Ensuring the safety and well-being of students at Wolfreton is a priority and therefore we have policies and procedures which surround the issue of safeguarding young people.

Safeguarding means that we aim to ensure the well-being of students both emotionally and physically, and will take steps in order to ensure that young people are not at risk, either from themselves or from others.

The steps that the school might take are:

• meeting with the young person to explore the issue
• meeting with the parent/s or carers to explore the issue
• liaising and meeting with other agencies or professionals who are involved with the young person or family (for example, CAMHS, YFS and Social Services etc)
• making a referral to external agencies and liaising with them.

Social Services seek to support families to ensure that young people are kept safe. It is with this in mind that the school might refer to Social Services to seek support for the family and young person. Unless the risk is presented by the parents or guardians, the school will either consult with them about the referral or inform them that a referral is taking place.

Purpose

The school recognises that protecting and safeguarding children and young people is a shared responsibility and depends upon effective joint working between agencies and professionals that have different roles and expertise. Individual children and young people, especially some of the most vulnerable children and those at greatest risk of social exclusion, will need coordinated help from health, education and children’s social care services. The voluntary sector and other agencies also have an important role in protecting and safeguarding children.

Wolfreton School and Sixth Form College has a responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and young people they come into contact with. The need for guidelines and procedures is important to ensure that this is done with understanding and clarity. The school follows the guidelines provided by The East Riding Safeguarding Children Board.

What the law says

Children’s Act 1989, section 27 and 47, and the Children’s Act 2004 both state that it is the duty of schools to act “to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in need”.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing impairment of children’s health or development
• ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully

Child protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity which is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm. Areas of harm are defined under the following headings:

• physical abuse
• emotional abuse
• sexual abuse and
• neglect

The Prevent strategy 

As a school we comply with our Anti-Radicalisation policy. Prevent is part of the safeguarding work that Wolfreton undertakes. Staff have completed a Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent (WRAP).

What to do if you feel that a young person is at risk:

If you are a student at the school:

• Tell a member of staff about it if you’re in school
• Tell your parents or guardian about it if you’re at home
• Call Childline (0800 1111), The Samaritans (08457 909090) etc.

If you are a parent or carer:

Contact can be made with the Designated Safeguarding Lead(s)/Child Protection Coordinator(s) at the school on 01482 659356. An additional point of contact is your child’s Pastoral Manager or Head of Year.  For Sixth Form students, the Student Services Manager would be the first point of contact.

E Safety

At Wolfreton School and Sixth Form College, we believe that the use of technology is highly beneficial to the education of young people. As well as technology, such as the internet, being used in a positive way for educational outcomes, we also acknowledge that there are many risks in associated with its use. Our philosophy is to educate young people to make the right choices when using the internet and to teach them how to be safe when using online technologies.

We have an e-safety policy which is part of our safeguarding protocol.

As with all bullying, we will not tolerate cyber-bullying and therefore encourage young people and their parents to report any such issues to the school, either to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)/CPC, Pastoral Manager, Head of Year or form tutor. In addition, if there are any concerns in relation to any content which is on the internet or any persons who may be contacting young people, there is an option to report this online through clicking on the CEOP button.

CEOP’s Children and Young People’s programme; ‘Thinkuknow’, is used in schools nationwide to educate young people about how to stay safe online. As parents and carers, you can play a fundamental role in this aspect of their child’s education. To stay up to date with further information and advice, please visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents to find information on:

• What are the risks posed to your child online?
• What can you do to protect your child?
• Where can you go if you are concerned?

The Child Protection Coordinator or Designated Safeguarding Lead (CPC)/DSL at Wolfreton is Mr M Carruthers or in his absence or unavailability Miss R Moulding.

Where there are concerns about the welfare of any child or young person all staff/volunteers have a duty to share those concerns with the designated child protection co-ordinator. As a parent or visitor to the school any concerns you have should be communicated directly to Mr Carruthers or the school office staff.