Child Protection and
Safeguarding Policy(including safer recruitment, allegations
against staff and low-level concerns)

The Japanese School

Approved by:

SMC

Last reviewed on:June 2024

Next review due by:

December 2024

1Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

Date: January 2024

2.
Date
Modified
31/10/2020
08/12/2020
11/12/2020

Version Number

Modified By

Modifications Made

1.0
1.1
1.2

KN
KN
KN

1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6

KN
KN
KN
KN

1.7
1.8
1.9
2.0
2.1

KO
KO*
MF
KO
KO

2.2

KO

2.3
2.4
2.5

KO
KO
KO

Update based on new DfE guidelines.
Correction in Section 2 & 7
Change of Proprietor information
Page number renewal
Change relating to KCSIE update
Change relating to KCSIE update
Change of Chair of governors
Change of DSL, Section 7.6 Online
Safety update
Change of Chair of governors
Change of Chair of governors
Change of Chair of governors
Change of Chair of governors
KCSIE to be issued on 1 September
2023
KCSIE to be issued on 1 September
2023
Addition of DDSL
Adding Governor Safeguarding Link
Addition of DDSL3
Change of Chair of governors

2.6

KO

Child Protection and Safeguarding
Policy (including safer recruitment,
allegations against staff and low-level
concerns) updated key changes to take
into account the 2023 version of
Keeping Children Safe in Education(KCSIE), which comes into force on 1st
September 2023.

19/01/2024

2.7

KO

Change of safeguarding link governors
Addition of DSL
Addition of DDSL

20/06/2024

Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

207/05/2021
08/09/2021
09/12/2021
31/03/2022
19/04/2022
08/12/2022
01/03/2023
01/06/2023
20/06/2023
29/08/2023

01/11/2023
21/11/2023
07/12/2023

Contents
Important contacts ............................................................................................................................................. 3
1. Aims .............................................................................................................................................................. 5
2. Legislation and statutory guidance ................................................................................................................. 5
3. Definitions ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
4. Equality statement ......................................................................................................................................... 6
5. Roles and responsibilities............................................................................................................................... 7
6. Confidentiality .............................................................................................................................................. 10
7. Recognising abuse and taking action ........................................................................................................... 11
8. Online safety and the use of mobile technology ............................................................................................ 18
9. Notifying parents or carers ........................................................................................................................... 20
10. Pupils with special educational needs, disabilities or health issues ............................................................. 20
11. Pupils with a social worker ......................................................................................................................... 20
12. Looked-after and previously looked-after children ....................................................................................... 20
13. Complaints and concerns about school safeguarding policies..................................................................... 21
14. Record-keeping.......................................................................................................................................... 21
15. Training...................................................................................................................................................... 22
16. Monitoring arrangements ........................................................................................................................... 23
17. Links with other policies ............................................................................................................................. 23

Important contacts

ROLE/ORGANISATION

Designated safeguarding lead
(DSL)

NAME

CONTACT DETAILSMr. Kazuo Okamoto
Ms. Akiko Sekine

okamoto-k@thejapaneseschool.ltd.uk
020 8993 7145 Ext 101
sekine-a@londonjpschool.uk
020 8993 7145 Ext 221

Ms. Asami Fusada
Deputy DSL

Mr. Marcus Regan
Ms. Mika Mochizuki

fusada-a@thejapaneseschool.ltd.uk
020 8993 7145 Ext 404
regan-m@londonjpschool.uk
020 8993 7145 Ext 221
mochizuki-m@londonjpschool.uk
020 8993 7145 Ext 223
Cernudan@ealing.gov.uk

Local authority designatedofficer (LADO)

Ms. Natalie Cernuda

Chair of governors

Mr. Shigeki Okada

shigeki.okada@mizuhoemea.com
020 7012 4000

Governor Safeguarding Link

Mr. Yuichiro Takagi

yuichiro.takagi@mizuhoemea.com
020 7012 4000

Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

30789 0940 241

ROLE/ORGANISATIONNAMECONTACT DETAILS

Channel helpline

Child Protection Advisors
Duty desk020 8825 8930

Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

4

1. Aims
The school aims to ensure that:
Appropriate action is taken in a timely manner to safeguard and promote children’s welfare
All staff are aware of their statutory responsibilities with respect to safeguarding
Staff are properly trained in recognising and reporting safeguarding issues

2. Legislation and statutory guidanceThis policy is based on the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in
Education (2023) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018), and the Governance Handbook. We
comply with this guidance and the arrangements agreed and published by our 3 local safeguarding partners (seesection 3).
This policy is also based on the following legislation:
Section 175 of the Education Act 2002, which places a duty on schools and local authorities to safeguard andpromote the welfare of pupils
The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009, which set out what must be recorded on the single central
record and the requirement for at least 1 person conducting an interview to be trained in safer recruitment
techniquesPart 3 of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, which places aduty on academies and independent schools to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school
The Children Act 1989 (and 2004 amendment), which provides a framework for the care and protection ofchildrenSection 5B(11) of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act
2015, which places a statutory duty on teachers to report to the police where they discover that female genital
mutilation (FGM) appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18
Statutory guidance on FGM, which sets out responsibilities with regards to safeguarding and supporting girls
affected by FGM
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, which outlines when people with criminal convictions can work withchildren
Schedule 4 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which defines what ‘regulated activity’ is inrelation to children
Statutory guidance on the Prevent duty, which explains schools’ duties under the Counter-Terrorism andSecurity Act 2015 with respect to protecting people from the risk of radicalisation and extremism
The Human Rights Act 1998, which explains that being subjected to harassment, violence and/or abuse,including that of a sexual nature, may breach any or all of the rights which apply to individuals under theEuropean Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
The Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against people regarding particular protectedcharacteristics (including disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and race). This means ourgovernors and headteacher should carefully consider how they are supporting their pupils with regard tothese characteristics. The Act allows our school to take positive action to deal with particular disadvantages
affecting pupils (where we can show it’s proportionate). This includes making reasonable adjustments fordisabled pupils. For example, it could include taking positive action to support girls where there’s evidence
that they’re being disproportionately subjected to sexual violence or harassment
The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which explains that we must have due regard to eliminating unlawful
discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The PSED helps us to focus on key issues of concern and how
to improve pupil outcomes. Some pupils may be more at risk of harm from issues such as sexual violence;
homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying; or racial discrimination
The Childcare (Disqualification) and Childcare (Early Years Provision Free of Charge) (Extended Entitlement)(Amendment) Regulations 2018 (referred to in this policy as the “2018 Childcare Disqualification
Regulations”) and Childcare Act 2006, which set out who is disqualified from working with childrenChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

5

3. Definitions
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children means:
Protecting children from maltreatment
Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomesChild protection is part of this definition and refers to activities undertaken to prevent children suffering, or being
likely to suffer, significant harm.
Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child and may involve inflicting harm or failing to act to prevent harm.
Appendix 1 explains the different types of abuse.
Neglect is a form of abuse and is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychologicalneeds, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Appendix 1 defines neglect
in more detail.
Sharing of nudes and semi-nudes (also known as sexting or youth-produced sexual imagery) is where children
share nude or semi-nude images, videos or live streams.
Children includes everyone under the age of 18.
The following 3 safeguarding partners are identified in Keeping Children Safe in Education (and defined in theChildren Act 2004, as amended by chapter 2 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017). They will makearrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of local children, including identifying andresponding to their needs:
The local authority (LA)Integrated care boards (previously known as clinical commissioning groups) for an area within the LA
The chief officer of police for a police area in the LA area
Victim is a widely understood and recognised term, but we understand that not everyone who has been
subjected to abuse considers themselves a victim or would want to be described that way. When managing an
incident, we will be prepared to use any term that the child involved feels most comfortable with.
Alleged perpetrator(s) and perpetrator(s) are widely used and recognised terms. However, we will thinkcarefully about what terminology we use (especially in front of children) as, in some cases, abusive behaviour canbe harmful to the perpetrator too. We will decide what’s appropriate and which terms to use on a case-by-casebasis.

4. Equality statement
Some children have an increased risk of abuse, both online and offline, and additional barriers can exist for somechildren with respect to recognising or disclosing it. We are committed to anti-discriminatory practice andrecognise children’s diverse circumstances. We ensure that all children have the same protection, regardless ofany barriers they may face.
We give special consideration to children who:
Have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or health conditions (see section 10)
Are young carers
May experience discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification or sexuality
Have English as an additional language
Are known to be living in difficult situations – for example, temporary accommodation or where there areissues such as substance abuse or domestic violence
Are at risk of FGM, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, or radicalisation
Are asylum seekers

Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

6

Are at risk due to either their own or a family member’s mental health needs
Are looked after or previously looked after (see section 12)
Are missing or absent from education for prolonged periods and/or repeat occasions
Whose parent/carer has expressed an intention to remove them from school to be home educated

5. Roles and responsibilities
Safeguarding and child protection is everyone’s responsibility. This policy applies to all staff, volunteers andgovernors in the school and is consistent with the procedures of the 3 safeguarding partners. Our policy andprocedures also apply to extended school and off-site activities.
The school plays a crucial role in preventative education. This is in the context of a whole-school approach topreparing pupils for life in modern Britain, and a culture of zero tolerance of sexism, misogyny/misandry,
homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and sexual violence/harassment. This will be underpinned by our:Behaviour policy
Pastoral support system
Planned programme of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), which is inclusive and delivered
regularly, tackling issues such as:oHealthy and respectful relationshipsoBoundaries and consentoStereotyping, prejudice and equalityoBody confidence and self-esteemoHow to recognise an abusive relationship (including coercive and controlling behaviour)o

The concepts of, and laws relating to, sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming,
coercion, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, so-called honour-based violence such as forced
marriage and FGM and how to access supportoWhat constitutes sexual harassment and sexual violence and why they’re always unacceptable

5.1 All staff
All staff will:
Read and understand part 1 and annex B of the Department for Education’s statutory safeguarding guidance,
Keeping Children Safe in Education, and review this guidance at least annually
Sign a declaration at the beginning of each academic year to say that they have reviewed the guidance
Reinforce the importance of online safety when communicating with parents and carers. This includes making
parents and carers aware of what we ask children to do online (e.g. sites they need to visit or who they’ll beinteracting with online)
Provide a safe space for pupils who are LGBTQ+ to speak out and share their concerns

All staff will be aware of:
Our systems which support safeguarding, including this child protection and safeguarding policy and includes
the anti-bullying policy, behaviour policy, staff disciplinary procedures policy, code of conduct, the role andidentity of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputies, online safety policy and the safeguarding
response to children who go missing from education.
The early help assessment process (sometimes known as the common assessment framework) and their rolein it, including identifying emerging problems, liaising with the DSL, and sharing information with otherprofessionals to support early identification and assessment
The process for making referrals to local authority children’s social care and for statutory assessments that
may follow a referral, including the role they might be expected to playChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.77

What to do if they identify a safeguarding issue or a child tells them they are being abused or neglected,
including specific issues such as FGM, and how to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality while
liaising with relevant professionals
The signs of different types of abuse and neglect, as well as specific safeguarding issues, such as child-onchild abuse, child sexual exploitation (CSE), child criminal exploitation (CCE), indicators of being at risk fromor involved with serious violent crime, FGM, radicalisation and serious violence (including that linked to county
lines)The importance of reassuring victims that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported andkept safe
The fact that children can be at risk of harm inside and outside of their home, at school and online
The fact that children who are (or who are perceived to be) lesbian, gay, bi or trans (LGBTQ+) can betargeted by other children
What to look for to identify children who need help or protection

Section 15 and appendix 4 of this policy outline in more detail how staff are supported to do this.

5.2 The designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
The DSL is a member of the senior leadership team. Our DSL are Kazuo Okamoto and Akiko Sekine. The DSL
takes lead responsibility for child protection and wider safeguarding in the school. This includes online safety andunderstanding our filtering and monitoring processes on school devices and school networks to keep pupils safe
online.
During term time, the DSL will be available during school hours for staff to discuss any safeguarding concerns,
can also be contacted by email out of school hours.
When the DSL is absent, deputies – Asami Fusada, Marcus Regan and Mika Mochizuki – will act as cover.
If the DSL and deputies are not available the head and deputy head teacher will act as cover (for example, during
out-of-hours/out-of-term activities).
The DSL will be given the time, funding, training, resources and support to:Provide advice and support to other staff on child welfare and child protection matters
Take part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings and/or support other staff to do soContribute to the assessment of children
Refer suspected cases, as appropriate, to the relevant body (local authority children’s social care, Channel
programme, Disclosure and Barring Service, and/or police), and support staff who make such referrals
directly
Have a good understanding of harmful sexual behaviour
Have a good understanding of the filtering and monitoring systems and processes in place at our school

The DSL will also:
Keep the headteacher informed of any issues
Liaise with local authority case managers and designated officers for child protection concerns as appropriate
Discuss the local response to sexual violence and sexual harassment with police and local authority children’ssocial care colleagues to prepare the school’s policies
Be confident that they know what local specialist support is available to support all children involved (including
victims and alleged perpetrators) in sexual violence and sexual harassment, and be confident as to how toaccess this support
Be aware that children must have an ‘appropriate adult’ to support and help them in the case of a police
investigation or search
The full responsibilities of the DSL and deputies are set out in their job description in Appendix 5, pages 42/43.

