Safeguarding statement

The safety and well-being of children is a core responsibility of the school: children who feel safe and happy will thrive. At Epping Upland, we take safeguarding, including our statutory responsibilities, very seriously.

Please follow the links below, to read policies relating to safeguarding: Child Protection Policy, Behaviour Policy, E-Safety Policy.

We achieve this objective by:

• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.
• Ensuring the children know that there is always a trusted adult available to them should they have a worry, concern or anxiety and that we will guide and support them through adversity should it arise.
• All staff supporting the principles of TPP (Trauma Perceptive Practice)
• Supporting pupils who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan.
• Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe. Pupils are taught about safeguarding as a part of the national curriculum through PSHE, RSE and Religious Education.
• Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
• Ensuring we practise safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.
• Staff development, including learning to recognise children in need of protection. This includes taking the stance that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

PREVENT STRATEGY

Since July 2015 all schools (as well as other organisations) have had a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism under Prevent, a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes. The Prevent strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including extreme right wing groups, violent Al Qa’ida-influenced groups and other causes. This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from drugs, gang violence, abuse and sexual exploitation. Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss these issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.

Prevent Guidance

OUR RESPONSE

Many of the things we already do in school to help children become positive, happy members of society also contribute to the Prevent strategy. These include:

• Exploring other cultures and religions and promoting diversity;
• Challenging prejudices and racist comments;
• Developing critical thinking skills and a strong, positive self-identity;
• Promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural
• Development of pupils, as well as British values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

We will also protect children from the risk of radicalisation, for example by using filters on the internet to make sure they can’t access extremist and terrorist material, and by vetting visitors who come into school to work with pupils.

The Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher and Chair of Governors have received Prevent Awareness Training which has been cascaded to all staff working at Epping Upland.

KEY TERMS

Extremism – vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values such as democracy, the rule of law and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs

Terrorism – a violent action against people or property, designed to create fear and advance a political, religious or ideological cause

Radicalisation – the process by which a person comes to support extremism and terrorism

If you have any further concerns or comments to make, please speak with Sarah Hurwood  Head Teacher in the first instance.

Child Protection Policy:

Safeguarding means that we:

• Protect children from maltreatment
• Prevent impairment of children’s health and development
• Ensure that children are growing up in circumstances onsistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• Take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Safeguarding action may need to be needed to protect our children from:

• Neglect
• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Bullying, including cyber bullying
• Racist, disability, homophobic and transphobic abuse
• Gender based abuse and violence
• Radicalisation
• Extremism
• Child Sexual Exploitation and trafficking
• New technology on behaviour eg Sexting
• Substance abuse
• Gang activity or violence
• Female Genital Mutilation
• Fabricated or induced illness
• Poor parenting
• Any other issue that may pose a risk or harm to a child

At Epping Upland we use the following documents to support and guide us in our Safeguarding policy and procedure:

• Local Authority SET Procedures SET PREVENT Policy & Guidance May 2022         SET Procedures
• Child Protection Policy
• What to do if You’re Worried a Child is Being Abused – DfE – March 2019
• Keeping Children Safe in Education – DfE – September 2023              Keeping Children Safe
• Working Together to Safeguard Children – DfE – March 2018           Working Together
• The Prevent Duty – DfE – April 2021         Prevent Duty
• To successfully safeguard our pupils means that we will enable them to:

• Feel safe and secure in their physical environment
• Feel emotionally safe and secure
• Know that we will ensure that any medical need they have will be attended to carefully, sensitively and with empathy
• Feel protected from risk and harm
• Know that there is always a trusted adult available to them should they have a worry, concern or anxiety
• Know that we will help, guide and support them through adversity should it arise
• Know that all our staff will do our very best by them to ensure that their school days are happy, positive and productive

To ensure the above, we will ensure that:

• Staff are employed according to all statutory vetting procedures and that the HT and at least one member of the Governing Body have required Safer Recruitment training
• There is a Designated Child Protection Person and Deputy Designated Child Protection Person who adhere to their statutory duties
• All our Staff have regular update training on Safeguarding
• All our Staff are informed with updates as appropriate
• Parents and Carers are aware of our Safeguarding intentions and who are Designated Persons are
• Staff adhere to the school culture, ethos and philosophy in that the well- being of the child is paramount
• Staff will follow school policy and procedure
• There is a governor with responsibility for Safeguarding

If you are worried about a child at Epping Upland please contact the school’s Designated Person, who is our Headteacher, Mrs Sarah Hurwood or our Deputy Designated persons Mrs Karen Smith and Mrs Julia Ferguson.

Alternatively, please click here or for further advice and guidance, the Essex Safeguarding Board.

In the event of a complaint, the school Complaints procedures should be followed. A copy of this policy is available on our website or from the school office on request.