Safeguarding

The safety and wellbeing of all children and young people is of paramount importance. Parents and carers send their children to school each day with the expectation that the school provides a safe and secure environment in which their children can flourish. We, therefore, have to ensure that this expectation becomes reality. In order to achieve this, a wide range of measures are put into place:

• Acceptable Use Policy
• Anti-Bullying Policy
• Attendance Policy
• Behaviour Policy
• Child Protection Policy
• Peer on Peer Abuse Policy
• First Aid and Medicines Policy
• Health and Safety Policy
• Looked After Children Policy
• Safer Recruiting Policy

Safeguarding and child protection policy 2023- 2024

The Ad Astra Trustees and Local Governing Board keep these policies under regular review. They ensure the Head Teacher provides termly updates on safeguarding as part of her report to Governors.

Safeguarding children and young people is everyone’s responsibility.

Should you have any concerns about a child you can contact the Hartlepool First Contact HUB: 01429 284284

The Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership involves different organisations working to protect children and young people across the region. Their website brings together information for children, young people and their families and the professionals who work with them.

https://www.hsscp.co.uk/

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a national charity which works to fight child abuse.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/

West Park School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment

• We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent effective safeguarding procedures are in place to support children, families and staff at school.
• We ensure that all staff receive appropriate training, guidance and support to undertake the effective safeguarding of children.

Any concerns are passed through the designated safeguarding leaders within the school:

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) – Mr S. English
• Deputy DSL – Mrs N Pearce (EYFS Deputy DSL)
• Deputy DSL – Mrs A Robinson (KS1 Deputy DSL)
• Deputy DSL – Ms K Wright (KS2 Deputy DSL)

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is a unique Police and Education early intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people exposed to domestic abuse.

Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools before the start of the next school day when a child or young person has been involved or exposed to a domestic abuse incident the previous evening.

The information is given in strict confidence to a school’s Key Adult to enable support to be given dependent on the needs and wishes of the child.

West Park Primary School is engaged with this scheme.

https://www.operationencompass.org/

“For schools to be able to effectively play their part in supporting children who have witnessed or experienced domestic violence early information is essential. This simple but invaluable sharing of information will help schools prepare for the needs and potential behaviours of a child immediately following an incident. Schools already work closely with police and social services but early notification can only strengthen that relationship improving the overall support to the child.”

Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the NAHT

“… actually Operation Encompass is doing exactly the right thing”

Bradley Simmons, South West Regional Director, OFSTED