Safeguarding
We believe that much of what takes place in school contributes to the personal and social development of the pupils and is therefore, in its broadest sense, part of every pupil's entitlement through a curriculum that promotes these ends.
In school, we aim to provide pastoral care that is complementary to that given at home, as the teaching staff act in loco parentis. The class teacher is an important point of contact between home and school and it is hoped that parents will endeavour to establish a close relationship with the school through both the Principal and the class teacher.
As a school we have a statutory duty to assist social services departments acting on behalf of children in need or enquiring into allegations of child abuse. As well as this statutory duty we have a pastoral responsibility towards our pupils and we recognise that pupils have a fundamental right to be protected from harm. Children cannot learn effectively unless they feel safe and secure. We therefore have a child protection policy that reflects both our statutory duty and our pastoral responsibilities, which can be downloaded below.
Prevent Duty
What does it mean for schools?
For schools to fulfil the Prevent duty, it is essential that staff are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and know what to do when they are identified.
Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation should be seen as part of the schools wider safeguarding duties and is similar in nature to protecting children from other harms (e.g., drugs, gangs, neglect, sexual exploitation), whether these come from within their family or are the product of outside influences.
Schools can also build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. It is important to emphasise that the Prevent duty is not intended to stop pupils debating controversial issues. On the contrary, schools should provide a safe space in which children, young people and staff can understand the risks associated with terrorism and develop the knowledge and skills to be able to challenge extremist arguments.
The statutory guidance on the Prevent duty summarises the requirements on schools and childcare providers in terms of four general themes: risk assessment, working in partnership, staff training and IT policies.
The schools Prevent Risk Assessment and Action Plan can be found below.