5.3 The School Management Committee (SMC)The SMC will:Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.78

Facilitate a whole-school approach to safeguarding, ensuring that safeguarding and child protection are at theforefront of, and underpin, all relevant aspects of process and policy development
Evaluate and approve this policy at each review, ensuring it complies with the law, and hold the headteacher
to account for its implementation
Be aware of its obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 (including the Public
Sector Equality Duty), and our school’s local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements
Appoint a link governor to monitor the effectiveness of this policy in conjunction with the full SMC. This isalways a different person from the DSL
Ensure all staff undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety, and that suchtraining is regularly updated and is in line with advice from the safeguarding partners
Ensure that the school has appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place and review theireffectiveness. This includes:oMaking sure that the leadership team and staff are aware of the provisions in place, and that they
understand their expectations, roles and responsibilities around filtering and monitoring as part ofsafeguarding trainingoReviewing the DfE’s filtering and monitoring standards, and discussing with IT staff and service
providers what needs to be done to support the school in meeting these standards

Make sure:o

The DSL has the appropriate status and authority to carry out their job, including additional time,
funding, training, resources and supportoOnline safety is a running and interrelated theme within the whole-school approach to safeguarding
and related policieso

The DSL has lead authority for safeguarding, including online safety and understanding the filteringand monitoring systems and processes in placeoThe school has procedures to manage any safeguarding concerns (no matter how small) or
allegations that do not meet the harm threshold (low-level concerns) about staff members(including supply staff, volunteers and contractors). Appendix 3 of this policy covers this procedureoThat this policy reflects that child with SEND, or certain medical or physical health conditions, canface additional barriers to any abuse or neglect being recognised

Where another body is providing services or activities (regardless of whether or not the children who attend
these services/activities are children on the school roll):oSeek assurance that the other body has appropriate safeguarding and child protection
policies/procedures in place, and inspect them if neededoMake sure there are arrangements for the body to liaise with the school about safeguarding
arrangements, where appropriateoMake sure that safeguarding requirements are a condition of using the school premises, and thatany agreement to use the premises would be terminated if the other body fails to comply

The chair of governors will act as the ‘case manager’ in the event that an allegation of abuse is made against theheadteacher, where appropriate (see appendix 3).
The SMC will read Keeping Children Safe in Education in its entirety.
Section 15 of this policy has information on how the SMC are supported to fulfil their role.

5.4 The headteacher
The headteacher is responsible for the implementation of this policy, including:
Ensuring that staff (including temporary staff) and volunteers:o

Are informed of our systems which support safeguarding, including this policy, as part of theirinduction

Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.79oUnderstand and follow the procedures included in this policy, particularly those concerning referralsof cases of suspected abuse and neglect

Communicating this policy to parents/carers when their child joins the school and via the school website
Ensuring that the DSL has appropriate time, funding, training and resources, and that there is always
adequate cover if the DSL is absent
Acting as the ‘case manager’ in the event of an allegation of abuse made against another member of staff orvolunteer, where appropriate (see appendix 3)
Making decisions regarding all low-level concerns, though they may wish to collaborate with the DSL on thisEnsuring the relevant staffing ratios are met, where applicable

6. Confidentiality
Share information on a need-to-know basis only – do not discuss the issue with colleagues, friends or family.
Reporting all suspicions or complaints of abuse must be reported to either the DSL or DDSL immediately. All
allegations are also immediately reported to the headteacher. Action by the DSL will be taken at the first possible
opportunity both with 24 hours with most urgent case.
You should note that:
Timely information sharing is essential to effective safeguarding
Fears about sharing information must not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare,and protect the safety, of children
The Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and UK GDPR do not prevent, or limit, the sharing of information for the
purposes of keeping children safe
If staff need to share ‘special category personal data’, the DPA 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children andindividuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows practitioners to share information without consent if: it
is not possible to gain consent; it cannot be reasonably expected that a practitioner gains consent; or if to gain
consent would place a child at risk
Staff should never promise a child that they will not tell anyone about a report of abuse, as this may not be in
the child’s best interests
If a victim asks the school not to tell anyone about the sexual violence or sexual harassment:oThere’s no definitive answer, because even if a victim doesn’t consent to sharing information, staff
may still lawfully share it if there’s another legal basis under the UK GDPR that applieso

The DSL will have to balance the victim’s wishes against their duty to protect the victim and otherchildreno

The DSL should consider that:

Parents or carers should normally be informed (unless this would put the victim at greater
risk)



The basic safeguarding principle is: if a child is at risk of harm, is in immediate danger, or
has been harmed, a referral should be made to local authority children’s social care

Rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault are crimes. Where a report of rape,
assault by penetration or sexual assault is made, this should be referred to the police.
While the age of criminal responsibility is 10, if the alleged perpetrator is under 10, thestarting principle of referring to the police remains

Regarding anonymity, all staff will:o

Be aware of anonymity, witness support and the criminal process in general where an allegation ofsexual violence or sexual harassment is progressing through the criminal justice system

Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.710

o

Do all they reasonably can to protect the anonymity of any children involved in any report of sexual
violence or sexual harassment, for example, carefully considering which staff should know about
the report, and any support for children involved

oConsider the potential impact of social media in facilitating the spreading of rumours and exposing
victims’ identities

The government’s information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners includes 7 ‘golden rules’ forsharing information, and will support staff who have to make decisions about sharing information
If staff are in any doubt about sharing information, they should speak to the DSL (or deputy)
Confidentiality is also addressed in this policy with respect to record-keeping in section 14, and allegations ofabuse against staff in appendix 3

7. Recognising abuse and taking action
Staff, volunteers and governors must follow the procedures set out below in the event of a safeguarding issue.
Please note – in this and subsequent sections, you should take any references to the DSL to mean “the DSL (ordeputy DSL)”.

7.1 If a child is suffering or likely to suffer harm, or in immediate danger
Make a referral to children’s social care and/or the police immediately if you believe a child is suffering or likely tosuffer from harm or is in immediate danger. Anyone can make a referral.
Tell the DSL (see section 5.2) as soon as possible if you make a referral directly. See also links below:
Ealing’s Assessment Protocol & Thresholds of Need Guide April 2016.
https://search3.openobjects.com/mediamanager/ealing/directory/files/threshold_guide_april_2016__interim_updat
e_2_.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council

7.2 If a child makes a disclosure to you
If a child discloses a safeguarding issue to you, you should:
Listen to and believe them. Allow them time to talk freely and do not ask leading questions
Stay calm and do not show that you are shocked or upset
Tell the child they have done the right thing in telling you. Do not tell them they should have told you sooner
Explain what will happen next and that you will have to pass this information on. Do not promise to keep it asecretWrite up your conversation as soon as possible in the child’s own words. Stick to the facts, and do not put
your own judgement on it
Sign and date the write-up and pass it on to the DSL. Alternatively, if appropriate, make a referral to children’ssocial care and/or the police directly (see 7.1), and tell the DSL as soon as possible that you have done so.
Aside from these people, do not disclose the information to anyone else unless told to do so by a relevant
authority involved in the safeguarding process
Bear in mind that some children may:Not feel ready, or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited or neglected
Not recognise their experiences as harmful
Feel embarrassed, humiliated or threatened. This could be due to their vulnerability, disability, sexual
orientation and/or language barriersNone of this should stop you from having a ‘professional curiosity’ and speaking to the DSL if you have concerns
about a child.

7.3 If you discover that FGM has taken place or a pupil is at risk of FGM
Keeping Children Safe in Education explains that FGM comprises “all procedures involving partial or total removalChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

11

of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs”.
FGM is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse with long-lasting, harmful consequences. It is also known as‘female genital cutting’, ‘circumcision’ or ‘initiation’.
Possible indicators that a pupil has already been subjected to FGM, and factors that suggest a pupil may be atrisk, are set out in appendix 4 of this policy.
Any teacher who either: Is informed by a girl under 18 that an act of FGM has been carried out on her; orObserves physical signs which appear to show that an act of FGM has been carried out on a girl under
18 and they have no reason to believe that the act was necessary for the girl’s physical or mental healthor for purposes connected with labour or birthMust immediately report this to the police, personally. This is a mandatory statutory duty, and teachers will facedisciplinary sanctions for failing to meet it.
Unless they have been specifically told not to disclose, they should also discuss the case with the DSL andinvolve children’s social care as appropriate.
Any other member of staff who discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a pupil
under 18 must speak to the DSL and follow our local safeguarding procedures.
The duty for teachers mentioned above does not apply in cases where a pupil is at risk of FGM or FGM issuspected but is not known to have been carried out. Staff should not examine pupils.
Any member of staff who suspects a pupil is at risk of FGM or suspects that FGM has been carried out should
speak to the DSL and follow our local safeguarding procedures.
See link for local procedures below:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/800306/61914-HO-Multi_Agency_Statutory_Guidance.pdf

7.4 If you have concerns about a child (as opposed to believing a child is suffering or
likely to suffer from harm, or is in immediate danger)
Figure 1 below, before section 7.7, illustrates the procedure to follow if you have any concerns about a child’s
welfare.
Where possible, speak to the DSL first to agree a course of action.
If in exceptional circumstances the DSL is not available, this should not delay appropriate action being taken.
Speak to a member of the senior leadership team and/or take advice from local authority children’s social care.
You can also seek advice at any time from the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. Share details of any actions
you take with the DSL as soon as practically possible.
Make a referral to local authority children’s social care directly, if appropriate (see ‘Referral’ below). Share any
action taken with the DSL as soon as possible.
Early help assessment
If an early help assessment is appropriate, the DSL will generally lead on liaising with other agencies and setting
up an inter-agency assessment as appropriate. Staff may be required to support other agencies andprofessionals in an early help assessment, in some cases acting as the lead practitioner.
We will discuss and agree, with statutory safeguarding partners, levels for the different types of assessment, aspart of local arrangements.
The DSL will keep the case under constant review and the school will consider a referral to local authority
children’s social care if the situation does not seem to be improving. Timelines of interventions will be monitored
and reviewed.

ReferralIf it is appropriate to refer the case to local authority children’s social care or the police, the DSL will make thereferral or support you to do so.
If you make a referral directly (see section 7.1), you must tell the DSL as soon as possible.
The local authority will make a decision within 1 working day of a referral about what course of action to take andwill let the person who made the referral know the outcome. The DSL or person who made the referral must
follow up with the local authority if this information is not made available, and ensure outcomes are properly
recorded.
If the child’s situation does not seem to be improving after the referral, the DSL or person who made the referral
must follow local escalation procedures to ensure their concerns have been addressed and that the child’sChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

12

situation improves.

7.5 If you have concerns about extremism
If a child is not suffering or likely to suffer from harm, or in immediate danger, where possible speak to the DSL
first to agree a course of action.
If in exceptional circumstances the DSL is not available, this should not delay appropriate action being taken.
Speak to a member of the senior leadership team and/or seek advice from local authority children’s social care.
Make a referral to local authority children’s social care directly, if appropriate (see ‘Referral’ above). Inform the
DSL or deputy as soon as practically possible after the referral.
Where there is a concern, the DSL will consider the level of risk and decide which agency to make a referral to.
This could include Channel, the government’s programme for identifying and supporting individuals at risk ofbeing drawn into terrorism, or the local authority children’s social care team.
The DfE also has a dedicated telephone helpline, 020 7340 7264, which school staff and governors can call toraise concerns about extremism with respect to a pupil. You can also emailcounter.extremism@education.gov.uk. Note that this is not for use in emergency situations.
In an emergency, call 999 or the confidential anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321 if you:Think someone is in immediate danger
Think someone may be planning to travel to join an extremist group
See or hear something that may be terrorist-related

7.6 If you have a concern about mental health
Mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering
abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Staff will be alert to behavioural signs that suggest a child may be experiencing a mental health problem or be atrisk of developing one.
If you have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, take immediate action byfollowing the steps in section 7.4.
If you have a mental health concern that is not also a safeguarding concern, speak to the DSL to agree a courseof action.

