Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ

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+380 (96) 625 11 33 ÌýÌý

Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Child Protection Safeguarding Policy

 Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 
Founder Andy Fawkes 
  Category   Health & Safety 
 Extent  Whole School 
Date Implemented September 2023 
Standard Review Period Annual 
Last Reviewed by Andy Fawkes 
 Approved by  LBS Executive Board 
Next Scheduled Review Date August 2025 
NOTES: This policy sets out common values, principles and beliefs adopted by our school and describes the steps that will be taken in meeting our commitment to protect children. It must be reviewed annually.                      
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Child Protection and Safeguarding PolicyÌý
The Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) for The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ are:ÌýÌý
Overall Head of Safeguarding:ÌýÌý
Olena Chernetska (Headteacher)ÌýÌý
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL):ÌýÌý
Valeriia Krupska (Deputy Headteacher)ÌýÌý
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External contact in case of need is the Founder, Andy Fawkes. Contact details: andy.fawkes@lvivbritish.schoolÌý
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The School Headteacher has overall responsibility for all child protection and safeguarding concerns at our school. On a daily basis, this is delegated to the DSL. The DSL is there to directly support with concerns within their respective phases and, if unavailable, the Overall Head of Safeguarding can be contacted. DSL photos and titles are displayed on the Health and Safety noticeboards in all school buildings to ensure staff are aware of whom to turn to should they have any child protection and/or safeguarding concerns.Ìý
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The DSL reports directly to the Headteacher and acts as an impartial voice on safeguarding policy and practice.Ìý
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The Headteacher is the sole person to be informed with regards to any allegation against staff, including volunteers and external/third party staff. If a child safeguarding complaint is made against the Headteacher, the Founder, Andy Fawkes, must be contacted.Ìý
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This policy is available in English and Ukrainian on our school website.Ìý
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Introduction and Context Definitions SafeguardingÌý
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children refers to the processes of protecting students from harm/maltreatment, preventing the impairment of their me n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l health and development, ensuring that we seek to improve the general health and well-being of all students in our care and enabling every student to have the optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.Ìý
Child ProtectionÌý
Child Protection is the core element of safeguarding and is defined as the responsibility to protect children who are suffering or likely to suffer from harm as a result of abuse or neglect.Ìý
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Note: This policy applies in reference to children in our setting all the way up to end of their education in Secondary School. Students may turn 18 years of age whilst still at our school, but this policy and its approach still applies as long as they are on roll at our school.Ìý
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Context/RationaleÌý
Given our international context, we recognise and accept responsibility to safeguard all students under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ recognises the obligation to protect our students from harm and in particular, the obligation on our schools under the following Articles of the UN convention:Ìý
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Article 3: the best interests of children must be the primary concern in decision making about them. Article 13: children have the right to get & share information as long as it is not damaging to them/others. Article 14: children have the right to think and believe what they want and to practise their religion.Ìý
Article 19: children have the right to be protected from hurt and mistreatment, physically and mentally. Article 34: governments should protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse.Ìý
Article 35: governments take all measures to ensure that children are not abducted, sold or trafficked.Ìý
Article 36: children should be protected from any activity that takes advantage of them or could harm their welfare and development.Ìý
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ARTICLE 37: NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO PUNISH CHILDREN IN A CRUEL OR HARMFUL WAY.Ìý
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ALL THE UN ARTICLES CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: Ìý
In addition to The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµâ€™s commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Nord Anglia Education uses the standards outlined by the International Task Force on Child Protection to benchmark our safeguarding practice against as well as the UK schools’ statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ procedures are also underpinned by the UK multi-agency guidance “Working together to safeguard children, 2022â€, where relevant.Ìý
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Related DocumentsÌý
This policy should be read in conjunction with more detailed procedures outlined in the following Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Policies:Ìý
LBS Allegations Against Staff PolicyÌý
LBS Social Media PolicyÌý
LBS Guidance for Safer Working PracticeÌý
In addition to the above, it is essential that other policies are also referred to, such as the Recruitment Policy, Whistleblowing Policy, Code of Conduct and other related policies that tie into overall procedures that link with safeguarding measures at our school (e.g. Visitor Policy, RSHE Policy, Learning Digital Technologies Policy, Counselling Policy, Trips Policy, Crisis Emergency Plan). Staff who have access to The National College can find a range of resources, including basic details on some cyber risks and some simple tips on how to help avoid them (Staying Safe and Secure Online).ÌýÌýIt is essential for staff to follow the same guidelines with regards to when students are on trips, including residentials. More information can be found on the Educational Visits Policy. The DSL will coordinate and ensure that records are updated either during or after the trip; any information and records relating to safeguarding must only be shared via agreed reporting systems as outlined on this policy.ÌýÌýPrinciples, Beliefs and PolicyÌýOur school believes that having a safeguarding and child protection policy comes with the expectation that all staff, including all volunteers in our school and any contractors or partner agency staff used by schools, recognise where a student is at risk of, or is actually being harmed and do all they can to reduce further risk or further harm. Our students are encouraged to make decisions for themselves and are supported in this by learning through specific elements of the curriculum, aimed at enabling students to be able to keep themselves safe (e.g. through personal, social and health education programmes or similar).ÌýÌýSchool’s Aims and ObjectivesÌýThe school child protection aims are:ÌýÌýto provide a safe environment for children to learn in;Ìýto establish what actions the school can take to ensure that children remain safe at school;Ìýto raise the awareness of all staff to these issues, and to define their roles and responsibilities in reporting possible cases of abuse;Ìýto identify children who are suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm;Ìýto ensure effective communication between all staff on child protection and safeguarding issues;Ìýto ensure that the correct procedures are in place for those who encounter any child protection and/or safeguarding concerns.ÌýÌýWhat we will doÌýWe will meet our commitment to protect children through the following means:ÌýÌýAwareness: we will ensure that all staff and others associated with the school are aware of the problems associated with child abuse and safeguarding and the risks to children.ÌýPrevention: we will aim, through awareness and good practice, that staff and others minimise the risks to children.ÌýReporting: we will ensure that staff and others are clear what steps to take where concerns arise regarding the safety of children.ÌýResponding: we will ensure that action is taken to support and protect children where concerns arise regarding possible abuse.ÌýÌýIn order that the above standards of reporting and responding are met, the school and its employees will accept and adhere to these basic principles (also linked to the Code of Conduct):ÌýÌýThe welfare of the child is paramount.ÌýAdults should work and be seen to work, in an open and transparent way. The same professional standards should always be applied regardless of culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity; all students have the same equal rights to protection, but we recognise that we need to do more for some students because of their special educational needs, disability, gender, religion or sexual orientation.Ìý
All students need to be safe and feel safe in school.Ìý
Every student is entitled to a rich and broad curriculum that helps to equip them to keep themselves safe.Ìý
Every adult in school must have a demonstrable commitment to protecting the students with/for whom we work.Ìý
We work in partnership with parents/carers and/or other professionals to ensure the protection of students.Ìý
Our guiding principle throughout is ‘the best interests of the students’.Ìý
We take seriously any concerns raised, including listening to the views of the children.Ìý
We take positive steps to ensure the protection of children who are the subject of any concern, and act appropriately and effectively in co-operating with any subsequent process of investigation.Ìý
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Note: all principles apply to both, physical and virtual, environments.Ìý
Training and SupportÌý
The school will undertake measures, including training, to ensure that all staff:Ìý
read and acknowledge this policy every year (Appendix 7);Ìý
are familiar with, understand and abide by the Code of Conduct (Section 2);Ìý
are provided, through training and support, with the necessary skills to recognise children who are at risk or potentially at risk;Ìý
fully understand the systems and frameworks through which concerns may be raised and addressed;Ìý
are aware of the mechanisms by which this policy and its associated procedures will be applied and monitored and where the levels of accountability lie;Ìý
if they are affected by a safeguarding/child protection issue and this might have had an impact on their mental well-being, they are supported (e.g. via counselling and/or possible referrals for this kind of support).Ìý
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It is an aim that all Senior Leaders will have additional training beyond our ‘Introduction to Safeguarding and Child Protection’ course (i.e., via courses on The National College and/or other recommended courses from the DSL Team).Ìý
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Code of ConductÌýÌý
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Purpose of GuidanceÌý
It is important that all adults working with children understand that the nature of their work and the responsibilities related to this, place them in a position of trust. The Code of Conduct provides clear advice on appropriate and safe behaviours for all adults working with children in paid or unpaid capacities, in all settings and in all contexts. The Code aims to:Ìý
Keep children safe by clarifying which behaviours constitute safe practice and which behaviours should be avoided.Ìý
