School policies cover every aspect of school life. Below are some of our most important policies for your reference. If you want to know our policy on something that is not listed, please ask the school office.
Information about how we teach specific curriculum areas can be found in the Curriculum Policy. Information about the approach we take to teaching can be found in the teaching and Learning Policy.
Overview
Safeguarding is about keeping children and young people safe from abuse or neglect. All those who come into contact with children and families in their everyday work, have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
This page will be used to offer important information to parents and carers regarding issues surrounding Safeguarding & Child Protection. It also provides you information on how we safeguard your children at Langley Primary.
Alongside Langley Primary School’s own policies and procedures, see below, information from other sources will be posted to give advice, facts and resources to support parents and carers to help protect their children.
Designated Safeguarding Leads
The Designated Safeguarding Lead for Langley Primary School is Dr Tony James. The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads for Langley Primary School are Ms Susan Savage, Mrs Cath Waterworth and Mrs Jan Lovelock. Our Safeguarding Governor are Jacob Walker and Petra Stanaway
Operation Encompass
The school is part of a project that is run jointly between schools and West Midlands Police. Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools, prior to the start of the next school day, when a child or young person has exposed to, or involved in, any domestic incident.
Operation Encompass ensures that a member of school staff is trained to allow them to liaise with the local authority and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence, to ensure that the school is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children, or their families, who have been involved in, or exposed to, a domestic abuse incident. At Langley this person is Susan Savage.
We are keen to offer the best support possible to all our pupils and we believe this is extremely beneficial for all those involved and it will ensure that we can meet the emotional needs of all of our children in very difficult situations.
Child Sexual Exploitation
Child Sexual Exploitation, or CSE, is a form of sexual abuse which sees children/young people being manipulated or coerced into sexual activity for receiving ‘something’ such as; gifts, money, food, attention, somewhere to stay etc.
Technology is very often used to groom victims. This may occur through social networking sites and mobile phones with internet access.
CSE has gained a large amount of media attention over the last year as lots of services involved with children and young people have noticed a big rise in cases involving CSE.
Charities such as NSPCC and Barnardos have been campaigning to raise the profile of this form of child abuse. Information regarding CSE can be found here below.
Internet Safety
Children and young people spend lots of time on the internet. They may go online to research information for homework or to play games, chat with friends and make new ones.
The internet holds a massive amount of useful information and can also be a really good way of learning about new things and keeping in contact with friends and family. It can also be a very dangerous place so it is important that children are protected and monitored when they are online.
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) has lots of information about how to keep your children safe online and parental controls. The link to the website is below.
PACE (Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation) is a national charity that works with parents and carers whose children are sexually exploited. PACE offers one-to-one telephone support, national and local meet-ups with other affected parents and information on how parents can work in partnership with school, police and social care.
The NSPCC also offers lots of helpful tips and advice parents can use to keep their children safe on the internet and social networks.
The link below outlines the risks and dangers children face when using the internet and provides advice on how to set parenting controls on computers, tablets and mobile phones.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
In April 2014 every school in England received new safeguarding guidelines and detailed information on identifying and responding to Female Genital Mutilation.
FGM is a procedure carried out on young girls between the ages of infancy and 15 years of age.
Female Genital Mutilation is classified as a form of Child Abuse in the UK. It therefore makes the procedure of it a serious Child Protection issue.
It is illegal for anyone to perform FGM in the UK or to arrange for a child to be transported to another country for the procedure. The maximum sentence for carrying out FGM or helping it to take place is 14 years in prison.
There is lots of information and support available online for parents/carers concerned about this subject or if you know someone who is at risk:
The Daughters of Eve website helps to raise awareness of this issue and
sign-posts those affected by it to supportive services. See below.
The NSPCC has detailed advice on how to spot the signs, symptoms and effects of FGM and provides support for people who are concerned about a child or who have been affected themselves. See below.
Reporting a Concern of Abuse or Neglect
If you have concerns that a child you know is at risk of serious harm through Abuse or Neglect it is important that you report your worries to the correct agency.
The link below will direct you to Sandwell Council's Social Service page, which tells you how to report a concern.
You can also report you concerns to the NSPCC who will offer you support and advice if you are feeling worried about a child’s safety. See below.
Below is the link to the Sandwell Safeguarding Board. Sandwell Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) is a statutory board which has been set up as part of the Every Child Matters government reforms. SSCB ensures that all organisations that work with children work together to keep children and young people safe from harm. SSCB undertakes this role through providing training, the development of policies and procedures and awareness raising.