Figure 1: procedure if you have concerns about a child’s welfare (as opposed to believing achild is suffering or likely to suffer from harm, or in immediate danger)(Note – if the DSL is unavailable, this should not delay action. See section 7.4 for what to do.)Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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7.7 Concerns about a staff member, supply teacher, volunteer or contractor
If you have concerns about a member of staff (including a supply teacher, volunteer or contractor), or an
allegation is made about a member of staff (including a supply teacher, volunteer or contractor) posing a risk ofharm to children, speak to the headteacher as soon as possible. If the concerns/allegations are about theheadteacher, speak to the proprietor.
The headteacher/proprietor will then follow the procedures set out in appendix 3, if appropriate.
If the concerns/allegations are about the headteacher, speak to the local authority designated officer (LADO).
Where you believe there is a conflict of interest in reporting a concern or allegation about a member of staff(including a supply teacher, volunteer or contractor) to the headteacher, report it directly to the local authority
designated officer (LADO).
If you receive an allegation relating to an incident where an individual or organisation was using the school
premises for running an activity for children, follow our school safeguarding policies and procedures, informing the
LADO, as you would with any safeguarding allegation.

7.8 Allegations of abuse made against other pupils
We recognise that children are capable of abusing their peers. Abuse will never be tolerated or passed off as“banter”, “just having a laugh” or “part of growing up”, as this can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours
and an unsafe environment for pupils.
We also recognise the gendered nature of child-on-child abuse. However, all child-on-child abuse is unacceptable
and will be taken seriously.
Most cases of pupils hurting other pupils will be dealt with under our school’s behaviour policy and Anti-Bullying
policy but this child protection and safeguarding policy will apply to any allegations that raise safeguarding
concerns. This might include where the alleged behaviour:
Is serious, and potentially a criminal offence
Could put pupils in the school at risk
Is violent
Involves pupils being forced to use drugs or alcohol
Involves sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or sexual harassment, such as indecent exposure, sexual assault,
upskirting or sexually inappropriate pictures or videos (including the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes)
See appendix 4 for more information about child-on-child abuse.

Procedures for dealing with allegations of child-on-child abuse
If a pupil makes an allegation of abuse against another pupil:
You must record the allegation and tell the DSL, but do not investigate it
The DSL will contact the local authority children’s social care team and follow its advice, as well as the police
if the allegation involves a potential criminal offence
The DSL will put a risk assessment and support plan into place for all children involved (including thevictim(s), the child(ren) against whom the allegation has been made and any others affected) with a named
person they can talk to if needed. This will include considering school transport as a potentially vulnerable
place for a victim or alleged perpetrator(s)The DSL will contact the children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), if appropriate
If the incident is a criminal offence and there are delays in the criminal process, the DSL will work closely with thepolice (and other agencies as required) while protecting children and/or taking any disciplinary measures against
the alleged perpetrator. We will ask the police if we have any questions about the investigation.
The school keeps records regarding bullying incidents which are linked to each pupil’s guidance cases, and we
require all pupils take a school life/bullying survey which is followed by consultation with form teachers.

Creating a supportive environment in school and minimising the risk of child-on-child abuse
We recognise the importance of taking proactive action to minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse, and ofcreating a supportive environment where victims feel confident in reporting incidents.
To achieve this, we will:Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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Challenge any form of derogatory or sexualised language or inappropriate behaviour between peers(children) including requesting or sending sexual images
Be vigilant to issues that particularly affect different genders – for example, sexualised or aggressive touchingor grabbing towards female pupils, and initiation or hazing type violence with respect to boys
Ensure our curriculum helps to educate pupils about appropriate behaviour and consent
Ensure pupils are able to easily and confidently report abuse using our reporting systems (as described in
section 7.10 below)
Ensure staff reassure victims that they are being taken seriously
Be alert to reports of sexual violence and/or harassment that may point to environmental or systemic
problems that could be addressed by updating policies, processes and the curriculum, or could reflect wider
issues in the local area that should be shared with safeguarding partners
Support children who have witnessed sexual violence, especially rape or assault by penetration. We will do all
we can to make sure the victim, alleged perpetrator(s) and any witnesses are not bullied or harassed
Consider intra-familial harms and any necessary support for siblings following a report of sexual violence
and/or harassment
Ensure staff are trained to understand:o

How to recognise the indicators and signs of child-on-child abuse, and know how to identify it andrespond to reportsoThat even if there are no reports of child-on-child abuse in school, it does not mean it is not
happening – staff should maintain an attitude of “it could happen here”

oThat if they have any concerns about a child’s welfare, they should act on them immediately rather
than wait to be told, and that victims may not always make a direct report. For example:
Children can show signs or act in ways they hope adults will notice and react toA friend may make a report

A member of staff may overhear a conversation

A child’s behaviour might indicate that something is wrongoThat certain children may face additional barriers to telling someone because of their vulnerability,
disability, gender, ethnicity and/or sexual orientationoThat a pupil harming a peer could be a sign that the child is being abused themselves, and that thiswould fall under the scope of this policyoThe important role they have to play in preventing child-on-child abuse and responding where they
believe a child may be at risk from it

oThat they should speak to the DSL if they have any concernsoThat social media is likely to play a role in the fall-out from any incident or alleged incident,
including for potential contact between the victim, alleged perpetrator(s) and friends from eitherside

The DSL will take the lead role in any disciplining of the alleged perpetrator(s). We will provide support at thesame time as taking any disciplinary action.
Disciplinary action can be taken while other investigations are going on, e.g. by the police. The fact that anotherbody is investigating or has investigated an incident doesn’t (in itself) prevent our school from coming to its own
conclusion about what happened and imposing a penalty accordingly. We will consider these matters on a caseby-case basis, taking into account whether:
Taking action would prejudice an investigation and/or subsequent prosecution – we will liaise with the police
and/or local authority children’s social care to determine this
There are circumstances that make it unreasonable or irrational for us to reach our own view about what
happened while an independent investigation is ongoing

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Your responsibilities when responding to an incident
If you are made aware of an incident involving the consensual or non-consensual sharing of nude or semi-nudeimages/videos (also known as ‘sexting’ or ‘youth produced sexual imagery’), you must report it to the DSL
immediately.
You must not:View, copy, print, share, store or save the imagery yourself, or ask a pupil to share or download it (if you havealready viewed the imagery by accident, you must report this to the DSL)
Delete the imagery or ask the pupil to delete it
Ask the pupil(s) who are involved in the incident to disclose information regarding the imagery (this is the
DSL’s responsibility)
Share information about the incident with other members of staff, the pupil(s) it involves or their, or other,parents and/or carers
Say or do anything to blame or shame any young people involved
You should explain that you need to report the incident and reassure the pupil(s) that they will receive supportand help from the DSL.
Initial review meeting
Following a report of an incident, the DSL will hold an initial review meeting with appropriate school staff – thismay include the staff member who reported the incident and the safeguarding or leadership team that deals withsafeguarding concerns. This meeting will consider the initial evidence and aim to determine:
Whether there is an immediate risk to pupil(s)If a referral needs to be made to the police and/or children’s social care
If it is necessary to view the image(s) in order to safeguard the young person (in most cases, images orvideos should not be viewed)
What further information is required to decide on the best response
Whether the image(s) has been shared widely and via what services and/or platforms (this may be unknown)
Whether immediate action should be taken to delete or remove images or videos from devices or online
services
Any relevant facts about the pupils involved which would influence risk assessment
If there is a need to contact another school, college, setting or individual
Whether to contact parents or carers of the pupils involved (in most cases parents/carers should be involved)
The DSL will make an immediate referral to police and/or children’s social care if:
The incident involves an adult
There is reason to believe that a young person has been coerced, blackmailed or groomed, or if there areconcerns about their capacity to consent (for example, owing to SEN)
What the DSL knows about the images or videos suggests the content depicts sexual acts which are unusual
for the young person’s developmental stage, or are violent
The imagery involves sexual acts and any pupil in the images or videos is under 13
The DSL has reason to believe a pupil is at immediate risk of harm owing to the sharing of nudes and seminudes (for example, the young person is presenting as suicidal or self-harming)
If none of the above apply then the DSL, in consultation with the headteacher and other members of staff asappropriate, may decide to respond to the incident without involving the police or children’s social care. The
decision will be made and recorded in line with the procedures set out in this policy.
Further review by the DSL
If at the initial review stage, a decision has been made not to refer to police and/or children’s social care, the DSL
will conduct a further review to establish the facts and assess the risks.
They will hold interviews with the pupils involved (if appropriate).
If at any point in the process there is a concern that a pupil has been harmed or is at risk of harm, a referral will
be made to children’s social care and/or the police immediately.
Informing parents/carers
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The DSL will inform parents/carers at an early stage and keep them involved in the process, unless there is agood reason to believe that involving them would put the pupil at risk of harm.
Referring to the police
If it is necessary to refer an incident to the police, this will be done through dialling 101.
Recording incidents
All incidents of sharing of nudes and semi-nudes, and the decisions made in responding to them, will berecorded. The record-keeping arrangements set out in section 14 of this policy also apply to recording theseincidents.
Curriculum coverage
Pupils are taught about the issues surrounding the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes as part of our moral
education based on Japanese curriculum the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology inJapan (MEXT), relationships and sex education and computing programmes. Teaching covers the following in
relation to the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes:
What it is
How it is most likely to be encountered
The consequences of requesting, forwarding or providing such images, including when it is and is not abusive
and when it may be deemed as online sexual harassment
Issues of legality
The risk of damage to people’s feelings and reputation
Pupils also learn the strategies and skills needed to manage:
Specific requests or pressure to provide (or forward) such images
The receipt of such images
This policy on the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes is also shared with pupils so they are aware of the processes
the school will follow in the event of an incident.
7.10 Reporting systems for our pupils
Where there is a safeguarding concern, we will take the child’s wishes and feelings into account when
determining what action to take and what services to provide.
We recognise the importance of ensuring pupils feel safe and comfortable to come forward and report any
concerns and/or allegations.
To achieve this, we will:
Put systems in place for pupils to confidently report abuse
Ensure our reporting systems are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible for pupils
Make it clear to pupils that their concerns will be taken seriously, and that they can safely express their views
and give feedback
Pupils:take school life/bullying surveys followed by consultation with form teachers once every term.
are encouraged to talk to the DSL or any member of staff whenever they have any concerns.
are notified of the reporting system by the form teachers and the safeguarding posters.
are reassured that all members of staff take their disclosure seriously.

8. Online safety and the use of mobile technology
We recognise the importance of safeguarding children from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material,
and we understand that technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing issues.
To address this, our school aims to:Have robust processes (including filtering and monitoring systems) in place to ensure the online safety (seeOnline Safety Policy) of pupils, staff, volunteers and SMC.