Assist adults working with children to work safely and responsibly and to monitor their own standards and practice.Ìý
Support line managers and the Headteacher in setting clear expectations of behaviour.Ìý
Support employers in giving a clear message that unlawful or unsafe behaviour is unacceptable and that, where appropriate, disciplinary or legal action will be taken.Ìý
Support safer recruitment practice.Ìý
Minimise the risk of misplaced or malicious allegations made against adults who work with children and young people.Ìý
Reduce the incidence of positions of trust being abused or misused.Ìý
Fulfil requirements as a code of conduct and act as part of staff induction/any related training.Ìý
Co-ordination and ResponseÌý
Any person who works with children should be aware of the possibility that a vulnerable or ‘at risk’ child may choose them to be the first point of contact. It is therefore important that all employees, including third party staff and volunteers, are fully aware of the procedures and guidelines relating to reporting and investigation. In addition, we will appoint designated senior staff members (Designated Safeguarding Leads) who will receive additional training so they may guide and support through the reporting and responding process. It is imperative that staff do not carry out an investigation about any suspected abuse but instead should report their concerns immediately. This can be highly specialist work and could interfere with a criminal investigation if this were required and appropriate under local laws. Related staff (DSLs and/or the School Headteacher) will coordinate next steps, including considering local guidance with the support of our partners and seeking advice from specialists (see Section 11).Ìý
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Note: Should any DSL be involved in conducting student interviews that are deemed more sensitive in nature, there should always be a second member of staff present. It is imperative that in such situations, the DSL keeps the Headteacher fully updated. The Headteacher will then nominate a second member of staff to support.Ìý
Consideration will be given to ensure that either the DSL or the second member of staff is either female or male if it is felt that this minimises stress or potential embarrassment for the student during these interviews/meetings.Ìý
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Duty of CareÌý
All adults who work with, and on behalf of children, have a duty to keep children safe and protect them from harm and are accountable for the way in which they exercise authority; manage risk; use resources; and safeguard children and young people. Failure to do so may be regarded as ‘neglect’. The duty of care is in part, exercised through the development of respectful and caring relationships between adults and children and young people. It is also exercised through the behaviour of the adult, which at all times should demonstrate integrity, maturity and good judgment. All staff should avoid actions or behaviour that may constitute poor practice or, potentially, abusive behaviour. All adults should:Ìý
Understand the responsibilities, which are part of their employment or role, and be aware that sanctions will be applied if these provisions are breached.Ìý
Always act, and be seen to act, in the child’s best interests.Ìý
Avoid any conduct which would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions.Ìý
Take responsibility for their own actions and behaviour.Ìý
All adults on site must wear an ID badge at all times.Ìý
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It is important for all staff and others in contact with children to:Ìý
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ensure they are familiar with and follow these safeguarding/child protection procedures and all other safeguarding related policies, e.g., Code of Conduct, Guidance for Safer Working Practice.Ìý
recognise that if their behaviour, inside or outside, of the workplace breaches the LBS Code of Conduct, and/or the Guidance for Safer Working Practice, this may be considered a disciplinary action, or even a criminal, matter.Ìý
follow procedures when outlined in this document when/if concerned about any child.Ìý
support relevant staff to act appropriately and effectively and to cooperate with any processes of investigation (this will be guided by the DSLs and/or Headteacher).Ìý
be alert to signs and indicators of possible abuse.Ìý
always acknowledge and maintain professional boundaries.Ìý
clearly understand the need to maintain appropriate boundaries in their contacts with children and young people. Intimate or sexual relationships between children/young people and the adults who work with them will be regarded as a grave breach of trust.Ìý
Be aware that that even well-intentioned physical contact may be misconstrued by the child, an observer or by anyone to whom this action is described. Never touch a child in a way which may be considered indecent. Always be prepared to report and explain actions and accept that all physical contact can be open to scrutiny.Ìý
All students need to be safe and feel safe in school.Ìý
Every student is entitled to a rich and broad curriculum that helps to equip them to keep themselves safe.Ìý
Every adult in school must have a demonstrable commitment to protecting the students with/for whom we work.Ìý
We work in partnership with parents/carers and/or other professionals to ensure the protection of students.Ìý
Our guiding principle throughout is ‘the best interests of the students’.Ìý
We take seriously any concerns raised, including listening to the views of the children.Ìý
We take positive steps to ensure the protection of children who are the subject of any concern, and act appropriately and effectively in co-operating with any subsequent process of investigation.Ìý
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Note: all principles apply to both, physical and virtual, environments.Ìý
Training and SupportÌý
The school will undertake measures, including training, to ensure that all staff:Ìý
read and acknowledge this policy every year (Appendix 7);Ìý
are familiar with, understand and abide by the Code of Conduct (Section 2);Ìý
are provided, through training and support, with the necessary skills to recognise children who are at risk or potentially at risk;Ìý
fully understand the systems and frameworks through which concerns may be raised and addressed;Ìý
are aware of the mechanisms by which this policy and its associated procedures will be applied and monitored and where the levels of accountability lie;Ìý
if they are affected by a safeguarding/child protection issue and this might have had an impact on their mental well-being, they are supported (e.g. via counselling and/or possible referrals for this kind of support).Ìý
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It is an aim that all Senior Leaders will have additional training beyond our ‘Introduction to Safeguarding and Child Protection’ course (i.e., via courses on The National College and/or other recommended courses from the DSL Team).Ìý
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Code of ConductÌýÌý
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Purpose of GuidanceÌý
It is important that all adults working with children understand that the nature of their work and the responsibilities related to this, place them in a position of trust. The Code of Conduct provides clear advice on appropriate and safe behaviours for all adults working with children in paid or unpaid capacities, in all settings and in all contexts. The Code aims to:Ìý
Keep children safe by clarifying which behaviours constitute safe practice and which behaviours should be avoided.Ìý
Assist adults working with children to work safely and responsibly and to monitor their own standards and practice.Ìý
Support line managers and the Headteacher in setting clear expectations of behaviour.Ìý
Support employers in giving a clear message that unlawful or unsafe behaviour is unacceptable and that, where appropriate, disciplinary or legal action will be taken.Ìý
Support safer recruitment practice.Ìý
Minimise the risk of misplaced or malicious allegations made against adults who work with children and young people.Ìý
Reduce the incidence of positions of trust being abused or misused.Ìý
Fulfil requirements as a code of conduct and act as part of staff induction/any related training.Ìý
Co-ordination and ResponseÌý
Any person who works with children should be aware of the possibility that a vulnerable or ‘at risk’ child may choose them to be the first point of contact. It is therefore important that all employees, including third party staff and volunteers, are fully aware of the procedures and guidelines relating to reporting and investigation. In addition, we will appoint designated senior staff members (Designated Safeguarding Leads) who will receive additional training so they may guide and support through the reporting and responding process. It is imperative that staff do not carry out an investigation about any suspected abuse but instead should report their concerns immediately. This can be highly specialist work and could interfere with a criminal investigation if this were required and appropriate under local laws. Related staff (DSLs and/or the School Headteacher) will coordinate next steps, including considering local guidance with the support of our partners and seeking advice from specialists (see Section 11).Ìý
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Note: Should any DSL be involved in conducting student interviews that are deemed more sensitive in nature, there should always be a second member of staff present. It is imperative that in such situations, the DSL keeps the Headteacher fully updated. The Headteacher will then nominate a second member of staff to support.Ìý
Consideration will be given to ensure that either the DSL or the second member of staff is either female or male if it is felt that this minimises stress or potential embarrassment for the student during these interviews/meetings.Ìý
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Duty of CareÌý
All adults who work with, and on behalf of children, have a duty to keep children safe and protect them from harm and are accountable for the way in which they exercise authority; manage risk; use resources; and safeguard children and young people. Failure to do so may be regarded as ‘neglect’. The duty of care is in part, exercised through the development of respectful and caring relationships between adults and children and young people. It is also exercised through the behaviour of the adult, which at all times should demonstrate integrity, maturity and good judgment. All staff should avoid actions or behaviour that may constitute poor practice or, potentially, abusive behaviour. All adults should:Ìý
Understand the responsibilities, which are part of their employment or role, and be aware that sanctions will be applied if these provisions are breached.Ìý
Always act, and be seen to act, in the child’s best interests.Ìý
Avoid any conduct which would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions.Ìý
Take responsibility for their own actions and behaviour.Ìý
All adults on site must wear an ID badge at all times.Ìý
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It is important for all staff and others in contact with children to:Ìý
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ensure they are familiar with and follow these safeguarding/child protection procedures and all other safeguarding related policies, e.g., Code of Conduct, Guidance for Safer Working Practice.Ìý
recognise that if their behaviour, inside or outside, of the workplace breaches the LBS Code of Conduct, and/or the Guidance for Safer Working Practice, this may be considered a disciplinary action, or even a criminal, matter.Ìý
follow procedures when outlined in this document when/if concerned about any child.Ìý
support relevant staff to act appropriately and effectively and to cooperate with any processes of investigation (this will be guided by the DSLs and/or Headteacher).Ìý
