Safeguarding
At Oldfield Primary School, we take our Safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. This means that we ensure that everyone working in our school has successfully completed the necessary clearances to enable them to work with children. It also means that we have staff members who are specifically trained and nominated as Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) within school. Safeguarding is all staff’s responsibility. Staff must not leave children unattended with any unqualified adult at any time. We also expect all staff to adhere to professional teaching standards and promote democracy and British Values at all times. Failure to safeguard children will be judged as a serious disciplinary offence and dealt with via our disciplinary policy.
The school also follows Bradford Child Protection Procedures and the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board local guidance and has systems in place to share concerns regarding children’s welfare with our DSLs, with parents and with relevant external agencies. Part of our legal duty to safeguard children, may also include us needing to consult specifically with, and take advice from, the Police or Children’s Social Care, should the need arise.
By working closely together as a staff and with our partner agencies, we firmly believe that we offer a safe learning environment for all our children.
The Named DSL is Mr. James Travers.
The deputies are Mrs. Charlotte Million-Hicks & Mrs. Barnett & Mrs. Richards & Mrs. Balderstone. Mrs. Harker at Lees can also be contacted.
A copy of the latest 'Keeping Children safe in Education' is available from the office.
Peer-on-peer abuse at Oldfield
Peer-on-peer abuse is any form of physical,sexual, emotional and financial abuse, and coercive control
exercised between children, and within children's relationships (both intimate and nonintimate),
friendships, and wider peer associations. Procedures for dealing with allegations of peer-on-peer
abuse are as follows:
If an allegation/suspected incident of peer on peer abuse comes to the school’s attention:
● The incident should be referred to the DSL as soon as possible
● The DSL should hold an initial review meeting with appropriate school
staff
● There should be subsequent interviews with the children involved (if
appropriate)
● Parents should be informed at an early stage and involved in the process
unless there is good reason to believe that involving parents would put
the young person at risk of harm
● At any point in the process, if there is a concern a young person has
been harmed or is at risk of harm, a referral should be made to
children’s social care and / or the police immediately They will advise
school on next steps. This could include a strategy meeting, advice on
teaching or an early help or social care referral.
● The background of the child is shared to best ascertain support.
● If the child is at risk of committing any further acts then a risk
assessment will be drawn up.
● The risk assessment is shared with all staff and parents and signed by
the headteacher and parent.
● Direct 1:1 work with children on appropriate relationships will be
completed.
● Further work will be done on relationships through whole class and
group PSHCE lessons.
● The school will consider a fixed or permanent exclusion following advice
and support from the local authority social care teams as needed.
Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Between Children in Schools and Colleges
The Prevent Duty
Working Together to Safeguard Children
In an emergency please call 01274 435600. Bradford safeguarding board.
Governance member With Responsibility For Safeguarding: Denise Booth. She reserves the right as a named person to check files of children. Files belong to the child and are only shared if the Leadership deem it needed and if the child is not at risk.
All can be contacted at 01535 642394 or office.oldfield@bronteacademytrust.org.uk
Signs and Symptoms of Potential Abuse
We expect all members of our school community to remain vigilant to the signs and symptoms of potential abuse and report any concerns to our Designated Safeguarding Leads. There are 4 main categories of abuse to be aware of;
Physical Abuse including burns and scalds
Sexual Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Neglect
In addition to these 4 areas, the following Safeguarding issues are also high on our agenda:
The Prevent Duty (Radicalisation & Extremism)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
Children Missing From Education (CME)