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Protect and educate the whole school community in its safe and responsible use of technology, including
mobile and smart technology (which we refer to as ‘mobile phones’) – see Mobile Phones Policy.
Set clear guidelines for the use of mobile phones for the whole school community
Establish clear mechanisms to identify, intervene in and escalate any incidents or concerns, whereappropriate
The 4 key categories of risk
Our approach to online safety is based on addressing the following categories of risk:
Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, such as pornography, fake news,
racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, antisemitism, radicalisation and extremism
Contact – being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users, such as peer-to-peer pressure,commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit
them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes
Conduct – personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm, such as making,sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes
and/or pornography), sharing other explicit images and online bullying; andCommerce – risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and/or financial scams
To meet our aims and address the risks above, we will:
Educate pupils about online safety as part of our curriculum. For example:oThe safe use of social media, the internet and technologyoKeeping personal information privateo

How to recognise unacceptable behaviour onlineo

How to report any incidents of cyber-bullying, ensuring pupils are encouraged to do so, including
where they’re a witness rather than a victim

Train staff, as part of their induction, on safe internet use and online safeguarding issues including cyberbullying, the risks of online radicalisation, and the expectations, roles and responsibilities around filtering andmonitoring. All staff members will receive refresher training as required and at least once each academic year
Educate parents/carers about online safety via our website, communications sent directly to them and during
parents’ evenings. We will also share clear procedures with them so they know how to raise concerns about
online safety
Make sure staff are aware of any restrictions placed on them with regards to the use of their mobile phoneand cameras, for example that:oStaff are allowed to bring their personal phones to school for their own use, but will limit such use to
non-contact time when pupils are not presentoStaff will not take pictures or recordings of pupils on their personal phones or cameras

Make all pupils, parents/carers, staff, volunteers and governors aware that they are expected to sign anagreement regarding the acceptable use of the internet in school, use of the school’s ICT systems and use of
their mobile and smart technology
Explain the sanctions we will use if a pupil is in breach of our policies on the acceptable use of the internet
and mobile phones
Make sure all staff, pupils and parents/carers are aware that staff have the power to search pupils’ phones, as
set out in the DfE’s guidance on searching, screening and confiscation
Put in place robust filtering and monitoring systems to limit children’s exposure to the 4 key categories of risk
(described above) from the school’s IT systems.
Carry out an annual review of our approach to online safety, supported by an annual risk assessment thatconsiders and reflects the risks faced by our school community
Provide regular safeguarding and children protection updates including online safety to all staff, at least
annually, in order to continue to provide them with the relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard effectively

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Review the child protection and safeguarding policy, including online safety, annually and ensure theprocedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularlyThis section summarises our approach to online safety and mobile phone use. For full details about our school’s
policies in these areas, please refer to our online safety policy and mobile phone policies which can be found on
our website www.thejapaneseschool.com

9. Notifying parents or carers
Where appropriate, we will discuss any concerns about a child with the child’s parents or carers. The DSL will
normally do this in the event of a suspicion or disclosure.
Other staff will only talk to parents or carers about any such concerns following consultation with the DSL.
If we believe that notifying the parents or carers would increase the risk to the child, we will discuss this with thelocal authority children’s social care team before doing so.
In the case of allegations of abuse made against other children, we will normally notify the parents or carers of all
the children involved. We will think carefully about what information we provide about the other child involved, andwhen. We will work with the police and/or local authority children’s social care to make sure our approach to
information sharing is consistent.
The DSL will, along with any relevant agencies (this will be decided on a case-by-case basis):
Meet with the victim’s parents or carers, with the victim, to discuss what’s being put in place to safeguardthem, and understand their wishes in terms of what support they may need and how the report will be
progressed
Meet with the alleged perpetrator’s parents or carers to discuss support for them, and what’s being put inplace that will impact them, e.g. moving them out of classes with the victim, and the reason(s) behind any
decision(s)10. Pupils with special educational needs, disabilities or health issues
We recognise that pupils with SEND or certain health conditions can face additional safeguarding
challenges and are 3 times more likely to be abused than their peers. Additional barriers can exist
when recognising abuse and neglect in this group, including:
Assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s
condition without further exploration
Pupils being more prone to peer group isolation or bullying (including prejudice-based bullying) than otherpupilsThe potential for pupils with SEN, disabilities or certain health conditions being disproportionally impacted bybehaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs
Communication barriers and difficulties in managing or reporting these challenges
We offer extra pastoral support for these pupils.
Any abuse involving pupils with SEND will require close liaison with the DSL (or deputy) and the SENCO.

11. Pupils with a social worker
Pupils may need a social worker due to safeguarding or welfare needs. We recognise that a child’s experiencesof adversity and trauma can leave them vulnerable to further harm as well as potentially creating barriers toattendance, learning, behaviour and mental health.
The DSL and all members of staff will work with and support social workers to help protect vulnerable children.
Where we are aware that a pupil has a social worker, the DSL will always consider this fact to ensure any
decisions are made in the best interests of the pupil’s safety, welfare and educational outcomes. For example, itwill inform decisions about:
Responding to unauthorised absence or missing education where there are known safeguarding risks
The provision of pastoral and/or academic support

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We will ensure that staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding to keep looked-after children andpreviously looked-after children safe. In particular, we will ensure that:
Appropriate staff have relevant information about children’s looked after legal status, contact arrangementswith birth parents or those with parental responsibility, and care arrangements
The DSL has details of children’s social workers and relevant virtual school heads
We have appointed an appropriately trained teacher, Mr Marcus Regan, to take the lead on promoting the
educational achievement of looked-after and previously looked-after children.
As part of their role, they will:
Work closely with the DSL to ensure that any safeguarding concerns regarding looked-after and previously
looked-after children are quickly and effectively responded toWork with virtual school heads to promote the educational achievement of looked-after and previously lookedafter children

13. Complaints and concerns about school safeguarding policies
13.1 Complaints against staff
Complaints against staff that are likely to require a child protection investigation will be handled inaccordance with our procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse made against staff (see appendix
3).

13.2 Other complaints
Complaints about safeguarding issues require a child protection investigation and will be handled in accordancewith our complaints policy.

13.3 Whistle-blowing
General guidance can be found at: www.gov.uk/whistleblowing.
The NSPCC whistleblowing helpline is available for staff who do not feel able to raise concerns regarding childprotection failures internally. Staff can call: 0800 028 0285 – line is available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday to
Friday and email: help@nspcc.org.uk.
New Whistleblowing Policy to be agreed.

14. Record-keeping
We will hold records in line with our records retention schedule.
All safeguarding concerns, discussions, decisions made and the reasons for those decisions, must be recorded inwriting. If you are in any doubt about whether to record something, discuss it with the DSL.
Records will include:
A clear and comprehensive summary of the concern
Details of how the concern was followed up and resolved
A note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome
Concerns and referrals will be kept in a separate child protection file for each child.
Any non-confidential records will be readily accessible and available. Confidential information and records will beheld securely and only available to those who have a right or professional need to see them.
Safeguarding records relating to individual children will be retained for a reasonable period of time after they haveleft the school.
If a child for whom the school has, or has had, safeguarding concerns moves to another school, the DSL willChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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ensure that their child protection file is forwarded as soon as possible, securely, and separately from the main
pupil file.
To allow the new school/college to have support in place when the child arrives, this should be within:
5 days for an in-year transfer, or within
The first 5 days of the start of a new term
In addition, if the concerns are significant or complex, and/or social services are involved, the DSL will speak to
the DSL of the receiving school and provide information to enable them to have time to make any necessary
preparations to ensure the safety of the child.
Safeguarding record-keeping arrangements –Paper based records are kept in the lockable cabinet beside the DSL desk.
Electrical records kept in the holder of the secretary which can be accessed by the secretary only.
All records will be retained for at least 7 years.
When it is appropriate, in line with the local safeguarding procedures the school shares information with otheragencies.
In addition:
Appendix 2 sets out our policy on record-keeping specifically with respect to recruitment and pre-appointment
checksAppendix 3 sets out our policy on record-keeping with respect to allegations of abuse made against staff

15. Training
15.1 All staff
All staff members will undertake safeguarding and child protection training at induction, including on whistleblowing procedures and online safety, to ensure they understand the school’s safeguarding systems and their
responsibilities, and can identify signs of possible abuse or neglect.
This training will be regularly updated and will:
Be integrated, aligned and considered as part of the whole-school safeguarding approach and wider staff
training, and curriculum planning
Be in line with advice from the 3 safeguarding partners
Include online safety, including an understanding of the expectations, roles and responsibilities for staff
around filtering and monitoring
Have regard to the Teachers’ Standards to support the expectation that all teachers:oManage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe environmentoHave a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils

All staff will have training on the government’s anti-radicalisation strategy, Prevent, to enable them to identify
children at risk of being drawn into terrorism and to challenge extremist ideas.
Staff will also receive regular safeguarding and child protection updates, including on online safety, as required
but at least annually (for example, through emails, e-bulletins and staff meetings).
Contractors who are provided through a private finance initiative (PFI) or similar contract will also receive
safeguarding training.
Volunteers will receive appropriate training, if applicable.

15.2 The DSL and deputies
The DSL and deputies will undertake child protection and safeguarding training at least every 2 years.
In addition, they will update their knowledge and skills at regular intervals and at least annually (for example,
through e-bulletins, meeting other DSLs, or taking time to read and digest safeguarding developments).
They will also undertake Prevent awareness training.

15.3 Governors
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All governors receive training about safeguarding and child protection (including online safety) at induction, whichis regularly updated. This is to make sure that they:
Have the knowledge and information needed to perform their functions and understand their responsibilities,
such as providing strategic challenge
Can be assured that safeguarding policies and procedures are effective and support the school to deliver arobust whole-school approach to safeguarding
As the chair of governors may be required to act as the ‘case manager’ in the event that an allegation of abuse ismade against the headteacher, they receive training in managing allegations for this purpose.

15.4 Recruitment – interview panels
At least 1 person conducting any interview for any post at the school will have undertaken safer recruitment
training. This will cover, as a minimum, the contents of Keeping Children Safe in Education, and will be in line withlocal safeguarding procedures.
See appendix 2 of this policy for more information about our safer recruitment procedures.

15.5 Staff who have contact with pupils and families
All staff who have contact with children and families will have supervisions which will provide them with support,coaching and training, promote the interests of children and allow for confidential discussions of sensitive issues.

16. Monitoring arrangements
This policy will be reviewed annually by Kazuo Okamoto, DSL. At every review, it will be approved by the full
SMC..

17. Links with other policies
This policy links to the following policies and procedures:
Behaviour
Staff disciplinary procedures / grievanceComplaints
Health and safety
Attendance (to be agreed)
Online safety
Mobile phone use
Equality
Relationships and sex education
First aid
Curriculum
Designated teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children (to be agreed)
Privacy
SEN/D
Anti-bullying
Disability Accessibility
Fundamental British Values
Risk Assessment
Supporting pupils with medical conditions
Premises management documents
Reporting and recording racist incidents in school guideline
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These appendices are based on the Department for Education’s statutory guidance, Keeping Children
Safe in Education.

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Appendix 1: types of abuse
Abuse, including neglect, and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by 1
definition or label. In most cases, multiple issues will overlap.
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating orotherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricatesthe symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse
effects on the child’s emotional development. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types ofmaltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.
Emotional abuse may involve:
Conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet theneeds of another person
Not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what
they say or how they communicate
Age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include
interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of
exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction
Seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another
Serious bullying (including cyber-bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the
exploitation or corruption of children
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily
involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may
involve:
Physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts suchas masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing
Non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images,
watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a childin preparation for abuse (including via the internet)
Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as canother children.
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in theserious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result ofmaternal substance abuse.
Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers)
Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

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Appendix 2: Safer recruitment and DBS checks – policy and procedures
Safer recruitment policy
Recruitment and selection process MEXT
A key target in the school’s Ofsted Action Plan is to improve the procedures related to teacher transition fromJapan and their understanding of UK Safeguarding legislation, policies and practices. In order to improve thisprocess, the following procedures regarding new staff recruitment have been implemented by the school:
MEXT Partnership Agreement: The Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) works in partnership with Japanese schools globally to provide seconded teachers for each school.
 The Japanese School in London have requested a review of the MEXT Partnership Agreement and explained the need for the school to include Safeguarding training for all staff before arriving in the UK.
To ensure the school recruits individuals who are suitable, qualified and safe to work with children and to adhere
to safer recruitment practices, the school will ensure that: Clear policies and procedures are in place related to recruitment, safeguarding, and working with children.
 Those involved in the recruitment and employment of staff to work with children have received appropriate safer recruitment training to ensure they understand the importance of safeguarding and compliancewith relevant regulations.
The following steps have been put in place during our recruitment, selection and employment process to ensurecommitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Recruitment of the Seconded Teachers from Japan:
As part of its Partnership Agreement with the Japanese School in London, MEXT is responsible for:Application Process: Receiving robust application forms that gather comprehensive information about the candidate’s background, qualifications and employment history.
 Requesting a cover letter and resume to assess the candidate’s suitability for the role.
Shortlisting: Objective and consistent shortlisting criteria to identify candidates who meet the job requirements.
 Avoiding any discriminatory practices during shortlisting.
Interviews:
 Conducting structured interviews to assess a candidate's suitability for the role on behalf of the Japanese
School in London from various Boards of Education in Japan.
 Asking questions related to the specific requirements of working with children.
 Ensuring all teachers meet the required standards for working internationally.
 Allocating teachers to the Japanese School in London.
 The sponsorship application to the UKVI for the seconded teachers and the teachers acquire their DBS
from the Japanese Police Office before secondment to the UK. (NB: There are no police checks/DBS requirements for teachers to work in Japanese schools so Local Boards of Education are responsible to
MEXT for a teachers’ suitability).
 Checking each candidate’s suitability for secondment, however, they cannot check the Japanese DBS
documents as these are brought to UK in a sealed envelope for submission at the school.
On the first day at the Japanese School in London, new teachers submit the Japanese DBS to the Secretary. If
there is any concern with the DBS, the school will reject the teacher in question to work at the school and inform
MEXT of this decision.
Criminal Record Checks:
 Upon arrival, the Secretary shall conduct appropriate criminal record checks complying with relevant laws
and regulations regarding criminal record disclosure, i.e.: check the barred list and request DBS checks in
the UK for the seconded teachers, which takes at least a few weeks to complete.
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References: MEXT verifies employment and character to gain insights into the candidate's past performance and behaviour and act as a referee for Secondment.
Qualification Verification: The school verifies the authenticity of academic and professional qualifications claimed by the candidate
upon arrival in the UK.
 The Secretary also collects other information from the seconded teachers, including health check records, certificates of teaching, etc.
Employment: The seconded teachers will start working under the GBM (SSW) and SW visa sponsored by the Japanese School Ltd. They receive BRP cards within a few days after arrival.
 Once the residences are arranged by the Japanese School Ltd. for the seconded teachers, their addresses are available for recording in the SCR.
 Once they receive mobile phone numbers, the Secretary shall collect the information for the SCR also.
In Japan, Safeguarding laws are considerably different to the UK both in content and scope. Therefore,
Japanese teachers will not be used to the robust nature of Safeguarding in the UK upon arrival and will not havereceived any training regarding this from MEXT. The Japanese School in London will provide comprehensive
training both prior to arrival and during the candidate’s employment related to Safeguarding.
Staff induction:
 ALL New Staff will complete a thorough induction programme and will receive a New Staff Induction
Handbook for completion which includes all Safeguarding policies and procedures as well as other school
policies.
Probationary Periods:
 Implement probationary periods for new staff to assess their performance and suitability for the role.
Training:ALL seconded staff from Japan will undertake a comprehensive programme of Safeguarding training
events, courses and activities prior to arriving in the UK to take up their position at the Japanese School, in
London. This training will be compulsory. Failure to complete this training will affect each teacher’s offer of
employment.