be alert to signs and indicators of possible abuse.Ìý
always acknowledge and maintain professional boundaries.Ìý
clearly understand the need to maintain appropriate boundaries in their contacts with children and young people. Intimate or sexual relationships between children/young people and the adults who work with them will be regarded as a grave breach of trust.Ìý
Be aware that that even well-intentioned physical contact may be misconstrued by the child, an observer or by anyone to whom this action is described. Never touch a child in a way which may be considered indecent. Always be prepared to report and explain actions and accept that all physical contact can be open to scrutiny.Ìý
be aware that there is an Intimate Care Policy in place. This policy provides guidelines for adults dealing with intimate care issues (e.g., toileting incidents). Although this policy mostly applies within the Early Years and Primary setting, it is essential that all staff are aware of the key policy guidelines. It is important to remember that all children have a right to safety, privacy and dignity when contact of a physical or intimate nature is required and depending on their abilities, age and maturity, children should be encouraged to act as independently as possible.Ìý
be aware and follow the school’s behaviour management policies. Adults should not use any form of degrading treatment to punish a child. Adults should not use force as a form of punishment, and should instead try to defuse the situations before they escalate.Ìý
understand that students are entitled to respect and privacy at all times and especially when in a state of undress, changing clothes, bathing or undertaking any form of personal care. There are occasions where there will be a need for an appropriate level of supervision in order to safeguard young people and/or satisfy health and safety considerations or a need for intervention to protect the student/s from harm. For example, where there are changing rooms and there is a need to intervene, it is essential to announce intention of entering; report these incidents as soon as possible to a senior manager, who will then follow up on recording procedures.Ìý
follow the guidance on school’s e-safety policy (part of Learning Technologies & Digital Literacy Policy). Ensure that children are not exposed to unsuitable material on the internet and that any films or material shown to children and young people are age appropriate.Ìý
be aware of situations which may present risks and manage these.Ìý
plan and organise the work and the workplace so as to minimise risks.Ìý
as far as possible, be visible to other adults when working with children. Avoid meetings with a child or young person in remote, secluded areas.Ìý
never use toilets designated for child use only – even outside of school hours.Ìý
ensure that a culture of openness exists to enable any issues or concerns to be raised and discussed.Ìý
ensure that a sense of accountability exists between staff so that poor practice or potentially abusive behaviour does not go unchallenged.Ìý
listen to, and take seriously, the views and concerns of students.Ìý
talk to children and encourage them to raise any concerns; empower children – discuss with them their rights, what is acceptable and unacceptable, and what they can do if there is a problem.Ìý
be familiar with and take responsibility to implement procedures within our school’s reporting system for recording and reporting concerns.Ìý
undertake child protection/safeguarding training every year, and other related training as deemed necessary by Senior Leaders (e.g. Safe Recruitment, Cyber-Safety), and ensure to attend all induction and safeguarding training sessions taking place onsite.Ìý
respect both professional and social boundaries. Therefore, staff should not accept friend requests from former students under the age of 21 on any kind of personal social media/networking sites. This includes students from previous schools that staff have worked at. Staff should not invite former students (regardless of their age) to their personal social media accounts. At all times, staff must ensure their behaviours adhere to the Ethical Code of Conduct.Ìý
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Please note: For all staff and volunteers, there is an expectation that you will have read part 1 of the UK statutory guidance on safeguarding in schools, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. This document can be found on the following website:Ìý
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In general, it is inappropriate to, and adults should NOT:Ìý
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behave in a manner which would lead any reasonable person to question their suitability to work with children or act as a role model.Ìý
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spend excessive time alone with children away from others.Ìý
take children to their home where they will be alone with you. At our school we typically do not visit a child’s home. If under exceptional circumstances, this were to be considered, it is essential that the purpose of the home visit must be discussed and approved beforehand with senior leaders.Ìý
interact with students via social media (staff should refer to LBS Social Media Policy and Guidance for Safer Working Practice for further information and overall guidance).Ìý
give personal contact details to students, including personal mobile telephone numbers and details of any blogs or personal websites.Ìý
accept a current student as a contact on any personal networking platforms (it is best practice to also decline any friend requests from parents on personal social media accounts).Ìý
use their position to intimidate, bully, humiliate, threaten, coerce or undermine children or young people.Ìý
use their status and standing to form or promote relationships which are of a sexual nature, or which may become so. Allowing or encouraging a relationship to develop in a way which might lead to a sexual relationship is unacceptable.Ìý
offer lifts to a child or young person. There may be occasions where the child or young person requires transport in an emergency situation or where not to give a lift may place a child at risk. Such circumstances must always be recorded and reported to a senior manager and parents/carers.Ìý
Note: the school recognises that there will be staff who are also parents/carers of students enrolled at our school and that this might have implications in terms of staff having social contact with other families. Staff must refer to the Guidance for Safer Working Practice for more details. All staff must always ensure to use their best professional judgement at all times and where no specific guidance exists, adults should:Ìý
Report any actions which could be misinterpreted to their senior manager.Ìý
Always discuss any misunderstanding, accidents or threats with a senior manager.Ìý
Forms of Abuse and Additional Safeguarding IssuesÌý
There are a significant number of ways that students may be exposed to risk and danger. All require a response. Abuse is defined as any form of maltreatment of a child. This can manifest itself as direct harm to a child, or by a failure to take action to protect a child who is at risk of, or already suffering harm.Ìý
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The more commonly referred to types of abuse are:Ìý
Physical abuse: a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding or otherwise cause harm to a childÌý
Emotional abuse: the persistent maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. This may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless, unloved or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person.Ìý
Sexual abuse: involves forcing or enticing a child into sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware what is happening. This includes non-contact activities over social media or the internet.Ìý
Neglect: This is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical or psychological needs likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. The different types of neglect can include ‘educational, physical, emotional and medical’; affluent neglect can also fall under this category, where it is defined as ‘neglect experienced by children and young people living, or growing up, in more affluent families’ and can include, but not limited to, for example, ‘present but absent parents; lavish gifts replacing the attention, love and affection for a child; children under extreme pressure to succeed; children who are left unattended and/or alone; emotionally distant parents’ (Safeguarding Alliance, 2021).Ìý
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While the above are the four broad main areas of potential abuse, abuse itself can take many forms involving one or more of these areas. All staff need to be alert to other possible types of safeguarding issues and what to look for as indicators. We also need to know what actions to take when concerned about any of these issues. Some examples of additional safeguarding situations/issues are listed below; however, we need to be aware that this is not an exhaustive list and that there are many other potential safeguarding risks.Ìý
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Forced Marriage (FM)Ìý
A Forced marriage is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of one or both parties, and where duress is a factor. Forced marriage is when someone faces physical pressure to marry (e.g. threats, physical violence or sexual violence) or emotional and psychological pressure (e.g. if someone is made to feel like they’re bringing shame on their family). This is very different to an arranged marriage where both parties give consent. In 2013, the first United Nations Human Rights Council also adopted a resolution against child and forced marriages. This resolution recognises child, early, and forced marriage as involving violations of human rights which “prevents individuals from living their lives free from all forms of violence and has adverse consequences on the enjoyment of human rights, such as the right to education.â€Ìý
As with FGM and some other cultural practices, we need to be aware of the cultural sensitivities but always act in the students’ best interests. However, the school procedures must be followed in the same way as for any other safeguarding or child protection matter.Ìý
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Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)Ìý
The sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 can involve exploitative relationships where young people receive something in return for performing sexual acts. Exploitation of any student can occur on a face-to-face level or through the use of technology, such as mobile phones or computers. In these situations, a student could be encouraged to send or post indecent images of themselves. In all cases the person exploiting children does so by misusing the power they have over them. This power may come through virtue of age, physical strength and/or economic resources. Violence, intimidation and coercion are common in exploitative relationships.Ìý
SextingÌý
Sexting is when someone shares sexual, naked or semi-naked images or videos of themselves or others or sends sexually explicit messages. Sexting may also be referred to by students as ‘trading nudies’, ‘dirties’ or ‘pic for pic’. There are many reasons why a student may do this:Ìý
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Joining in because they think that ‘everyone is doing it’.Ìý
Boosting their self-esteem.Ìý
Flirting with others and testing their sexual identity.Ìý
Exploring their sexual feelings.Ìý
To get attention and connect with new people on social media.Ìý
They may find it difficult to say no if somebody asks them for an explicit image, especially if the person asking is persistent.Ìý
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Students often do not realise that in creating and sending these images they are potentially committing a criminal act. Ideally, we would not want to deal with these issues as criminal acts. Learning and support can be a more beneficial way of tackling sexting.Ìý
