We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent, effective safeguarding procedures are in place to support families, pupils and staff at school. All Hertfordshire schools, including Radlett Lodge School, follow the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

All staff have received safeguarding children training and have read Keeping Children Safe in Education, Part 1 and Annex A (2023). The NAS Safeguarding Children Policy is updated at least annually and reflects the latest government guidance.

Any safeguarding concerns should be reported to our Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads who will respond to the concern in accordance with our safeguarding procedure

The school will, in most circumstances, endeavour to discuss all concerns with parents about their children. However, there may be exceptional circumstances when the school will discuss concerns with Children Services and/or the Police without parental knowledge (in accordance with Child Protection procedures). The school will, of course, always aim to maintain a positive relationship with all parents.

There may also be occasions when contact has been attempted, however hasn’t been possible, in these circumstances the school will not unduly delay contacting Children’s Services or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

All actions regarding sharing information are in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)

If parents / carers have any concerns about their child then they should contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead to discuss their concerns, and agree upon actions to be taken. The DSL should maintain regular contact to ensure that the parent / carer is kept informed of their actions and provide feedback as appropriate.

If parents / carers or staff are unhappy with the way their concern has been dealt with they should following the Whistleblowing Policy and raise their concern to Stuart Mainwaring (Principal) 01923 854 922 or if the concern is about the Principal to Josh Fitzgerald (Managing Director of Education & Children Services) at Josh.Fitzgerald@nas.org.uk or to the Hertfordshire Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub 0300 123 4043.

Stay safe education

We will educate children and vulnerable adults, in accordance with their age and stage of development, in how to keep themselves safe including online. This will form part of the Personal, Social, Health, and Citizenship Education (PSHE), Relationships Education (Primary) and Relationships and Sex Education (Secondary), promoting contextual safeguarding throughout.

Please refer to the PSHE curriculum for further information about the topics that will be covered.

The following website links provide advice and information for parents:

http://www.ceop.police.uk/ 

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/

http://www.nwgnetwork.org/

http://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

http://paceuk.info/

http://www.stop-cse.org/saysomething/

https://www.net-aware.org.uk/

http://parentinfo.org/article/staying-safe-on-minecraft

Partnership with others

The school recognises that it is essential to establish positive and effective working relationships with other agencies. Professionals can only work together to safeguard children and vulnerable adults if there is a timely exchange of relevant information. The school will ensure that all information is shared in accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).

Role of the Local Governing Board

The school is respectfully challenged by the local governing board (LGB) who have appointed a designated governor responsible for safeguarding (Lee Evangelista - Interim) who meets with the DSL half termly to review the effectiveness of safeguarding at the school. This includes reviewing the induction of new staff; ongoing training for more experienced staff including into specific safeguarding areas; the school’s compliance with statutory guidance; the consistency of response to safeguarding concerns; and proactive teaching of keep safe approaches for the pupils.

The designated governor also completes at least annual safeguarding audits in collaboration with the NAS responsible individual. The audit includes monitoring the single central register (SCR), monitoring of the Safeguarding Children and Adult policies and procedures, including ‘Allegations Against Professionals’, monitoring of training for all employees and volunteers, guidance and support. When requested the school will take part in relevant audits with partner agencies including those from relevant Local Authorities.

Information from both the half term reviews and annual audits are shared by the designated governor at the Local Governing Board meetings to enable further scrutiny.

Safer recruitment and selection

Radlett Lodge School ensures that we fully meet our statutory responsibilities regarding the safer recruitment of staff. As a school we are stringent within our approach to safer recruitment in order to prevent those who pose a risk of harm from working at the school. In order to achieve this we carry out appropriate checks on staff and others who work unsupervised, taking proportionate decision on whether to ask for additional checks beyond those that are required; and ensuring that those without full checks are appropriately supervised at all times. The NAS has a written Safer Recruitment, Selectin and pre-employment vetting procedure in place.

Disclosure & Barring checks

Radlett Lodge School ensures that we meet our statutory responsibilities in relation to Disclosure and Baring Service, with all staff and volunteers who meet the ‘regulated activity test’ (Freedoms Act, 2012) undergoing an enhanced DBS with barred list check before commencing employment.

Training and support

All staff working at Radlett Lodge School receive a basic introduction to safeguarding, whatever their role at the school. This includes members of the Local Governing Board, volunteers, administration and maintenance staff as well as those working directly with children and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding training is refreshed on an annual basis either by face to face Safeguarding training developed by the NAS or via NAS on-line safeguarding training.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputies undergo suitable designated safeguarding lead training at least every 2 years. All staff including the principal, online safety coordinator and the designated teacher (children looked after), undergo training relevant to their roles which is updated regularly. All other staff who work in the school will undertake appropriate safeguarding training to equip them to meet their responsibilities for child protection effectively.

All staff working directly with children and vulnerable adults will have supervision with a suitably experienced person at least half termly, during which safeguarding concerns and processes will be discussed. Full support will be given to any staff member who is involved in the disclosure or reporting of a safeguarding concern. Employees also have access to a confidential helpline (Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme 0800 072 072 www.axabesupported.co.uk)