unlucky enough to have a bad experience online report it to the service provider and tell an adult
Cyberbullying is NEVER acceptable. If you or someone you know is targeted by bullies online tell them 1) to report the bully to the website/service operator 2) keep evidence of the bullying behaviour 3) to resist the temptation to reply to nasty messages 4) To tell an adult.