Safeguarding Our Children

 https://brighterfuturesforchildren.org/report-concerns-about-a-child/

If you are a member of the public and have concerns about a child or young person in Reading and need to let us know, you are in the right place. The Children’s Single Point of Access (CSPoA) is where to raise a concern about a child (pre-birth to 18 years old) in Reading. Click on the link above for further information.

Park Lane Primary School Safeguarding Information

Safeguarding and safety information for staff, visitors, contractors and volunteers.

At Park Lane Primary, our aim is to provide a safe and secure environment for all our pupils, staff and visitors. We are committed to ensuring everyone understands that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and we are, as a team, proactively safeguarding and meeting the needs of our children.

Safeguarding Governor- Fiona Betts

Responsibilities-

All those who come into contact with children through their everyday work, whether paid or voluntary, are responsible for their own actions and behaviour. Any, and all, adults on our school site are responsible for the welfare and safeguarding of the children in our care.

Security of pupils, staff, volunteers and Visitors-

All visitors must:

• Enter through main entrance and report directly to the office
• Be signed in and have ID checked by office staff (DBS or valid ID)
• Wear the appropriate lanyard (Red- no DBS, supervised contact. Green- Current DBS and checks completed)
• Ensure you sign out and let the office know when you are leaving
• Ensure the gates and doors are securely closed behind you as you leave

Disclosure and Barring Service-

All visitors, including supply staff, and regular volunteers in school will need to present either DBS or valid ID to be checked upon entry. Trip volunteers will be subject to a list 99 check and this information will be gathered beforehand. This is to help ensure that only suitable DBS checked visitors, staff and volunteers are working unsupervised with children. If you have any questions about this, please contact the school office.  

Keeping yourself safe around school-

• Be professional at all times
• Provide a good example and be a positive role model by being respectful, fair and considerate to all around school
• Be mindful of how you interact and speak to the children to avoid any misinterpretation
• Treat all children with the equity they need to access their learning- do not show any favour to a particular child
• Avoid physical contact with children unless you are preventing them from harming themselves or others. If this is a concern, call for SLT support
• Ensure when working with individual children, that doors are left open or that you are in a position that is clearly visible to others
• Always report if a child speaks or attempts physical touch that you consider inappropriate

Concerns about a child-

If you have any concerns, these must be factually recorded and the date and time noted. These concerns must then be passed to a school member of staff in a timely manner who will inform the DSL or Deputy DSL. Child abuse can happen to any child regardless of gender, culture, religion, disability and social background and nothing should be assumed.  Concerns can include, but are not limited to, something a child says, noticeable marks or changes in a child’s behaviour or demeanor.

Disclosure from a child-

If a child discloses a safeguarding issue to you, you should:

• Listen to them and show they are believed and valued
• Allow them time to talk and do not ask leading questions
• Stay calm and do not show that you are shocked or upset
• Tell the child they have done the right thing in telling you
• Do not promise to keep anything secret
• Explain what will happen next and that you will pass the information on to make sure they are safe and looked after
• Write up your conversation as soon as possible, using the child’s own words where possible. Ensure it is factual and do not put your own judgement on it.
• Sign and date the record and give this to the DSL or Deputy DSL.
• If you have access to CPOMS as staff, please record on this system. If you do not, a blue form can be found in the SLT office and staff room areas.

Never Investigate; Always Refer! No matter how small.

Staff Conduct-

If you are concerned about any conduct of a member of staff, volunteer or visitor, following and observation or disclosure, you must immediately inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.

Photographs-

Under no circumstances should visitors or volunteers take any photographs of our children using personal equipment whilst in school. If photographs are needed, please seek a member of staff who will provide a school device for use.

Mobile Phones-

To protect our children, mobile phones should not be out or in use during your time in the school building- especially when children are present. If you are expecting a call, please make the office or SLT aware so this can be taken somewhere private away from children.

Social Media-

As a professional who works with children, we need to take extra care to ensure that we do not inadvertently make personal information available to children or parents. This could leave you vulnerable to false allegations, misinterpretation or possibility of cyber bullying. We recommend that privacy settings are checked and requests to friend parents or pupils are not accepted.

Health and Safety

Fire-

In the event of a fire alarm, please use the nearest exit and make yourself known to a member of staff. Fire exits will be signposted upon your arrival.

Accidents and Illness-

All accidents, regardless of severity, need to be reported to a first aider at the main office on each site. All accidents will be logged in the accident book.

Best advice- Any concerns? Share them. Any questions? Ask them. Unsure? Discuss it. Do not keep things to yourself. We are here to listen as a team.

child protection and safeguarding policy from 1 september 2023.pdf

keeping children safe in education 2023.pdf