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Self-HarmÌý
Self-harm can take a number of physical and/or emotional forms. There are many reasons why children and young people try to hurt themselves. Once they start, it can become a compulsion. Therefore, it is important for schools to spot it as early as possible and to do everything possible to help. Self-harm is not usually a suicide attempt or a cry for attention but more often a way of coping and releasing overwhelming emotions. Whatever the reason, it should be taken seriously. The exact reasons why children and young people decide to hurt themselves are not always easy to work out, although empirical studies show there are links between depression and self-harm. Quite often a child or young person who is self-harming is being bullied, under too much pressure, being emotionally abused, grieving, or having relationship problems with family or friends. The feelings that these issues bring up can include low self-esteem, low confidence, loneliness, sadness, anger, numbness and lack of controlÌý
in their lives. Young people will sometimes go to great lengths to cover self-harm scars or injuries and/or they will explain any indications of self-harm as accidents.Ìý
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There are some common themes that may help staff identify concerns including:Ìý
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Physical indicators such as unexplained cuts, bruises, burns, bald patches (where hair has been pulled out).Ìý
Emotional indicators such as depression, sudden weight loss, drinking or drug-taking, or unusual eating habits, poor school attendance, isolation or withdrawal from usual social group or activities.Ìý
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If staff suspect that a student is self-harming this must be referred to the Designated Safeguarding Lead who will consider the next steps. It is likely that this will require discussion with the student involved and their parents/carers to agree a course of action or possibly refer to the school counsellor who may be able to support the student or make an external referral to a mental health organisation.Ìý
E-SafetyÌý
The increasing use of electronic media in everyday life and access to an ever-developing variety of devices creates additional risks for children. Risks and dangers of being online include:Ìý
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Inappropriate contentÌý
Ignoring age restrictions and communicating with unknown adults or other children (which make children vulnerable to bullying and grooming)Ìý
Grooming and sexual abuseÌý
Sharing personal informationÌý
Gambling or running up debtsÌý
Cyber BullyingÌý
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Cyber bullying is an increasingly common form of bullying behaviour and is most often related to social networks and mobile phones.Ìý
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The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ believes that the best way to protect our students is to teach awareness and an understanding of risk, particularly through personal, social and health education, sex and relationship education and wellness programmes. Aspects of the curriculum aim to include appropriate and frequent opportunities to teach children how to recognise when they and others are at risk and equips them with the skills, strategies and language they need to take appropriate action.Ìý
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Staff should read through the school’s Learning Technologies & Digital Literacy Policy and the LBS Acceptable Use of IT Policy.Ìý
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Anti-BullyingÌý
Bullying is a safeguarding matter and if left unresolved can become a more serious child protection issue. Staff at every level should take seriously any concerns raised in relation to the bullying of any student.Ìý
Action will always be taken to investigate the concerns and to prevent repeat incidents or behaviours. Bullying may involve the misuse of social media or other technology or be direct from student to student. Staff should refer to the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy which aims to demonstrate a commitment to help resolve specific issues.Ìý
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Children with Special Educational Needs or DisabilitiesÌý
All staff should recognise that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities can lead to additional safeguarding challenges. Depending on the nature of a child’s special need or disability, additional barriers can exist which make it more difficult to identify and recognise signs of abuse. For example, it is easy to assume that a child’s mood, behaviour or any injury relates to their disability rather than the fact they may be suffering abuse. It should also be recognised that children with disabilities may be disproportionately impacted by behaviours such as bullying but they may not show any outward signs. Communication difficulties can make it very challenging for a child to indicate what is happening which in turn can make it very hard to address the underlying issues. Staff should be extra vigilant and report all concerns whilst avoiding making assumptions about the causes of any injury or behaviour.Ìý
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Peer on Peer Abuse and Peer on Peer Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB)Ìý
All staff should recognise that children are capable of abusing their peers. Sexual violence and sexual harassment can occur between students of any age and sex, from primary through to secondary.Ìý
Incidents can occur in school or outside school and can occur through a group of students sexually assaulting or sexually harassing a single student or group. Sexual violence and sexual harassment exist on a continuum which may overlap; they can occur online and face to face (both physically and verbally) but are never acceptable in any situation. Staff in school need to understand the different forms sexually harmful behaviours can include not just sexual violence and sexual harassment but also:Ìý
Physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm, andÌý
Sexting and other forms of inappropriate on-line.Ìý
All staff need to understand the different forms that peer on peer abuse can take, such as (list is not exhaustive, KCSIE, 2024):Ìý
bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice based and discriminatory bullying);Ìý
abuse in intimate personal relationships between peers;Ìý
sexual violence and sexual harassmentÌý
physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harmÌý
sextingÌý
causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party;Ìý
consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery);Ìý
upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm; andÌý
initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).Ìý
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These/any types of peer on peer abuse/behaviors will not be tolerated.Ìý
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In recent updates from LBS, there is reference with regards to a need for staff to further understand harmful sexual behaviors, some of these include:Ìý
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Better understand the definitions of sexual harassment and sexual violence, including online sexual abuse.Ìý
Identify early signs of peer-on-peer sexual abuse.Ìý
Consistently uphold standards in their responses to sexual harassment and online sexual abuse which are reported to them.Ìý
Know good practice (in relation to hearing disclosures) and supporting children to bring issues to trusted adults.Ìý
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Staff can refer to the when concerned about potential peer on peer abuse. This tool provides some basic guidance for staff on when to be concerned about the sexualised behaviour of a student. Staff need to be able to identify sexualised behaviour and know when to refer these concerns to DSLs. Allegations of peer on peer abuse should be dealt with in the same way as any other safeguarding or bullying concern and followed through with procedures outlined as part of the Safeguarding and Anti-Bullying policy. Reports regarding sexually harmful behaviours should never be ignored or dismissed. It is essential that all victims are reassured that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported and kept safe. A victim should never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting sexual violence or sexual harassment. Nor should a victim ever be made to feel ashamed for making a report. Students who are victims of sexual violence and/or sexual harassment wherever it happens, will find the experience stressful and distressing and it is possible that this will have a negative impact on their educational attainment which can be exacerbated if the alleged perpetrator(s) attends the same school. Staff should understand that safeguarding incidents and/or behaviours can be associated with factors outside the school.Ìý
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Under no circumstances should an allegation that one child has possibly abused another be treated “as just children being children†or “experimentationâ€. It is recognised that abuse is abuse and should never be tolerated or passed off as “banterâ€, “just having a laugh†or “part of growing upâ€. All peer on peer abuse is unacceptable and will be taken seriously. We hold a zero-tolerance approach to this issue and we will address these areas by including appropriate input through the curriculum to educate our students about a variety of issues related to sexually harmful behaviours, including issues such as ‘consent’ .Ìý
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Safeguarding students who are vulnerable to extremismÌý
The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ values freedom of speech and the expression of beliefs/ideology as fundamental rights underpinning our society’s values. Students and teachers have the right to speak freely and voice their opinions. However, freedom comes with responsibility and free speech that is designed to manipulate the vulnerable or leads to violence and harm of others, goes against the moral principles in which freedom of speech is valued. Any freedom of speech which promotes violence against anyone or anything else will not be tolerated.Ìý
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Note 1: As part of the guidance from KCSIE (2024), ‘Serious Violence is now also considered as a specific safeguarding issue. All staff should be aware of indicators, which may signal that children are at risk from, or are involved with serious violent crime. These may include increased absence from school, a change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups, a significant decline in performance, signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing, or signs of assault or unexplained injuries. Unexplained gifts or new possessions could also indicate that children have been approached by, or are involved with, individuals associated with criminal networks or gangs and may be at risk of criminal exploitation’.Ìý
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Physical Intervention/restraintÌý
There may be times when adults in schools, in the course of their school duties, have to intervene physically in order to restrain students and prevent them from coming to harm or harming others. These include circumstances in which adults working with children displaying extreme behaviours can legitimately intervene by using either non-restrictive or restrictive physical interventions. The use of physical intervention should, wherever possible, be avoided (staff should always seek to diffuse situations). It should only be used to manage a child or young person’s behaviour if it is necessary to prevent personal injury to the child, other children or an adult, to prevent serious damage to property or in what would reasonably be regarded as exceptional circumstances. When physical intervention is used, it should be undertaken in such a way that maintains the safety and dignity of all concerned.Ìý