Safeguarding training will include a requirement to read and understand KCSIE Part One. This understanding will be checked prior to arrival in the UK through surveys related to the training.
ALL staff will also be made aware of the Independent School Standards and OFSTED.
Ongoing Monitoring: Continuous monitoring and reviewing recruitment processes to identify areas for improvement and ensureongoing compliance with best practices.
These practices will collectively contribute to creating a safe and secure environment for working with children in
the school.
MEXT Recruitment Documentation
The following key points demonstrate good safeguarding practices in the documentation from MEXT:- The documents indicate that teachers dispatched overseas are treated as long-term trainees and are commissioned by the Minister of Education to engage in education at the overseas facilities. This formal commissioning
process helps ensure proper vetting and approval of teachers being sent abroad in an official capacity.
- There are clear qualifications and criteria for teachers to be selected as dispatched teachers, including having a
deep understanding and enthusiasm for overseas children's education and having the energy to persevere underdifficult conditions. Setting robust criteria helps ensure only suitable candidates are selected.
- The documents reference training programs for dispatched teachers and their spouses. Providing relevant training is an important safeguarding measure to ensure teachers are properly prepared for their overseas roles.
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- Performance reporting and evaluations are conducted during a teacher's dispatch period. Ongoing monitoring
and reviews enable identification of any concerns or issues.
- The discipline process outlined refers to misconduct unbecoming of a teacher's role. Having disciplinary procedures for unacceptable conduct is a key safeguarding mechanism.
- The documents indicate an appointed evaluator and process for performance reports. Clear procedures and assigned reviewers are helpful safeguarding practices.
- There are protocols outlined regarding early termination of a dispatch period if necessary. Having an ability tocurtail a deployment if issues arise is prudent from a safeguarding perspective.

Recruitment and selection process UK
Advertising
When advertising roles, we will make clear:
Our school’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
That safeguarding checks will be undertaken
The safeguarding requirements and responsibilities of the role, such as the extent to which the role will
involve contact with children
Whether or not the role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the
Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. If the role is exempt, certain spent convictions and cautions are‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed, and if they are disclosed, we cannot take them into accountApplication forms
Our application forms will:
Include a statement saying that it is an offence to apply for the role if an applicant is barred from engaging in
regulated activity relevant to children (where the role involves this type of regulated activity)
Include a copy of, or link to, our child protection and safeguarding policy and our policy on the employment of
ex-offenders
Shortlisting
Our shortlisting process will involve at least 2 people and will:
Consider any inconsistencies and look for gaps in employment and reasons given for them
Explore all potential concerns
Once we have shortlisted candidates, we will ask shortlisted candidates to:Complete a self-declaration of their criminal record or any information that would make them unsuitable towork with children, so that they have the opportunity to share relevant information and discuss it at interview
stage. The information we will ask for includes:oIf they have a criminal historyoWhether they are included on the barred listoWhether they are prohibited from teachingo

Information about any criminal offences committed in any country in line with the law as applicable
in England and Waleso

Any relevant overseas information

Sign a declaration confirming the information they have provided is true
We will also consider carrying out an online search on shortlisted candidates to help identify any incidents or
issues that are publicly available online. Shortlisted candidates will be informed that we may carry out thesechecks as part of our due diligence process.

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Seeking references and checking employment history
We will obtain references before interview. Any concerns raised will be explored further with referees and taken
up with the candidate at interview.
When seeking references we will:
Not accept open references
Liaise directly with referees and verify any information contained within references with the referees
Ensure any references are from the candidate’s current employer and completed by a senior person. Where
the referee is school based, we will ask for the reference to be confirmed by the headteacher/principal as
accurate in respect to disciplinary investigations
Obtain verification of the candidate’s most recent relevant period of employment if they are not currently
employed
Secure a reference from the relevant employer from the last time the candidate worked with children if they
are not currently working with children
Compare the information on the application form with that in the reference and take up any inconsistencies
with the candidate
Resolve any concerns before any appointment is confirmed

Interview and selection
When interviewing candidates, we will:
Probe any gaps in employment, or where the candidate has changed employment or location frequently, andask candidates to explain thisExplore any potential areas of concern to determine the candidate’s suitability to work with children
Record all information considered and decisions madePre-appointment vetting checks
We will record all information on the checks carried out in the school’s single central record (SCR). Copies ofthese checks, where appropriate, will be held in individuals’ personnel files. We follow requirements and bestpractice in retaining copies of these checks, as set out below.
New staff
All offers of appointment will be conditional until satisfactory completion of the necessary pre-employment checks.
When appointing new staff, we will:
Verify their identity
Obtain (via the applicant) an enhanced DBS certificate, including barred list information for those who will be
engaging in regulated activity (see definition below). We will obtain the certificate before, or as soon aspracticable after, appointment, including when using the DBS update service. We will not keep a copy of thecertificate for longer than 6 months, but when the copy is destroyed we may still keep a record of the fact thatvetting took place, the result of the check and recruitment decision taken
Obtain a separate barred list check if they will start work in regulated activity before the DBS certificate isavailable
Verify their mental and physical fitness to carry out their work responsibilities
Verify their right to work in the UK. We will keep a copy of this verification for the duration of the member ofstaff’s employment and for 2 years afterwards
Verify their professional qualifications, as appropriate
Ensure they are not subject to a prohibition order if they are employed to be a teacher
Carry out further additional checks, as appropriate, on candidates who have lived or worked outside of the
UK. These could include, where available:o

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o

For teaching positions: obtaining a letter from the professional regulating authority in the country
where the applicant has worked, confirming that they have not imposed any sanctions or
restrictions on that person, and/or are aware of any reason why that person may be unsuitable toteach

Regulated activity means a person who will be:
Responsible, on a regular basis in a school or college, for teaching, training, instructing, caring for orsupervising children; orCarrying out paid, or unsupervised unpaid, work regularly in a school or college where that work provides anopportunity for contact with children; orEngaging in intimate or personal care or overnight activity, even if this happens only once and regardless ofwhether they are supervised or not
Existing staff
In certain circumstances we will carry out all the relevant checks on existing staff as if the individual was a newmember of staff. These circumstances are when:
There are concerns about an existing member of staff’s suitability to work with children; orAn individual moves from a post that is not regulated activity to one that is; orThere has been a break in service of 12 weeks or more
We will refer to the DBS anyone who has harmed, or poses a risk of harm, to a child or vulnerable adult where:
We believe the individual has engaged in relevant conduct; orWe believe the individual has received a caution or conviction for a relevant (automatic barring either with orwithout the right to make representations) offence, under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
(Prescribed Criteria and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2009; orWe believe the ‘harm test’ is satisfied in respect of the individual (i.e. they may harm a child or vulnerable
adult or put them at risk of harm); andThe individual has been removed from working in regulated activity (paid or unpaid) or would have been
removed if they had not left
Agency and third-party staff
We will obtain written notification from any agency or third-party organisation that it has carried out the necessary
safer recruitment checks that we would otherwise perform. We will also check that the person presenting
themselves for work is the same person on whom the checks have been made.
Contractors
We will ensure that any contractor, or any employee of the contractor, who is to work at the school has had theappropriate level of DBS check (this includes contractors who are provided through a PFI or similar contract). This
will be:An enhanced DBS check with barred list information for contractors engaging in regulated activity
An enhanced DBS check, not including barred list information, for all other contractors who are not in
regulated activity but whose work provides them with an opportunity for regular contact with children
We will obtain the DBS check for self-employed contractors.
We will not keep copies of such checks for longer than 6 months.
Contractors who have not had any checks will not be allowed to work unsupervised or engage in regulated
activity under any circumstances.
We will check the identity of all contractors and their staff on arrival at the school.
Volunteers

We will:
Never leave an unchecked volunteer unsupervised or allow them to work in regulated activity
Obtain an enhanced DBS check with barred list information for all volunteers who are new to working in
regulated activity

Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.730Carry out a risk assessment when deciding whether to seek an enhanced DBS check without barred list
information for any volunteers not engaging in regulated activity. We will retain a record of this risk
assessment

The School Management Committee
All SMC members will have an enhanced DBS check without barred list information.
They will have an enhanced DBS check with barred list information if working in regulated activity.
The chair of the SMC will have their DBS check countersigned by the secretary of state.
All proprietors, trustees, local governors and members will also have the following checks:
A section 128 check (to check prohibition on participation in management under section 128 of the Educationand Skills Act 2008).
Identity
Right to work in the UK
Other checks deemed necessary if they have lived or worked outside the UK
Staff working in alternative provision settings
Where we place a pupil with an alternative provision provider, we obtain written confirmation from the provider
that they have carried out the appropriate safeguarding checks on individuals working there that we would
otherwise perform.
Adults who supervise pupils on work experience
When organising work experience, we will ensure that policies and procedures are in place to protect children
from harm.
We will also consider whether it is necessary for barred list checks to be carried out on the individuals who
supervise a pupil under 16 on work experience. This will depend on the specific circumstances of the work
experience, including the nature of the supervision, the frequency of the activity being supervised, and whether
the work is regulated activity.
Pupils staying with host families
Where the school makes arrangements for pupils to be provided with care and accommodation by a host family towhich they are not related (for example, during a foreign exchange visit), we will request enhanced DBS checks
with barred list information on those people.
Where the school is organising such hosting arrangements overseas and host families cannot be checked in thesame way, we will work with our partner schools abroad to ensure that similar assurances are undertaken prior to
the visit.

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Appendix 3: allegations of abuse made against staff
Allegations against staff (including low-level concerns) policy
Section 1: allegations that may meet the harms threshold
This section applies to all cases in which it is alleged that a current member of staff, including a supply teacher,volunteer or contractor, has:
Behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child, and/or
Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child, and/or
Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children, and/or
Behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children – thisincludes behaviour taking place both inside and outside of school
If we’re in any doubt as to whether a concern meets the harm threshold, we will consult out local authority
designated officer (LADO).
We will deal with any allegation of abuse quickly, in a fair and consistent way that provides effective childprotection while also supporting the individual who is the subject of the allegation.
A ‘case manager’ will lead any investigation. This will be the headteacher, or the chair of governors where theheadteacher is the subject of the allegation. The case manager will be identified at the earliest opportunity.
Our procedures for dealing with allegations will be applied with common sense and judgement.
If we receive an allegation of an incident happening while an individual or organisation was using the school
premises to run activities for children, we will follow our safeguarding policies and procedures and inform our
LADO.

