The Leigh UTC is a community and all those directly connected (staff, governors, parents, families, pupils and volunteers) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure, recognising our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children.
The Leigh UTC recognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within the school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourages them to talk openly, and enables them to feel confident that they will be listened to. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.
Our safeguarding personnel are as follows:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead: Kathryn Pamphlett
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Gabriel Alamu
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead & Designated Child in Care Teacher: Simon Ritcher
- Online Safety Coordinator: Kathryn Pamphlett
- Named Safeguarding Governor: Mr Afolabi
To report anything of concern to our Safeguarding Team – please email safeguarding@theleighutc.org.uk.
Further Safeguarding Information
The Leigh UTC and Inspiration Academy core safeguarding principles
- It is a whole school responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as its paramount concern.
- All children (defined as those up to the age of 18) regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection.
- All children have a right to be heard and to have their wishes and feelings taken into account.
- All staff understand safe professional practice and adhere to our code of conduct and other associated policies.
- All staff have a responsibility to recognise vulnerability in children and act on any concern in accordance with this guidance.
Staff Responsibility
- Provide a safe environment in which children can learn.
- Ensure all children are able to develop appropriate strategies to recognise and respond to risk and build resilience.
- Identify and recognise children who may be in need of extra help, who are suffering, or are likely to suffer significant harm.
- Provide help for children, where appropriate and reasonable.
- Take appropriate action to prevent safeguarding concerns escalating and work with other services as needed.
- Safeguard children’s well-being and maintain public trust in the teaching profession as part of their professional duties.
- Maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned and to always act in the best interests of the child.
- Respond to and refer any concerns about children or other members of the community in accordance with this policy.
- Contribute towards, read and adhering to the school policies.
All members of staff in The Leigh UTC and Inspiration Academy, know what to do if a child tells them he/she is being abused or neglected. Members of staff know to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality whilst at the same time liaising with relevant professionals such as the Designated Safeguarding Lead, the safeguarding team at the school and other agencies as appropriate.
Members of staff know they must never promise a child that they will not tell anyone about a concern or allegation as this may ultimately not be in the best interests of the child.
Report
The welfare and safety of children are the responsibility of all staff in school and ANY concern for a pupil’s welfare MUST always be reported to one of the following:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead, Kathryn Pamphlett – safeguarding@theleighutc.org.uk
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads, Mr Alamu and Mr Richter
- We have eight additional DSL trained staff (Student Services Managers), each working with a specific year group or with SEND students.
Safeguarding Websites and Links
- NSPCC
- Greenwich Safeguarding Children Partnership Information for Families and Schools
- Childline
- Kooth – mental health and wellbeing
Safeguarding for Students
What is Safeguarding?
At the Leigh UTC and Inspiration Academy, all the adults around you think that your health, safety and welfare are really important. We respect each other and know that it is important to be happy and safe in school.
- We know what our roles and responsibilities are to keep you safe.
- We take all allegations, suspicions and concerns seriously and report them properly.
- We talk to other people about any concerns to develop the best way to help you.
- We complete risk assessments to ensure that all potential dangers in activities have been identified.
- We have themed assemblies, lessons and awareness weeks where we learn about Safeguarding such as e-safety and anti-bullying.
- We treat everyone fairly with dignity and respect.
- All adults will listen to what you have to say with an open mind.
- Adults will not ask leading questions so that you have to reveal more details.
- If they are worried about your safety, they might invite another professional to talk to you.
- Adults never stop us from freely talking or sharing about significant events
- Adults will make accurate and specific notes of discussions to make sure that all concerns are recorded.
- Adults will not promise to keep secrets.
- They will explain that they have a responsibility to report what has been said to someone else if they are worried about your safety.
- All adults will immediately tell the Safeguarding team if they are worried about your safety.
- Speak to an adult at school if you are worried about something, it could be a teacher, your form tutor, your SSM or one of the Safeguarding team.
- If you wish to do so without anybody finding out, you can email stop@theleighutc.org.uk
- Be aware that you are not alone and that people will always help you
- Be aware that there are lots of support services available
- If you are in immediate danger – call the police
- Advice around Online Safety: www.thinkuknow.co.uk
- Advice around suicidal thoughts: https://www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/using-this-tool
- Advice around Mental Wellbeing: www.kooth.com
- The Leigh UTC – Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy: The Leigh UTC policies
Sexual Violence and Harassment
- Guidance – Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges
- Brook.org.uk
- UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)
- The law on sex – Factsheets – FPA
- Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people | GOV.UK
- Sexual consent – The Mix
- Abuse in young people’s relationships | Safe lives
- Resources to help identify and engage young people at risk of sexual abuse and exploitation | Barnardo’s
- ItsNotOkay.co.uk
- Friends, relationships and sex | ChildLine
- Preventing Child Sexual Abuse & Keeping Children Safe | NSPCC
- Myths about rape | Rape Crisis
Online Safety
For immediate advice regarding Online Safety, please visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk. Should you wish to report a concern regarding the way that someone is communicating with you online, visit the CEOP website. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) works across the UK tackling child sex abuse and providing advice for parents, young people and children about internet safety and online safety.
