At Laurence Jackson School we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all our pupils, staff and visitors. We promote a community where students and adults feel confident about sharing any concerns which they may have about themselves or others.
We constantly review our policies and practice to ensure that we fully meet all safeguarding requirements.
The school adopts the definition used by Ofsted derived from The Children Act, 2004:
All staff undergo annual safeguarding training and are regularly given updates and further training within pastoral meetings to ensure that safeguarding and support for our learners is always at the forefront of the school community. As a school safeguarding and wellbeing is considered priority within all other aspects of policy and
process to ensure a full wraparound care and education for our students.
Whilst the safeguarding team is highlighted above, safeguarding young people is every member of staffs’ responsibility in school and staff are fully supported in ensuring any safeguarding issue is supported and appropriately responded to in line with government and national guidelines.
Parents can also find weekly safeguarding updates included within our parental bulletin which helps protect children with current and specific updates to support parents and carers.
At Laurence Jackson school, Mental Health is something we work tirelessly to support individuals with. Whilst we recognise each individual case is different and support can come in many different forms it is essential to us that staff and students have access to immediate support to help their well-being. The ethos in school is T.A.L.K. This ensures we are all working together to get the best outcomes for all.
Laurence Jackson school recognises that safeguarding and our responsibility no longer stops within the school walls. Young people’s lives are so much more connected and interlinked that we must ensure their safety in all aspects and help to educate them around protecting themselves both on and off line.
All school staff undertake annual training with regard to best practice and safeguarding updates that are disseminated from a national level. This includes Keeping Children Safe in Education – Part 1. Staff are trained to recognise signs of radicalisation through the Prevent Strategy and our Learning for Life programme links to this and many other topics with age-appropriate content delivered to our students. All staff are trained in how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns, the safeguarding team respond to concerns rigorously and robustly.
As technology is playing a bigger part in our students’ lives and the access to uncontrolled internet content forever on the increase, it is becoming ever more important that we need to keep children safe from online threats through promoting E-Safeguarding. We need to ensure that we are all aware of the risks involved and are being safe when using the internet. We will continue to educate our students via their tutor groups’ time and through assemblies on the importance of safety online.
Technology enhances learning, schools and colleges can do much to ensure students get the most from it by encouraging responsible online behaviour.
The ‘always online, instant access’ lifestyle many children and young people have today can make it difficult for us to know how to ensure their safety. Many of us worry we won’t understand modern technology as it is too technical or we may be unaware of the potential risks that our children face. Video game systems, social media and other platforms bring risks such as cyberbullying, scams, privacy problems and seeing age inappropriate content.
Contextual safeguarding ensures that our staff are aware of and alert to many different contributing factors that could risk a young person’s safety. This is not limited to online and incorporates all aspects of a young person’s life.
Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy
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If you have specific worries about a problem or would just simply like to find out more information about some of our partners and local services please use the links below to find out more about ongoing support.
Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online? Make a report to one of CEOP’s Child Protection Advisors
Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop a young person being drawn into radicalised thinking, terrorist action or supporting terrorist or extremist causes.
The prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme right wing, violent Islamist groups and other causes.
All schools (as well as other organisations) now have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.
This means we have a responsibility to protect young people from extremist and violent views the same way we safeguard against other threats. Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.
We have curriculum and pastoral structures which support young people in becoming responsible British citizens and which 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 young people 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.
For further information please visit the Cleveland police Prevent website – Prevent | Cleveland Police
We are part of Operation Encompass which is a national strategy run by Cleveland Police; providing early reporting to schools of any domestic abuse incidents that occur outside of normal school hours and that might have an impact on a young person attending school the following day.
It enables the campus to support young and families who are experiencing problems as a result of domestic abuse.
For further information please visit the operation encompass web page – Home : Operation Encompass
