Holy Trinity and St John's Church of England Primary School
Hope | Believe | Achieve
Safeguarding Officer
SAFEGUARDING
Holy Trinity & St John's C.E.P school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all Governors, staff, volunteers, parents and carers to share this commitment. Our primary concern is to ensure your child feels happy and safe while in our care. We ask for your support with this by telling us if there is something going on outside of school that may have an effect on them during the school day.
Please don’t ever feel like you’re making a fuss or think the issue is too small to tell us – effective communication is key to your child’s happiness and we are always willing to listen.
If you have a safeguarding concern and are unsure about what to do you can speak to our safeguarding officer Mrs Turner for help and support. If she is not available you can ask to speak to another designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
This page is designed to provide you with information and support around key safeguarding topics.
Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL):
- Mr R Garratt - (Headteacher & Lead DSL)
- Mrs S Turner (Safeguarding Officer and Deputy DSL)
- Mrs A Harding (Deputy Headteacher/Inclusion Manager and Deputy DSL)
- Mrs L Lowdon (Deputy headteacher/Assessment & Curriculum and Deputy DSL)
- Ms K Cygan (EYFS/Keystage leader and Deputy DSL)
The Area Safeguarding Advisor (ASA) for the East Kent area - Canterbury, Thanet and Swale is Catherine Holmberg
Online Safety Update
The online world is constantly changing with news apps being created all the time. As adults are we always as aware of what our children are accessing on line as we should be? When we are made aware of new online concerns we are committed to bringing this information to parent/carers attention where possible so that you can ensure the safety of your child. It is good practice to regularly check what your child is doing online and there is a wealth of support available to help you to do this. If you are unsure just ask us.
If your child is using social media to post videos and pictures of themselves please can you check that the content does not provide information that could identify where your child is. A school uniform would provide an area where your child lives and a place to try and contact them. It may also provide someone with a talking point to befriend your child. Remember to check their privacy settings to ensure they are not broadcasting to strangers. If you need support of advice around this just ask.
We are regularly made aware that children are watching films, TV programs and online material that is not age appropriate. In some cases this has led to children acting out things they have seen in school or repeating language that they have heard. We ask that you check any devices that your child has access to and that you ensure parental settings have been applied. Also remember to check the age ratings/recommendations - they are available for most online activities, games and films.
Here are some useful guides to making sure your child is safe online
Radicalisation and terrorism
As a parent or carer I'm sure you may have some concerns surrounding recent events that have been widely covered in the news about radicalisation and extremism. We take our duty as a school around preventing radicalisation and extremism seriously. As many extremist views are conveyed by the use of the internet and sites such as You Tube, we stop access to such sites via a firewall. This reduces the possibility of our children being exposure to such groups or information. Alongside this our staff have an awareness of signs to look for, we strongly promote British Values and allow children to speak freely about their worries.
How can you help?
Be aware of what your child is accessing on the internet and with gaming as extremists can often try and get their message across through this media. Check games, websites and social networking sites are age appropriate and give children the confidence to share their worries if they see something inappropriate.
Be a role model in your own lives wherever possible. Children are significantly influenced by their families so if you are modelling respect and tolerance, this will help them to understand these concepts and build on what we teach them in school.
Inform our safeguarding lead, Mrs Turner if you have any worries or concerns.
If you want more more information on how to answer your child's questions about extremism, radicalisation and terrorism visit the Childline website - www.childline.org.uk - and search any of those topics.
www.childline.org.uk
Extremism & Terrorism - Do you have concerns?
All of our staff are committed to keeping your child safe in school. Our school is committed to educating against hate and feel privileged to have a wide diversity of cultures within our school community. It is an unfortunate part of society today that we need to be constantly aware of the threat levels around a terrorist attack. By working as a community and reporting suspicious activity we will be helping to keep our community safe.
While the chances of being caught up in a terrorist incident remain rare, it is important to be prepared and know how to protect yourself if the need arises. Remember to:
If you are unsure what to do, what to look for or want more information about this subject please take some time to look at the attached links. ACT - Action Counter Terrorism has key numbers to report suspicious activity. Educate Against Hate has advice for parents on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation.
