Safeguarding

We regard the safeguarding of children as our main priority. We believe that we all have the right to be happy, to be safe and to learn. We all have the responsibility to make this happen.

At Gisburn Road we will ensure that:

  1. The welfare of the child remains paramount.
  2. All children - whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity - have the right to be protected from harm.
  3. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
  4. All staff and volunteers working at our school have a responsibility to report concerns to the Designated Lead for Safeguarding.

Key People

Mrs Walker 2

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Nicola Walker (our Head Teacher)

Toor Laura

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Laura Toor (our Deputy Head Teacher)

Photo of Sarah Smith

Miss Sarah Smith is Gisburn Road School's Family Support Worker

R Waddington

A Governor responsible for safeguarding is Mrs Rachel Waddington (the Chair of the Governing Board)

governor-caron-longden-circle

Another Governor responsible for safeguarding is Mrs Caron Longdon.

Operation Encompass

a new Safeguarding initiative that is now taking place in Lancashire
operationencompass.org

The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in or witness to a domestic abuse incident.

Domestic abuse impacts on children a numbers of ways. Children are at increased risk of physical injury during an incident, either by accident or because they attempt to intervene. Even when not directly injured, children are greatly distressed by witnessing the physical and emotional suffering of a parent.

Operation Encompass has been created to address this situation. It is promoting a key partnership between the police and schools. The aim of sharing information with local schools is to allow school staff the opportunity of engaging with the child and to provide access to support that allows them to remain in a safe but secure familiar environment.

Following the report of an incident of domestic abuse, by 9:10am on the next school day the school’s Headteacher will be informed that the child or young person has been involved in a domestic incident.

This knowledge, given to schools through Operation Encompass, allows the provision of immediate early intervention through silent or overt support dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.

The Encompass Leads are: Mrs Walker and Mrs Toor

Safeguarding Policy

There are three main elements to our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy:

Prevention

Creating a positive school atmosphere, teaching and pastoral support to pupils where children have opportunities to have a voice and that their wishes and feelings are listened to and taken into account.

Protection

By following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are trained to recognise possible signs and symptoms of abuse and are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to child protection concerns.

Support

To pupils and school staff and to children who may have been abused.

The policies cover all areas of school life and include:

  • Staff & Visitors
    ensuring they are vetted, informed and trained.

 

  • Children’s Behaviour
    promoting safer and happier behaviours and lifestyles.

 

  • Parents and Carers
    promoting links and supporting families.
  • Premises
    keeping them safe, pleasant and fit for purpose.

 

  • Curriculum
    providing positive learning experiences.

 

  • Outside School
    ensuring safer activities and environments outside school.
Further reading

For further information please find our Safeguarding Policy and a child friendly Safeguarding Policy:

full safeguarding policy
child friendly safeguarding policy
leaflet for volunteers and visitors

Information Sharing

We have an obligation to obtain necessary information from parents in advance of a child being admitted to school, including:

  • emergency contact numbers;
  • the child’s special dietary requirements, preferences or food allergies the child may have;
  • the child’s special health requirements;
  • information about who has legal contact with the child; and who has parental responsibility for the child.

 

Written parental permission is requested, at the time of the child’s admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future.

Staff

Safer recruitment

We follow strict procedures to ensure that everyone who works with our children is vetted, keeping our children as safe as possible. Ongoing checks and ‘whistle-blowing’ are in line with current policy.

Staff training

  • Staff are trained in child protection issues and they are aware of the procedures to follow.
  • Staff are encouraged to be vigilant in order to maintain the safety of our children.
  • All Staff & Volunteers have read the document ‘KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IN EDUCATION 2018’ Part 1

Policies

All staff have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding children issues and are able to implement the safeguarding children policy and procedure appropriately. Policies are in line with current guidance and procedures.

Staff are able to respond appropriately to any:

  • significant changes in children’s behaviour;
  • deterioration in their general well-being;
  • unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse;
  • signs of neglect;
  • comments children make which give cause for concern.

All staff are aware of the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality.

Online Safety

The Internet is a huge resource available to our children. It is a fascinating and effective tool for both teaching and learning, at home and within school. We believe that it is paramount that all users from children to adults are educated on how to use the Internet safely.

What is Online Safety?

Online safety is ELECTRONIC SAFETY for all (especially children) and it is often associated with websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, WhatsApp and any other social network. Online safety however covers all electronic safety such as identifying appropriate and inappropriate e-mails, text messages and much more.

Please make sure you know what your child/children are doing online. It is important to remember that if you allow your child internet access at home, parental supervision is recommended. Ideally, the computer screen, tablet or phone should be in an easily viewable position in the family living area.

Digital safety newsletters

 

 

 

 

 

 

News from Digital Warriors in school

Policies

Help for
parents

Parental controls

online safety parental controls

online safety parental controls page 1
online safety parental controls page 2
online safety parental controls page 3
download

At Gisburn Road we educate our children on online safety from an early age and this continues throughout school. We teach online safety with support from the websites below. These websites are suitable for parents and pupils, as well as school and have activities and games for children to complete:

 

Here are some more useful publications which can be downloaded in PDF format.

NSPCC
Let's Talk PANTS

Children's Safeguarding Assurance Partnership

A useful link to a local website about child online safety, with specific information for parents and carers:

lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk

Report it

CEOP: The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command

Has someone done something online that has made you or a child or young person you know, feel worried or unsafe?

Make a report to one of CEOP's experienced Child Protection Advisors:

CEOP Safety Centre