Safeguarding and online safety
Safeguarding is the responsibility of all adults and especially those working or volunteering with children.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of all adults and especially those working or volunteering with children.
Safeguarding legislation and government guidance says that safeguarding means:
Protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of children’s health or development, ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Child Protection: is part of safeguarding and promoting student welfare. It involves measures and structures designed to prevent and respond to significant harm, abuse, exploitation and neglect.
Safeguarding includes: Child Protection, Health Care Plans, Health and Safety, Site Security, Safety on school trips and visits, Safer recruitment – School Central Record & DBS checks, online safety and associated issues, anti-bullying work, children’s & learner’s health, mental health and emotional well-being and so much more.
Our Safeguarding team:
- Mrs L Palache, Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Miss T Springett, Principal Deputy, Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Mrs R Fannon, SENDCO, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
A senior member of staff (a member of the leadership team) is nominated to have specific responsibility within the school for child protection matters, specifically: Taking lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues, providing advice and support to other staff, liaising with the local authority and working with other agencies, providing support for individual children. It may be appropriate for another senior employee to be named as deputy designated person.
The Designated person need not be a teacher but must have sufficient knowledge and skills, and status and authority within the school, to carry out the role. Should you have any concerns about an issue of child safety please make an appointment to discuss the matter with either member of staff on 01732 841912. Everyone who works with our children should be aware that their role is to listen and note carefully any observations that may indicate abuse. They should not attempt to investigate once a concern is raised. They should inform a member of the DSL team immediately. If a DSL is not present then the information must be passed on to a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Disclosures may be made at any time to any member of staff.
We have a suite of policies relevant to safeguarding. Here is a link to our statutory information including safeguarding and online safety policies.
IN THE CASE OF AN ALLEGATION RELATING TO A STAFF MEMBER THE HEAD TEACHER IS GENERALLY THE KEY CONTACT, RATHER THAN A DSL. IF A CHILD PROTECTION CONCERN IS RAISED ABOUT A HEADTEACHER THEN PLEASE CONTACT the Regional Edcuation Director- David Atter (datter@liftschools.org)
St James the Great we have a designated wellbeing team to look after the wellbeing of all pupils. We support pupils across a number of areas, empowering children and young people to be safe, active, healthy and resilient individuals. As a school, we take mental health and wellbeing very seriously and are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff.
Talk PANTS (The underwear rule) with Pantosaurus I work with children to explore their feelings, nurture their positive emotions and enable them to face new opportunities confidently. All of this allows children to develop a full spectrum of positive human qualities and emotions so the child has inner peace, security, and wisdom. The level and type of support a child receives vary, depending on their needs and children may be supported on their journey in a group or 1-1.
Most children want to feel peace, love, and happiness but dealing with everyday activities or challenges can create a barrier to children feeling content. Over-stimulation is a part of a child's everyday life in these times, social media and the need to be constantly busy only add to the stresses of life. Common everyday stresses are individual to the child and family, such as having no -one to play with at playtime, finding reading hard, a death in the family or the separation of parents. Factors such as these add stress to the child; stress feels the same whether a worry is big or small. I work with children to navigate and learn strategies to cope with these stresses.
All staff have been trained on how to report safeguarding and technical concerns, such as if:
NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children): nspcc.org.uk
Childline: childline.org.uk Contact: 0800 1111
Lift St James the Great
Chapman Way,
East Malling,
E19 6SD
