Safeguarding
Safeguarding - Keeping your children safe in school!
Our primary concern is to ensure all children at Luddenham feel HAPPY and SAFE with us. If we can do this, then all of our children will be successful in their learning journey.
Designated Safeguarding Lead: C Vincett
Designated Safeguarding: J Wickham, M Boorman, L Crabb, L Kerr, R Blaxill and T Watts
Nominated trustee responsible for Safeguarding and Child Protection: C Mitchell
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children’s health or development
- ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.
What is Child Protection?
Child Protection is part of Safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Child Protection Policy
Our Child Protection Policy is in our Policies section.
Keeping Children Safe in Education
Our team undertake annual safeguarding training based on the latest guidance which can be found by clicking on the link below:
Keeping children safe in education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Prevent Duty
Please click here to access departmental advice for schools on the Prevent Duty (DFE) Alternatively you can also refer to (Keeping Children Safe in Education) above for further information. Staff have been completing a series of online training modules - A register exists to determine which staff have completed the training.
Further Resources
- Safeguarding in Education - HLT Resource page
- Safeguarding children and young people (GOV.UK)
- Safeguarding Children (NSPCC)
Day to Day safeguarding: Collection at the end of the school day
New parents receive information regarding the end of the school day, with us asking you to notify us if your child leaves the school premises by bus or car queue. Stringent measures have been put in place because we have every child’s safety as a priority and appreciate the end of the school day is an extremely busy time. Likewise, collection from our various afterschool clubs is as equally important. Ensure the Club Leader is made aware of collection arrangements – especially if this changes from one week to the next. To do this, please contact the school office on 01795 532061.
We ask that you always share information with us; please don’t ever feel that you are making a fuss or we don’t need to know. Even at the top end of the school, our children are only 11 years old, and we must work together and communicate effectively. This will be even more important as and when the dark nights draw in.
As parents, your ideas on improvements we could make at school would always be welcomed. Please email your suggestions or talk to me, Mrs Vincett, or another member of staff on the school gate. (headteacher@luddenham.kent.sch.uk)
Often it is referred to as an online 999. By clicking on the button, young people and parents can get advice on a range of issues such as viruses, hacking and dealing with bullying online.
Online Safety Information for Parents and Carers
How to stay safe online
Security on school site
Every member of staff wears a photo I.D name card. Visitors and volunteers wear ‘colour coded’ lanyards to show they have followed the security checks at reception. We ask parents to enter the school via the office unless specifically told otherwise (Sports Day, Summer Fayre etc).
Special assemblies highlight important safety messages of ‘stranger danger’, emphasising the need for children to ‘speak out’ if they feel vulnerable in any way.
Gates and doors are locked when the children come into school for registration. Security buttons and key codes protect the children so that they can get out in an emergency but no one from the outside can enter the school building. The Governor’s Health & Safety Team regularly inspect the school for safety measures and ensure that all locks and systems are working effectively.
Criminal Record Bureau Record Checks (DBS)
Everyone who works with your children are DBS checked which means that the Criminal Bureau has checked their suitability to work with children. All the volunteers, PTFA and Governors have up to date DBS’s and the Governors check that the Single Central Record in school is accurate and comprehensive
Child protection
Every single member of staff holds a current Child Protection Training Certificate from the Local Authority. They are trained in recognising signs of abuse and knowing what to do if they have concerns about any child in school.
All supply teachers and volunteers are provided with a Safeguarding Leaflet when they first visit the school so that they are aware of all the school’s procedures. The Governors monitor this and ensure procedures are being followed.
Digital Parenting Magazine -Vodafone
Vodafone produce an excellent magazine for parents and carers regarding online safety. It can be read online or read as a PDF by following the link below.