Safeguarding your child

Safeguarding Your Child

Whitmore High School is fully committed to meeting its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and young people in its care.

Safeguarding legislation and government guidance says that safeguarding means:

-Protecting children from maltreatment

-Preventing impairment of children’s health or development

-Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

-Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

The school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead is Laura Foster (Assistant Headteacher). Any concerns are passed through the members of staff who are trained as child protection officers in school in compliance with sharing of information guidance.

The school will, in most circumstances, endeavour to discuss all concerns with parents and carers about their children. However, there may be exceptional circumstances when the school will discuss concerns with Children’s Services and/or the Police without parental knowledge (in accordance with child protection procedures). The school will always aim to maintain a positive relationship with all parents and carers.

The school’s child protection policy is available publicly and can be found in the ‘Policies’ section of the school website.

Safeguarding and Safety Information for Visitors

All visitors are required to sign in at Reception upon arrival and to wear an ID badge. The ID badge should be clearly visible at all times when on school site. On departure all visitors must sign out and hand back their ID badge before leaving the premises.

Once visitors are collected from reception they must remain with the nominated member of staff at all times; exceptions to this will be arranged prior to the visit and appropriate checks will be carried out in advance.

If you have any concerns that a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm during your visit, please contact Reception as quickly as possible and ask to speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

If the fire alarm sounds you must leave the school building using the closest exit with the member of staff you are visiting. You will be escorted to the assembly point.

More Information

If you need more information about safeguarding issues affecting young people, the following websites and resources provide useful information:

ONLINE SAFETY

Guides and resources for young people

Children and young people - UK Safer Internet Centre

Guides and resources for parents and carers

Parents and Carers - UK Safer Internet Centre

Report harmful content

Submit a Report of Harmful Content (reportharmfulcontent.com)

Report online sexual abuse

Report to CEOP

SUPPORTING A YOUNG PERSON THROUGH BULLYING