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Such intervention should always be both reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances and be the minimum necessary to resolve the situation. Under no circumstances should physical force or intervention be used as a form of punishment. The duty of care which applies to all adults working with children and young people requires that reasonable measures are taken to prevent children being harmed.Ìý
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With children where restrictive physical interventions may need to be employed regularly, e.g. where adults are working with children with extreme behaviours associated with a learning disability, key staff should implement processes as part of a wider behaviour management policy that address the specific needs of the student. This includes individual care/behaviour plans, drawn up in consultation with parents/carers and where appropriate, the child, that should set out the strategies and techniques to be used and those which should be avoided. Risk assessments should be carried out where it is foreseeable that restrictive physical intervention may be required.Ìý
The Headteacher will require the adult(s) involved in any such incident to report the matter to him or her immediately, followed by providing a description and full account of the incident. Where physical intervention has been employed, the incident and subsequent actions should be documented and reported (this should include written and signed accounts of all those involved, including the student) by a senior member of staff who will also be asked to debrief the student and allow them to describe the incident from their point of view. Written notes of this conversation should be kept and the student checked for any injuries. Witnesses to the incident should be identified where possible. Parents/carers should always be informed on the same day when an intervention has been necessary.Ìý
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U.K. government guidance has been issued in relation to the use of reasonable force and can be used as best practice advice.Ìý
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https://Ìý
Domestic AbuseÌý
The accepted definition of domestic violence and abuse is:Ìý
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional forms. Exposure to domestic abuse and/or violence can have a serious, long lasting emotional and psychological impact on children. In some cases, a child may blame themselves for the abuse or may have had to leave the family home as a result. Domestic abuse affecting young people can occur within their personal relationships as well as in the context of their home life.Ìý
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WhistleblowingÌý
The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ BritishSchool recognises that we cannot expect children to raise concerns in an environment where adults fail to do so. All staff and volunteers should be aware of their duty to raise concerns about the actions or attitude of colleagues. Appropriate concerns raised for the right reasons are a protected disclosure and, even if proven to be unfounded, will not result in action taken against the whistle-blower. Malicious whistleblowing, however, will be seen as a potential disciplinary matter. LBS has a Whistleblower Protection Policy available to all staff.Ìý
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Mental HealthÌý
All staff should ‘also be aware that mental health problems/issues can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation. Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Staff, however, are well placed to observe children on a day-to-day basis and identify those whose behaviour suggests they may be experiencing a mental health problem or risk of developing one. At our school, we have the pyschologist who can guide on mental health issues and, unless it places a child at greater risk, early contact should always be made with the child’s family and agreement reached about access to the appropriate external professional body reached where possible.Ìý
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If staff have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, immediate action should be taken, following our procedures on our safeguarding policy and reported to DSLs (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DfE, 2024). The DfE has published advice and guidance, including (DfE, November 2018), which has notes on ‘Identifying children with possible mental health problems’. The guidance states the following:Ìý
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Negative experiences and distressing life events can affect mental health in a way that can bring about changes in a young person’s behaviour or emotional state, displayed in a range of different ways, all of which can be an indication of an underlying problem. This can include:Ìý
Emotional state (fearful, withdrawn, low self-esteem)Ìý
Behaviour (aggressive or oppositional; habitual body rocking)Ìý
Interpersonal behaviours (indiscriminate contact or affection seeking, overfriendliness or excessive clinginess; demonstrating excessively ‘good’ behaviour to prevent disapproval; failing to seek or accept appropriate comfort or affection from an appropriate person when significantly distressed; coercive controlling behaviour; or lack of ability to understand and recognise emotions).Ìý
SupportÌý
The school, through its Learning Support (i.e., psychologist), are able to provide contacts in and around Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ should a student and/or family seek/benefit from a referral for support to address any child protection and/or safeguarding issues from external professionals/organisations (e.g., mental health professionals, psychologists, etc.). Our school also has a psychologist on site and is able to provide related support in conjunction with the Whole School Counselling Policy.Ìý
LBS recognises its duty of care to its employees and where staff have been involved in reporting and responding to abuse, it is recognised that this can be very difficult to deal with in isolation. Should staff need support as such, this can be discussed with the Headteacher and DSL to support with next steps.Ìý
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Social MediaÌý
When used appropriately, social media can be a very powerful and effective method of communication and in order to make best use of the many educational and social benefits of technologies, students need opportunities to use and explore the digital world, using multiple devices from multiple locations. As with all technologies however, we need to be aware of the potential dangers and boundaries for the use of social media in schools. We also need to recognise that the risks associated with the use of social media and all technology, is not with the technology itself but with the user. To equip students to use these technologies safely, schools should consider opportunities to educate students in the safe use of technology. This may be through the curriculum or by external/specialist provision. Schools should also make students aware that if they are concerned about anything they encounter, through social media that worries them, should be reported to school staff. Communicating with both current and former students via personal social networking sites or via other non-school related mechanisms such as personal e-mails and text messages can lead to employees being vulnerable to serious allegations concerning the safeguarding of children and young people. All communication with students via any personal page or elsewhere should be avoided and where there is an exception this must be agreed with a member of the school SLT.Ìý
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In general, staff should not accept friend requests from former students under the age of 21 on any kind of personal social media/networking sites. This includes students from previous schools that staff have worked at. Staff should not invite former students (regardless of their age) to their personal social media accounts. At all times, staff must ensure their behaviours adhere to the Ethical Code of Conduct.Ìý
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Adults working in this area must therefore ensure that they establish safe and responsible online guidelines and acceptable user policies. All staff must refer to the school’s acceptable user’s policy. Various learning platforms are now widely established and clear agreement by all parties about acceptable and responsible use is essential.Ìý
This means for our students, they should:Ìý
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Not sign up to social media sites that have an age restriction on them until they reach the appropriate age.Ìý
Not post anything which is offensive to any other student, parent or staff member, either in their own name or anonymously.Ìý
Avoid attempting to send friend requests to a member of staff.Ìý
Be provided with guidance and training on the safe use of social media and other technologies.Ìý
Report anything of concern that someone sends them through social media (or other technology).Ìý
Adults should:Ìý
follow the school’s ICT Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and related e-safety policies, ensuring communication between students and adults, by whatever method, takes place within clear and explicit professional boundaries. This includes the wider use of technology such as mobile phones, text messages, e-mails, digital cameras, video, webcams, websites and blogs.Ìý
ensure that all communications are transparent and open to scrutiny.Ìý
ensure that personal social networking sites are set at private and students are never listed as approved contacts.Ìý
never use or access social networking sites of students unless requested to do so by a member of SLT.Ìý
not give their personal contact details or any other personal information to students, including mobile telephone number.Ìý
only use equipment e.g. mobile phones, provided by school/service to communicate with children, making sure that parents/line manager have given permission for this form of communication to be used.Ìý
only make contact with children for professional reasons and in accordance with any school or LBS policy. Adults should not request or respond to any personal information from the child/young person other than that which might be appropriate as part of their professional role.Ìý
recognise that text messaging should only be used as part of an agreed protocol and when other forms of communication are not possible.Ìý
not use web-based or any other communication channels to send personal messages to a child/young person or their families without express permission of your line manager or the Headteacher.Ìý
avoid any form of on-line, electronic (or otherwise) relationship with former students unless this is as part of planned and agreed engagement with Alumnae. This is especially important with ex- students who are still under 18.Ìý
be professional in their communications with students to avoid any possible misinterpretation of motives or any behaviour which could be misconstrued.Ìý
Above all do nothing that is likely to bring into question your suitability to work for The Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ or your suitability to work with children or young people inÌý another school.Ìý
Internet and e-mail systems should only be used in accordance with the Nord school policy.Ìý
Note: in the context of these procedures, the term adult is used rather than employees because in schools the policy should be applied to all adults whether employees, volunteers or contractors.Ìý
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SupportÌý
