Safeguarding Statement
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff to share this commitment. At Headington Quarry Foundation Stage School we work in partnership with parents and carers. We have a duty to share information with other agencies where there may be safeguarding concerns. We will seek consent to share information with other agencies and make referrals to other agencies, including social care, with parents knowledge unless by doing so this puts a child at risk
Safeguarding is a general term which describes everything we do to protect children. This includes such things as safe recruitment, careful storage of information, risk assessments and the care of premises where children spend their time. Child protection is a specific element of safeguarding which this policy Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 2023-2024 HQFSSwith annexe also deals with and which offers systems and procedures to help us protect children from specific types of harm
The Designated Safeguarding Leads are: Natalie Wilson (Headteacher), Kelly Welch (Daycare Coordinator), Katherine Cooper (Early Years Practitioner ) and Briony Miller (Early Years Practitioner).
The Safeguarding Governor is: Roz Smith
The Department for Education (DfE) has published an updated version of its statutory guidance on safeguarding, Keeping Children Safe in Education, which is now in force.
Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2023 It includes a requirement that all school and college staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn. They should also:
- Be aware of systems within their school which support safeguarding and have these explained to them during induction. This includes the child protection and staff behaviour policies, and the role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
- Be aware of the early help process and be prepared to identify children who may benefit from early help
- Be aware of the process for making referrals to social services
- Be aware of the signs of abuse and neglect, and of what to do if a child makes a disclosure
- Receive appropriate child protection training which is regularly updated
- Always act in the best interests of the child
We recognise that through their day-to-day contact with children and direct work with families, staff at the school have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect and referring to the appropriate agency.
We do this by
- Ensuring we know where every child is each day. Please ring and let us know if your child is absent, the office will ring if we are unsure.
- Making sure we know the reasons for any bumps, bruises or comments from children.
- Recording late arrival or collection to consider if different arrangements of more support is needed
- Weekly Child Review Meetings to share information and ensure all necessary actions are taken
Your Key Person is available to ensure your child and family have appropriate support. Please inform them of any changes in your home or important events which you think may affect your child.
Safeguarding awareness is taught to children as part of personal, social and emotional aspect of the curriculum and appropriate to ensure all pupils understand what is meant by safeguarding and how they can be safer.
Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board
Email: oscb@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Website: www.oscb.org.uk
OSCB Parents Page: http://www.oscb.org.uk/parents.html
Online Safety is very important to us, here is a link to help parents keep the under fives safe online
https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/0-5/
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/onlinesafety
https://www.askaboutgames.com/early-years-children-and-safe-online-gaming/
https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics/digital-wellbeing/3-7-year-olds-
Headington Quarry Foundation Stage School-British-Values-Statement