Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. School staff are in a position to identify concerns early, provide help for children, promote children’s welfare, prevent concerns from escalating, and educate children on how they can keep themselves and others safe.
As a school we aim to safeguard and promote the welfare of children by:
protecting children from maltreatment;
preventing the 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, and;
taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
United Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS (previously CRB) check is required for all staff.
If you have any concerns about the safety of any child, please speak to a member of staff who you feel comfortable with. Alternatively, if your concerns are about the use of digital media, you can report incidents to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.
All our staff have been trained in dealing with the signs of abuse and they understand the important role they must play in protecting our students from harm. We follow a clear set of procedures when concerns arise, and matters are dealt with sensitively.
You can read our Safeguarding Policy here. You can also find our Anti-Bullying Policy here.
Our school is proud to be part of Operation Encompass, a national initiative that supports children and young people who may be affected by domestic abuse, vulnerability, or missing incidents. This partnership between police and schools ensures that, when a child has been exposed to such an incident, the school is informed before the start of the next school day. This allows us to provide timely and appropriate support to help the child feel safe and cared for.
At Marsden Heights, our trained Key Adult, Mrs Pilkington, receives this confidential information and works sensitively with staff to ensure the child’s wellbeing is prioritised. Operation Encompass runs throughout the year, including weekends and holidays, and helps us offer the best possible support to our pupils. For more information, please visit www.operationencompass.org