The school, through its Learning Support Department (i.e., School Counsellor), are able to provide contacts in and around Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ should a student and/or family seek/benefit from a referral for support to address any child protection and/or safeguarding issues from external professionals/organisations (e.g., mental health professionals, psychologists, etc.). Our school also has a psychologist on site and is able to provide related support in conjunction with the Whole School Counselling Policy.Ìý
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LBS recognises its duty of care to its employees and where staff have been involved in reporting and responding to abuse, it is recognised that this can be very difficult to deal with in isolation. Should staff need support as such, this can be discussed with the Headteacher and DSL to support with next steps.Ìý
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Responsibilities (Headteacher, SLT, DSLs, Third Party Staff and Parents/Volunteers)Ìý
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Responsibilities and expectationsÌý
It is the responsibility of the Headteacher and senior management to ensure all of the following:Ìý
that the school adopts appropriate policies and procedures to safeguard children in the school;Ìý
that these policies are implemented by all staff, including volunteers and third party staff;Ìý
that all school staff complete the Introduction to Safeguarding Course through The National College every year;Ìý
that sufficient resources and time are allocated for staff to carry out their responsibilities effectively;Ìý
ensures a culture of the school facilitates concerns being raised and handled sensitively, where all staff and adult helpers in the school are able to voice their concern if they feel that a child is vulnerable, or that there are any particular practices that are unsafe;Ìý
ensure that safeguarding is addressed through the curriculum;Ìý
ensure the school site is secure;Ìý
customise procedures to fit school and geographical location;Ìý
support ongoing efforts to ensure mapping of local legislation/guidance and support agencies is considered and added to school’s customised version of these procedures (including seeking/further understanding clarity on legal duties to report any child protection issue to local authorities, etc.); see section 11 for more information;Ìý
only deploy staff who will have unsupervised contact where safe recruitment procedures have been followed;Ìý
maintain a record of all training undertaken by staff in relation to safeguarding and child protection, which should be made available for any inspecting during audits and reflect time scales for renewal identified within these procedures;Ìý
ensure that during any provision of Virtual Education these procedures continue to underpin our engagement with our students.Ìý
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Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs)Ìý
There is a Whole School named person (DSL) and at least one other named person as DSL to support the Headteacher, who has prime responsibility for Child Protection and Safeguarding. The designated staff role is guided by two principles:Ìý
The welfare of the child is always paramount.Ìý
Confidentiality should be respected as far as is reasonably possible.Ìý
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Being guided by these principles, the Designated Safeguarding Leads will:Ìý
play a key role in ensuring that the school takes action to support any student who may be at risk.Ìý
with the Headteacher, make sure that all staff, both teaching and non-teaching, are aware of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and child protection.Ìý
have appropriate training in addition to the basic training that all other staff receive. All DSLs are required to have undertaken the The National College specialist (Level 3) training or have an agreed date to undertake this training (this training will be refreshed every 2 years). This training must include awareness of offender behaviour/safe recruitment. In addition, all DSLs are required to complete the National College courses on: ‘Role of the DSL’, ‘Safeguarding for Recruiters’ and ‘Introduction to Safeguarding’.Ìý
collate and keep accurate and confidential records of any concerns about children.Ìý
be familiar with local regulations, procedures and agencies who can offer support for safeguarding matters. Aim to consider and better understand local expectations around safeguarding, who to contact, what agencies exist and how to contact them (this must be coordinated with the support of the Headteacher).ÌýÌý
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ensure that the entire school community knows who the DSL is in their setting/phase or, if being supported remotely, who is providing this support and how to contact them.Ìý
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In addition, the DSL will:Ìý
support and make sure that all staff (both teaching and non-teaching) are aware of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and child protection, with the support of the Headteachers.Ìý
keep a log and registers for any related information, including sharing information, any records of deletion and also ensuring to check any hard copies/documents on the school server/TEAMS/other platforms are under protected access of child protection/safeguarding information as per the retention period.Ìý
make themselves more familiar with local regulations, procedures and agencies who can offer support for safeguarding matters.Ìý
take responsibility for overall management of CPOMS (or a similar product) as key administrator and maintain ongoing communication with the CPOMS key representative to ensure that the system is running smoothly, including taking responsibility of essential features on the system (i.e., Data Destruction, links with Sharing Information noted below). This will also include student transfer information/records, if relevant.Ìý
All staff have a responsibility to report to the designated person any concern they have about the safety of any child in their care. The DSL’s responsibility, with the support of related staff, is to make decisions about what to do next and then take appropriate actions.Ìý
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In addition, DSLs will support key staff in ensuring links with other policies are implemented in relation to overall safeguarding procedures (e.g., Trips Policy).Ìý
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Third Party StaffÌý
It is required that all third party staff/any individuals who work with or students in an unsupervised capacity must fulfil and comply with HR procedures on safe recruitment procedures, including providing relevant documents and that appropriate checks are undertaken. In addition, it is an expectation that all third party staff comply with the following policy guidelines:Ìý
All English-speaking staff will need to complete our Introduction to Safeguarding course on The National College. Their training credentials will be valid for 2 years. All staff will have to read through and sign on our own Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy (English or Ukrainian).Ìý
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The above 2 criteria must be completed prior to any individual starting work at our school who has unsupervised regular contact with our students (this includes regular volunteers also).Ìý
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Ideally, will have undertaken a safeguarding briefing/induction before commencing their role at school from the relevant Senior Leader to understand what is required of them if they have any concerns and to whom they should report. At most, this procedure must be completed within 2 weeks from the start date of the person working at school.ÌýÌý
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Will sign on a register stating that they have read through our policy and have had a debrief from a Senior LeaderÌý
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Wear an ID badge at all times. Only exception to staff not wearing an ID badge are those staff who wear uniform in school (e.g., security guards, cleaners, canteen staff, etc.).Ìý
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Note 2: Safeguarding debriefs can take place face-to-face, via TEAMs or through watching a pre-recorded video from the DSL team where staff will be asked to acknowledge having gone through all information (e.g., via Microsoft form).Ìý
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Parent and Other VolunteersÌý
These are volunteers who come into school on a regular basis1 to support educational purposes (e.g, reading with students) and/or who are a part of a school related group/community who work with our students. These include: classroom-based learning volunteers, Parent Support Group committee members, exam invigilators, admin-based volunteers, etc. They must never be left unsupervised with students and are required to comply with the following:Ìý
Provide a copy of their passport to HR (if these are parents, a copy of their passport should already be in school as part of the Admissions process).Ìý
They must be referred to our school website which has our full and abridged versions of our policy and related documents (e.g., Guidance for Safer Working Practice).Ìý
Will have undertaken a safeguarding briefing/induction before commencing their role at school from the relevant Senior Leader or DSL to understand what is required of them if they have any concerns and to whom they should report. At most, this procedure must be completed within 2 weeks from the start date of the person working at school.Ìý
Will sign on a register after they have had a debrief from the relevant Senior Leader or DSL.Ìý
ФигураÌý
1 Regular is defined as volunteers who support school once a week or more.Ìý
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Wear an ID badge at all times.Ìý
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The above procedures will be renewed at the start of every new academic year to ensure that HR have all updated documents. It will the responsibility of Senior Leaders to provide a list of names to HR and to keep them updated on any changes that occur within the school year.Ìý
Note 1: for any regular volunteers/supply teachers/any other adults working onsite who have unsupervised contact with our students, they must follow the procedures as noted above for Third Party Staff and will need to fulfill all requirements (including providing all documentation as part of safer recruitment procedures).Ìý
Employment and Recruitment Safe Recruitment and SelectionÌý
The school will do all it can to ensure that all those working with children in school are suitable people. In order to do this, all staff who will work in an unsupervised capacity with children or young people will be recruited using safe recruitment procedures as outlined by LBS’s ’Recruitment Policy and Background Checking Policy. All staff involved in interviewing candidates for teaching and non- teaching posts at our school will have undertaken safe recruitment training.Ìý
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Procedures to be followed by any staff member or external/third party staff/volunteer who is concerned about any studentÌý
All adults in our school share responsibility for keeping our children safe. Staff must disclose any child protection and/or safeguarding concerns. It is better to share these concerns, which may later prove to be unfounded, than to hold onto information that may have helped protect a student from actual harm.Ìý
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If staff suspect that any student in their care may be a victim of or is at risk of abuse/other form of harm, they should not try to investigate. They should immediately report this to the relevant DSL, who will follow up and advise with next steps, including communicating with the parents/family as deemed appropriate. In many cases a student will not make a direct disclosure, but staff will be concerned because of a physical or emotional indicator. In these circumstances staff should still proceed and report this to the DSL as per our reporting procedure outlined below.Ìý
