Heartlands High School fully recognises its responsibilities for Safeguarding Children. We have no higher duty than that of ensuring student safety and happiness, and of educating students so that they are able to make choices that will enable them to be healthy, safe, able to enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and achieve economic wellbeing. Child protection is the responsibility of all staff, and our policy applies to all staff, governors and others working in our school.

Safeguarding encompasses many aspects of school life, wherever a child’s welfare might be compromised; child protection is one very important aspect of safeguarding. The promotion of welfare includes ‘creating opportunities to enable children to have optimum life chances in adulthood’ – Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families, 2000.

The Governing Body will act in accordance with Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of students at Heartlands High School. We endorse and will actively promote the right of all children to be safeguarded from any form of harm and exploitation.

In addition, we state our intention to work with parents, carers and local and national agencies to support families and individuals to promote wellbeing and prevent difficulties in families.

We recognise that because of the day-to-day contact with children, school staff are well

placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:

  • Train all staff to develop their understanding of how to recognise the signs and indicators of abuse.
  • Temporary staff will receive training on child protection.
  • Train all staff to ensure that they know how to respond to a child who discloses abuse
  • Train all staff to ensure that they know how to respond to a child who shows sign of being vulnerable to radicalisation or having extreme views
  • Support staff who have dealt with issues around abuse
  • Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to
  • Encourage the development of self-esteem and resilience
  • Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried
  • Ensure there is a member of staff for ‘Children in Care’
  • Include opportunities in the PSHE curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse
  • Regularly review and update our procedures
  • Work with parents and carers in partnership to create positive relationships that safeguard children and support families
  • Work with agencies to share information and support families.