Suspension of the accused until the case is resolved
Suspension of the accused will not be the default position, and will only be considered in cases where there isreason to suspect that a child or other children is/are at risk of harm, or the case is so serious that there might begrounds for dismissal. In such cases, we will only suspend an individual if we have considered all other options
available and there is no reasonable alternative.
Based on an assessment of risk, we will consider alternatives such as:
Redeployment within the school so that the individual does not have direct contact with the child or children
concerned
Providing an assistant to be present when the individual has contact with children
Redeploying the individual to alternative work in the school so that they do not have unsupervised access tochildrenMoving the child or children to classes where they will not come into contact with the individual, making it
clear that this is not a punishment and parents/carers have been consulted
Temporarily redeploying the individual to another role in a different location, for example for example to analternative school or other work for The School Management Committee
If in doubt, the case manager will seek views from the school’s personnel adviser and the designated officer at
the local authority, as well as the police and children’s social care where they have been involved.

Definitions for outcomes of allegation investigations
Substantiated: there is sufficient evidence to prove the allegation
Malicious: there is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation and there has been a deliberate act todeceive, or to cause harm to the subject of the allegation
False: there is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation
Unsubstantiated: there is insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation (this does not imply
guilt or innocence)

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Unfounded: to reflect cases where there is no evidence or proper basis which supports the allegation being
madeProcedure for dealing with allegations
In the event of an allegation that meets the criteria above, the case manager will take the following
steps:
Conduct basic enquiries in line with local procedures to establish the facts to help determine whether there isany foundation to the allegation before carrying on with the steps below
Discuss the allegation with the designated officer at the local authority. This is to consider the nature, content
and context of the allegation and agree a course of action, including whether further enquiries are necessary
to enable a decision on how to proceed, and whether it is necessary to involve the police and/or children’ssocial care services. (The case manager may, on occasion, consider it necessary to involve the police before
consulting the designated officer – for example, if the accused individual is deemed to be an immediate risk tochildren or there is evidence of a possible criminal offence. In such cases, the case manager will notify thedesignated officer as soon as practicably possible after contacting the police)
Inform the accused individual of the concerns or allegations and likely course of action as soon as possible
after speaking to the designated officer (and the police or children’s social care services, where necessary).
Where the police and/or children’s social care services are involved, the case manager will only share suchinformation with the individual as has been agreed with those agencies
Where appropriate (in the circumstances described above), carefully consider whether suspension of theindividual from contact with children at the school is justified or whether alternative arrangements such as
those outlined above can be put in place. Advice will be sought from the designated officer, police and/or
children’s social care services, as appropriate
Where the case manager is concerned about the welfare of other children in the community or the individual’sfamily, they will discuss these concerns with the DSL and make a risk assessment of the situation. If
necessary, the DSL may make a referral to children’s social care
If immediate suspension is considered necessary, agree and record the rationale for this with thedesignated officer. The record will include information about the alternatives to suspension that have been
considered, and why they were rejected. Written confirmation of the suspension will be provided to theindividual facing the allegation or concern within 1 working day, and the individual will be given a named
contact at the school and their contact details
If it is decided that no further action is to be taken in regard to the subject of the allegation or concern,
record this decision and the justification for it and agree with the designated officer what information should be
put in writing to the individual and by whom, as well as what action should follow both in respect of theindividual and those who made the initial allegation
If it is decided that further action is needed, take steps as agreed with the designated officer to initiate theappropriate action in school and/or liaise with the police and/or children’s social care services as appropriate
Provide effective support for the individual facing the allegation or concern, including appointing a named
representative to keep them informed of the progress of the case and considering what other support isappropriate.
Inform the parents or carers of the child/children involved about the allegation as soon as possible if they do
not already know (following agreement with children’s social care services and/or the police, if applicable).
The case manager will also inform the parents or carers of the requirement to maintain confidentiality about
any allegations made against teachers (where this applies) while investigations are ongoing. Any parent or
carer who wishes to have the confidentiality restrictions removed in respect of a teacher will be advised toseek legal advice
Keep the parents or carers of the child/children involved informed of the progress of the case (only in relation
to their child – no information will be shared regarding the staff member)
Make a referral to the DBS where it is thought that the individual facing the allegation or concern has engaged
in conduct that harmed or is likely to harm a child, or if the individual otherwise poses a risk of harm to a childIf the school is made aware that the secretary of state has made an interim prohibition order in respect of anindividual, we will immediately suspend that individual from teaching, pending the findings of the investigation by
the Teaching Regulation Agency.

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Where the police are involved, wherever possible the school will ask the police at the start of the investigation to
obtain consent from the individuals involved to share their statements and evidence for use in the school’s
disciplinary process, should this be required at a later point.
Additional considerations for supply teachers and all contracted staff
If there are concerns or an allegation is made against someone not directly employed by the school, such as asupply teacher or contracted staff member provided by an agency, we will take the actions below in addition to
our standard procedures.
We will not decide to stop using an individual due to safeguarding concerns without finding out the facts andliaising with our LADO to determine a suitable outcome
The governing board will discuss with the agency whether it is appropriate to suspend the individual, orredeploy them to another part of the school, while the school carries out the investigation
We will involve the agency fully, but the school will take the lead in collecting the necessary information andproviding it to the LADO as required
We will address issues such as information sharing, to ensure any previous concerns or allegations known tothe agency are taken into account (we will do this, for example, as part of the allegations management
meeting or by liaising directly with the agency where necessary)
When using an agency, we will inform them of our process for managing allegations, and keep them updated
about our policies as necessary, and will invite the agency's HR manager or equivalent to meetings asappropriate.

Timescales
We will deal with all allegations as quickly and effectively as possible and will endeavour to comply with thefollowing timescales, where reasonably practicable:
Any cases where it is clear immediately that the allegation is unsubstantiated or malicious should be resolved
within 1 week
If the nature of an allegation does not require formal disciplinary action, appropriate action should be taken
within 3 working days
If a disciplinary hearing is required and can be held without further investigation, this should be held within 15
working days

However, these are objectives only and where they are not met, we will endeavour to take the required
action as soon as possible thereafter.

Specific actions
Action following a criminal investigation or prosecution
The case manager will discuss with the local authority’s designated officer whether any further action, including
disciplinary action, is appropriate and, if so, how to proceed, taking into account information provided by thepolice and/or children’s social care services.
Conclusion of a case where the allegation is substantiatedIf the allegation is substantiated and the individual is dismissed or the school ceases to use their services, or theindividual resigns or otherwise ceases to provide their services, the school will make a referral to the DBS for
consideration of whether inclusion on the barred lists is required.
If the individual concerned is a member of teaching staff, the school will consider whether to refer the matter tothe Teaching Regulation Agency to consider prohibiting the individual from teaching.
Individuals returning to work after suspension
If it is decided on the conclusion of a case that an individual who has been suspended can return to work, thecase manager will consider how best to facilitate this.
The case manager will also consider how best to manage the individual’s contact with the child or children who
made the allegation, if they are still attending the school.
Unsubstantiated, unfounded, false or malicious reports
If a report is:
Determined to be unsubstantiated, unfounded, false or malicious, the DSL will consider the appropriate next
steps. If they consider that the child and/or person who made the allegation is in need of help, or the
allegation may have been a cry for help, a referral to children’s social care may be appropriateChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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Shown to be deliberately invented, or malicious, the school will consider whether any disciplinary action isappropriate against the individual(s) who made it

Unsubstantiated, unfounded, false or malicious allegations
If an allegation is:
Determined to be unsubstantiated, unfounded, false or malicious, the LADO and case manager will consider
the appropriate next steps. If they consider that the child and/or person who made the allegation is in need ofhelp, or the allegation may have been a cry for help, a referral to children’s social care may be appropriate
Shown to be deliberately invented, or malicious, the school will consider whether any disciplinary action isappropriate against the individual(s) who made it

Confidentiality and information sharing
The school will make every effort to maintain confidentiality and guard against unwanted publicity while anallegation is being investigated or considered.
The case manager will take advice from the LADO, police and children’s social care services, as appropriate, toagree:
 Who needs to know about the allegation and what information can be shared How to manage speculation, leaks and gossip, including how to make parents or carers of a child/children
involved aware of their obligations with respect to confidentiality What, if any, information can be reasonably given to the wider community to reduce speculation
 How to manage press interest if, and when, it arises

Record-keeping
The case manager will maintain clear records about any case where the allegation or concern meets the criteria
above and store them on the individual’s confidential personnel file for the duration of the case.
The records of any allegation that, following an investigation, is found to be malicious or false will be deleted fromthe individual’s personnel file (unless the individual consents for the records to be retained on the file).
For all other allegations (which are not found to be malicious or false), the following information will be kept on thefile of the individual concerned:
 A clear and comprehensive summary of the allegation
 Details of how the allegation was followed up and resolved
 Notes of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome
 A declaration on whether the information will be referred to in any future reference
In these cases, the school will provide a copy to the individual, in agreement with children’s social care or thepolice as appropriate.
We will retain all records at least until the accused individual has reached normal pension age, or for 10 years
from the date of the allegation if that is longer.

References
When providing employer references, we will:
Not refer to any allegation that has been found to be false, unfounded, unsubstantiated or malicious, or any
repeated allegations which have all been found to be false, unfounded, unsubstantiated or malicious
Include substantiated allegations, provided that the information is factual and does not include opinions

Learning lessons
After any cases where the allegations are substantiated, the case manager will review the circumstances of thecase with the local authority’s designated officer to determine whether there are any improvements that we canmake to the school’s procedures or practice to help prevent similar events in the future.
This will include consideration of (as applicable): Issues arising from the decision to suspend the member of staff
 The duration of the suspension
Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.735 Whether or not the suspension was justified
 The use of suspension when the individual is subsequently reinstated. We will consider how future
investigations of a similar nature could be carried out without suspending the individual
For all other cases, the case manager will consider the facts and determine whether any improvements can be
made.

Non-recent allegations
Abuse can be reported, no matter how long ago it happened.
We will report any non-recent allegations made by a child to the LADO in line with our local authority’s proceduresfor dealing with non-recent allegations.
Where an adult makes an allegation to the school that they were abused as a child, we will advise the individual
to report the allegation to the police.

Section 2: concerns that do not meet the harm threshold
This section applies to all concerns (including allegations) about members of staff, including supply teachers,
volunteers and contractors, which do not meet the harm threshold set out in section 1 above.
Concerns may arise through, for example:
Suspicion
Complaint
Safeguarding concern or allegation from another member of staff
Disclosure made by a child, parent or other adult within or outside the schoolPre-employment vetting checks
We recognise the importance of responding to and dealing with any concerns in a timely manner to safeguard thewelfare of children.

Definition of low-level concerns
The term ‘low-level’ concern is any concern – no matter how small – that an adult working in or on behalf of theschool may have acted in a way that:
Is inconsistent with the staff code of conduct, including inappropriate conduct outside of work, andDoes not meet the allegations threshold or is otherwise not considered serious enough to consider a referral
to the designated officer at the local authority
Examples of such behaviour could include, but are not limited to:
Being overly friendly with children
Having favourites
Taking photographs of children on their mobile phone
Engaging with a child on a one-to-one basis in a secluded area or behind a closed door
Humiliating pupils

Sharing low-level concerns
We recognise the importance of creating a culture of openness, trust and transparency to encourage all staff toconfidentially share low-level concerns so that they can be addressed appropriately.
We will create this culture by:
Ensuring staff are clear about what appropriate behaviour is, and are confident in distinguishing expected andappropriate behaviour from concerning, problematic or inappropriate behaviour, in themselves and others
Empowering staff to share any low-level concerns as per section 7.7 of this policy
Empowering staff to self-refer
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Providing a responsive, sensitive and proportionate handling of such concerns when they are raised
Helping to identify any weakness in the school’s safeguarding system

Responding to low-level concerns
If the concern is raised via a third party, the headteacher will collect evidence where necessary by speaking:Directly to the person who raised the concern, unless it has been raised anonymously
To the individual involved and any witnesses
The headteacher will use the information collected to categorise the type of behaviour and determine any further
action, in line with the school’s staff behaviour policy/code of conduct/disciplinary procedures policy/grievancepolicy. The headteacher will be the ultimate decision-maker in respect of all low-level concerns, though they may
wish to collaborate with the DSL.