Where any student makes any form of direct disclosure, the guidelines under Appendix 1 (Dealing with Disclosure) should be followed.Ìý
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If a child alleges abuse against any adult working at school, including volunteers, the Headteacher must be informed immediately without involving other adults in the discussion.Ìý
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Allegations Against Staff and VolunteersÌý
The full detail on handling allegations is set out in the LBS Allegations Policy and all staff must refer to this policy for further guidance.Ìý
In summary:Ìý
An allegation can be made against a staff member or volunteer at any point. It is important that any such allegations are treated seriously and appropriate procedures followed.Ìý
An allegation is different to a complaint and can be defined as follows:Ìý
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Where someone has behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child.Ìý
Where someone has possibly committed a criminal offence against a child.Ìý
Where someone has behaved in a way towards a child or children that would pose a risk to children.Ìý
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If the allegation is made by a student it is important:Ìý
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That the allegation is taken seriously.Ìý
That the student is listened to and responded to with empathy.Ìý
That only questions that are required to establish the basic facts are asked.Ìý
That the student is provided with reassurance about doing the right thing.Ìý
That all decisions made in relation to the allegation should be recorded.Ìý
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In the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff (or a volunteer/third party member), this should immediately be reported to the Headteacher who will investigate further and follow up with next steps. If a criminal act has been committed, the Headteacher, with the support of our school management team, will refer the matter to the local authorities where appropriate and necessary. If the Headteacher deems the allegation to be of a safeguarding nature (criminal or not) the Founder will be informed as soon as possible and within 24 hours as a minimum. In the case of the allegation being against the Headteacher, the Founder should be informed.Ìý
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For serious allegations, the matter must always be reported as soon as possible to the Founder and group management team, and the emergency plan should be deployed.Ìý
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The Headteacher will work with the relevant members of SLT to ensure that the child is safe and at no further risk; they will investigate and decide on next steps of action. No action to investigate the concern will be taken before consultation with the Founder, group management team and our legal advisers to verify Legal Privilege to be maintained and an agreement is reached about how best to approach and investigate the concern.Ìý
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If it is felt, after these initial investigations, that a further enquiry is needed, then the member of staff may be suspended. Suspension is a neutral act, and in no way implies that the person is guilty of any wrongdoing. However, it is acknowledged that this would be distressing for the person concerned, and the school will do all it can to balance the interests of any individual with that of the need to keep children safe. The school will seek advice from the Founder before acting and will comply with national and locally agreed guidance on these matters.Ìý
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Staff will reduce the possibility of an allegation being made by ensuring that they are aware of the expectations within the LBS’s Code of Conduct and Guidance for Safe Working Practice.Ìý
It is extremely important that when an allegation is made, the school makes every effort to maintain confidentiality and guard against unwanted publicity while the allegation is being investigated or considered.Ìý
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The local legal requirements will be coordinated by the Headteacher and group management team at the time of a reporting.Ìý
Parents and carers should be made aware of the need to maintain and respect confidentiality about any allegations made against staff whilst investigations are ongoing so as not to impede any investigation. Parents should also be informed of any local regulations governing confidentiality in such cases.Ìý
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Record Keeping and ConfidentialityÌý
All records of child protection concerns, disclosures or allegations will be treated as sensitive information and will be kept together securely and separately from the child’s general school records. We will regard all information relating to individual safeguarding/child protection issues as confidential and will treat it accordingly. The information will be shared with all those who need to have it, whether to enable them to take appropriate steps to safeguard the child, or to enable them to carry out their own duties, but it will not be shared more widely than that (for example, DSLs can also alert staff members, always depending on a need to know basis, via CPOMS or a similar product).This stance includes a further discussion in terms of sharing more detailed/full information with our psychologist if he/she is involved as part of any follow-up in terms of support for the student/family.Ìý
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All records relating to safeguarding and child protection issues will be logged via a dedicated programme, CPOMS or similarÌýÌý
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2). All LBS school staff have access to record incidents on CPOMS or a similar product, and all concerns will only be sent to the DSLs. Only the Headteacher and DSL will have full access to all records. It will be the responsibility of DSLs to action and manage records and keep teachers involved on a need to know basis to better support the students as part of our overall stance in working with students and families.Ìý
Any concern a member of staff (including volunteers and external/third party staff) has of the welfare or well-being of a child must be followed up as soon as possible either on CPOMS (or similar) or by filling out a record of concern which can be provided from the relevant DSL. Other staff can seek guidance from their direct line manager, who will redirect them to the appropriate DSL to follow up.Ìý
Concerns, which initially seem trivial, may turn out to be vital pieces of information later, so it is important to give as much detail as possible. A concern raised may not progress further than a conversation with the DSL but could also potentially lead to matters being dealt with through a legal system. If there has not been a specific incident that causes concern, try to be specific about what it is that is making you feel worried.Ìý
The DSLs have provided some guidance in terms of what information can be recorded on CPOMS (or similar) (the list is not exhaustive)-refer to Appendix 6. It is imperative to note that if staff are unsure, they must first speak to the DSL who can provide advice in terms of next steps and reporting on appropriate platforms, including noting down concerns on CPOMS/Record of Concern Form.Ìý
The DSL keeps a separate log of all child protection/safeguarding concerns and consults with the relevant DSL at the start of the new academic term with regards to then deciding if any other staff need to be made aware of any concerns and/or whom to contact. Admissions will inform the DSL of any returning students. The DSL will then follow up with the relevant Deputy DSL to ensure communication is kept ongoing and if needed further actions will be carried out (e.g. prompting other staff to be aware of any concerns if needed).Ìý
In the case of a disclosure, remember the record you make should include:Ìý
As full an account as possible of what the child said (in their own words).Ìý
An account of the questions put to the child.Ìý
Time and place of disclosure.Ìý
Who was present at the time of the disclosure.Ìý
The demeanor of the child, where the child was taken and where returned to at the end of the disclosure.Ìý
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The DSL will have the overall responsibility of managing records, including any paper records. As per UK based guidance based from the Data Protection Toolkit for Schools (DfE, 2018), all our records will be retained for 25 years after the child’s date of birth as noted on our admissions forms. With all child protection and safeguarding records, this procedure will be followed up via this system with processes in place, including notifying identified key staff before any files are deleted. With any child protection records relating to historical investigations, including and especially any records about child sexual abuse, these records should not be destroyed (some guidance is noted from IRMS, Toolkit for Schools, https://irms.org.uk/page/SchoolsToolkit). The recommendation is to consider retaining a copy of these records even if the child has been transferred to another school.Ìý
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Sharing InformationÌý
Our school regards information relating to individual safeguarding/child protection issues as confidential, and we treat it accordingly. Information with other schools will be passed on to appropriate persons only at the discretion of the Headteacher/ and Designated Safeguarding Lead/s and this will always be based on the need to know basis.Ìý
Should other schools request for safeguarding/child protection information about ex-students no longer at our school, the DSL will firstly be contacted and will liaise with the Headteacher to approve of any information being forwarded. If there are concerns noted about a student, the Headteacher will consult with the DSL before sending any information.Ìý
Sharing information about students who, based on the available evidence, would appear to be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, is essential to enable appropriate intervention and help keep children safe. Basic principles will be applied and LBS’s Guidance on Child Protection & Sharing Information (July 2019) will be used as our reference to further guide with next steps in these instances. The school will continue to further work with the Administration team on a clearer stance with regards to better understanding local laws and regulations around sharing information and data protection (including considering GDPR restrictions). Some of the principles are noted below:Ìý
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All information must:Ìý
have regard to proportionality i.e., sharing no more information than is necessary and that can be legally shared, whatever the potential risk. In some areas this may require us to report a student’s movements to local authorities.Ìý
only be shared without parental agreement where a student has suffered or may suffer significant harm. The threshold for sharing is therefore high and there must be an evidence trail that supports the judgement. Where possible, information should be shared in a transparent way with the consent of parents/carers. This should always be the first option.Ìý
be shared in a methodical and systematic fashion with a clear audit trail.Ìý
be factually based, accurate and free from unsupported judgements. This underlines the importance of keeping accurate records.Ìý
Note 1: Should we become aware of any student who is on our safeguarding/child protection register who is leaving our school, the DSLs involved will meet with the HeadteacherÌý to discuss this on a case to case basis, where consideration will be given to sharing any child protection records with receiving schools (this will involve also taking into consideration local laws and data protection regulations, where advice will be sought as needed either from the Education Board or advised by links with our Lawyer); reference will also be made to with regards to taking into account the guidance provided from LBS in terms of sharing any child protection information (see above). As part of this stance, and where students who turn 18 years old, there will also be a discussion and consideration about involving the student in terms of seeking their consent.Ìý
Note 2: In the first instance, School DSL team will also try their best to arrange an exit meeting, ensuring that we pass on key messages to the parents about following up with the next school (this is as part of our duty of care).Ìý
Note 3: Where a school requests us to share safeguarding information for a previous student, in the first instance and if the parents/guardians were already informed of the incident, an email will be sent to the parents to seek permission. If the parents do not respond or do not provide consent to share information, this will be discussed with the Headteacher who will then support with next steps, considering our local guidance and regulations around this area also. In general, our stance on sharing information with other schools will be looked into if this falls within one year since the child has left our school (this will also only be considered as part of ensuring we have parent consent).Ìý
Note 5: As part of safeguarding requests from other schools, if there are concerns noted for a previous student, we are generally looking at around 24 months in terms of this being relevant/recent information that we will consider to share with the new school. If there are more serious concerns, the overall limit of 24 months will not be applied and we will consider longer time frames in some cases.Ìý
As part of our updated procedures, once a student has been enrolled at our school and their admission has been confirmed (i.e., fees have been paid), our online safeguarding information child protection/safeguarding and pastoral/welfare form will be sent to the child’s previous school. Any responses that alert concerns will be passed onto the DSL who will then follow up on and provide related support as per our safeguarding policy.Ìý
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Photography/Mobile Phone and Camera Usage – Taking and Storing Photo and/or Video materialÌý
The school recognises that use of photography must be implemented in a responsible way and we respect children and parents’ rights of privacy. The school also acknowledges that the level of acceptable use of camera phones and other personal devices has evolved over recent years.Ìý
Every reasonable effort will be made to minimise risk by securing parental consent for the use of photographs/videos (i.e. as part of the Terms and Conditions form upon the admissions stage). Where a parent does not wish for their child’s image to be used externally, they should contact the school’s admissions department to discuss the practicalities of this arrangement.Ìý
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Safeguarding measures are in place to protect students and staff.Ìý
It is safer for all concerned if staff always use school devices to photograph activities involving LBS staff and/or students and to avoid using personal equipment to capture images/videos of children. However, we acknowledge that this is not always possible or convenient. Therefore, to record spontaneous moments orÌý
at times when school devices are not readily or easily available, teachers may use personal devices to photograph or record learning activities involving fellow staff and/or students.Ìý
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If personal equipment is used to capture child images/videos/audio recordings, this should be contextually appropriate, and staff must take every sensible measure to ensure photos of students are not stored on their personal devices beyond a period in which they could reasonably be uploaded to an official LBS platform and then immediately deleted from all personal equipment (including cloud storage).Ìý
It is usual for parents to take photographs and videos of their child/children at calendared school events. Any objections to this policy should be addressed to the Headteacher.Ìý
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Photographs for School Publications and Sharing Photos/Videos with ParentsÌý
It is important to continue to celebrate achievements of students through the appropriate use of photography in communicating with parents and the community. It is, however, essential to do this safely. All learning platforms, where photos and videos will be shared with parents and the community, must be approved by the senior leadership team. Any external links that are used to share photos/videos of students must also be approved by the senior management team, and protocols must be in place to ensure maximum security settings are in place (e.g.sharing photos/videos for residential trips).Ìý
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Photographs of students being used by staff for learning (School Today) or marketing should preferably be taken on school cameras/devices however, we acknowledge that this may not always be possible, therefore images/videos taken from school devices and/or personal equipment must be deleted as soon as is reasonably possible after uploading them to the appropriate school-based system or agreed platform, and never uploaded to a personal social media account or other medium.Ìý
Images should be saved on the school’s secure server/equivalent and printed copies only used within the school for purposes such as displays, records and learning journals.Ìý
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Further Guidelines for Staff on the Use of Photography, Audio and Videos (Guidance for Personal Devices and Camera Images):Ìý
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Specific measures intended to keep students and staff safe are as follows:Ìý
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If staff are using personal equipment, this should only be related to learning and exceptions are made in this situation when a school device is not easily accessible.Ìý
Images must be uploaded to the school server or designated and agreed platform as soon as possible (from school and personal devices).Ìý
Once uploaded to the appropriate area of the school network/platform, images must be deleted immediately from the device, including any memory cards, cloud storage etc.Ìý
Images must never be uploaded to the internet other than to published school platforms (School Today). Uploads to open access social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. is not permitted by anyone other than Senior Leaders. See above (9.1) guidance for uploading any images by staff onto the internet. Exceptions may be pre- approved by the Headteacher, only under certain circumstances, for example during residential trips and overseas expeditions.Ìý
Avoid taking images in one-to-one situations or which show a single child with no surrounding/context.Ìý
Ensure students understand why the images are being taken and that they are appropriately dressed.Ìý
Photographs of LBS staff taken at any kind of social event may not be shared online in any form without the express consent of the member of staff involved and every care must be taken to ensure that any such images reflect positively on LBS and could not possibly harm the reputation of the individual concerned or LBS.Ìý
Report any concerns about any inappropriate or intrusive images found.Ìý
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Note 1: Staff should refer to LBS’s Social Media Policy and the school’s Learning Technologies & Digital Literacy Policy for further guidance on usage of photography.Ìý
Note 2: Should a member of staff want to take photos/videos for other reasons other than stated above/as agreed by parents under our Terms and Conditions form, it is imperative that this is discussed firstly with their line manager and approval is sought then from senior leaders and parents. The request should ideally be made at least one month in advance. Once approved, staff should contact the DSL in their phase who can support with next steps and provide further guidance. It is essential that documentation must be provided that comprises of clear reasons and justifications, and specifically noting down what protocols are in place to ensure that we safeguard our students.Ìý
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Monitoring and ReviewÌý
To support the implementation of our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and as part of LBS’s approach, we will be provided with a self-assessment tool to enable review of our safeguarding arrangements.Ìý
Our school has an annual Safeguarding Action Plan that is led by the DSL.Ìý
Elements of safeguarding practice will also be included in the quality assurance framework and will continue to be a part of the health and safety review and LBS’s audit process.Ìý
This policy is reviewed annually.Ìý
Local Safeguarding Agencies/AdviceÌý
Should there be a more serious cause for concern about a well-being of a student, where we find reason to make a referral to the local authority or refer to any local laws for protection of the child, the Headteacher and DSL will provide guidance on next steps and if needed, will be able to contact to the Education Authority in Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ for further advice, including taking into consideration the international context and possibly linking with relevant consulates and the police if required. Senior Leaders can provide details of local agencies and the police if required/requested. If required, the school will also seek advice as needed from our legal team.Ìý
Appendix 4 outlines a flowchart that can be referred to in terms of school’s stance in responding to more serious concerns relating to child protection/safeguarding matters.Ìý
Note: As part of our understanding of our local context, our duty of care remains at all times, including when the school team becomes aware of situations that contravene safeguarding local guidance, where the school will try its best to work with families and related teams to ensure that we always place the welfare of the child as paramount.Ìý
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Parental/Visitor Code of ConductÌý
All adults on site, including visitors, must wear an ID badge/lanyard at all times. This may be the school’s ‘Visitor’ badge that is distributed by security. If you encounter an adult on site that you do not recognise and is not wearing a badge, it is your duty to challenge them. If necessary, accompany them to the nearest reception area where a visitor’s badge can be arranged.Ìý
All parents and visitors must follow the Code of Conduct guidelines outlined below and all staff should positively encourage and ensure these are adhered to. This is displayed in all reception areas and is also embedded as part of the Safety First Charter within our school (all visitors will need to acknowledge points noted below).Ìý
It is the responsibility of all parents/guardians to ensure that they communicate with the school team should they not be contactable and/or if they are out of the country. It then remains the parents’ responsibility to ensure an emergency contact is sent to the class teacher (Primary) or form tutor (Secondary) in such instances.Ìý
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TutoringÌý
In line with other LBS schools, staff are not allowed to tutor children on the school premises and will not be given approval for tutoring outside of school hours. It is important to understand that anyone found to be tutoring will be in breach of the terms of their contract. Staff must not use their access to students/staff to arrange tutoring for partners. This would be deemed unethical.Ìý
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Appendices