Safeguarding

Safeguarding at High Park

Meet our Safeguarding Team

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Assistant Principal: Sarah Tollemache
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL), Designated Teacher for CLA and Deputy Principal: Hannah Copeland
DDSL Principal: Bridie Dorning
DDSL: Nicole Priestley
Trust Director of Safeguarding: Tanya Byrne

At High Park we have a positive safeguarding culture, where ‘Safeguarding is EVERYONE’S Responsibility'.

High Park School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We have a number of handbooks, protocols and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our trust policies. All staff, volunteers and supply receive training in Safeguarding, Child Protection and Prevent strategies.

Everyone who comes into contact with pupils and their families has a role to play in Safeguarding. Everyone over 16 working or volunteering at the school is subject to an enhanced DBS check that prevents unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups including children.

All school staff are particularly important as they are in a position to identify early signs and indicators of abuse, to raise concerns early and provide help, comfort, support for children.

At High Park we work closely with our families and other agencies including health services, social care, early help co-ordinator and other specialist services to promote the welfare of pupils and protect them from harm.

Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a pupil’s welfare.

Where possible, we will ensure that our 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 pupil’s welfare.

Click here for the Safeguarding Flowchart for High Park School

Click here to find the Trust Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy on their policies page

Click here for our Safeguarding Handbook

Click here for Safer Bradford - for Safeguarding information

Click here for Early Help information

Click here for the latest Keeping Children Safe in Education (Sept 2023)

Click here for the latest Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023

Click here for What to do if you are worried a child is being abused

Click here for the National Grid For Learning's webpage which has KCSIE translated into various Languages

If, as a parent of a pupil attending this school, you require a paper copy of the information on this website, we shall provide this free of charge.

Operation Encompass

Our school is part of Operation Encompass. This is a police initiative, which supports children and young people who have witnessed or experienced Domestic Abuse. Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting to schools of any domestic abuse incidents that occur outside of school, which might have an impact on a child in school. This is communicated through a secure email or telephone call to school following an incident. The project ensures that the designated safeguarding lead is available to liaise with children’s services and the police and to use the information that has been shared in confidence. In this way we aim to support each child who has been involved in or witnessed a domestic abuse incident. The Operation Encompass information is stored in line with all other safeguarding and child protection information.

If a designated safeguarding lead receives an Encompass notification, they will make sure that a person the child trusts is available to help – if the child needs this. All schools have a duty to share any information with other organisations if they feel a child is at risk of being hurt. The designated safeguarding lead may contact other organisations.

If you would like more information about Operation Encompass, details can be viewed online at www.operationemcompass.org

What is ‘Prevent’?

Prevent is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of radicalisation. Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation is part of our school’s wider safeguarding duties, and is similar in nature to protecting children from other harms.

The new ‘Prevent Duty’ Guidance 2015 came into effect on 1 July 2015 and its effectiveness within school is reviewed within Ofsted inspections. We have clear procedures in place for protecting staff, pupils and parents at risk of radicalisation.

At High Park we promote fundamental ‘British values’ and enable pupils, families and staff to challenge extremist views. We value the diverse ethnic backgrounds of all pupils, families and staff and undertake a variety of activities to celebrate these. Through our broad and balanced curriculum we teach tolerance and respect for the differences in our school community and the wider world.

Click here for Bradford District Prevent Plan 2020-22

Click here for Safer Braford - For Prevent information

Radicalisation Helpline

The NSPCC has launched a helpline to support adults who have concerns about children and young people being radicalised or who need advice on how to talk to their children about issues related to terrorism.

Helpline practitioners have been trained to spot the warning signs of radicalisation so they can advise adults who are worried about a child being groomed.

You can contact trained helpline counsellors at the NSPCC for 24/7 help, advice and support on

0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk

Online Safety

Here is a link to a helpful video “Keeping your children safe online”

Click here to visit the “Think U Know” website which provides online safety information for families

Click here to visit the NSPCC website – online safety

Attendance

Children Missing Education (CME)

Children Missing Education (CME) are children of compulsory school age who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school i.e. privately or electively home education (EHE).

Why is the work around Children Missing Education (CME) a priority?

All children, regardless of their circumstances, are entitled to an efficient, full time education which is suitable to their age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs they may have.

Children missing education are at significant risk of underachieving, being victims of harm, exploitation or radicalisation, and becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) later in life.

Effective information sharing between parents, schools and local authorities is critical to ensuring that all children of compulsory school age are safe and receiving suitable education.

Reasonable enquiries by the referrer

Reasonable enquiries should include:

Contacting family, relatives, neighbours and where appropriate landlords and other significant adults
Making enquiries within school with class teachers, friends (if appropriate)
Liaising with schools attended by siblings
Conducting home visits
Sending letters and/or emails
Checking with previous schools (if appropriate)
Checking with other agencies known to be working with the family
If you have been provided with a forwarding address in the UK, it is expected that you make enquiries with that Local Authority

This list is not exhaustive; cases should be taken on an individual basis meaning that enquiries may differ case to case.

If at any point there is reason to believe a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, a referral should be made to children’s social care (and the police if appropriate).

What the Local Authority will do when they receive a CME referral

Once the Local Authority receives and accepts a Children Missing Education (CME) referral, we will:

Check local databases
Attempt to make contact with the parent, relatives and neighbours using known contact details
Check school2school database
Conduct checks with health, police, Children’s Social Care and other partner agencies.
Conduct additional home visits if required
Send warning letters to the family reminding them of their legal duty as a parent to ensure their child receives a suitable education
Contact other Local Authorities/areas if required

This list is not exhaustive; cases are taken on an individual basis meaning that enquiries may differ case to case.

Here is a link to the DfE Children Missing from Education

Click here for our Pupil Attendance Handbook

Click here to find the Trust Attendance Policy on their policies page