Record keeping
All low-level concerns will be recorded in writing. In addition to details of the concern raised, records will include
the context in which the concern arose, any action taken and the rationale for decisions and action taken.
Records will be:
Kept confidential, held securely and comply with the DPA 2018 and UK GDPR
Reviewed so that potential patterns of concerning, problematic or inappropriate behaviour can be identified.
Where a pattern of such behaviour is identified, we will decide on a course of action, either through ourdisciplinary procedures or, where a pattern of behaviour moves from a concern to meeting the harms
threshold as described in section 1 of this appendix, we will refer it to the designated officer at the local
authority
Retained at least until the individual leaves employment at the school
Where a low-level concern relates to a supply teacher or contractor, we will notify the individual’s employer, so
any potential patterns of inappropriate behaviour can be identified.

References
We will not include low-level concerns in references unless:
The concern (or group of concerns) has met the threshold for referral to the designated officer at the local
authority and is found to be substantiated; and/or
The concern (or group of concerns) relates to issues which would ordinarily be included in a reference, suchas misconduct or poor performanceChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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Appendix 4: specific safeguarding issues
Children who are absent from education
A child being absent from education, particularly repeatedly, can be a warning sign of a range of safeguarding
issues. This might include abuse or neglect, such as sexual abuse or exploitation or child criminal exploitation, or
issues such as mental health problems, substance abuse, radicalisation, FGM or forced marriage.
There are many circumstances where a child may be absent or become missing from education, but somechildren are particularly at risk. These include children who:
Are at risk of harm or neglect
Are at risk of forced marriage or FGM
Come from Gypsy, Roma, or Traveller families
Come from the families of service personnel
Go missing or run away from home or care
Are supervised by the youth justice system
Cease to attend a school
Come from new migrant families
We will follow our procedures for unauthorised absence and for dealing with children who are absent fromeducation, particularly on repeat occasions, to help identify the risk of abuse and neglect, including sexual
exploitation, and to help prevent the risks of going missing in future. This includes informing the local authority if achild leaves the school without a new school being named, and adhering to requirements with respect to sharing
information with the local authority, when applicable, when removing a child’s name from the admission register at
non-standard transition points.
Staff will be trained in signs to look out for and the individual triggers to be aware of when considering the risks ofpotential safeguarding concerns which may be related to being absent, such as travelling to conflict zones, FGM
and forced marriage.
If a staff member suspects that a child is suffering from harm or neglect, we will follow local child protection
procedures, including with respect to making reasonable enquiries. We will make an immediate referral to the
local authority children’s social care team, and the police, if the child is suffering or likely to suffer from harm, or in
immediate danger.

Child criminal exploitation
Child criminal exploitation (CCE) is a form of abuse where an individual or group takes advantage of animbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child into criminal activity, in exchange forsomething the victim needs or wants, and/or for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator,
and/or through violence or the threat of violence.
The abuse can be perpetrated by males or females, and children or adults. It can be a one-off occurrence or aseries of incidents over time, and range from opportunistic to complex organised abuse.
The victim can be exploited even when the activity appears to be consensual. It does not always involve physicalcontact and can happen online. For example, young people may be forced to work in cannabis factories, coerced
into moving drugs or money across the country (county lines), forced to shoplift or pickpocket, or to threaten otheryoung people.
Indicators of CCE can include a child:
Appearing with unexplained gifts or new possessions
Associating with other young people involved in exploitation
Suffering from changes in emotional wellbeing
Misusing drugs and alcohol
Going missing for periods of time or regularly coming home late
Regularly missing school or education
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Not taking part in education
If a member of staff suspects CCE, they will discuss this with the DSL. The DSL will trigger the local safeguarding
procedures, including a referral to the local authority’s children’s social care team and the police, if appropriate.

Child sexual exploitation
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a form of child sexual abuse where an individual or group takes advantage ofan imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into sexual activity, in exchange for something thevictim needs or wants and/or for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. It
may, or may not, be accompanied by violence or threats of violence.
The abuse can be perpetrated by males or females, and children or adults. It can be a one-off occurrence or aseries of incidents over time and range from opportunistic to complex organised abuse.
The victim can be exploited even when the activity appears to be consensual. Children or young people who arebeing sexually exploited may not understand that they are being abused. They often trust their abuser and may
be tricked into believing they are in a loving, consensual relationship.
CSE can include both physical contact (penetrative and non-penetrative acts) and non-contact sexual activity. It
can also happen online. For example, young people may be persuaded or forced to share sexually explicit
images of themselves, have sexual conversations by text, or take part in sexual activities using a webcam. CSE
may also occur without the victim’s immediate knowledge, for example through others copying videos or images.
In addition to the CCE indicators above, indicators of CSE can include a child:
Having an older boyfriend or girlfriend
Suffering from sexually transmitted infections or becoming pregnant
If a member of staff suspects CSE, they will discuss this with the DSL. The DSL will trigger the local safeguarding
procedures, including a referral to the local authority’s children’s social care team and the police, if appropriate.

Child-on-child abuse
Child-on-child abuse is when children abuse other children. This type of abuse can take place inside and outsideof school. It can also take place both face-to-face and online and can occur simultaneously between the 2.
Our school has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence and sexual harassment. We recognise that even if
there are there no reports, that doesn’t mean that this kind of abuse isn’t happening.
Child-on-child abuse is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:
Bullying (including cyber-bullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying)
Abuse in intimate personal relationships between children (this is sometimes known as ‘teenage relationshipabuse’)
Physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm (thismay include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages physical abuse)
Sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault (this may include an online element
which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages sexual violence)
Sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be
standalone or part of a broader pattern of abuse
Causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touchthemselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party
Consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known assexting or youth produced sexual imagery)
Upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with theintention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation,
distress or alarm
Initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or
humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element)
Where children abuse their peers online, this can take the form of, for example, abusive, harassing, andmisogynistic messages; the non-consensual sharing of indecent images, especially around chat groups; and thesharing of abusive images and pornography, to those who don't want to receive such content.
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If staff have any concerns about child-on-child abuse, or a child makes a report to them, they will follow theprocedures set out in section 7 of this policy, as appropriate. In particular, section 7.8 and 7.9 set out more detailabout our school’s approach to this type of abuse.
When considering instances of harmful sexual behaviour between children, we will consider their ages and stagesof development. We recognise that children displaying harmful sexual behaviour have often experienced theirown abuse and trauma and will offer them appropriate support.

Domestic abuse
Children can witness and be adversely affected by domestic abuse and/or violence at home where it occurs
between family members. In some cases, a child may blame themselves for the abuse or may have had to leave
the family home as a result.
Types of domestic abuse include intimate partner violence, abuse by family members, teenage relationship abuse(abuse in intimate personal relationships between children) and child/adolescent to parent violence and abuse. It
can be physical, sexual, financial, psychological or emotional. It can also include ill treatment that isn’t physical,
as well as witnessing the ill treatment of others – for example, the impact of all forms of domestic abuse on
children.
Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexuality
or background, and domestic abuse can take place inside or outside of the home. Children who witness domestic
abuse are also victims.
Older children may also experience and/or be the perpetrators of domestic abuse and/or violence in their own
personal relationships. This can include sexual harassment.
Exposure to domestic abuse and/or violence can have a serious, long-lasting emotional and psychological impact
on children and affect their health, wellbeing, development and ability to learn.
If police are called to an incident of domestic abuse and any children in the household have experienced theincident, the police will inform the key adult in school (usually the designated safeguarding lead) before the childor children arrive at school the following day.
https://www.egfl.org.uk/news/2023/03/operation-encompass-ealing ←The DSL will provide support according to the child’s needs and update records about their circumstances.

Homelessness
Being homeless or being at risk of becoming homeless presents a real risk to a child’s welfare.
The DSL and deputies will be aware of contact details and referral routes into the local housing authority so they
can raise/progress concerns at the earliest opportunity (where appropriate and in accordance with local
procedures).
Where a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm, the DSL will also make a referral to children’s social care.

So-called ‘honour-based’ abuse (including FGM and forced marriage)
So-called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA) encompasses incidents or crimes committed to protect or defend thehonour of the family and/or community, including FGM, forced marriage, and practices such as breast ironing.
Abuse committed in this context often involves a wider network of family or community pressure and can include
multiple perpetrators.
All forms of HBA are abuse and will be handled and escalated as such. All staff will be alert to the possibility of achild being at risk of HBA or already having suffered it. If staff have a concern, they will speak to the DSL, who will
activate local safeguarding procedures.

FGM
The DSL will make sure that staff have access to appropriate training to equip them to be alert to children affectedby FGM or at risk of FGM.
Section 7.3 of this policy sets out the procedures to be followed if a staff member discovers that an act of FGM
appears to have been carried out or suspects that a pupil is at risk of FGM.
Indicators that FGM has already occurred include:Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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A pupil confiding in a professional that FGM has taken place
A mother/family member disclosing that FGM has been carried out
A family/pupil already being known to social services in relation to other safeguarding issues
A girl:

Having difficulty walking, sitting or standing, or looking uncomfortable

Finding it hard to sit still for long periods of time (where this was not a problem previously)Spending longer than normal in the bathroom or toilet due to difficulties urinating

Having frequent urinary, menstrual or stomach problems



Avoiding physical exercise or missing PEBeing repeatedly absent from school, or absent for a prolonged period



Demonstrating increased emotional and psychological needs – for example, withdrawal or
depression, or significant change in behaviour

Being reluctant to undergo any medical examinations

Asking for help, but not being explicit about the problem

Talking about pain or discomfort between her legs

Potential signs that a pupil may be at risk of FGM include:
The girl’s family having a history of practising FGM (this is the biggest risk factor to consider)
FGM being known to be practised in the girl’s community or country of origin
A parent or family member expressing concern that FGM may be carried out
A family not engaging with professionals (health, education or other) or already being known to social carein relation to other safeguarding issues
A girl:

Having a mother, older sibling or cousin who has undergone FGM

Having limited level of integration within UK societyConfiding to a professional that she is to have a “special procedure” or to attend a special
occasion to “become a woman”

Talking about a long holiday to her country of origin or another country where the practice isprevalent, or parents/carers stating that they or a relative will take the girl out of the country for a
prolonged period

Requesting help from a teacher or another adult because she is aware or suspects that she is at
immediate risk of FGM

Talking about FGM in conversation – for example, a girl may tell other children about it (although it
is important to take into account the context of the discussion)Being unexpectedly absent from schoolHaving sections missing from her ‘red book’ (child health record) and/or attending a travel clinic orequivalent for vaccinations/anti-malarial medication

The above indicators and risk factors are not intended to be exhaustive.

Forced marriage
Forcing a person into marriage is a crime. A forced marriage is one entered into without the full and free consent
of 1 or both parties and where violence, threats, or any other form of coercion is used to cause a person to enter
into a marriage. Threats can be physical or emotional and psychological.

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It is also illegal to cause a child under the age of 18 to marry, even if violence, threats or coercion are not
involved.
Staff will receive training around forced marriage and the presenting symptoms. We are aware of the ‘1 chance’
rule, i.e. we may only have 1 chance to speak to the potential victim and only 1 chance to save them.
If a member of staff suspects that a pupil is being forced into marriage, they will speak to the pupil about theirconcerns in a secure and private place. They will then report this to the DSL.
The DSL will:
Speak to the pupil about the concerns in a secure and private place
Activate the local safeguarding procedures and refer the case to the local authority’s designated officer
Seek advice from the Forced Marriage Unit on 020 7008 0151 or fmu@fco.gov.uk
Refer the pupil to an education welfare officer, pastoral tutor, learning mentor, or school counsellor, as
appropriate

Preventing radicalisation
Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist
ideologies associated with terrorist groups
Extremism is vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, such as democracy, the rule of law,individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling
for the death of members of the armed forces
Terrorism is an action that:

Endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people;



Causes serious damage to property; orSeriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system

The use or threat of terrorism must be designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public andis made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.
Schools have a duty to prevent children from being drawn into terrorism. The DSL will undertake Prevent
awareness training and make sure that staff have access to appropriate training to equip them to identify children
at risk.
We will assess the risk of children in our school being drawn into terrorism. This assessment will be based on anunderstanding of the potential risk in our local area, in collaboration with our local safeguarding partners and local
police force.
We will ensure that suitable internet filtering is in place and equip our pupils to stay safe online at school and at
home.
There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to an extremist ideology.
Radicalisation can occur quickly or over a long period.
Staff will be alert to changes in pupils’ behaviour.
The government website Educate Against Hate and charity NSPCC say that signs that a pupil is being radicalised
can include:
Refusal to engage with, or becoming abusive to, peers who are different from themselves
Becoming susceptible to conspiracy theories and feelings of persecution
Changes in friendship groups and appearance
Rejecting activities they used to enjoy
Converting to a new religion
Isolating themselves from family and friends
Talking as if from a scripted speech
An unwillingness or inability to discuss their views
A sudden disrespectful attitude towards others
Increased levels of anger

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Increased secretiveness, especially around internet use
Expressions of sympathy for extremist ideologies and groups, or justification of their actions
Accessing extremist material online, including on Facebook or Twitter
Possessing extremist literature
Being in contact with extremist recruiters and joining, or seeking to join, extremist organisations
Children who are at risk of radicalisation may have low self-esteem or be victims of bullying or discrimination. It is
important to note that these signs can also be part of normal teenage behaviour – staff should have confidence intheir instincts and seek advice if something feels wrong.
If staff are concerned about a pupil, they will follow our procedures set out in section 7.5 of this policy, including
discussing their concerns with the DSL.
Staff should always take action if they are worried.
Further information on the school’s measures to prevent radicalisation are set out in other school policies andprocedures, including curriculum policy, behaviour policy, online/e-safety policy, and Fundamental British Values
Policy.

Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools
Sexual violence and sexual harassment can occur:
Between 2 children of any age and sex
Through a group of children sexually assaulting or sexually harassing a single child or group of children
Online and face to face (both physically and verbally)
Sexual violence and sexual harassment exist on a continuum and may overlap.
Children who are victims of sexual violence and sexual harassment will likely find the experience stressful anddistressing. This will, in all likelihood, adversely affect their educational attainment and will be exacerbated if thealleged perpetrator(s) attends the same school.
If a victim reports an incident, it is essential that staff make sure they are reassured that they are being taken
seriously and that they will be supported and kept safe. A victim should never be given the impression that they
are creating a problem by reporting any form of abuse or neglect. Nor should a victim ever be made to feelashamed for making a report.
When supporting victims, staff will:
Reassure victims that the law on child-on-child abuse is there to protect them, not criminalise them
Regularly review decisions and actions, and update policies with lessons learnt
Look out for potential patterns of concerning, problematic or inappropriate behaviour, and decide on a courseof action where we identify any patterns
Consider if there are wider cultural issues within the school that enabled inappropriate behaviour to occur andwhether revising policies and/or providing extra staff training could minimise the risk of it happening again
Remain alert to the possible challenges of detecting signs that a child has experienced sexual violence, andshow sensitivity to their needs
Some groups are potentially more at risk. Evidence shows that girls, children with SEN and/or disabilities, andlesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) children are at greater risk.
Staff should be aware of the importance of:
Challenging inappropriate behaviours
Making clear that sexual violence and sexual harassment is not acceptable, will never be tolerated and is not
an inevitable part of growing up
Challenging physical behaviours (potentially criminal in nature), such as grabbing bottoms, breasts andgenitalia, pulling down trousers, flicking bras and lifting up skirts. Dismissing or tolerating such behaviours
risks normalising themChild protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.743

If staff have any concerns about sexual violence or sexual harassment, or a child makes a report to them, they
will follow the procedures set out in section 7 of this policy, as appropriate. In particular, section 7.8 and 7.9 set
out more detail about our school’s approach to this type of abuse.

Serious violence
Indicators which may signal that a child is at risk from, or involved with, serious violent crime may include:
Increased absence from school
Change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups
Significant decline in performanceSigns of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing
Signs of assault or unexplained injuries
Unexplained gifts or new possessions (this could indicate that the child has been approached by, or isinvolved with, individuals associated with criminal networks or gangs and may be at risk of criminal
exploitation (see above))
Risk factors which increase the likelihood of involvement in serious violence include:
Being male
Having been frequently absent or permanently excluded from school
Having experienced child maltreatment
Having been involved in offending, such as theft or robbery
Staff will be aware of these indicators and risk factors. If a member of staff has a concern about a pupil being
involved in, or at risk of, serious violence, they will report this to the DSL.

Checking the identity and suitability of visitors
All visitors will be required to verify their identity to the satisfaction of staff and to leave their belongings, including
their mobile phone(s), in a safe place during their visit.
If the visitor is unknown to the setting, we will check their credentials and reason for visiting before allowing themto enter the setting. Visitors should be ready to produce identification.
Visitors are expected to sign the visitors’ book and wear a visitor’s badge.
Visitors to the school who are visiting for a professional purpose, such as educational psychologists and school
improvement officers, will be asked to show photo ID and:Will be asked to show their DBS certificate, which will be checked alongside their photo ID; or
The organisation sending the professional, such as the LA or educational psychology service, will provide
prior written confirmation that an appropriate level of DBS check has been carried out (if this is provided,
we will not ask to see the DBS certificate)
All other visitors, including visiting speakers, will be accompanied by a member of staff at all times. We will not
invite into the school any speaker who is known to disseminate extremist views and will carry out appropriate
checks to ensure that any individual or organisation using school facilities is not seeking to disseminate extremist
views or radicalise pupils or staff.

Non-collection of children
If a child is not collected at the end of the session/day, we will retain a child within the school under the supervisionof teachers until parents or guardian show to collect.

Missing pupils
Our procedures are designed to ensure that a missing child is found and returned to effective supervision as soon
as possible. If a child goes missing, we will:
Report a missing child’s details immediately to the DSL/DDSL/Head teacher/Deputy;
Search the child inside and outside of the school and check the CCTV recording if appropriate; andIf we cannot find the child report to the local police, The School Management Committee and notify theparents/guardian of the child.
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Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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Appendix 5: Job Description for DSL/DDSLThe DSL will be given the time, funding, training, resources and support to:Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the School’s child protection policy, especiallynew or part-time staff who may have worked/currently work within different educational establishments.
Ensure all staff has induction training covering child protection and are thus equipped to recognise and reportany concerns immediately they arise.
During term time the DSL should be available for staff in the school during school hours to discuss any
safeguarding concerns. If the DSL is unavailable then any safeguarding matter should be referred to Deputy
Head Teacher
Maintain an overview of safeguarding within the School.
Ensure safeguarding maintains a high profile at staff meetings.
Ensure there are open channels of communication and communicate effectively with local statutory agencies.
Communicate well and to a high standard, both verbally and in writing, in School and as a representative of the
School at external agency meetings.
Present a calm and efficient disposition in a crisis.
Follow procedures accurately and make informed decisions.
Adapt swiftly to changing regulations and ensure staff is informed of these changes.
Listen objectively, actively and non-judgementally.
Write clear, full and informative reports for senior managers, The School Management Committee and external
agencies.
Have a working knowledge of how local authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a childprotection review conference.
Submit reports to and attend (or ensure the School’s attendance) child protection conferences or case reviews.
Ensure information is kept confidential and stored securely.
Share information of child protection file only with those who need to see.
The DSL will refer all cases of suspected abuse to either/or:
The Local Authority Children’s Social Care Unit;
The LADO for child protection concerns (particularly all cases which concern a staff member);
The Police (cases where a crime may have been committed).
Refer cases to the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern and support staff that makes areferral to the Channel programme.
Ensure that the School operates within legislative frameworks and recommended guidance, regarding: ongoingenquiries under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 and Police investigations; referral of cases of suspectedabuse regarding children in need to the Local Authority Children’s Social Care Unit; referral of child protection
concerns (all cases involving a staff member) to the LADO; referral of cases where a crime may have beencommitted to the Police.
Liaise with parents and if appropriate the LADO, children’s social care unit or Police of all meetings anddiscussions.
Ensure records of all meetings are clear, comprehensive and dated.
Ensure all records of concerns, discussions and decisions made and the reasons for those decisions arerecorded in writing.
Ensure they possess the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to keep looked after children safe.
Possesses the necessary information about the child’s care arrangements and the levels of authority delegatedto the carer by the authority looking after him/her. Details of the child’s social working should also be possessed.

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Act as a source of advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding.
When deciding whether to make a referral, always liaise with relevant agencies for advice.
Act as the conduit for staff that identifies a child who may need early help. Make an assessment as to whether
the child might need early help. Follow normal referral procedures as appropriate. Keep under review the caseof any child identified as requiring early help.
Cooperate with The School Management Committee in the annual check of the safeguarding policy andprocedures to ensure they are in line with statutory regulations and implemented correctly.
Monitor the effectiveness of policies and procedures, and the implementation of such, annually in cooperation
with The School Management Committee.
Write an annual review of safeguarding and child protection at the School, which is presented to The School
Management Committee.
Obtain access to relevant child protection resources and be aware of any changes in statutory requirements,
altering School documentation accordingly and informing The School Management Committee and staff ofany changes.
Attend refresher DSL child protection training every two years. In addition to this biennial formal training, theDSL knowledge and skills should be updated (for example via e-bulletins or taking time to read and digest
safeguarding developments) at regular intervals, but at least annually, to keep up with any developments
relevant to the role.
Ensure School records in relation to safeguarding are comprehensive, updated and accessible.
Ensure children receive the right help at the right time by the right people, in order to address risks and prevent
issues escalating.
Understand the importance of acting on and referring the early signs of abuse and neglect, keeping clear
records, listening to the views of the child and reassessing concerns when situations do not improve.
Act as a support to pupils and staff, follow up and document progress in relation to all concerns regularly.
Help promote educational outcomes by sharing the information about the welfare, safeguarding and childprotection issues that children, including children with a social worker, are experiencing, or have experienced,
with teachers and school leadership staff.
Ensure that the school and staff know who these children are, understand their academic progress andattainment and maintain a culture of high aspirations for this cohort; supporting teaching staff to identify thechallenges that children in this group might face and the additional academic support and adjustments that they
could make to best support these children.
Ensure the records of any pupil who leaves the School (who has a child protection file, at the present time,
there are no pupils on the child protection register.) are copied and sent to their new school.
Ensure child protection files are full, informative and contain all the information (duly dated) appertaining to thechild in question, plus details of all communications with external agencies, parents and carers.
Ensure that accurate safeguarding records are kept in a secure location, separate from pupils’ academic files.
Maintain and monitor child protection records, including monitoring and acting upon individual concerns,
patterns of concerns or complaints.
Transfers child protection files as soon as possible to a child’s new school when they leave our school.

Child protection advisers and safeguarding contacts
For advice on individual cases contact the child protection advisers in the table below.
Head of safeguarding, review and quality assurance
John Churchill
Head of safeguarding, review and quality assurance
Perceval House
Tel: 020 8825 8364
churchillj@ealing.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Safeguarding, review and quality assurance manager
Allegations against staff and volunteers
Child protection conferences,
MARAC, MAPPA and FGM
Natalie Cernuda (LADO)
Email: Cernudan@ealing.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)Tel: 07890940241
Child protection advisers
Child protection duty desk020 8825 8930
Contextual safeguarding coordinator
Christina Evers
020 8825 5951
EversC@ealing.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)Ealing safeguarding children partnership (ESCP) and CDOP manager
Steve Bourne
020 8825 9618
BourneS@ealing.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)Ealing Council children's services
020 8825 8000 (ECIRS)
Police child protection team
020 8246 1901
Critical incident officer and children’s services -safety, security and fire prevention
Steve Dunham
Tel: 020 8825 7418
Mobile: 07940 546 263
dunhamS@ealing.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)
Schools' health and safety advisor
Raj Chowdhury
Tel: 020 8825 7287
Mobile: 07568 130165
Chowdhury@ealing.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)
Prevent co-ordinator
Nazia Matin
Tel: 020 8825 8895
matinn@ealing.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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Appendix 6: Incident/concern recording log
Section 1: Details of the child and their parent/carer
Name of child/young person:
Gender:Male 

Female  Age:

Ethnicity:

Date of birth:

Religion:Childs first language:

Name of parent/carer(s):Home address (including postcode) and address of parent, if different to child:Communication needs (interpreter/signer/other):Special needs:
Sibling info:

Section 2: Your details
Your name:Your position:

Date and Time of Incident:

Section 3: Your report
Are you reporting your own concerns or responding to concerns raised by someone else?
 Responding to my own concerns If responding to concerns raised by someone else,
please provide their name and position within theorganisation:
 Responding to concerns raisedby someone else
Please provide details of the incident or concerns you have, including times, dates or otherrelevant information (such as a description of any injuries, whether you are recording fact,
opinion or hearsay):Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.7

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The child/young person’s account, if it can be given, of what has happened and how:

Please provide details of the person alleged to have caused the incident/injury including,where possible, their name, address and date of birth (or approximate age):

Please provide details of any witnesses to the incident(s):Your signature:

Nominated Safeguarding Person received information
Date:

Time:

NSP’s signature:Child protection and safeguarding policy 202401 v2.750