Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mr J Peacock
Safeguarding
Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Mrs S Tuttiett
Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Mrs Z Payne
Supporting Safeguarding Team: Mrs J Hall, Mrs S Cantello, Ms S Vincent
Nominated Governor responsible for safeguarding: Mr P Cox
Online Safeguarding Lead: Mr J Orchard
Designated Teacher For Children Who Are Looked After: Mrs C Miyagawa
What is Child Protection?
Child Protection is part of Safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children’s health or development
- ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child. Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.
Prevent Strategy
From 1st July 2015 all schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent Duty. It applies to a wide range of public-facing bodies, including all primary and secondary schools.
Schools can build learners’ resilience to radicalisation by providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues and helping children to understand how they can influence and participate in decision making. Schools are already expected to promote the spiritual, moral and cultural development of learners and, within this, fundamental British values.
Mandatory Reporting of FGM – Procedural Information
From 21st October 2015 it is mandatory for teachers, health and social workers to report to the police if they find, or are told, that someone under 18 has undergone FGM.
To obtain more information on FGM please click the link below for Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023.
Safeguarding and PSHE
PSHE helps learners develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and prepare for life and work in modern Britain. Through tailored lessons at Westhaven, learners will learn how to understand and implement the key values of a PSHE curriculum. This will include staying safe and healthy, building and maintaining successful relationships – and becoming active citizens who participate in society responsibly – now and in the future.
At Westhaven we understand that by nature certain subjects may carry an increased risk of learner disclosure in PSHE. In cases where there is a safeguarding risk, school safeguarding policy in relation to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018 will be followed. In all other cases; concerns will be recorded on CPoMS.
Westhaven provides opportunities for discussion and sharing of ideas within a safe environment. In PSHE this is achieved through the revision of ground rules before each session and the use of distancing techniques, such as role play, where learners may relate to certain topics.
Staff receive yearly training on various issues in relation to safeguarding and have a duty to read and act on school policies that support the PSHE and wider curriculum.
Our PSHE curriculum at Westhaven offers a broad and balanced range of content coverage including but not restricted to; drug Education, RSE, signs of abuse, and mental health awareness. Online safety is taught throughout the Computing Curriculum and compliments coverage within PSHE.
For more information on PSHE. please see our PSHE subject page:
If you have any concerns or questions about the PSHE curriculum at Westhaven school, please contact the school via the reception email address.
Online safety
Westhaven recognises the benefits and opportunities that new technologies offer to teaching and learning. We encourage the use of technology in order to enhance skills and promote achievement. However, the accessible and global nature of the internet and variety of technologies available mean that we are also aware of potential risks and challenges associated with such use.
Keeping Children Safe in Education – September 2023
Please see below the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. It is imperative that all staff (including volunteers) read Part 1 and Appendix A of this guidance and sign that they have done so (a register exists to determine this). Schools must have regard to the guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This document contains information on what schools should do and sets out the legal duties with which schools must comply.
If you have any concerns about the behaviour of someone working or volunteering with children please contact the LADO – Local Authority Designated Officer via the Front Door to Children’s Services.
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
James McMillan – Telephone: 07795 092 692 or email lado@n-somerset.gov.uk
Safeguarding policy, resources and useful links
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023
NSPCC Definitions – Signs of Child Abuse
Support For Anyone Experiencing Domestic Abuse