Is Smacking my child illegal?
Smacking Your Own Child
It is not illegal for a parent to smack their child as long as the ‘smack’ amounts to ‘reasonable punishment’. There is, therefore, a difference between punishment and what can feasibly be termed ‘abuse’. Unreasonable punishment is classed as a smack that leaves a mark on the child, or the use of an implement to hit the child, such as a belt or cane. A parent can give another person consent to use reasonable punishment on their child, such as a babysitter or grandparent.
We have several children who talk to us with concerns that they are hit by their parents when they are naughty. On most occasions the hitting they tell us about is a smack for bad behaviour and would seem to be lawful chastisement. On the whole they want us to talk to their parents and ask if they can be "punished" in a different way. If you would like some ideas on how to improve your childs behaviour or advice on positive parenting see the attached documentation.
Worried about domestic abuse?
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse Thanets Domestic Abuse One Stop Shops offer free advice, information and support from a range of agencies under one roof to help victims of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse can affect anyone and therefore, if you are a man or a woman and would like to discuss your issues, you are welcome to attend. No appointment is required just turn up.
The One Stop Shop is located at Six Bells Childrens Centre, 201 High Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1WH and operates every Wednesday between 10 am and 12 pm.
Domestic abuse can make you feel isolated and vulnerable. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Alternatively you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on: 0808 2000 247 or visit www.domesticabuseservices.org.uk
If you need help gaining an injunction you can call the National Centre for Domestic Violence on freephone 0800 970 2070 or to make an online referral visit: referdirect.org.uk. They are available to everybody, offer free legal injunction advice and are completely confidential.
E-Safety
Get to grips with what your children may come across on the internet and how to get help if you need it. You will be aware the internet hosts many exciting opportunities for education. The online world is a wonderful place for young people to explore, with unprecedented opportunities for learning and creativity, but just like the real world there are risks and dangers they should be aware of and which we should all act to protect them from. As a school we encourage the use of technology as an important part of our students’ development but always want them to spend their time online safely. As a parent/carer you can play a significant part in ensuring this. Find out what to do if you’re worried about anything you or your child has seen online. Here are a couple of helpful information sheets about some of the popular apps your children may be using.
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.
Gaming and how to keep your child safe
We all know that children want to be playing the latest game and that they are not always old enough for the games they want to play. A fact sheet of what the PEGI ratings on games means can be found below.
Tips for parents
PEGI provides advice regarding the age suitability of a game. However, every child is different. Ultimately parents should decide what their children are capable of viewing or experiencing. Here are a few tips:
- Always look for the age classification on the game package or via the search engine on this website.
- Try to look for a summary or review of the game content or ideally play the game yourself first.
- Play video games with your children, watch over them when they play and talk with them about the games they play. Explain why certain games are not suitable.
- Be aware that online games sometimes enable the download of extra software that can alter the game content and eventually the age classification of the game.
- Online games are usually played in virtual communities requiring players to interact with unknown fellow players. Tell your children not to give out personal details and report inappropriate behaviour.
- Set the limits by using the parental control tools of the game console or pc.
Other useful links
Films
Knowing what films your children should watch can also be difficult but again they have ratings to help you. Below is fact sheet of film classifications.
Keeping your child safe from abuse by talking PANTS
Being a parent always seems to mean lots of worrying, especially when it comes to keeping your child or children safe. All parents worry about different types of abuse and how to talk to their children about some of these issues. The NSPCC have a really useful website called 'Talk Pants.' This site teaches children important messages, like their body belongs to them and that they should tell an adult if they're upset or worried. There are activities for children on there and also advice for parents. Below you will see a link to the website and also a leaflet for parents and carers providing some useful advice.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule/
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Female genital mutilation is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but where there's no medical reason for this to be done. It's also known as "female circumcision" or "cutting", and by other terms such as sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez and khitan, among others.
If you're worried a child is at risk of, or has had, FGM contact the FGM Helpline on 0800 028 3550 or via fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk