Safeguarding & Prevent

Safeguarding

At Whitworth Park Academy we are fully committed to ensuring that your child is safe whilst with us. We recognise our responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of the children and young people entrusted to our care by establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

We are committed to establishing and maintaining an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to. We ensure that children know that there are adults in the school who they can approach if they are worried and that the principles of confidentiality are made clear to children and young people. The school promotes a positive, supportive and secure ethos, giving pupils a sense of being valued.

We recognise that because of the day to day contact with children, staff in school are well placed to observe the signs of possible abuse and therefore need to be constantly vigilant. The Pastoral Team work closely with other agencies in protecting children from harm and in responding to concerns about possible abuse, including the Police, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Educational Psychology Service and other agencies/services coming into school  to support individual pupils/groups of pupils.

As well as ensuring that the school site is safe and secure, there are stringent checks made on all applicants for posts at the school. All staff have been trained in Child Protection and we have nine members of staff trained to ‘Safeguarding Lead’ level: all adults are fully aware of their duty of care and receive regular training and updates.

Anyone with a concern about a child’s safety and well-being can contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs J. Burn or the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mr J. Surtees, directly or contact us via safeguarding@whitworthpark.org.uk

Anyone with a concern about a child’s safety and well-being can contact Children’s Social Care to make a referral directly at First Contact on 03000 267979.

Useful Links for Keeping Children Safe and Happy

Where can I access help?

Staying Safe Online

Being safe on the internet is very important, and part of that process is to be informed of what to look out for. So to help you stay safe on the internet, below is a collection of links to help keep you aware and informed.

Useful Links for Online Safety

Prevent

Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes. The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and
extremism, including political and religious extremism.

How does the Prevent strategy apply to schools?

From July 2015 all schools (as well as other organisations) have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.

This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views, in the same way we protect them from drugs or gang violence.

Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so that they better understand how to protect themselves.

What does this mean in practice?

Many of the things we already do in school to help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy.

These include:

• Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity
• Challenging prejudices and racist comments
• Developing critical thinking skills and a strong, positive self-identity
• Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, as well as British values such as democracy

We will also protect children from the risk of radicalisation, for example by using filters on the internet to make sure they can’t access extremist and terrorist material, or by vetting visitors who come into school to work with pupils.

Key Terms

Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremism leading to terrorism.

Extremism is defined by Government in the prevent strategy as: vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. Also included in the definition of extremism are calls for the death of members of our armed forces.

Terrorism is defined by Government as “The use of violence in order to accomplish political, religious or social objectives”. Terrorism is a criminal act that influences an audience beyond the immediate victim. Effectiveness is not the act itself but the impact on Government and the public

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Prevent relate to British values?

Schools have been required to promote British values since 2014, and this will continue to be part of our response to the Prevent strategy.

British Values include:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
• Individual liberty and mutual respect

Isn’t my child too young to learn about extremism?

The Prevent strategy is not just about discussing extremism itself; it is also about teaching children values such as tolerance and mutual respect.

The school will make sure any discussions are suitable for the age and maturity of the children involved.

Is extremism really a risk in our area?

Extremism can take many forms, including political, religious and ideological extremism. Some of these may be a bigger threat in our area than others. We will give children the skills to protect them from any extremist views they may encounter, now or later in their lives.

Where to go for more information

If you have any questions or concerns about the Prevent strategy and what it means for your child, please do not hesitate to contact the school. Mrs. J Burn is the named member of staff with responsibility in this area.

The following sources may also be useful for further information:

• Revised prevent duty guidance for England and Wales, HM Government

• What is Prevent? Let’s Talk About It

Appendix A – Safeguarding Policy – Universal Services and Specialist Support Staff

Appendix B – Safeguarding Policy – Safeguarding and Child Protection Training Details