The Leigh UTC and Inspiration Academy achieved Certified school status for National Online Safety in 2020-21. National Online Safety keep children safe online by providing online safety education, training and updates which empowers the whole school community. We have all our teachers, a high proportion of governors and numerous parents completing Online Safety courses and watching videos advising how to keep our community safe against Online risks. If you have not signed up and would like to, please contact info@theleighutc.org.uk.
It is through education and empowerment that we seek to embrace the digital age by creating responsible digital citizens. As we move forward, the Internet and related technologies, including mobile phones, blogs, podcasting and social networks, are becoming increasingly important in the daily lives of our children and have many positive benefits. They can be used both educationally and socially and are becoming part of a child’s identity. Socially our children often use the Internet for entertainment, interaction, and communication with ‘friends’. Access to the Internet can take place anywhere and at any time so we need to make sure our children are able to use the Internet safely.
However, many children are unaware of the risks, for example, by having online friends (who could be strangers), uploading inappropriate images, viewing unsuitable content or even becoming addicted to the Internet.
Our programme of online safety guides your child through the benefits and dangers of having a virtual presence. Through assemblies, dedicated tutor programmes and bespoke action days we actively prepare your child to be a responsible digital citizen. It is imperative that we all have a role to play in keeping students safe online. If you have any concerns we encourage you to contact the Students Services Managers for advice and guidance or report it to CEOP (Child exploitation and Online protection Centre).
Cyberbullying
Your child is just as likely to be a bully as to be a target. Be alert to your child being upset after using the internet/phones – they may be secretive, change relationships with friends
- Talk to your child and understand how they are using the internet and their phone
- Use safety tools and parental controls – if your not sure how contact your service provider. Please note tools are not always 100% effective
- Remind your child not to retaliate
- Keep any evidence of Cyberbullying – emails, Online Conversations, texts, etc.
- Report the Cyberbullying
- Contact the school so they can take action if it involves other pupils
- Contact the service provider e.g. website, phone company, etc.
- If the cyberbullying is serious and a potential criminal offence has been committed then consider contacting the Police.
(Adapted from DCFS Cyberbullying Guidance)
Further Resources
The following resources provide information for parents on Online safety for students
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a national scheme that operates jointly between schools and all police forces. Operation Encompass means that our academy will be told, prior to the start of the next school day, when police have attended an incident of domestic abuse where there is a child or young person who attends our academy who is related to any of those involved in the incident.
We have ensured that a member of our staff, (Designated Safeguarding Lead) known as a Key Adult, has been trained about Operation Encompass procedures. This allows us to use the information that has been confidentially shared with us by the police, to understand how a child may be impacted by domestic abuse and to then offer support to the children in our care.
Worried About a Child?
If you believe that a child or young person is at IMMEDIATE risk, you should treat this as an emergency and call the academy, or call 999 to report your concerns to the Police.
- Designated Safeguarding Lead: Kathryn Pamphlett
- Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Gabriel Alamu (Vice Principal)
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead & Designated Child in Care Teacher: Simon Richter (Assistant Principal)
- Person responsible for children with medical conditions: Simon Richter (Assistant Principal)
- Online Safety Coordinator: Kathryn Pamphlett
- Named Safeguarding Governor: Temi Afolabi
Most children enjoy generally happy childhood experiences within their own family. Unfortunately for some this is not the case. During difficult family times, everyone who knows the child must do the best they can to protect them from future harm.
Spot Abuse
You may be concerned about a child or young person. You may or may not know them, or even their name. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Abuse can take many different forms, such as neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse and even emotional abuse.
Take Responsibility
Don’t assume that someone else will take responsibility and make that phone call. You could help to save a child’s life. If you are worried, report it.
Tell Someone!
Please contact Specialist Children’s Services or the Police immediately:
Kent Central Duty Team
Telephone: 03000 411111
Emergency Out of Hours
Telephone: 03000 419191
E-mail: social.services@kent.gov.uk
Kent Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit
Telephone: 01622 690 690
If you need to advise us of a child or young person moving into Kent from another area, please contact the Safeguarding Unit on 01622 694157.