‘Under the Education Act 2002 (Section 157), schools must make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Parent/carers should know that the law (Children Act 2006) requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. The staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with the parent/carer, and where possible, seek their consent to a referral to Social Care.

This will only be done where such discussion will not place the child at increased risk of significant harm.

Schools will seek advice from Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the designated person for child protection was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.’

Keeping the young people of our school safe is absolutely central to our work. Woodbrook Vale School works hard to ensure that all students are highly educated in how to keep themselves safe both at school and beyond.

A full safeguarding and child protection training programme is delivered to all staff on a three yearly basis. In addition there is refresher training at the start of each academic year and each member of staff receives a pack of information that they have to sign for. Updated information is distributed during the course of the year.

All staff receive PREVENT training in response to the government’s extremism agenda. Staff are fully aware on how to identify students who may be receptive to extremist grooming of all different types. The school completes a radicalisation risk assessment as part of its safeguarding policy on an annual basis.  The school is an Operation Encompass school. The DSL liaises with the police and social care.

Staff who come to the school part way through an academic year receive 1 : 1 training from the Safeguarding Lead and an information pack.