Safeguarding at Anthony Curton C of E
Anthony Curton C of E Primary School understands the vital importance of safeguarding and child protection. The school follows the Grace Schools safeguarding policy which includes an appendix related specifically to COVID-19.
Please click this link to access the current Safeguarding Policy.
Anthony Curton Primary school is fully committed to safeguarding, promoting the welfare of all it's pupils and all members of the school community. As a school we recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation is no different from safeguarding against any other vulnerability. All staff are expected to uphold and promote the fundamental principles of British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and genuine tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
Whole School Safeguarding Operation Encompass
At Anthony Curton and Tilney All Saints Primary Schools we are working in partnership with Norfolk Constabulary and Norfolk Children’s Services to identify and provide appropriate support to pupils who have experienced domestic violence in their household; this scheme is called Operation Encompass. In order to achieve this, Norfolk Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub will share police information of all domestic incidents where one of our pupils has been present with the Designated Safeguarding Lead(s). On receipt of any information, the Designated Safeguarding Lead will decide on the appropriate support the child requires, this could be silent or overt. All information sharing and resulting actions will be undertaken in accordance with the ‘Norfolk joint Agency Protocol for Domestic Abuse – Notifications to Schools’. We will record this information and store this information in accordance with the record keeping procedures outlined in this policy.
Operation Encompass is a unique police and education, early intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people who may have been exposed to domestic abuse. Developed in Devonport, Plymouth in February 2011 by a police sergeant and his wife, a head teacher. It was launched in Norfolk 2016 following a recommendation from a Serious Case Review (Case Q 2016; NSCB Serious Case Reviews). It is a system which provides an early notification to Key Adult Designated Safeguarding Leads within a school/college when a pupil may have been affected by domestic abuse. In response to this notification, schools and colleges can ensure the appropriate support is available for that child. There are currently 99% of schools and colleges signed up to take part in Operation Encompass in Norfolk and nationally, the scheme is now active in all 43 police forces across England and Wales.
In Norfolk, Operation Encompass incorporates notifications for children who have been reported missing from home or care. This enables the child's education setting to provide that early intervention to support the child or to help multi-agency partners to locate missing children.
Safeguarding Procedures and Training
- Staff sign at the start of each school year to confirm that they have read key safeguarding documents including the staff Code of Conduct.
- The school provides safeguarding training for staff every September using information from ‘The Key for Governors’ and updates from Norfolk County Council. The Head Teacher is also signed up for weekly emails from the NSPCC and writes a weekly email to staff which always includes reference to safeguarding.
- In addition to the September training, staff are allocated specific training via Smart Log by the central team at Grace Schools.
- Induction paperwork is now signed for when induction is completed.
- The school rarely uses third party supply staff but when the occasion arises when we do need to, we ensure that they have their own training and provide letters of assurance for their staff. In terms of volunteers, the school has a ‘Friends’ group who support the school with various activities and who have all had a DBS check. Every member of the Friends group has a completed application form for the post, with two references to comply with safeguarding onboarding procedures.
- Attendance registers are completed by 9.00am, and if pupils are not in school, phone calls or emails are sent to parents. If the school has concerns about a pupil not attending on a particular day, they will undertake a home visit. Attendance is reviewed on a weekly basis, and the school follows Norfolk procedures regarding fixed penalty notices, and any paperwork required for children, who may be missing from education.
Recording and Reporting Procedures - CPOMs Records
- There is a trained DSL within school and 3 further deputy DSLs (DDSL) across the two schools working in partnership. Procedures are in place to ensure that staff can always access a member of the DSL team when needed. Training is provided via Norfolk County Council on a 2 year cycle.
- CPOMS is used to record safeguarding concerns and Bromcom is used to record behaviour concerns. The school also uses a system to record first aid incidents and responses. When a member of staff records a log of concern on CPOMS this generates an email to each of the DSL’s. This is picked up by one of the DSL's who undertakes any necessary action as required.
Health and Safety
- The school receives support from Grace Schools for health and safety and has a wide range of risk assessments in place which are mostly held on Smart Log. This includes risk assessments for curriculum areas such as PE and specific school activities such as the ‘Paint Run’.
- Risk assessments are developed for off site visits, and the school has a trained Educational Visits Co-Ordinator.
- Evacuation and Invacuation drills are undertaken with pupils, and records are held on Smart Log. First aid is recorded on Smart Log. More serious issues are recorded on Smart Log. Records are collated by the Deputy Head Teacher in a report for governors, so that trends and issues can be kept under review.
- Any incidents of restrictive physical intervention used with pupils would be recorded on CPOMS, and all staff have been given basic training and clear guidelines.
