At Portway Junior School we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We follow the Derby City Safeguarding Children’s Board procedures. When there are concerns about a child’s welfare, we sometimes may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies. We will ensure that 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.
Safeguarding is one of the most important areas of our work. Every effort is made to ensure that all pupils are kept safe during the school day, and also that we support pupils in developing an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. At Portway Junior School we expect all staff, governors, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment and maintain a vigilant and safe environment.
We expect all adults to work in a safe manner and challenge inappropriate behaviour. Everyone is expected to adhere to the ‘Code of Conduct’ and the DfE’s ‘Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who work with Children and Young People in Educational Settings. It is a key principle that everyone understands their responsibility to share without delay concerns they may have about a child’s welfare or an adult’s behaviour towards a young person. In addition, everyone has a responsibility to escalate their concerns to the Local Authority Designated Officer (‘whistle blow’) if they feel that safeguarding concerns they have raised about a child or adult working at the school are not being addressed by the school.
From first contact with the school, all adults working with children - school staff, visiting professionals, volunteers in school and student placements - are rigorously checked using the Disclosure and Barring service, the Disqualification by association documents and, for all staff, references are collated, and for teachers, the online prohibition check is completed. Vacancies are advertised in accordance with safeguarding principles and Keeping Children Safe in Education. A detailed document - the school central record - is kept updated and contains all statutory evidence.
Staff receive training from both internal and external experts. Staff have received training around being vigilant to forms of harm and abuse, and understand which procedures to follow if they suspect that this may have happened. All records are kept securely by the DSL, and the school uses an online system for this called CPOMS. The DSL & DDSL complete an annual Derby safeguarding audit, and from this writes and shares a s175 action plan that is shared with governors and the Trust.
The school has a wealth of safeguarding documents: policies, procedures and recommendations. All staff have identity badges, and there is an electronic sign in system and a Stay Safe at Portway leaflet which we have produced. The outer doors and gates are locked, and a fob system is in operation for access to the building. The site supervisor conducts perimeter checks every morning, and ensures that the site is secure. All visitors must sign in and wear the school’s visitor badge. In addition, visiting professionals will also be expected to show and wear their photo ID badge provided by their employer. Everyone is reminded it is a criminal offence to seek work whether paid or voluntary, having been barred or convicted of offences and deemed unsuitable to work with children.
All staff and Governors undertake annual safeguarding training which includes Child Protection information, safer recruitment, Health and Safety, risk assessments, medical issues, Channel and PREVENT. Channel and PREVENT are part of the Government's scheme to ensure that children and families are kept safe from radicalisation and extremism. Pupils will also be supported in this way with curriculum content suited to their age and ability. Some of this is identifiable from the curriculum plans, and other aspects come into areas such as Citizenship and Online Safety.
Please ask if you would like further detail.