Safeguarding

Our school is committed to safeguarding, promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding is about ensuring that everyone is safe from harm, safe from bullying, safe from abuse of any kind, safe from discrimination or harassment and ensuring that we all feel safe in our school environment.

Our designated staff for safeguarding are:

• Ms Shontelle Magenty (Designated Safeguarding Lead)

• Ms Jacqui Wells (Safeguarding Officer)

• Mr John Henderson (Deputy Safeguarding)

• Replacement to be confirmed (Safeguarding Co-ordinator)

• Ms Liane Devine (Attendance Officer)

Specific safeguarding roles:

• Jermaine Jarvis (Designated Teacher)

• Mr Chris Price (Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead/ Safer Recruitment)

• Mrs Kate Larminie (SEND)

If you have a concern about the safety of a child in The Cherwell School, please contact any of the staff members above using safeguarding@cherwellschool.org

We have a dedicated team who have all received in depth safeguarding training to ensure that we:

• Identify children who may need early help, are at risk or have been harmed

• Secure the help that children need and refer them to the expertise to help them

• Manage safer recruitment and allegations about adults who may be of risk to children

We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our child protection and safeguarding policy which can be viewed in the policies section of our website.

There are 5 main elements to our policy and procedures:

• Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.

• Raising awareness of child protection issues & working on the prevention of abuse, through training, teaching and pastoral support offered to students.

• Following procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases of abuse.

• Supporting students who are at risk or may have been abused.

• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with parents/carers first, unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child’s welfare.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OR WELFARE OF YOUR CHILD, OR A CHILD YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD ACT WITHOUT DELAY.

Contact a member of the Safeguarding Team or you can contact the MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) on 0345 050 7666, or the police on 101/999.

To contact the Oxfordshire LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) for concerns about a professional working with children, call 01865 810603, email LADO.safeguardingchildren@oxfordshire.gov.uk or use the referral form on the Oxfordshire County Council website. They handle allegations against staff and volunteers.

Below are links to organisations which provide excellent support and advice for young people: 

• ChildLine- an excellent source of counselling help and support for all young people

• ThinkUKnow- an organisation which protects young people online

• Young Minds- the leading UK charity supporting young people with emotional wellbeing and mental health

• The NSPCC helpline for anyone who may have experienced sexual harm in schools can be reached on 0800 136 663

Please click here to find out more about how we manage sexual harassment, sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviour.

Sexting and E-Safety

This continues to be a concern nationally and it is no different at Cherwell. We address this issue as often and as robustly as possible through assemblies, tutorials Social Wellbeing lessons and PSHCE. I have recently been sent this link which offers advice and guidance to parents about ways to keep their children safe online too. I hope you find it useful.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

Ditto: The Online Safety Magazine 

Alan Mackenize, the e-safety Advisor, has published the latest edition of Ditto: the online safety magazine. The magazine is free to download and in this edition covers online addiction, sexting, SEN, lifestage app, cyber-bullying and passwords.